Saving Eves

~2~

"What?" I asked, confused. Riley and Shane exchange worried glances. Riley looks at him, wide-eyed... pleading. Shane shakes his head. Riley sighs, then turns to me.
"We have something to confess", she admits,"we haven't been completely honest with you..." She trials off. She clasps her hands together on her lap and looks down at them.
"What?" I ask, even more confused.
"Rie and I aren't actually dating." Shane puts in. Riley clearly wasn't going to say anything.
"What? Did you guys break up or something?" I ask. Riley glances at Shane again. She gives him a small nod, as if permitting him to continue.
"Well we are dating, but we wouldn't be if you weren't here." Shane tells me. I hesitate.
"So- wait... you're staying together for me?" I ask. What the hell are they talking about? Shane forces a laugh.
"No-no, it's not like that at all. You see, you're the reason we met." Shane says, and then smirks. He thinks he just explained everything. Riley glances at me and laughs.
"Close your mouth June. Clearly, Shane doesn't understand how to explain anything." Riley comments, a smirk of her own appearing on her lips. "What Shay's trying to say is; we only met because of the assignment." She then smiles at him. He rolls his eyes. My jaw opens farther more.
"What assignment? Are you guys ok?" I ask.
"You." They reply in unison. I frown.
"What about me?" I ask.
"You are the assignment." Riley states plainly. Then I get it. This is just some kind of joke to confuse me. They're trying to scare me into thinking they're going to break up. I smile, and then laugh. That was a pretty good attempt, but I'm not that stupid. I continue laughing, to the point where I fall to the ground clutching my stomache, trying to breathe. Riley and Shane exchange confused glances. I stop laughing.
"Wait... are you serious?" Ask slowly. Shane forces a smile.
"I don't think you understand June..." Shane starts. Riley puts a hand on his chest to stop him from talking.
"Maybe right now isn't the best time to try and explain this to her." Riley tells him. I sit up, resting on the plans of my hands.
"Explain what?" I ask. Riley forces another smile.
"Nothing! We're just messing with you!" She exclaims, a little too cheerfully.
Riley is always happy, but I can always tell when she's faking. I sigh.
"Riley", I warn slowly. "Tell me what's going on." I demand. Riley sighs and looks up at Shane.
"I'm sorry Shay, but I can't keep this from her. She's my best friend." Riley says sadly. Shane sighs and waves her off. Then Riley turns to me. She smiles kindly, her eyes pleading, pleading for me to understand. She wants to be friends with me. She doesn't want to lose me. I force a smile back. I plead with my eyes to her ,' just tell me what's going on'.

Riley sighs. She climbs off the bed and joins me on the floor. She sits down in front of me, crossing her legs, and she reaches for my hand, holding it in hers.
"I'm so sorry June." She states plainly, not bothering to conceal her emotions. Her face reads sadness, despair almost.

And in that moment she takes the last bit of 'normal' I have right from me, openly, but carefully. She takes my humanity.

.

End of Chapter Two