Chapter 7:

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"Riley's not in school." Dave said as he approached Aaron's locker the next day.

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked.

"I have the first three classes with him and he wasn't there for anyone of them." Dave explained, "Have you talked to him?"

"No, he won't answer his phone and your mom's worried sick about him." Aaron replied, "He didn't come home?"

"No, my Mom figured he was sleeping at the studio he does that frequently." Dave explained, "Oh my God, what has Craig done?"

"Shit, we still got an hour of school left." Aaron said as he slammed his locker shut, "We need to leave."

"I'll call my mom and see if she'll come grab us." Dave said as he took off down the hall.

Aaron slung his bag over his shoulder and took off in the other direction in search for Craig. He found him at the end of the hall making out with Alexis against the lockers.

"Where's Riley?" Aaron asked as he shoved Craig against the lockers.

"Hey man calm your ass down." Craig said as he shook Aaron off of him, "And I don't know where that bastard is at."

"Well you better hope aint nothing happen to him." Aaron said as he glared at Craig, "he's missing."

"Damn, Riley's always doing something to get attention." Craig said with a chuckle, "He'll turn up."

"Mother fucker this is your fault." Aaron said angrily, "you had to go and hit Riley."

"Okay, so no one's suppose to hit Riley. He need to grow the fuck up. No one gives a fuck weather his dad fucked his ass up or not. His mom was a crack head no wonder he's so messed up. He lives with his best friend, they straight adopted him. Grow the fuck up. Riley can't be treated this way for forever." Craig continued, "Can't no one do anything to him and he's use to that treatment. Well to bad baby boy this aint no fairytale this is life."

"You know- Aaron come on my mom's outside." Dave came shooting around the corner in hurry.

"Fuck you." Aaron said as he gave Craig the finger.

Dennis waited by the front of the school for Vanessa. Getting rid of his girl friend was hard, but at the end he forced her to go shopping with her friends so he could get some work done. More like sneak around. He glanced at his self in the mirror, he looked good. maybe I should take my shirt off he thought as he glanced out the rear view mirror.

"Sorry, I had to help my sister find her bus." Vanessa said as she appeared at his window.

"No worries, ready to get busy?" Dennis asked with a sly wink.

"How about you just show me around or I'll kick your ass if you put your hands on me.' Vanessa answered as she slid into the car.

"I was only joking girl." Dennis said, as he gave her the once over.

Damn she's sexy he thought. She was wearing a small tube top and a pair of skinny jeans, that looked to small for her butt.

"Them pants get any smaller, your ass gonna be flying out.' Dennis commented as he took off down the street.

"Wow, is that suppose to turn me on?" Vanessa asked as she ran a hand through Dennis's hair.

"Is it working?" Dennis asked.

"Maybe." Vanessa winked.

A sudden silence filled the car as Dennis sped down the streets, swerving cars, and nearly hitting stop signs. He pulled into an empty lot overlooking a large lake, that glistened in the sunlight. There was no one on sight, and the emptiness was romantic. Dennis leaned over and placed his arm around Vanessa's shoulders.

"This is my favorite place to go." Dennis said as he slipped into his own little world, "I can get away from it all."

"Wow, it's beautiful." Vanessa said as she took in the breathtaking view, 'Mind if I snap some pics?"

"You're a photographer?" Dennis asked.

"It's a hobby of mine, but I don't spend to much time on it. My dad has other plans for me."

"Go ahead, I'd love to see them." Dennis said, "Take a few of us, capture the moment."

"Good idea." Vanessa said as she dragged Dennis out of the car.

They spent the next couple of hours in the lake taking pictures and fooling around. Now they were laid out on beach towels Dennis found in his car looking at the sunset.

"This has been a great day." Vanessa said as she snuggled in closer to Dennis.

"Makes you wanna go out on a date with me right?" Dennis asked as he completely forgot about Erica.

"It does." Vanessa answered, "But it's getting late, can I get my ride home?"

"Of course baby.' Dennis answered as he pulled Vanessa up, "You have gorgeous eyes."

"And I love your hair." Vanessa said as hand in hand they walked back to the car.

Riley woke up with a killer headache and unaware of where he was. He was sprawled out on the floor of the studio with the bag of pills spilled all over the floor. He pushed his self up feeling dizzy and nauseous and sick to his stomach. The studio still looked the same and all the events of the past few days came back to Riley.

"Fuck.' he screamed as he tossed a camera piece into the wall.

With slow unsteady steps he made his way to the bathroom in time to spill his guts out. He felt horrible, the pain pounding in his head, mixed with the emptiness in his heart was making him dazed and confused. He shuffled out of the bathroom and made his way to the leather couch. Sweat was pouring down his forehead and drenching his shirt.

"Kill yourself you bitch, I dare you" His dad's voice rang loud in head, like he was there in front him.

"I don't want to dad, I'm afraid." Not now Riley said as tears sprang to his eyes, not now.

"Well do it you bitch, here's the gun." The cold touch of the gun made Riley shiver as he remembered the memory so clearly.

"I can't dad, I won't do it. I'm sorry." It's happening Riley thought as he clutched the pillow to his chest.

"NO." He screamed out, but the memory kept playing, the voices even louder.

"Well i'll show you how it's done than you fucker." The sound of the gun still clear as day, his dad's dead body still vivid in his head. The blood all over the walls, covering him. The gun slid under the table. His step-mom putting the blame on him, his lief changed that day.

Riley couldn't stop the flow of tears now, they were coming endlessly, in waterfalls. He felt crushed and suffocated like his world was over. No one can save, no one cared.

"Where are you now?" Riley said to himself, "Dad you promised you wouldn't leave."

Another memory came flashing back to him, quick as lighting and bright as the sun. No one was around, just him and his dad, and the swing set they built.

"Son you're everything to me." Dad said as he pushed Riley on the swing, "I promise to give you the life I never had."

"I love you daddy." Riley said, only 3 years old at the time.

"I'll never leave you son, I'm here forever."

That was before the drugs, the lies, the cheating. Before Riley's mom walked out them and his dad became an alcoholic, and Riley was left to raise his youngest brother, Ray alone. Before everything changed and turned Riley into the person he was. Riley closed his eyes, forcing the memories to go away, the worst was yet to come, and he didn't want to see it or think it.

Thats how Aaron, Dave, and Dave's mom Lisa found Riley. Knocked out on the couch, drenched in sweat, and a tear-stained pillow.

"He took some of these.' Dave said as he held up the half empty bag of pills.

"Riles man, wake up." Aaron gently shook Riley awake, tears coming to his eyes, he hated seeing Riley like this.

"I think we should call an ambulance." Lisa suggested as gently rubbed her hand against Riley's forehead, "he's sweating like a dog."

"Mom, Aaron." Riley opened his eyes, but the view was blurry, the faces in front of him were distorted.

"Yeah Riles, we're here." Aaron said s he helped lift Riley to a sitting position.

"You guys came for me." A flicker of smile tugged at the corner's of Riley's mouth, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay baby." Lisa said as she engulfed him in a huge bear hug, 'Let's get you home and cleaned up, after a trip to the doctor's office."

"Okay." Riley said as he tried to stand up staggering wildly.

'We got you.' Dave said as he Aaron led him to the door.

Aw what great friends he has, but for how long?

A/N:
This chapter's a little shorter but I think what we find out should be enough for 1 chapter next one will be longer and include alot of drama.