Hidden Behind Everything Happy

Riley

I banged on that door about fifteen times screaming her name before she felt stable enough to answer the door, I barely recognised her as I bent down to her small form cowering in the corner. My strong Sophie, my beautiful and sarcastic, argumentative girl was lying in a corner hiding because she was scared. I could hardly recognise her.

"Sophie?" I then wrapped one hand lightly behind her neck and made her look up into my eyes. She looked so desperate and sad, I smashed my lips to hers and wrapped my arms around her waist. I felt guilty, I was here as a last resort because she felt totally alone.

"He keeps following me Riley. Everywhere I go there's another letter, and all the things he knows about me, I don't know how he knows me the way he does!" She was hysterical and upset beyond what I thought I would ever see in Sophie.

"He was here, I watched him push the letter through the letterbox and then he ran away!" She grabbed my collar and pulled me close enough so I could feel her breath down my neck. She was holding me tight enough to choke, and her desperation to not lose me was obvious when she clung to me. She looked totally exhausted too, I picked her up and thought she felt slightly lighter than she had been before. I set her down in her bed, my hands tracing through her hair. Her eyes closed immediately and she drifted into sleep. I watched her sleep all night to make sure she was safe, I listened for any noise. Nothing happened however.

I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs and I rose immediately fearful of who was cooking for me. I then grabbed my cricket bat I had hidden beneath my bed, I crept down the stairs and into the kitchen. I was surprised and relieved to see Riley with his happy smile, making eggs. 

"Jesus am I glad its you down here" I fiddled with the rope laced handle of the bat and then lent it against the doorway. I hadn't slept properly like that since my first letter. Riley was seriously like a safety blanket whenever I needed him he'd be there; that was one thing I was sure about.  

"I'm glad you didn't attack me with that bat'' I smiled and lounged down on the sofa; it was more. comfy than I remembered and made the prospect of spending all day in my bed a lot more appetising. I yawned and stretched against the sofa fully aware of how I was wearing no underwear beneath my white cotton jammie's.  

"Why would I attack you. You saved me last night" I stretched again and then turned slightly to look at him, curious to see if he gave me that same look he used to. Sure enough, as if on cue, his eyes went dopey and a wide smile spread across his face. If it wasn't for the circumstances I could fool myself into believing that we'd never broken up, and he was making me breakfast like he had so many times before. And then I remembered what had happened last night, and how he'd kissed me... I blushed and looked at the floor. 

"Riley about last night" He must have known what I was going to say because he cut me off before I could even finish. 

"I'm just glad your alright, no worries okay?" I smiled and lifted my hands up to the ceiling feeling the need to stretch once again. I heard a sharp intake of breath and then watched as Riley picked up a few of the letters from the floor I'd left scattered on the work surface. His complexion had gone completely white and his smile had faded to a bleak and dispassionate line. 

"You slept with Nicky?" Oh boy... 

"Yeah, kinda" I replied looking away feeling a wave of guilt wash over me. I felt like I'd cheated on him, then I thought back to what had been going through my mind. I couldn't trust Riley then, even now I couldn't completely, and we weren't even together. So he had no right to be looking at me so disapprovingly.

"How do you kinda sleep with someone Sophie, were you drunk?" The obvious anger and hatred in his voice wound me up, grating the wrong way. I could do whatever the hell I wanted, he couldn't be possessive when I wasn't even his anymore. 

"What business is it of yours anyway, you were with Imogen" He looked blankly at me for a moment and then bit his bottom lip to stop his obvious rage from showing, unsuccessfully. I rolled my eyes comically, allowing him to see. He turned slightly pink and then headed for the door. I could hardly believe my eyes, he was walking out on me. Being a baby, because I had slept with somebody else. 

"Don't be such a child Riley" He stopped by the door, turning around to look at me and then giving me a strange face. Then he walked slowly back in. 

"Your calling me childish for being angry that the girl I'm in love with slept with some random guy!" I guffawed, letting my jaw hang open before a mocking laugh escaped my lips. It came out like a taunt, just like I'd wanted. 

"Oh get a grip! Nicky, is not a random guy. He's my Summer boy and he has been for years, after-all you should know. And don't you dare try and interrupt me" He had opened his mouth to cut me off but I continued relentlessly,  "I for one, never cheated on you the way you did with me, and your making more of a fuss than I did. And you shagged my ex best-friend in my dead father's tree house while I was bleeding so yes, you are being a complete child in my eyes Riley!" He stood there with a face painted with what can only be described as shock. I'd never yelled at him like that, never questioned anything he had ever done, always assuming he was the epitome of perfection when he wasn't. 

"Well, I... you...we were just" I rolled my eyes. I then jumped off the sofa, and then to the bottom of the stairs, and then I went upstairs, pulled on a pair of jogging bottoms and a vest top. I felt a lot more relaxed, I think my outburst and my sleeping the night before had replenished me. 

"What are you doing today?" I asked as I jumped down the last two steps pulling my hair up into a high pony tail with my scrunchy. I was a pro at swiftly doing my hair, thanks to Riley waking us up late and telling me to get ready in five minutes. 

"Don't know" He was sat eating his breakfast with a grumpy pout on his face. I smiled at his discomfort and shoved a whole egg yolk into my mouth, Riley always had made great fried eggs. Whenever I tried, I would always get it wrong and the yolk would be stodgy and hard. 

"Well I'm going for a run. I think it'll do me good to get out of this hell hole but I wont be long if you wanna hang out here we could watch a movie or something when I get back?" I was surprised with the words that were coming out of my mouth, but it felt somewhat right to at least try and forgive him now. After everything I'd said, and the fact that I was no longer the inexperienced girl who'd only been with him, I might as well act a bit more mature. 

"Oh, um... yeah okay if that's okay with you" I nodded, jogged down the hallway and out the door. I was happily surprised to feel the sunlight beating on my skin and the heat causing little beads of sweat to run down my back. I'd made a promise to myself to get fitter, and faster. So if worse came to worse I could outrun anyone who may choose to chase me. 

And it made me feel safer, knowing I was able to run and defend myself. I may even ask Riley to start up defence classes with me again. Seeing as he was a pro at it. 

After an hour I headed back into the house and found him sat on the sofa, a serene look on his face, eyes closed and mouth open in his undisturbed slumber. I smiled, turned the TV on and sunk into the sofa beside him. He looked pretty tranquil in his sleep. 

"Pretty gorgeous Riles" I whispered to myself before I carefully lent my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. Letting the serene world of unconsciousness overtake me. It felt good to not feel alone anymore.