Tales of the Underground: Blinded - 26. The Birthday Boy

As I sat back down on the couch in the game room, I felt Riley’s weight right back on me, except this time he was more leaning against me than hugging me. Once more I looked over him, from the back of his head which was leaning against my arm, all the way to his feet…to think there are people terrified of him…it just blows my mind.

“This isn’t very comfortable” I giggled as he squirmed to rest his head against my side.

He shrugged his shoulders, and let more weight rest against me “You said you like cuddlin.”

“This is not cuddling” I smiled, giving his head a light push “What were you raised in a barn?”

“A barn is nice compared to what I was raised in.” he let out, forcing his head up to look at me “I was raised in hell.”

I rolled my eyes, and began to fix his hair so no to look so…messy “Well they really need to start teaching better manners in Hell”

“I got manners” he defended with a pout.

“You got bad grammar and bad manners” I giggled, just enjoying running my hand through his hair “You’re cute when you’re tired”

“I ain’t tired, and I aint cute!” he insisted, as his pout only grew firmer “I could go for round 2, 3, 4 and 5 if we had the time.”

“I’m sure you could” I supported with a laugh “but you’re still cute.

“Carter!” he grumbled as his pout turned into a frown.

“Rilez” I teased, seeing how much further I could push.

“Ew” he grunted, finally pushing away from me “This is why I didn want you callin me Riley, I knew you was gonna start makin pet names out of it.”

“And what are you going to do about it Rilez?” I pressured, seeing where this would lead.

He shifted his mouth as he racked his brain trying to think of a solution. Before I knew it he shoved me over, and laid on top of me “This”

“You’re going to sit on me?” I exhaled, as he laid out over my back.

“Yeah” he nodded his head, figuring out a creative nonviolent solution “I’m gonna sit on you until you stop callin me Rilez”

“Sure thing Rilez” I teased, starting to grow comfortable “You know, for someone who has so much muscle, you sure are light.”

“What the hell’s that mean?” he shouted, trying his best to put more weight on me.

I giggled at his insecurity and reached a hand to try and grab onto him “You’re just well-defined with muscle, but it still doesn’t feel like it.”

“You a dick” he muttered, not sure if I was complimenting him or making fun of him.

“You are a dick” I corrected with a smile “You don’t even know what to do right now.”

“What you mean?” he pushed out, ignoring my correction.

“You’re not sure how to handle the situation.” I giggled, still not bothered by the weight on me “You don’t want to hit me, and you’re too scared to say anything mean…you don’t know how to handle when I start to annoy you.”

“You’re right I don” he smiled, beginning to blush. He swung off me, slowly walked to my head and leaned in for a kiss, but the second I closed my eyes and leaned in I felt a strong flick land on my forehead “Ya dumb bitch!” he cackled as the fake blush turned into a huge grin “Talk bout not knowin what to do, you so gullible! All I had to do was smile and blush!” he smiled, beginning to laugh “You’re right” he mimicked himself “Guess I’ll just get up and kiss you…what the hell did ya think was gonna happen?!”

“I hear laughter from Riley for the first time all day!” Mrs. James called out, as she unlocked the door. I couldn’t help but laugh as he jumped back a good foot to put space between us “I knew you would get over your little fit!”

“I thought you knew exactly what to do and when to do it!” I teased in a low tone, as I watched him attempt to recompose himself after clearly being caught off guard.

He quickly shot me a dirty look before shifting his focus to his mom “I tol you not to call me…”

“And I’ve told you not to get into fights at school.” She lectured, cutting him off “But here you’ve been for the last 3 and a half days! I’ll call you Riley when I want, for as long as I want.” She stared him down waiting for a response “Yes?”

“Yes” he groaned pulling my legs off the couch and letting his body collapse onto it. I guess there is 1 person in this world he’s scared of… and she’s about 53, 5’9, brown haired and full of fire. “Don give me that look” he growled, seeing the smile on my face “I ain’t scared of her.”

“Oh yeah?” I egged on “Why don’t you tell her that?”

“MA!” he shouted to the other room.

“Yes dear?” she responded, focus somewhere else.

He went to speak, but before he could doubt invaded his face “Thanks for lettin Carter come over early.”

I raised my eyes at him and giggled “Thank you Mrs. James!”

“It’s not problem.” She called out in a cheerful tone.

I bit on my lip as our eyes connected “You’re totally scared of her!”

“Am not.” He grunted, shifting towards the tv.

“Then what the hell was that?!” I smiled, keeping the pressure on him.

