Don't Talk To Me | BOOK 3

thirty five

Riley Murphy

2048

I ended up at the supermarket we were at a couple of weeks ago.

I didn't even turn off the car before I walked inside, swiping a bottle of whiskey off the shelf and downing it whole.

Tears flooded my vision as I threw everything off the shelves, angrily smashing the metal aisles that were now on the floor.

The crashing sound was therapeutic.

My knuckles were bleeding and I didn't give a fuck.

"Fuck you Mason!" I swore, "You're fucking dead and still found a way to make our lives miserable." I screamed, my voice echoing throughout the floor.

"How- dare you. Take her away from me." My lip quivered, my memory flashing back to Dakota, lying helplessly on the floor.

I flexed my hand, feeling the sting of the open cuts.

"I know you were a fucked up piece of shit but this- this is next level crazy." I said to no one.

"I know you're butthurt because your Mom died, and you wanted justice. But you had me, in the palm of your hand, waiting to kill me." 

"So why didn't you just fucking kill me? It would have been so much better than to toy with me and destroy the one good thing I had going in my life."

My eyes were raw from crying as my cheeks felt hot.

"Why didn't you just kill me." I sobbed, my head falling into my hands as I placed myself between my knees.

"Because then you'd only be passing the pain to us." I heard someone say.

I turned my head, seeing a teary-eyed Elle walking closer to me.

She had a bandage around her knee and a bandage around her upper arm. 

I stood up, "If you died, Riley. Me, your brother, Dakota, Gage-" She said, "We would never forgive ourselves." She cried, "If you died, you'd only be making us miserable for the rest of our lives." 

My hands shook as I looked away from her, because every time I did, I saw the person I loved the most, who I have hurt the most.

She touched my arm and I flinched, "I'm sorry." I whispered, "I'm so sorry!" I said, crying in her shoulder. She rubbed my back, soothing me, "It's okay! I forgive you."

"But I was horrible. You should hate me! Why don't you hate me!" I sobbed.

"Because I love you. I could never hate you!" 

Her words made my stomach turn and I held onto her tighter, "I'm sorry for what I said. I never meant any of it. You know I love you so much." 

"I know sweet boy. I know." She hushed, kissing my cheek.

She let go of me and I slid down the wall, staring at the ceiling.

"I can't go back." I said.

"Why not?" Elle asked, sitting down beside me.

I shrugged.

I turned my head, noticing a lavender purple sweater that was laying in a pile in the corner of the store.

My lips turned into a light smile as I looked at the floor where Dakota and I lay just a few weeks ago.

"What are you smiling at?" Elle asked me.

"I can't tell you." I said.

"And why not?"

"Because you'd kill me." I said.

Elle shrugged, "I don't know, I can be very forgiving sometimes."

I scoffed, "Yeah, sometimes."

She smacked my bicep and I smiled, thankful to have my Elle back.

The memory of Dakota wrapped in my arms, safe, flooded my mind.

The image of her beautiful body mixed with mine was too much for me to handle.

"Gage hates me." I whispered.

"Gage doesn't hate you, I promise."

I nodded, "He does. He hasn't spoken to me in almost a week." 

Elle threaded her fingers through one another, sighing, "Look, I don't know what happened between you two, but he doesn't hate you. Trust me. He was asking if you were okay."

I looked at her slightly, not believing her.

"I don't want to go back." 

* * * 

Somehow, Elle managed to convince me to go back.

Alex was waiting at the end of the driveway. 

As soon as I opened the door he was at my side in an instant, pulling me into a hug as I heard him tell me off, "Don't ever do that to me again! You understand?" I nodded, hugging him back. "I love you." I said, he looked shocked, "And I'm sorry I don't say that enough. I love you so much big brother. Thank you for taking care of me."

Alex nodded, "I love you too." 

I headed inside, talking to Paxton for a few minutes before Gage entered the room.

"I'll leave you guys alone." Paxton said, walking out of the room. 

Gage looked at me. 

He had a black eye, his arm was in a sling and his knee had a bandage around him.

"Look dude I-" I started to say. 

I was cut off when Gage threw his arm around me, hugging me.

I relaxed into his hug and hugged him back, my eyes squeezing shut as I realised how good it was to have my best friend back.

"I'm so sorry, for everything. What I did, what I said. I didn't mean it." I apologised, "I swear. You're my best friend. I hated myself for what I did and I hated the fact that you hated me." 

Gage shook his head, "I never hated you. I was angry, yeah. But I never hated you. You're my best friend, how could I?"

"And I'm sorry for what I said too, I didn't mean any of it. You're not selfish or immature. I was just annoyed that didn't spend as much time with as you did with Dakota, like you were forgetting about me." 

His childish side came out as he pouted. He used to do this to me when we were kids and I'd always forgive him.

I smiled slightly, "Never again, I swear."

"Are you two friends again?" Levi said, his face coming into view.

I shrugged, "Yeah, always." 

Levi nodded, "Good. Because I need you guys right now, and we need each other. All of us. for Dakota's sake." I nodded, "Yeah. And I'm sorry man, I did everything I could."

Levi shook his head, "Don't apologise. It's not any of our faults. We were all too late."

Levi bro-hugged me before we had a group hug, the emotions really on high at the moment.

* * * 

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