Tough Love

                                    

                                          
                     Riley's POV
                          
I winced at the feel of my fingers on the gash on my forehead. I quickly pull away. Rain drops hit my face, mixing with the blood trickling from the cut.
                          
My entire body ached. Beaten, shoved down. The majority of my body was probaly black and blue. I shiver in the cold. I didn't have a jacket. I didn't have anywhere to stay either. Or any money.
                          
I've made some pretty bad decisions since I saw James kissing Beth. But finally leaving my now ex boyfriend, Josh, has been the best one I've made so far.
                          
I didn't know where I was going, so it sit on a park bench. I wrap my arms around my knees. Traffic speeds by, not even noticing me. I bury my head in my knees and start to cry harder. What have I done with my life?
                          
                  James POV
                          
"Sorry, I don't think this is working out." I told Beth. We were seated at Culture Shock. I decided that I should break up with Beth. I was really busy with A troupe, and she was in B so what was the point?
                          
"Your breaking up with me?" She questions. I nod. 
                          
"Yeah, I'm sorry." I get up to leave, but call Eldon first. 
                          
"Hey, I just broke up with Beth!" I tell him. 
                          
"If this is to get Riley back, she has a boyfriend, remember?" He answers. I sigh. 
                          
I knew she had a boyfriend. Josh is his name I think. He seems like a total jerk to Riley. I've seen her with him once, when he was picking her up from dance. They were in his car, and he was yelling at her. She seemed so unhappy to be with him.
                          
"Yeah, whatever." I respond. 
                          
"Yeah, well I need to go. Talk to you later. Bye"
                          
"Bye." I hang up the phone and start driving. 
                          
                  Riley's POV
                          
I start to think of what to do next. I had been living with Josh because my parents had kicked me out. Because I had been dating Josh. I could try to go home and see what would happen. God, I've messed my life up pretty bad. 
                          
"Riley?" I glance up and see James car in front of me. 
                          
"Uh, hi James." I try not to look up to much. Although it hasn't been the first time Josh had beat me up pretty bad, I would never leave his house without a heavy amount of makeup on to hide it. And I didn't exactly have time to put some on when I was fleeing in terror of him tonight. 
                          
"God, what are you doing out here? Don't you live at your boyfriend's house?" He asks. I look away and don't respond. "Riley?"
                          
"Yeah?"
                          
"Is everything all right?" He asks sympathetically. I stare at the ground. 
                          
"I'm fine."
                          
"No your not. Get in the car, I'll drive you home." I climb into the car, and try to avoid looking at him as much as possible. I didn't want him to see my scarred face. 
                          
An awkward silence filled the car. It was the first time I had been in his car with him alone since we broke up. 
                          
"Why are you out this late, anyway?" I ask him. 
                          
"I was at Culture Shock with Beth." He tells me. 
                          
"Oh." Is all I can respond. 
                          
"We broke up." He tells me. 
                          
"Sorry to hear that." I say, even though I really wasn't. 
                          
"Yeah, doesn't matter. I broke up with her anyways."
                          
"Oh." I say again. 
                          
"Why we're you out this late, in the pouring rain, and without a jacket?" I sigh.
                          
"I don't want to talk about."
                          
"Riley..."
                          
"I said I don't want to talk about!" I say sternly. 
                          
"Riley. Please." He persisted. I take a deep breath, as the horrors of that night came flooding back to me.