He shrugged his shoulders, and kicked his feet up onto the coffee table “Me not bein disrespectful.”

“Because you care so much about being respectful! You’re just scared of your…”

“Cy” Aaron interrupted finally rejoining us “I’m going to throw you out of my bedroom myself if I have to! It still smells like sweat and puke up there!”

“Bruh, I was sick like a week ago” He giggled turning to me and flashing the fearless attitude he so proudly brags about.

“Well I still smell it!” he cluelessy insisted , taking a seat on the couch next to us. “What’s your problem?” he pushed out, as I did my best to hide the blush on my face.

“Nothing” I quickly shrugged “Just grossed out that Riley smells that bad.”

“Grossed out?” he recklessly teased, knowing that I was starting to squirm under the pressure.

“Yes” I confirmed, reaching over and pushing him into the side of the couch “Grossed out.”

Aaron let out a long sigh as the two of us began to laugh to ourselves “I’ll never understand how you two could get so close so fast…it makes me want to puke.”

I thumped Riley in the head once again, before getting up and jumping on Aaron “Ah don’t worry there’s plenty of me to go around.” Riley made a face and stared at me “Look now he’s the jealous one!” I teased, pointing him out to Aaron “Sorry bud, Aaron’s been my best friend since kindergarten, guess you’ll just have to find your own!”

Aaron jokingly stuck out his tongue at his younger brother and smiled “I don need you” Riley decided, turning away “I got Noah”

“What about Noah?” Noah innocently asked walking into the room.

“Shut the fuck up Noah” Riley lashed out, not realizing he had arrived.

“Language!” Mrs. James yelped overhearing our conversation.

“Language” Riley mimicked making a face “Whend you get here Noah?”

“Just now” the scrawny innocent teen shrugged, taking a seat next to Riley “Happy birthday”

“Man you know what shut up means?” Riley teased, turning towards him “Tell it to ya all god damn day, and you still do nothin but talk.”

“You asked me a question!” he yelped, not sure if Riley was busting him or not.

“It was rehtecular.” Riley decided, holding his head up high.

“It was what?” Noah confusingly asked, turning towards me and Aaron.

We both shrugged and turned to Riley, not sure what he was trying to say “Rehtecular” he repeating, seemingly coming up with his own word “It means a question ya not supposed to answer, like when a teacher asks me am I done yet and I say no. maybe all ya smart kids need me to tutor ya!”

“That’s not Rehtecular! Or whatever word you just made up!” Noah chuckled “You’re thinking of the word rhetorical you idiot!”

“What’d you just call me?” Riley turned, doing his best to scare off Noah, an action that normally worked…but this time Noah wasn’t backing down.

“Idiot” He repeated, holding his ground.

Riley made a face and nodded “Look who grew a pair.”

“Mhm” Noah proudly smiled “Now can you stop telling me to shut…”

“Shut up Noah” the 3 of us shouted in unison, as we all began to laugh.

“That’s not getting old.” Noah groaned , making an unamused face “Who’s coming today anyway?”

“The 2 of yous” Riley shrugged grabbing the remote off the table and throwing on the tv.

“Just us?” I let out turning to Aaron, who I was still slightly laying on.

“Yup” Aaron shrugged “Our parents wanted their parents to come, but Riley pulled the “it’ll be too much” card.”

“It would’ve been!” Riley yelped, doing his best to play innocent.

“Oh please, you just didn’t want to dress nice” Aaron dismissed, seeing right through the act “You just know how to play mom and dad because you’re the baby.”

“No way” I began to laugh “He’s the…”

“Aaron.” Riley angrily grunted, biting down hard on his lip.

“You’re the baby of the house?” I finally finished fighting off laughter.

“No” he growled in a low tone “I’m just the youngest.”

“Do it” Aaron nudged, starting to read my mind.

“Hey Mrs. James!” I called out through the house “Who’s your baby?”

“Riley of course!” she teased back in a loud voice, knowing exactly what was happening “That’s my youngest right there, he’s my baby, so play nice with him!” she continued, knowing exactly what she was doing.

“MOM!” he finally burst in an angry voice “Stop talkin!” Our eyes locked as his face began to burn up “So help me god Carter, I’m really gonna…”I threw my hands up and pretended to zip my lips shut “Yeah you better keep quiet.”

Riley angrily turned away and started talking to Noah in an attempt to give me the cold shoulder “So we’re cool?” Aaron poked, tapping me on the back.

