Boy Next Door: A Kio Cyr Story

26- Facing Kio

Still sitting outside of Jaden's dorm, your phone buzzed again. This time it was a text from Kio.

You planned to answer eventually but just can't find any words that could possibly undo what you said to him 2 weeks ago so you head home. When you pulled up, Kio is sitting on your porch waiting for you. You fought the urge to put the car back in reverse and leave but decided to face him. You unlocked your door after checking to make sure your dad wasn't home and he followed you inside:
"Riley has been staying with Jaden. And before you ask, no I haven't talked to her. I ran into Jaden."

Kio: "I already know that. She called me to tell me so I wouldn't worry but made me promise not to tell anyone."

You: "So you guys are okay now?"

Kio: "Not even close, but she's still my sister."

You: "I will never understand why you let her control you the way she does, but don't you think you should go before she finds out you're here?"

Kio: "I'm the reason she is the way she is and I owe it to her not to judge her for something I caused."

You: "You did not cause this mess... she did by sleeping with Bryce and I did by- well- by sleeping with you."

Kio: *sitting on your bed and lowering his voice*
"She never told you, did she..."

You sat down next to him realizing suddenly that there was more than he was telling you. He grabbed your pillow and held it against his stomach as he continued:
"When Mom was pregnant with Riley, her dad was abusive, and when he finally left she was all alone and that's when she met my dad. They ended up having me a year later."

You: "I knew that... but why does that make any of this your fault? You guys don't even talk to your dad anymore, right? Didn't he leave too?"

Kio: "He's in prison. When Riley was a little girl my dad started to abuse her. When she tried to tell anyone, he threatened to take me and disappear. One day my aunt caught him touching her and he was arrested..."

You couldn't believe Riley went through that and never told anyone.

Kio: *continuing the story*
"After he was gone, I didn't understand. No one told me because I was way too young so I blamed Riley for my dad being gone. All I knew was she was the reason he was sent away. She wanted to protect me from knowing what kind of man he was so she took all the blame herself."

You: "And holding onto the blame for being abused made her start drinking and feel out of control..."

Kio: "It was hard enough to live through being abused, but to have to take the blame so you could protect your little brother? It screwed her up bad."

You: "Does she know that you know now?"

Kio: "Yes, but by the time it came out, it was too late to save her. She was so wild that not even my mom or Avani's dad who loves her like his own daughter could reel her in."

You: "I think you should go home and tell your parents that she's okay even if you don't tell them where she is. Tell them I'm the one who knows if you don't want to be the bad guy. I don't care. They deserve to not worry about her."

After Kio leaves to go talk to his parents you drive back to Jaden's dorm to wait for Riley. You sit in your car for hours and just when you're about to give up, you see her car pull in.

Riley: *in shock*
"Wha- what are you doing here?"

You: "We need to talk. Look I don't think we are ever going to be close again, but I don't want you to hide here from your family to punish yourself. I forgive you okay? Your family misses you... you need to go home to them."

Riley: "I'm not here because of what I did to you. I can't be there anymore. Everyone wants to pretend like they don't see how much I'm struggling and just wants to keep living their perfect lives and I can't keep pretending or I'll never get better."

You could tell she was struggling to try to tell you what happened to her, but couldn't go through with it so you hugged her and told her:
"Just be wherever you feel healthy and happy, but I think for Kio's sake you need to get help."

Riley: "You talked to Kio?"

You: "Kio and I are friends and I'm not scared of losing you anymore so you won't ever have a say in that again."

On the drive home, you can't get the conflicted feelings out of your head. You love Riley and you understand that she didn't do what she did to hurt you. If anything she was trying to hurt herself. If you were being honest, though, Riley has been responsible for a lot of your hurt. She has led you to a lot of the bad choices you've made in the last few years and ultimately betrayed you more than anyone ever has.