that kind of love // m.p.

chapter 3

Riley
Do you know how DREADFUL today was? I was misrable. Like yes, my dream job is to one day become a physician anesthesiologist, but there's these classes that have like- nothing to do with that💀 I entered my apartment building, tired as hell. I walked up to the elevator and pressed 3, waiting. I close my eyes whenever I'm in the elevator. To avoid freaking out. Me and Elevators...don't have the best history. Chicago wasn't pretty. Though, I found a way to calm myself. Well, I was taught, a way to call myself.

FLASHBACK
6 years ago... (yayyy😊)
My breathing hitched as we entered the elevator. I felt myself practically suffocating. Then he calmed me down. He put his hands on my shoulders, and started massaging me.

Mattia: breathe, baby. It's okay. Your safe, your with me.

I nodded fast, still freaking out.

Mattia: hey, lets try this. Close your eyes, breathe. In and out, in and out, until you hear the ding. After that, step out, and bam, your safe.

I nodded and closed my eyes. In....out....in....out. *ding!*

I opened my eyes and saw the hallway. I stepped out, and smiled.

Mattia: you did it!

Riley: I- I did it!

I squealed in excitement before jumped into his arms, him holding me there.

Mattia: your safe with me. Always.

I opened my eyes at the sound of the ding, the hallway appeared. I sighed and walked out, I was safe now. I walked to my door, but was intrigued by music playing at a door a few down from mine. polo g?! I haven't heard that artist in years. I smiled at the sound of his voice, before walking to my apartment.

I threw my keys on the counter and took off my coat, hanging it on the coat hanger next to the door. I was tired, but also hungry. When you work in a diner half the time your at work you get angry for not being able to eat any of it. I went to the pantry and picked up a microwaveable Mac n cheese (those hit DIFFERENT🤤) and put it in the microwave for 3 minutes.

I opened the lid and grabbed a fork, eating out of the container. What am I gonna wear to that wedding? Who's coming? Am I playing a part in it? Probably not. I don't understand why they would invite me anyways. They shut me out, but I kinda deserved it. I guess I just thought that they'd come back around and forgive me. I was kinda alone my senior year, because of that.

Then the weirdest thing happened, I remembered something. I remembered...6 years ago? On a beach in San Diego, I was pregnant and didn't know it yet, and everyone was having fun. Me and Amanda were tanning, and they threw us into the water. But that's not what I remembered, what I remembered was later that night, when we were all in the sand, with firecrackers in our hands.

6 years ago...

Alejandro: okay guys lets make a pact. From this day forward, we're a family. Always sticking together, promise me.

Alejandro: I promise.

Kairi: I promise.

Alvaro: I promise.

Amanda: I promise.

Roshaun: I promise.

Riley: I promise.

Mattia: I promise.

I remember that day like it was just last week. Except, that was years ago. Now, we all had lives of our own, our own priorities. That's the sad part of it all. I never even got to say goodbye either, it all just kinda...happened.