“We weren’t cool at some point?” I asked, not fully understanding what he meant.

“No I mean, we always were fine.” He exhaled, trying to word it better “I just…I don’t know, you started only hanging out with Cy and…”

“Don’t worry about it man.” I cut off, doing my best to comfort his doubts “Me and Riley just hang out a lot because our schedules overlap, don’t get me wrong, I really like hanging out with him and he’s a great friend…but your my best friend, he’s not replacing that.” I nodded as a smile grew on his face “besides he’s your brother, would it be so bad if the 3 of us were close?”

“No” he shrugged keeping his smile “Sometimes I just need a break from him is all.”

“Bitch!” Riley interrupted, having eavesdropped the whole time “I am the best thing that happened to your life.”

“My life was just fine without you.” Aaron taunted, motioning towards Riley.

“Yeah, what’d you do all day, sit and study?” Riley replied, knowing he was right. “You was borin as fuck, you jumpin for joy that I’m here.”

“Whatever” Aaron mumbled, but we all knew Riley was right. Ever since we were kids Aaron has wanted a brother, and Riley…well he’s a bit unorthodox, but I don’t think anyone else could’ve fit the role more perfectly.

“If those are my sons fighting…” Mr. James called out as we heard the front door shut behind him.

“We’re not fighting!” Aaron quickly responded “Right Cy?”

“Yeah we fine” he quickly lied, supporting his brother

Mr. James peeked into the room and greeted me and Noah before turning to his sons “It’s a good thing we got you a muzzle for your birthday” he teased, disappearing back behind the wall. It’s funny he and Mrs. James have a good cop bad cop thing brewing in this house, I mean Riley still listens to him, but it’s clear he’s only really scared of his mom. The rest of the day was a blast, it was only the 4 of us, but I could swear it felt like a full blown party. Riley just seemed to know how to bring the chaos in all of us…to bring out the inner child society has tried so hard to suppress. At one point Mrs. James even kicked us out of the house because we were getting too wild! Finally when we were too tired to run around anymore, they called us in for cake and presents.

I would’ve thought Riley would be one that wants the spotlight, that he would enjoy everybody singing happy birthday, and yelling to him…but boy did he look like a deer in headlights. As I watched him I realized that maybe having more than just me and Noah would have been too much for him…that maybe he’s still adjusting. He jokes that he’s fine, and used to it all by now, but I know him…and my gut says he still has a long way to go before he can actually settle in.

“Here open this one first” I pushed as it was finally time for presents “Me, Aaron, and Noah all chipped in to get it for you.” I smiled, handing him a small box.

“Yo!” he shouted ripping apart the thin paper “This is Chance’s hat!” he shouted, pulling out a black hat with a white 3 on it “Holy crap! How’d you guys know?”

“I asked cam” I laughed, resting a hand on his shoulder “He said you always talk about his music…I still don’t know who he is, or what the hat means, but I guess Cam knew.”

“Yeah he did!” he smiled, taking a good long look at the hat “You never heard of Chance the Rapper?” The 3 of us turned to one another and shrugged “You would know him if you heard one of his songs.” He decided with a nod of his head.

“Alright” I exhaled, grabbing another present “Since I made you join the basketball team, I would feel bad if I didn’t get you a birthday present by myself.” I lied, not daring to say the real reason why I needed to get him something.

“Carter” Aaron sighed “You said we were doing a group gift!”

“Sorry” I shrugged, fighting off a smile “I had to!”

Riley cautiously took the rectangular box out of my hands and inspected it before slowly opening it “If this is a joke…”

“Trust me it’s not” I nervously laughed, knowing his reaction would be priceless.

He shot me a suspicious look as he slowly undid the wrapping. The second the Nike logo flashed on the box, he ripped open the cover “What…the…fuck…” he let out looking at the white, red and black basketball shoes before him.

“Language!” Mrs. James quickly reprimanded, but I could tell she was shocked by how amazed he was.

“These…they’re…these are Jordan Prototypes…how did you?...but…they don make these no more.” He exhaled, trying to breathe through the excitement “No, these had to cost a fortune…I can’t…I really…”

“They weren’t that much” I bashfully smiled, trying to hide a blush “We’re in Chicago, it was easier to find than you think.”

“But these…” he gasped, still excited “These are from the 80s…they’re Mike’s first pair of shoes…Jordan got fined every game for wearin em…how…I really can’t take these.”

“Too bad” I laughed, thrilled just to see him so happy “They don’t fit me, and there was a no return policy. They’re yours to wear for the season ahead.”

