I found myself in a booth across from Richie as we stared at each other.
Richie was the first one to talk. "Why here?"he asked looking around. I replied with a question that had been bugging me ever since I saw him.
"How did you now where I was?"I asked crossing my arms.
"Well I might have paid your lovely mother a visit."he explained innocently. I glared at him, I knew I should have warned my mom in case something like this happened . "What do you want?"
"I-I just want to explain why I did it."he told me. "It was obvious why you did it, I was rich and you weren't, I was popular and you weren't"I said shrugging. "No,"he shook his head with hurt in his eyes."That's why Nikki and Cole did it."he clarified.
"The reason I did it was because they threatened me."
"Threatened you? With what?"I asked.
He sighed running his hands through his hair. "Remember Collin?"he asked. I nodded. He was Richie's uncle with crooked yellow teeth, greasy hair and crazy look in his eyes.
"Well he ran into some trouble with some drug dealers and was looking for somewhere to hide out. I asked Cole if he could help me out, with his Dad being a cop and everything and he did. When he came up with a plan to hurt you I immediately refused to help but he told me if I didn't Collin would be thrown out,"he explained messing up his hair repeatedly."I-I really didn't want to hurt you but family comes first."he told me shaking his head.
I thought about what he just said, I was so naive back then, when I had met Collin I would have never thought he would be on drugs but thinking back now with the look in his eyes and the way he swayed, I would say he had been high right there, right then.
"I know what I did was wrong and I just wanted to come back here and tell you that I didn't want to do it. I hope one they you'll be able to forgive me."he told and started to slide out of the booth.I grabbed his arm.
"I'll forgive you right now-"
"Really?-"
"...if you tell me what exactly was the plan to hurt me, I want to know all the details seeing as you two are best friends."I told him.
"Were Amira, were best friends."he sighed."Fine I'll do it, but don't you have to get back to work?"he asked.
I snorted. "Just talk."
"Well where do I start....oh em When Cole's Mom died-"
"C-Cole's Mom died?"I asked utterly surprised. Richie nodded solemnly. I sucked in a breath. Naive, I was so naive, so stupid, so ignorant.
"Yeah and that's when he decided to help out his dad and start working so he could pay for college. He worked really hard and he didn't let anyone get in his-well you know that already so I don't need to tell you. Then his house got robbed-"
"He got robbed?"I asked in disbelief. Richie grimaced and nodded.
"He did, all his savings towards college were in jars under his bed and they were stolen, all of them. That's when Maggie started talking about that promotion. Cole was so happy and he was sure he would get it, he worked really hard for it. But then you got the promotion. Before that he had never paid any attention to you but once you took away "his" promotion he didn't take it lightly.He hated you with everything in him."Richie explained.
"You know it's funny, I expected you to start from when I got the promotion, but instead I find Cole's mom died and he got robbed. How could I have been so stupid and naive? How did I not know my boyfriend's mother had died?"I asked shaking my head.
"It wasn't your fault Amira, a lot of people didn't know these things."He told me grabbing my hand that was tightly balled in a fist. I relaxed my hand and sighed.
"Go on with the story."I told him running my hand through my hair with the hand that wasn't in Richie's large one.
"Well he went snooping around his dad's office and found out about your brother. He was only going to send pictures and tell people from school about it but he wanted to really hurt you. He wanted you to fall in love with him and the day you told him you loved him would be the day the plan commenced. He wanted to show the very people who came to diner just because of your perkiness, happiness and liveliness to see what a monster you were-his words not mine-and that's why he decided to show that video in the diner."
"He wanted you to feel the pain he felt when his mom died, the sadness he felt when all his savings were taken from him, the torture he felt when you were given the promotion. He wanted to destroy you."
"Like he was destroyed."I finished.
He nodded. "I'm sorry-"
"Richie stop, I get it."I told him sighing as staring out the window. I felt something in me, like a knot, relax. I felt like had been released from something that had been chained to me for a long time. I now knew why he had done what he did and now that I knew, I-I didn't feel that angry anymore. I felt free.
