It was lunch time now, and Riley snuck out to her car without Paris knowing and drove home.
The teacher let them out two minutes early and she slinked through the crowd of students, and since Claire was gone today due to some kind of appointment—and that Riley hated Ryan—she was able to go home now.
She always got a chai latè from one of her favorite places on her way home, so she stopped at the shop and got out of her car, going up to the door seconds later.
This area was oddly quiet; usually the outside of the café was full of people chattering and some kind of animal making noises.
But it was quiet…
Almost deathly silent.
She stopped at the front door, narrowing her eyes at a note on it when she realized the door was locked.
Family Emergency, we’re closed for the rest of the day, 04-23-2022.
Wow, this was not her week, was it?
She was about to walk to her car and passed an alleyway when she crossed the street.
But a sudden, “Riley!” caught her attention.
She stopped, scanning the silent parking lot.
“Riley!” they said again. “Help!”
Was that…?
“Claire?” she called. “Is that you?”
“RILEY! The alley! The alley! Hurry!”
She darted down the alleyway then, scanning the shadows as her heart pounded wildly against her chest.
“Where are you?” she questioned.
“Behind the trash!” Claire said, voice cracking with a hint of pain.
She ran behind the bins.
And her heart stopped.
Claire was slouched back onto the building, clutching her T-shirt while sweat stuck her black hair to her temples.
But there was blood everywhere.
Red staining her hands, feet, legs, shirt.
Oh, God… it smelt horrible.
Like rotten meat and copper and metal.
Riley felt her heart pound faster, and tears blurred her vision but she blinked them away.
She had to help; now wasn’t the best time to cry.
No… no… not again…
I won’t let you leave me, too.
So she kneeled by Claire, heart shattering and pulled a cellphone out of her pocket, dialing 9-1-1 with her trembling hands.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“Yeah,” Riley said, voice shaking as she pulled off her jacket, “I have a friend on Summit Boulevard and in the alleyway right next to Coffee Coffee Café. The right one.”
“Emergency is on their way. Are you safe?”
“Yes,” Riley stated. “Yes, I think so.”
“What’s her name?”
“Claire,” Riley said, voice cracking, “Claire Nightingale.”
“Is she conscious?” the operator said.
Riley choked down sobs.
“Ma’am,” she said, “I need you to stay calm. The police are on the way. Is she conscious?”
“Y—yes.”
“What happened?”
“I think she was stabbed,” Riley said, trying to breathe but her throat constricted. “There’s—there’s a lot of blood. Oh, G—god….”
“Ma’am, what’s your name?”
“I’m Riley… Riley Princes. And—and I’m her best friend.”
“Okay, Riley,” the operator said, “do you have a jacket? We need to stop the bleeding.”
“I took it off,” Riley said, voice shaking, “I don’t know what to do with it.”
“Press the cloth on the wound,” she said, “and put pressure. It will hurt, but you need to ignore the pain and hold pressure, okay?”
“Claire,” Riley said, catching her jacket tighter, “move your hand.” When her friend listened, she placed her jacket on the wound and pressed down, Claire crying out and catching her wrist.
“I know…” Riley whispered gently despite Claire’s nails digging into her skin. “I know… I’m sorry.”
“Is the perpetrator in the area?” the operator said.
“I—I don’t think so. It’s very quiet. And it’s just us.”
“Okay, put pressure. The police are almost there.”
Sirens wailed distantly from a couple miles away.
Claire started sobbing, scratching Riley’s arms as she fought the pressure and making her wince.
“I’m sorry, Claire,” Riley said, stomach twisting as her voice shook. “I have to stop the bleeding. I can’t have another death happening again, okay?”
Hide it… hide the pain. Don’t make Claire worried…
“Is she still conscious?” the operator said.
“Yes,” Riley responded, eyes stinging with tears. “Fighting like a mother.”
“That’s good,” the operator said. “That’s a good sign, just keep pressure.”
“Alright,” Riley said, skin slick with sweat.
“Riley…” Claire whimpered, the sirens getting louder as Riley’s heart shattered to pieces. “Riley, stop. It hurts.”
“I have to,” she responded, eyes blurring again but she blinked the tears away. “I know it hurts, I’m so sorry.”
I can’t lose you. I need you, please don’t leave me like Bella did; like my dad did.
The sounds grew deafening, and two ambulances as well as three police cars screeched to a stop at the mouth of the alley, and ten medics came running out, surrounding them.
Riley couldn’t think… It hurt. This hurt so much. It was agonizing.
She couldn’t breathe.
“Ma’am,” one of the officers said, “we’ll take care of her, it’s time to get up now.”
When Riley never responded, tears slipped down her cheeks.
Just the thought of her releasing her friend terrified her.
She didn’t want to lose her.
Not again.
Not again.
Two officers caught Riley’s arms and she cried out, both men prying her off and she kicked and screamed as many medics surrounded Claire and started attending to her wounds.
“No!” Riley cried, fighting them. “NO! Claire! CLAIRE!”
ns 15.158.61.19da2