The Girl in a Hoodie

Chapter 55

James's POV:

As it gets later into the afternoon, Riley and I finally finish the first section of our project. We had written down our questions and answers and made a profile for each other based on our comforts, reliabilities, and likes and dislikes, including what we get nervous about, or our fears.

"Wait, James, you know when you said you tend to lose your temper sometimes?" Riley asks me nervously as if she was scared for my reaction on such a personal topic. I smile at her to reassure her that it was fine to ask questions about my anger and she smiles back.

"Yeah?"

"What do you actually get angry about? Like is it just random times where you overreact or is it a particular person, or topic, or time of the day that makes you that way?" she asks softly.

"I'd say that it's whenever I'm asked questions about my dad or when someone asks me about something based on a situation that I can't exactly tell anyone." She looks at me oddly as if she didn't understand, making me chuckle a bit at how cute she looked. "So basically when I'm under pressure or something like that. So, let's say with my maths, if I don't get the question or what it's asking me to do and the person I'm working with isn't explaining it in a way I understand, I would get quite annoyed at first which will soon lead to anger and frustration and I would probably start shouting... I just can't seem to help it. Which is why I enjoy being with you because you're easy to be around and can explain things to me in a way that others can't."

"That's so sweet, James..." She shows her teeth as she smiles, making me feel so cheerful inside.

"And then there are the times when I've been asked to keep a secret or something, but I know that I could be hurting someone I care about at the same time..."

"What do you mean?"

"So, remember the time when we were talking about that videotape and we were asked if we knew who had sent it, then I answered with a no and stormed off because I got irate by everyone talking about it?"

"Yeah?" The look on her face was like she was generally worried, so I hold her hand as I brace myself to tell her the truth.

"Well... I lied. I did know that it was Myah who sent it..."

"Wait what?"

"Myah was the one who posted that video of the two of us..."

She lets go of my hand and then looks around and shakes her head.

"So you're telling me that Myah took the video? Posted it online for everyone to see? Showed my dad which made us break up? And you knew it was her the entire time?!"

This was not the reaction I was hoping to get. She stands up, stepping away from me and when I try and reach for her hands again, she backs away.

"Ri, it wasn't that I didn't want to tell you. She told me that she wouldn't stop hurting you unless I broke  up with you."

"Huh? What's that got to do with anything?" she questions. I noticed how sensitive Riley could get over the period of time I've spent with her, so I make sure to be careful with my words.

"Basically, when Myah found out we were dating, she took that video and posted it. I found out it was her and told her to take it down, but she told me there was no point. She then said that she would only take it down and tell everyone it was fake, and would even stop harassing you if only I broke up with you and got back with her. Obviously, I couldn't tell you that, so I lied and said I didn't know and I started to freak out because I was worried you would find out and get frustrated with me or something. The reason I listened to your dad when he told us to break up, was because I knew Myah was the one who showed your dad. And she had taken things into her own hands to separate us. But then she left to go to University as you told me, and I never went on to date her. It's not even like I wanted to anyway because the only person I care about is you, Ri." She contemplates this for a while as she looks straight at me. I really hope she understands because I can't lose Riley. She's probably the best thing that's ever happened to me and I am not being cliche when I say that because it's true.

"You should have told me, James," she finally says as she sits back down next to me on the bed. "I wouldn't have got mad at you. And you said you would always tell me the truth." She holds my hand in hers again.

"I know Ri, I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. Is there anything else you need to tell me?" she asks. I shake my head. "Okay, well I think we've finished now," she laughs as she begins to pack her pens away. I chuckle and help her put our books back in our bags. 

Then suddenly, there's a loud bang from downstairs. I immediately look up at her and see an alarmed expression across her face. 

"Dad?" she whispers to herself. I rub her arm and then get up with her as we go down the stairs. Surely enough, her dad was standing in the kitchen, but he looked especially tired and unwell. Since the front door was open, Riley walks over to shut it to stop the cold air from coming in, and then walks towards her father.

"Dad, are you okay?" she asks as she approaches him. He looks up at her but then I notice he had a black eye and his other one had gone bloodshot. "Where were you?" she asks him. He looks up at me and then looks back down again and shakes his head. I have no clue what is going on, but I don't leave because I realise that this is what Riley was talking about earlier. Stumbling, he walks over to the dining table and pours himself a glass of beer.

"You might not want to drink that right now," I say quickly, taking the state he was in, into mind.

"No, I'm good thank you," he slurs. It's obvious that he was drunk or at least a little bit tipsy. Riley walks over towards me and I wrap my arm around her precautiously. "James, I think you better be going now, mustn't you? The snow's melted so it's all safe," he says which was particularly odd since he always let me hang around.

"Um..." Riley looks up at me and shakes her head, then squeezes my hand as if to beg for me to stay.

"Please don't leave me, James," she whispers just loud enough for me to hear.

"Yeah, I can go now if it's okay that Riley comes with me?" I ask. He shrugs.

"Okay then," he murmurs. Riley quickly goes back upstairs and then her dad gets up and approaches me. All I could smell was alcohol. I don't exactly know what's happened to him. He was such a lovely, considerate man but suddenly he's changed and I don't even know what to? He scoffs in my face and then pushes past and begins to make his way upstairs. I follow him, not trusting him to be around Riley, and then he turns around to face me. "Wait down there," he says. It was so forceful that I decide to stay put.

As I pace up and down, downstairs, I hear them talking but couldn't quite figure out what it was they were talking about.

There's then a loud scream and a bang as something drops to the floor. I immediately run upstairs to see what it was and was shocked at what I had just seen.

And the next thing I know, I'm in the ambulance with Riley who is unconscious and can just about breathe.