And in that moment I couldn't help but smile.
It was tiny, a ghost of a smile even but it felt good. "Thank you Richie. Thanks for apologizing, thanks for explaining everything to me. You don't even know how much it helped."I told him squeezing his hand.
He smiled back. "No problem."
I turned my head as a thought suddenly came to mind. "Richie how did you get here?"I asked.
"Um..."
"Why do you look so guilty?"I asked suspiciously.
He bit his glancing at something outside. I turned to where he was looking to see my parents sitting in a very familiar red car. I groaned.
"Richie!"I exclaimed angrily.
"Sorry, she offered to bring me here and the next thing I know she booking a hotel for us to stay in for the rest of the week."he told me.
I groaned again. "A whole fucking week?"I asked incredulously.
Richie gasped."Did goody-two-shoes Amira just cuss?"he asked.
I snorted."A lot has changed since the last time you saw me Richie."
I sighed getting up. I knew I would have to face my parents sooner or later, I just wish that was at Christmas like we planned. My mom was first the get out of the car.
My mom locked me in one of her killer hugs. "My baby!"
"Hi Mom."I said prying her hands away from me.
"Hi dad."I said walking up to him. He gave me a soft smile and hugged me. "Hi baby girl."I had to admit I was a daddy's girl and I loved when he called me that.
"So I here you guys are here, the rest of the week?"I asked after pulling away. My Dad nodded apologetically. "Yep, there's just no arguing with your mother."he said shaking his head.
I nodded in agreement. "Well I have to get back to work so..."
"We'll stick around for a bit."My said already heading for the door. I groaned again inwardly.
When they were all settled in a booth I went back to the kitchen.
"Hey Princess."Jason called with a cheeky. I rolled my eyes before going back to making coffee.
**
It turns out "we'll stick around for a while" meant they'd stick around until we closed.
When I left the kitchen, May was chatting with my parents and surprise,surprise Kaitlyn was flirting with Richie.
"So I see you've already met Kaitlyn."I said when I reached them.
"Oh hi Amira you didn't tell me your cute friend was coming to visit."she said glancing at me before winking at Richie. I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah well that's because I didn't know he was coming either."I muttered grabbing Richie's arm.
"Come on Richie, I want you to meet everyone else."I said dragging him towards the break room. I pushed the door opened to a flustered Eli and a blushing Natalie on either sides of the couch panting.
"Guys when I said get a room, I didn't mean the break room. Geez can't wait till you get home."I said shaking my head. "Horny teenagers."
I heard Richie snicker beside and I remembered why I was here. "Anyway that's Natalie "I said pointing at her. "and that's Eli."I pointed at him. "And guys this is my friend Richie from Sacramento. By the way great first impression guys."
They both got up and straightened their clothes. "Hey"Eli mumbled still in embarrassed while Natalie just waved.
I then headed for the kitchen where both Jonah and Jason were cleaning up. "Guys I want you to meet someone."I announced.
They both looked up upon hearing my voice. "Guys this is my friend Richie, Richie this is Jason and Jonah."I told him he nodded and waved.
Jason smiled at him walking over and shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too."Richie replied. Jonah shook his hand too before turning back to some sauce on a plate that he couldn't seem to get off.
"So how do you two know each other?"Jason asked.
Richie laughed swinging his arm over my shoulder. "I'm guessing doesn't talk about her old town very much."
"Not at all."Jonah called.
"Figures."
Jason looked at Richie's arm over my shoulder. "So are you dating?"
I coughed choking on my own spit. "What?"I asked.
I could hear Jonah laughing hysterically across the room. "Where did that come from?"I asked.
"I don't know, it was just a question."he shrugged.
"Well no, we are not dating."I conformed shaking Richie's arm off my shoulder. "Now go clean"I told him pointing at his discarded rag on the table.
"What ever you say Princess."
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