𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐈𝐌

『18』

      Riley sits on the bleachers at the football shield as she waits for Peter. '21 Guns' by Green Day blasts in her ears. She watches the football team practice, and a few of them look over at her. They are trying to impress her. It's only making her cringe.

      Something pokes Riley's shoulder and she whips around to see Peter. She takes out her earbuds. "Jesus, you scared me." Peter smiles in apology and sits down next to her. "So why did you want to meet here?" Riley shrugs. "Figured that would be some entertainment." She points out at a few football players fighting.

      Peter chuckles. He pulls out the laptop he checked out from the school and pulls up the report. "So, um, I wanted to make up for ditching you, so I-" He turns the screen for Riley to see. "Kinda did it all." Riley raises an eyebrow as she looks at it. From what she can tell, it's very well done.

      A few things can be fact checked though. He mixed up some of the autobots and decepticons. "You didn't have to do that." She tells him honestly. Peter shrugs. Riley turns to him and leans against the gate behind her. "So, what do you want to do since you bombed the presentation?"

      Peter stares at her. "You want to hang out?" Riley shrugs. "Sure, why not? I know a place that serves some of the best raspberry pie I've ever had." A smile creeps on Peter's lips. "Let's do it! I love pie!" Not as much as Riley.

△

      "And then I tripped over my own feet, spilling the batter everywhere!" Riley laughs, at Peter's story. She is so infected with his company her pie was almost completely forgotten. Almost. "How are you such a clutz?" She asks through a laugh. Peter shrugs and takes a bite out of his pie. "I dunno. It's almost unnatural."

      Riley smiles softly and sips her iced tea. "So what was the 'family business' you were doing over the weekend?" Peter asks as he leans onto the table. Riley purses her lips. "Pest control." She says shortly. Peter raises an eyebrow. "The 'family business' is pest control?"

      Riley nods a bit and shrugs. "My grandpa dragged my dad and uncle into it, and after my mom died and I went with my dad, I got into it too. " Peter looks at Riley for a moment. Both of her parents are dead. Just like his, except Riley saw her father die. That must have been hard. No wonder she's been so distant. He's glad she's showing her true colors now though.

      Riley cringes as she looks at her pie. "Enough with the pity looks. I've gotten enough of those to last three lifetimes." Peter blinks then nods, looking down. "Sorry." He mumbles. Riley shakes her head and moves her pie around her plate. "'T's okay." There is a pause of silence and Peter decides to change the subject.

      "So, the Avengers are hunting down the autobots. You must hate that." Riley glances out at Bumblebee where he is parked. "You have no idea." Riley mutters. Peter leans forward with interest. "Why do you like them so much?" Riley looks at Peter, then sits back in her seat.

      "Me and my dad were in Chicago when Megatron attacked. We were almost killed, but," Riley glances at Bumblebee. "One of them saved us." Riley looks back at Peter. "It's not something you forget easily." Peter nods then looks at her. "So you lived in Chicago before coming here?"

      Riley shakes her head and leans forward to take a sip of her drink. "No. I've never really lived in one place for more than 2 weeks." Peter's eyebrows shoot up and Riley nods. "Yeah, we traveled a lot. Always staying in hotels, and if we couldn't find one, then we'd sleep in the Impala." Peter stares at Riley sadly.

      "That must have sucked." Riley shakes her head and smiles softly. "No, actually. I loved it." She looks up at the ceiling with a blissful smile. "It was just me, my dad, and my grandpa against the world." Riley frowns. Until John and Dean died. Now she's on her own. Again.

      "I've always hated staying in one place for too long. It drives me nuts unless I have something to do." Like a hunt, or fighting evil robot aliens. "That's cool." Peter comments. "Where was your favorite place?" Riley frowns and looks at her plate. "Um..." She says in thought.

      Then she finds a memory. One that was one of her best memories with her father, and also one of her last.

      Riley smiles a bit. "Probably the time me, my dad, and uncle set off fireworks in a field. The two of them did it when they were younger. It was fun. Laughing, singing to classic rock." Riley lets out a breath. "Just being normal for once." The corners of her mouth twitch into a small frown. "He died one week later."

      Peter stares at Riley as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "But that's in the past. What's it like living with your aunt?" Riley asks as thoughts of her father leave her. Peter groans. "You wouldn't believe how much she worries, especially after she found out-" Peter stops himself. Riley raises an eyebrow at him and Peter laughs nervously.

      "She worries, but she's great. After Ben died it's just been the two of us, but we make it work." Riley smiles a bit and nods. "And her cooking?" Riley asks referring to Peter's story. Peter shakes his head. "The way things work when it comes to her cooking: Eat it, and try not to gag. Once she eats enough of it and realizes how terrible it is we order take out."

        Riley chuckles and finishes her iced tea. She feels a strange prickling under her fingernails and she frowns, rubbing her hands. Riley looks at Peter while he starts eating his third piece of pie. For a moment, her eyes flash a vibrant sky blue before turning back to normal. Riley cracks her knuckles, completely unaware of what had just happened.

       The prickling doesn't fade away and Riley starts to become annoyed. She looks around in worry, thinking something not so human is watching her, but she's alone. This prickling is similar to when Riley is near a demon, but instead of filling her with anger and fear, she feels light, clean, and energetic.

      "Weird." She mutters to herself. Peter looks at her. "What?" He asks with a mouthful. Riley chuckles at him and shakes her head. "It's nothing. Just have this weird feeling." She pinches at her fingertips, but it doesn't stop the prickling. Riley frowns and takes a deep breath.

       "Do you need a ride back to your apartment?" She offers Peter. He purses his lips. "Oh, no, I'm fine. I have to do- Something." Riley nods slowly then stands up from the table. She tosses down a $20 and walks out of the restaurant. The prickling begins to fade and she stares at her hands as she gets into Bumblebee. "So weird."

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

IF YOU GUYS READ MY BOOK 'THE BEGINNING' THEN THE SUDDEN STANGE HAPPENINGS IN THIS CHAPTER WON'T WON'T BE SO SUDDEN.

WHAT COULD BE HAPPENING TO RILEY?