Post by Riley Coxen G7 on Oct 7, 2009 0:10:09 GMT
“Girls, I think summer of 2000 must have been the best summer we’ve had yet. I mean, just look at our scrapbook! It’s packed with amazing pictures. I can’t believe it’s over though. I’m gonna miss you all!” Erica sighed as she flipped through a scrapbook full of pictures. Riley was looking at those pictures too, but she didn’t see those pictures with the same awe and fondness that the other girls admired them with. Sure Erica, Mia, and the other girls saw a summer filled with fun parties, nights just wandering around completely trashed and having a blast, but all Riley saw was an empty shell of who she really was. There was one picture of all the daughters sitting on a couch at some manor with slim wine glasses in their hands. Riley was the most bombed out of all of them, and in the picture she could still see the glassy look of her red eyes and the drunken smile on her lips. Her body was there and so was her fun daredevil spirit, but her soul was very far away. Only her mother had noticed the change in her general form of being, and even Riley was able to lie her way out of it. Even her friends, who seemed to completely understand her a few months ago could not see the magnitude of pain Riley was going through after Jack. She couldn’t believe the pain he’d caused her. He was constantly telling her that he’d love her forever, yet in the meantime he was trying to get with her friends. Just the thought of him brought a painful tugging feeling to her heart. It was so unfair that he was able to fool her so easily. In any case, Riley was almost glad she’d realized what a pig he was early on so he wouldn’t further break her heart later on.
Of course, Erica and the other girls noticed her pain at first, when Riley walked in on Jack trying to put the moves on Christy and Erica. They responded with some quality girl time. They passed around a bottle of good liquor and talked about how much of a dirt bag Jack was and how much Erica couldn’t wait to set her up with some adorable Durmstrang student she thought Riley would absolutely drool over. This was only the beginning of dozens of hookups Riley had to go through throughout the course of the summer holiday. One was from Durmstrang, the other a graduate or an expelled student of Hogwarts…some of these boys were even muggles. But these guys just didn’t suit Riley. Even though she was now best friends with some of the most feminine of female teenagers, Riley was still a tomboy at heart. She usually didn’t feel comfortable being more than a guy’s Quidditch pal or teammate from some other sport. Jack was her only exception. For some reason, she found herself completely comfortable around him. She could be her silly self and not worry about having to keep up appearances. Plus Jack was always understanding. These boys that Riley had been set up with all summer were just pigs. They’d be the late night party goers that would forever be offering her more drinks and begging her to go upstairs with him. Mostly, the pursuits didn’t work very well.
But there was one night. Riley looked back at the picture bitterly as Erica’s well manicured fingers brushed along the page that contained the almost revolting picture. Just the thought of the man’s name made Riley sick. Seeing her in that picture with him made her want to gag. The boy was a complete creep. He first showed interest in Riley many months ago when Riley was at that wonderful party with Jack (they’d spent half the night in one of Veronica’s spare rooms) but of course, with Jack being there, he was able to get nowhere with her. However, when the girls had taken Riley out for yet another night of fun and drinking, she ran into him again. The boy came n strong, stroking her arm and whispering in her ear like he thought he was some sort of charmer. His act probably would have worked on any other teenage girl with raging hormones and a soft spot for the ones that knew just what to say, but it didn’t work one bit on Riley. At the beginning of that party when he started to make his interests clear, Riley wasn’t falling for his routine one bit. But then she started drinking and doing other things she probably shouldn’t have done. She was already pretty far gone when he’d offered her that little “candy”. Of course, Riley didn’t honestly believe his little gift was really a mint, but she was too out of it to really care. So she took it with a smile and a giggle. It was one of the worst mistakes she could make.
That night was still a pretty big blur, but Riley remembered a swirl of compliments and small comments in regard to Jack. She remembered trying to avoid even so much as thinking of her ex-boyfriend during that night, but just about the only part of it she clearly remembered was the end, where she was in some dark room with that boy Peter. The feeling she received from that little piece of “candy” left her giddy and eager to be close to someone. Perhaps that was what caused her to see the image of Jack’s face when she looked into that dirt bag’s eyes. Then, she suddenly felt a rushing feeling that what she was doing was so wrong in so many ways. She vaguely remembered trying to break free from the man’s tight hold around her only to have him pull her closer to him. She remembered struggling to break free from him as the muted colors in the room blurred around her. She remembered a horrible dizzy feeling and she knew she had to get out of there before she passed out. So, Riley punched the boy in the face and ran out and locked herself in the bathroom across the hall where she waited for about a minute before she finally passed out. Riley didn’t remember how she’d gotten home, but she had a feeling she called Chace to come get her. Judging by his recent changed attitude when Riley was around, he was probably the one that had saved her that night.
