Back To Basics

Chapter 6 - "Spiraling"

You would think being grounded indefinitely would make a person more creative. Not being able to leave your house, or use any electronics really limits your options on how to pass the time. Riley figured she'd catch up on some reading, maybe learn how to actually draw, or at the very least finish a puzzle. Instead she was getting stir crazy. She couldn't stop her mind from racing, and she felt like she was going mad.

Only a month had passed since she accidentally spent the night out with Lucas but things had changed drastically. Her parents barely acknowledged her around the house, they were still clearly very upset. Her brother Josh was mad that because Riley couldn't see Maya outside of school that meant Maya couldn't come over which made Josh and her relationship a little harder. What really bothered her was that Lucas seemingly cut her off. He went as far as to changing his lab partner just so he didn't have to look at or speak to her. Even Zay who was usually really nice and welcoming to her, brushed her off whenever she came around. She never felt more invisible in her life.

Her group of friends were too busy living their own lives to check in. She didn't have them in any classes so the only time they got to talk was during lunch and even then it had a time limit. She couldn't blame them though, just because she was grounded didn't mean the world stopped to wait for her.

But Riley felt herself spiraling. Her anxiety was getting a lot worse. She spent the majority of her day not speaking and then would cry herself to sleep night after night. Her eyes were puffy and her voice was practically gone.

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Another month passed. It was November now and snow was already falling to the ground. Riley sat at her kitchen table, reading Wuthering Heights for the 4th time since her grounding. She was reading a lot lately. Over the last two months she had read at least 50 books. She decided since she no longer had a social life, she'd live vicariously through the characters in her favorite books. She wouldn't talk, she'd just spend all her time devouring chapters.

"Riley?" Topanga addressed, as she and her husband sat across from their daughter.

"Hm." Riley didn't look up, she just kept reading.

"We were discussing and we think your punishment has gone on long enough." Cory slid his daughter's phone across the table to her.

"You're officially un-grounded." His tone was light and playful.

Riley didn't say anything. They weren't even sure she heard them.

"Riley!" – She broke her focus from the page and looked up..

"Yeah?" Her voice was raspy and cracked.

Her parents shared a look of concern. They were expecting a more enthusiastic reaction. They certainly weren't expecting to see this broken girl sitting before them.

"Honey are you okay?" Topanga was by her side in a second.

"Just a little tired." Riley answered getting up from her seat to walk to her bedroom, leaving her cellphone on the kitchen table with her parents.

Cory looked at his wife, "I haven't seen her this way since..."

"Since Sam" Topanga finished his thought.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

The next day at school, Riley was greeted by Maya and Izzy waiting by her locker.

"Riles you're a free woman!" Maya shrieked giving her friend a tight hug.

Izzy stepped back to let her get into her locker. "Are you sick? You look terrible."