The Human Experiment (bxbxb)

What Was Lost

Riley couldn't believe the time had finally come! He was graduating high school that night and the giddiness was making him fidget so badly as they rehearsed the name-calling thing where he would walk across the stage. Of course the person to his left was tasked with nudging him when it was his turn to go up, but he had it down pat after the first few tries.

He was now eighteen and actually had received a scholarship letter to SC University the previous month. A few of his friends also got scholarships to the same place, so they were all planning to meet up after their college classes. Feeling a nudge against his arm, he quickly jumped up, then hurried up on stage to pretend to take his diploma for the fiftieth time that week.

Once practice was over, a friend dropped him off at home, where his parents were already waiting with banners and embarrassing Congratulations! balloons everywhere. Riley couldn't be annoyed at it, though, because they had been the best parents ever. They had let him keep Dyce and even got him a nice black car for his eighteenth birthday. Though he tried not to use it as often as possible since he didn't have a job to pay for the gas yet.

As he stepped through the door, his dad grabbed him in a strong bear-hug, then set him down so his mom could kiss his cheek.

"We're so proud of you, Riley!"

"Thanks, Mom, I can't wait to graduate!" he said cheerfully.

His parents grinned and patted his shoulders, then his dad signed, "You're going to college really early. Are you sure you don't want to stay for a few more weeks?"

Riley knew they wanted him to stay, and honestly, he really did too, but each night he slept in his bed, it reminded him of Dart and Bryce... and that they were never coming back. It had been over a year, and yet he never woke up again with those familiar scents on his blankets or the faint depressions on either side of him in bed.

"I'm sorry, but I really want to scope out the campus and relax before classes."

They nodded, but Riley could see a small tear nudge its way into the corner of his mom's eye.

"I-I'm gonna go upstairs and make sure I'm all packed to leave tomorrow," he said before turning for the stairs. After running up to his room, he quickly realized that the next day couldn't come soon enough. He knew it was odd to miss two people he didn't really know and who had technically entered his room every night for several months without even meeting him face to face, but he didn't know. It felt like he had lost two brothers, not two strangers, and if getting out of the house was his only way to possibly move on from them, then that's what he would do.

Walking past his bed, he fought himself against sinking into it before they left for the real graduation. Snapping his head toward the bathroom, he quickly checked that he had all his toiletries, being sure to leave the shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash he had bought in the shower. With a determined but shaky breath, he walked out, grabbing his suitcase before heading downstairs. Dyce was trailing on his heels, his big floppy ears swishing dust along the floor. His mom had fallen in love with the dog's dopiness, and after Riley managed to get him to drop some pounds by playing ball, he had gotten a lot more mobile and didn't mope around... as much.

When Riley got back downstairs, he snagged a bit of leftover spaghetti before heading out to his truck, calling back to his parents, "Heading back to school to get ready. See you there!"

They waved from the door, his mom leaning over to hold Dyce's collar, keeping him from following. Dyce was coming with him to SCU, but not to the graduation ceremony. With a quiet chuckle, Riley tossed his last suitcase into the backseat, then climbed in and headed off to the most important, and most rehearsed, night of his life.

The actual ceremony was a blur. He thankfully paid attention and walked with pride as he received his diploma, and the second he was off the stage, he was a bad kid and ducked out of the line returning to their seats and ran to his parents. Yeah, he got a few glares from teachers lurking around, but whatever. They couldn't do anything about it then and he wanted a hug! His dad stood up, enveloping him in his arms before he quickly sat down and his mom joined in on the hug.

"I love you guys so much," Riley whispered, closing his eyes against the tears starting to worm their way out. After the ceremony had ended, they went out for ice cream and pizza, then it was back home to crash before he left early the next day.

Come morning, he was finally ready to do it. He stood at the foot of his newly-made bed and took a deep, steady breath. The bear the twins had given him, Rolland, sat against his pillows right in the middle. All six of the notes he had received, he had shredded in his dad's office while he was out, just in case they moved the mattress at a later date. Didn't need to bother them about things that wouldn't change. He was going to be their son, Riley, and that was that. There was no Rolland any longer... and there were no twins.

Squaring his shoulders, he quickly turned and left behind the room that held so many memories. He locked them within it as he shut the door firmly behind him.

I can move on from them. From everything. I am Riley, Riley Parker, and that is that.

Putting an excited smile on his face, he ran down the stairs and into his parents' waiting arms.

"I'm going to miss you guys," he said as they hugged him.

They signed as they let go, his mom going first. "Text us as soon as you get there, but not when you're driving."

"You can use the debit card until you get a job you're comfortable with."

"Thank you both, for everything. I'll text you as soon as I get to the dorms."

They both nodded, tears starting in their eyes. He quickly stuck his tongue out at them to break some of the tension, then ran over to the hook near the door to grab his keys and Dyce's leash.

"Come here, boy!" Riley called. Dyce stood up, drooling a little as he waddled over so Riley could hook up his leash. "I'm taking your dog," he told his mom, who laughed and walked over, giving him a kiss on the cheek as his dad walked up behind her.

"Have a safe trip, Riley. Be safe."

He nodded to them, then turned and headed out to his car. Dyce loaded up easily in the front seat, flopping over immediately to get back to his nap. Once Riley got the door shut, he turned to his parents standing in the doorway and waved one last time.

"Bye! Love you both!"

The drive was a bit of a pain, considering Dyce never held his bladder well in the car. So, after six stops, they finally pulled up outside of the huge brown and dark red dorm buildings. Most students weren't around so Riley quickly got Dyce up to his room on the third floor after turning in his therapy paperwork to the front desk so he could legally have him there, then ran back down to grab his two suitcases. The place was already furnished with two small beds, one for him and he was assuming one for his roommate. There were also two little computer desks with chairs. The room was tiny, but it would do.

He felt Dyce nudge at his leg and grinned.

"Bet you're thirsty, aren't you, boy?"

He licked his lips, drooling a bit in agreement.

"Ok, let Dad get you some water."

After a quick dig through his suitcase, he found Dyce's water bowl and got it filled, then set it down in the small bathroom near the entrance of the dorm room. Once he was taken care of, Riley decided to rinse off quickly before taking a good nap. The shower was thankfully much better than he had thought it would be; the pressure, for one, was amazing. After washing himself with some generic soap he had picked up the previous week, he stepped out of the shower and dried off. He tossed the wet towel on the bar near the shower to dry, then tugged on a pair of boxers he'd brought in before stepping back out into his room. The cool air hitting his reddened skin made it tingle pleasantly, but any pleasantness left with a cold shiver as he stopped in front of his small bed.

Dyce was resting right next to where he had tossed his pillow, and leaned up against that pillow, was the little bear he had left back at his parents' house.

"Rolland."