Riley sighed and all the girls turned to her. Veronica smiled at her. “Riley, are you alright?” Riley realized how she had completely spaced out as she stared at that revolting picture. She quickly snapped back to reality and smiled at her four other friends. “Oh it’s nothing. I’m just thinking how incredibly different things are going to be this year.” Riley lied, glancing at Erica and Christy. To be honest, Riley couldn’t say she’d miss Christy all too much, but Erica was like her big sister. It was just Riley, Mia, and Veronica left in Hogwarts now. Veronica hugged Riley. “It’s okay. This year is going to be even better than last year. Me and Mia will make sure of that. Now I’m pretty sure we all have some packing to do.” Veronica was right. Erica and Christy were leaving for Rome in less than three days and the Hogwarts Express left for the school tomorrow. The summer was officially over, and there was nothing Riley could do to stop it. Oh, how wonderful. Riley thought to herself.
Of course, Erica and the other girls noticed her pain at first, when Riley walked in on Jack trying to put the moves on Christy and Erica. They responded with some quality girl time. They passed around a bottle of good liquor and talked about how much of a dirt bag Jack was and how much Erica couldn’t wait to set her up with some adorable Durmstrang student she thought Riley would absolutely drool over. This was only the beginning of dozens of hookups Riley had to go through throughout the course of the summer holiday. One was from Durmstrang, the other a graduate or an expelled student of Hogwarts…some of these boys were even muggles. But these guys just didn’t suit Riley. Even though she was now best friends with some of the most feminine of female teenagers, Riley was still a tomboy at heart. She usually didn’t feel comfortable being more than a guy’s Quidditch pal or teammate from some other sport. Jack was her only exception. For some reason, she found herself completely comfortable around him. She could be her silly self and not worry about having to keep up appearances. Plus Jack was always understanding. These boys that Riley had been set up with all summer were just pigs. They’d be the late night party goers that would forever be offering her more drinks and begging her to go upstairs with him. Mostly, the pursuits didn’t work very well.
But there was one night. Riley looked back at the picture bitterly as Erica’s well manicured fingers brushed along the page that contained the almost revolting picture. Just the thought of the man’s name made Riley sick. Seeing her in that picture with him made her want to gag. The boy was a complete creep. He first showed interest in Riley many months ago when Riley was at that wonderful party with Jack (they’d spent half the night in one of Veronica’s spare rooms) but of course, with Jack being there, he was able to get nowhere with her. However, when the girls had taken Riley out for yet another night of fun and drinking, she ran into him again. The boy came n strong, stroking her arm and whispering in her ear like he thought he was some sort of charmer. His act probably would have worked on any other teenage girl with raging hormones and a soft spot for the ones that knew just what to say, but it didn’t work one bit on Riley. At the beginning of that party when he started to make his interests clear, Riley wasn’t falling for his routine one bit. But then she started drinking and doing other things she probably shouldn’t have done. She was already pretty far gone when he’d offered her that little “candy”. Of course, Riley didn’t honestly believe his little gift was really a mint, but she was too out of it to really care. So she took it with a smile and a giggle. It was one of the worst mistakes she could make.
That night was still a pretty big blur, but Riley remembered a swirl of compliments and small comments in regard to Jack. She remembered trying to avoid even so much as thinking of her ex-boyfriend during that night, but just about the only part of it she clearly remembered was the end, where she was in some dark room with that boy Peter. The feeling she received from that little piece of “candy” left her giddy and eager to be close to someone. Perhaps that was what caused her to see the image of Jack’s face when she looked into that dirt bag’s eyes. Then, she suddenly felt a rushing feeling that what she was doing was so wrong in so many ways. She vaguely remembered trying to break free from the man’s tight hold around her only to have him pull her closer to him. She remembered struggling to break free from him as the muted colors in the room blurred around her. She remembered a horrible dizzy feeling and she knew she had to get out of there before she passed out. So, Riley punched the boy in the face and ran out and locked herself in the bathroom across the hall where she waited for about a minute before she finally passed out. Riley didn’t remember how she’d gotten home, but she had a feeling she called Chace to come get her. Judging by his recent changed attitude when Riley was around, he was probably the one that had saved her that night.
Riley sighed and all the girls turned to her. Veronica smiled at her. “Riley, are you alright?” Riley realized how she had completely spaced out as she stared at that revolting picture. She quickly snapped back to reality and smiled at her four other friends. “Oh it’s nothing. I’m just thinking how incredibly different things are going to be this year.” Riley lied, glancing at Erica and Christy. To be honest, Riley couldn’t say she’d miss Christy all too much, but Erica was like her big sister. It was just Riley, Mia, and Veronica left in Hogwarts now. Veronica hugged Riley. “It’s okay. This year is going to be even better than last year. Me and Mia will make sure of that. Now I’m pretty sure we all have some packing to do.” Veronica was right. Erica and Christy were leaving for Rome in less than three days and the Hogwarts Express left for the school tomorrow. The summer was officially over, and there was nothing Riley could do to stop it. Oh, how wonderful. Riley thought to herself.