“Th-thank you” he breathed reaching over and giving me a quick side hug.

“Carter” Mr. James discreetly waived me over as Riley still sat in shock “You really didn’t have to buy him those…they…even when I was a kid they were impossible to find; they must’ve cost you way too much. You have to let me…”

“It’s fine” I shrugged, throwing my hands in my pocket so he couldn’t force any money onto me “My dad was able to find them easy as 1,2,3.” I smiled “and we got a great deal. I’m just happy to see him happy, ya know?”

“Trust me” he smiled back “We do. Sorry to do this to you, but I think me and Nancy are about to beat you.” He teased, smile still wide.

“Let’s see what you got.” I teased, returning to Riley’s side.

“Boy, I’m bout to start wildin right now!” Riley jumped letting his ghetto side out as he carefully put the shoes back into the box.

“Alright Riley” Mrs. James began “They were supposed to deliver a basketball hoop for you today, but apparently that got delayed for a few days.” She grumbled, looking towards her husband.

“I put the order in a week ago, I swear!” he shrugged, trying to avoid trouble “So in the mean time, you’ll have to settle for this” he continued, handing over an envelope sized gift.

“Basketball hoop is good nough” he smiled, clearly overwhelmed by all the new stuff “You don have to…”

“Just open it” Mr. James pushed, as he pulled his wife close.

“Alright, but…” he began with the widest smile I had ever seen. As he undid the wrapping a thick rectangle flew out and landed on the table in front of him

CERTIFICATE OF VIDAL RECORD

STATE OF ILLINOIS

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT CERTIFIED ABSTRACT OF BIRTH

STATE FILE NUMBER DATE FILED

932319400032 OCTOBER 18^TH, 2001

NAME OF REGISTRANT

WALKER D. RILEY

DATE AND TIME OF BIRTH SEX

OCTOBER 5^TH, 2001 10:05 AM MALE

DATE OF AMMENDMENT

OCTOBER 3^RD 2017

CITY OF BIRTH COUNTY OF BIRTH

CHICAGO COOK COUNTY

MOTHER’S MAIDEN NAME FATHER’S NAME

BAKER R. NANCY JAMES A. WALTER

MOTHER’S AGE FATHER’S AGE

52 54

THIS IS A TRUE CERTIFICATION OF NAME AND BIRTH FACTS AS RECORDED IN THIS OFFICE.

DATE ISSUED:

OCTOBER 3^RD, 2017

“Wh-what?” Riley let out, in more shock than before.

“It’s…” Mrs. James began as emotion took over her voice “It’s your birth certificate” she let out through a broken cry.

Riley’s chest began to quickly compress as his mind raced. He jumped up to try and get a grip, but like a flash of lightening pushed past everyone and ran out the front door. Mrs. James went to chase after him, but Mr. James grabbed onto her, knowing they were both too emotional to calm him down. I looked to Aaron for help, but even he looked as pale as a ghost “I-I’ll go talk to him” I nodded, heading towards the door “I’ll have him right back.” I uttered, now starting to panic myself, worried that he just kept running.

As I reached the door I saw a small figure crouched in the corner of the small porch near one of the huge white beams. It looked as though he was going to hide in the bushes, or try to climb the pole, and knowing Riley…it was going to be the latter. “So 10:05 in the morning” I teased, slowly walking towards him, not sure how he would react “I would’ve thought you were a night baby.” The closer I got the more I heard broken deep breathing escaping the crouched figure “It’s official Riley…you’re home.”

“No…” he exhaled, as tears began to roll down his face “I…it’s not.”

“It is” I smiled, getting down to his level “That was your birth certificate.”

He gently shook his head, doing his best to hide his moment of weakness “It’s not!” he insisted “I don get this…I don get a happy endin.”

“You just did” I smiled finally wrapping myself around him.

Before I knew it, he crumbled into me and began to cry harder and harder “No, I don!” he cried out “Not after all the people I hurt…how…how do I deserve this…how?”

“I don’t know.” I exhaled not fully knowing what to say, holding him close “Someone above is watching out for you…you have some big purpose on this earth…show us you’re worth it.”

“But I-I…I’ve gone too far to be forgiven” he exhaled in broken breaths “I’ve taken things too far. I-I thought I was just kiddin myself this whole time…nothing ever goes right for me…I thought any day now they would come drag me way…that any day now they’d throw me back to the Southside. I thought this was just a dream…I thought…”

I moved my hand up and pulled his head into my chest “Shhh” I quietly let out “You can never ever go too far…if you want to be forgiven…you can always find forgiveness. Your lucks changed Riley Walker…it’s time to be happy…it’d time to smile…it’s time to go join your family.”

