Revolution -Eric Coulter-

Chapter 27

"Wow," Riley kneeled on the ground. The pink dress she wore pooled at her ankles. "That's amazing." Maddie smiled at her. Her blonde curly hair pulled back into two ponytails. Today she wore a pink dress. The color matched her own.

"I made it just for you."

Riley gasped, taking the picture from her hand. "You did?" The piece of paper had a poorly drawn image of the two of them. The young girl had used an orange crayon to draw her hair. It made her laugh. It was the most thoughtful gift she ever received. "This is beautiful. I will cherish it forever."

"I even put your name on the bottom," Maddie pointed. "And mine. So you won't forget me when you leave."

The smile on her face momentarily slipped. But Riley forced it back up. "I could never forget you." She tapped the girl's nose. "And hopefully, I'll be able to stick around."

"We all want you to stay," Maddie sighed. Riley glanced around the small classroom, feeling sad at the idea of leaving. Amity was easily the best place she ever lived. Riley wanted to stay here forever. "Even Mrs. Peters said you could stay with her."

"Well, Mrs. Peters is very kind." Staying would be ideal, but this was not meant to last forever. No matter how badly she wanted it to. "How about this. As long as I'm in Amity, I'll be at the school. Okay?"

"So forever," Maddie clapped her hands together. The girl noticed a figure standing by the door. It was Peter. He had a scowl on his face, along with a bruise.

"Hopefully," Riley pushed up from the ground. "Come on. Class is starting."

"Okay, Miss Riley." Maddie ran away from her and towards a desk.

Riley dusted off her dress and began heading towards Peter. The bruise on his cheek was new. It happened within the last few hours. "What happened?"

Peter glared at her, tilting his head to the side for Riley to get a better look at his face. There was a small cut that was bleeding. It was starting to drip down his neck. "Well, if Johanna asks. I fell while doing garden work."

"Gardening," Riley corrected. Taking a look around the class, she pushed the boy into the hallway. "Now, what actually happened?"

"Four," Peter rolled his eyes. Riley wasn't sure why her brother would attack Peter. Johanna had a very clear no-violence policy, and he was very adamant they all follow it.

"Sit," Riley pointed at a bench. The dark-haired boy did as told. She walked down the hallway, opening a white box. Inside was a first aid kit. The small school had one in every hallway and room. She strolled back to his side, taking a seat. "Why did he hit you?"

"Oh, you know." Riley pulled out a bacterial cotton pad. "It had something to do with throwing his sister over a bridge." Her fingers froze above the wound. Last night she had told Tobias about the incident. But her intentions were not for him to attack Peter. She pushed the pad against his skin. "Ow." He flinched at the burning sensation.

"Well," Riley wiped his cheek, clearing the blood. "Can't say you didn't deserve that one."

"If you're going to hit me too. Will you at least give me a warning?"

"I'm not going to hit you," she promised him.

Peter's eyebrows pulled together, a confused expression on his face. "You aren't?"

"No."

He quickly glanced at her, "why not?"

"Why would I hit you, Peter?"

He scoffed, "I don't know. Maybe because I threw you off a bridge."

"But Eric caught me," Riley knew being angry with Peter wasn't going to get her anywhere. That part of her life was over now. There was no use going back and holding grudges. "No use holding onto that anger." Riley pulled her hand away from his face. "Amity is all about forgiveness."