The best way to Feel: Chapter One

Riley:
At the age of four, Riley had observed her mother shot and killed by 1 of her father?s psychotic pals throughout a drug deal gone poor.

At the age of ten, Riley could let you know what alcohol was and what it tasted like, thanks to her father, who forced it down her throat soon after she complained that it made him act bad.

At the age of fourteen, Riley knew what sex was?according to her experiences with her father?s filthy pals who were continually high out of their minds, and viewed her as a piece of entertainment.

This had been Riley?s life for so long as she could bear in mind; she was the stereotype of what it was like to live in the slums of New York City. Now, nineteen years old, she was a shell of an individual. She winced in the slightest touch, jumped in the smallest shadow. She was bitter, resentful, and mad as hell in the world. But most of the time, she kept all the emotion deeply hidden behind a careful mask of disinterest.

The only person she let herself attach to, the only individual she let herself really feel anything for, was her boyfriend Shaun. Some would say he was a douche; really, many people would. They would say he was sketchy, dishonest, and which you couldn?t trust him as far as you could throw him. Riley also knew that individuals talked about the way he treated her. But they just didn?t recognize?he loved her. She knew he did, and she loved him back. She didn?t know what she would do with no him.

“Riley are you even listening to me? God it?s like talking to a damn wall.”

Shaun?s harsh voice brought her back out of her thoughts. They were sitting on his couch in his dingy apartment, a haze of smoke floating between them as Shaun lit but yet another blunt. She mentally kicked herself; Shaun hated it when she didn?t pay attention to him.

“Sorry baby,” she started, “I just ?”

Shaun impatiently stood up and interrupted her. “Whatever. Appear Riley, I?ve got some guys coming over for a deal. Stay out of the way.”

Riley felt heat flood to her face at the way he snapped at her, but she bit back any reply that her temper wanted to lash out. “Right. I?ll just go home.”

And suddenly it was like a various guy standing in front of her. His entire demeanor changed; he speedily closed the distance between them, smiling gently and sliding an arm about her waist.

“Babe I don?t want you to go,” he mumbled, his lips inches from hers. “After the boys stop by, me and you, we deserve some alone time?”

Riley felt her heartbeat quicken as his hand traced a light pattern down her lower back, and pulled her tightly up against him. He just desires sex? But the believed was washed away as soon as his lips met hers. “I enjoy you Shaun,” she whispered, breathless.

And then the moment was more than. He knew he had her exactly where he wanted her. He speedily kissed her 1 last time and abruptly left her standing there as he went to appear out the window. “You too, babe.”

Soon, his buddies arrived. Riley could hear them coming up the steps, and swiftly disappeared back into Shaun?s bedroom. She totally hated the individuals he did business with. They were filthy, perverted assholes. She shivered in repulsion; they reminded her far an excessive amount of of her father?s friends.

“Riley!” She heard Shaun yell her name from the living room, and grudgingly opened the door and walked out. “Get these boys some beer, will you?” There was snickering in the background, and she didn?t dare to have a look at their sneering faces.

Sighing, she turned about to the fridge and mumbled, “Why phrase it as a question when clearly I don?t have a option.”

The blow came from behind before she even knew what was happening; she cried out in discomfort as her forehead slammed into the refrigerator and she crumbled to the ground. She looked as much as see Shaun glaring angrily down at her. “What did you say to me?”

“Look man, it?s not a huge deal ?”

“Leave,” Shaun snarled at his pals when they began to protest. “Get your shit, leave my cash, and get out of my apartment.”

There was a flurry of funds getting thrown on the table, bags becoming grabbed up, jackets being put on?after which everybody was gone. Riley tried to sit up but her head was pounding like a drum; she could really feel a huge knot already forming on the back.

Shaun?s cold eyes settled on her once far more, and ahead of she could reply he began once more. “Don?t you ever talk to me like that in front of my pals again you stupid cunt,” he stated through a clenched jaw. “Who the hell do you believe you will be.”

“I?m more than the piece of shit you?re treating me like right now.” As soon as she stated it she knew she would regret it. His fist hit her square in her correct eye, and she cried out in discomfort. She tried to stand up, to run away, but he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her back into the refrigerator.

There was a buzzing in Riley?s ears, and suddenly her own choked sobs began to sound extremely distant?things got blurry after which there was absolutely nothing at all?

______________________

I?m so thirsty. Why am I so thirsty?my mouth is so dry? Riley didn?t know why, but her brain didn?t quite appear to be working at full speed. She couldn?t appear to remember where she was or why; all she knew was that she was extremely thirsty and there was a dull ache in her head.

She opened her left eye, since that was the only 1 that seemed to be able to open, and quickly regretted it; bright lights flooded her vision and she groaned in pain.

“Riley? Honey, how are you currently feeling?”

Was that her grandma?s voice? She knew it was?but why? What was her grandmother performing in New York City?

Suddenly every thing rushed back to her with an overwhelming force. Visions of Shaun?s apartment, his friends coming over, the fight?

Riley tried opening her eye again, waited as it adjusted to the light, and took in her surroundings. She was in a hospital bed, laying next to the window, with her grandmother and grandfather sitting anxiously beside her. Great, Riley thought bitterly, all I necessary was for my stuck up grandparents from Tennessee to show up pretending like they need to aid me. Where had been they the first nineteen years of my life?

She could by no means picture the magnitude of her grandmother?s next sentence, however. It was sufficient to leave her entirely speechless, totally breathless. “Riley, we?re taking you away. You?re coming property with us.”