He took a few more seconds before wiping the tears from his face “I love you”

“I love you too” I exhaled, helping him up off the ground and back into the house.

The second he saw his parents, he ran into his mom and began to gently cry again. I could tell he was doing his best to fight it…to not seem weak, but he couldn’t help himself…the homeless boy from the hood, the one my father warned me about, the one I saw on the news, and on posters…well he just got his second choice…and he’s going to prove every motherfucker in the Southside wrong.

After a few seconds Aaron ripped his now official younger brother from their mother, and embraced him tightly. I couldn’t help but tear up at the sight…a family finally pieced togeth…no… a family finally reunited…they were all born in separate homes…to separate people, but god damn it they weren’t meant to be together. They’ve all had a long hard road to where they are now, but they deserve it more than anyone I’ve ever met…they deserve to be happy.

The rest of the night Riley was just…well…light. It was as though a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, as though he was becoming a new person before my very eyes. I mean don’t get me wrong, he still had a bad mouth, he still barely spoke English, he still played rough…but he was happy…truly and completely happy.

That night I couldn’t shake the fear that I was missing something…that I was missing out on my own mother. As I feel asleep Riley’s brave words from a few weeks ago echoed in my head “You have a car, jus go see her!”…he was right I did have my own car…I did have my own way to get there, and the next day I found myself driving through the projects up into her small rundown house, taking the old beaten up spare car we have of course! There’s no way I would ever risk my baby in a neighborhood like that!

It took a few seconds of deep breathing, and even a quick look at a picture I had snapped of Riley for me to approach the confidence to walk up to that door, but when I did…well I immediately knew I made the right choice.

“Carter!” My mom exclaimed, wrapping her arms around me “What in the world are you doing here? Please! Please! Come in!” she cheerfully explained, taking a good look at me “Have you gotten taller? My oh my, you’re never going to stop growing!”

“I’ve missed you” I exhaled, hugging her once more.

She held me tightly and slowly swayed “I’ve missed you too, your father let you come say hi?”

“What he doesn’t know…” I began with a guilty smile.

“Oh Carter” she sighed, shaking her head “You always did like to start trouble.”

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled “Oh trust me, I met someone who knows a thing or two about starting trouble.”

“Oh yeah?” She poked, waving me over to her small kitchen table “A friend…or a boyfriend?” she giggled, as though it was the gossip of the century.

“Boyfriend” I confessed, knowing I could always confide in her “but you can’t tell anyone!”

“Cross my heart and hope to die!” she quickly exclaimed, waiting for the news “Now spill!”

“Well he’s new around the Northside, the James family actually just adopted him…”

“You fell for a James!” She happily yelped “Oh my god! Nancy must be freaking out with excitement!”

“She doesn’t know, it’s a secret remember?!” I reminded her in a long groan.

“Oh sorry, go on, go on!” she waived

“Well he’s actually from around here…he has a troubled past…but he’s got a good heart…” I began, starting to think about him “he’s really changing…like before my eyes, he’s becoming sweeter, more caring…more…human.”

“So he was part of the at risk program?” she poked, tilting her head as she thought back on all the kids she had ran into in her line of work “Maybe he swept through the community house I work at, what’s his name?”

“Well he wasn’t really in the program.” I stalled, realizing she probably knows who he is “He’s probably the reason programs like that exist.”

“Oh” she let out, seeing how nervous I was getting “So you bagged yourself a real bad boy.”

“Oh yeah” I nodded as my eyes grew wider “Ex-gang member and all.”

She reached over and grasped onto my hand “The past is the past, no matter what your father says…always remember we don’t just a book by it’s cover.”

I slowly nodded and looked deep into her comforting eyes “So you might know him…he went by the name Cy around here.”

She jumped back in her chair as she heard the name. I saw her doing her best to hide it, but worry and concern began to engulf her “Like the Saint’s Cy?” I nodded my head, and watched her freak out a little bit more “The one with one eye?”

“That’s him.” I sighed, not realizing that even she would freak out.

“It’s okay” she yelped more to herself than to me “It’s okay” she nodded “Woh…you didn’t just go for a teen gang member…you went for like, the king of teen gang members!”

“Yeah” I nervously laughed, unsure of how this was going “He was really that bad?”

“Oh hun, he wrote the book on being young and in a gang…he started out small, but grew like a cancer, leaving shop owners and neighbor hoods in fear.” She shook “The worst part is that he could blend in with the shadows and crowds, you didn’t realize he was there until he struck.”

“So you’ve seen him then?” I asked, tilting my head

“Only once” she began, thinking back on it “and I’m not completely sure it was him, but I swear I saw a dark outline jump from rooftop to rooftop as I drove home one night…you have to understand, he was like an urban legend around here, people didn’t believe he actually existed until he got arrested.” I let out a deep sigh and shook my head as I heard her stories. “They would call him La Culebra meaning the…”

“The serpent” I finished “They would call him the devil, but why? Was he really that bad?”

“Maybe not so bad that he should’ve been called the devil” she shook, thinking on how to word her next statement “but he was ruthless and vicious, people at work say he earned the name because just like the devil himself, he stayed hidden in the darkness inciting trouble and chaos, until finally he himself struck, bringing the biggest storm possible.”

I shook my head once more, upset by how real his stories were becoming…back when he was warning me about them…well…they were easy to ignore, they were easy to dismiss and say he changed…but hearing my very own mom tell me this…the women who doesn’t judge anyone…it’s just “Carter” she let out snapping me loose of my thoughts “If you say he’s changed…that he’s not that person…then I believe you.” I nervously nodded my head “Is that what your gut says?”

“Yeah” I nodded more confident than before “My gut says he’s changing more and more everday.”

“Then there you have it” she dismissed, forcing a smile “If you honestly and truly believe he’s a new person, if you truly trust him, and feel safe with him…then keep going” she held onto my hand tightly and began to rub it “Love can heal the worst cuts.”

“He’s had a really rough shot at life” I nodded “and he’s told me back when he used to do that…that he was usually drugged up and drunk…it wasn’t him doing any of it…it was the gang drugging him and sending him off.”

“I believe it” she nodded “So I told you how I know him…how do you know him?”

“As stupid and reckless” I giggled much to her concern “but in a normal teenage way…not in a dangerous way. He’ll scream a curse at you, but hug you within the same moment. He has a pretty bad temper at times, but he’s learning how to control it…he really is.” I started to get misty eyed thinking of how hard I was falling for Riley “Most importantly…he just wants love…he just wants a home…it’s like, you give him one ounce of love and he returns double the amount without even realizing it. He even got in a fight at school this week…but not over girls, or power, or drugs, because Owen Avery insulted Aaron…I guess he may never fully find peace, but my god does he care about those who love him…I know him as Riley, not as Cy.”

“Well then he reminds me of another teenage boy I know” she smiled looking over at me “I-I won’t lie, it scares me you’re dating someone with his past, but I know you’re smart than me and your father will ever be…I know you see the good in people, and if you care about him…then he really has changed.”

“He has” I confirmed in a growing smile “I love him mom….like truly love him.”

A small smile spread on her face, chasing away all the doubt and concern “Then one day I hope you bring him to me…just…make sure you hide him. The people around here…he’s a wanted kid.” I nodded understanding what she meant. We spent the rest of the afternoon catching up, every now and again I would tell her a story about Riley, but for the most part we spoke about our lives, and what we were doing.

As she began to prepare dinner my phone started to endlessly ring, at first I tried to ignore it, but it rang so much it was like the damn thing was yelling at me! “What’s up Owen” I groaned, finally picking it up

“Where are you?” He exhaled in an intense voice.

“What does that matter?” I groaned, rolling my eyes “What’s up?”

“We have to get rid of Cy…he’s not good for…”

“Goodbye Owen” I dismissed about to hang up

“No, wait, listen, it’s not too late, my dad said if we can send him back before his adoption papers go…”

I rolled my eyes once more and made a face towards my mom “His adoptions papers are finalized; he’s officially a member of the James family.”

I heard a few groans and curses as Owen pulled the phone from his face “Well I don’t care, I’ll find a way to send him back where he belongs…are you with me or against me?’

“Neither ” I quickly yelped “I mean what are you crazy? He’s one of us now; things don’t have to be like this. Just sit at the lunch table tomorrow, and we’ll talk it all out.”

“Are you with me or against me?” He repeated in an angry voice.

“Don’t make me…”

“With me or against me?”

“Against you” I strongly let out “And if you think you can take on Riley you’re crazy!”

“I’m not going to fight him” Owen scoffed “You don’t dance with the devil…that’s how you get burnt. I’ll make a plan, and have him sent packing…you mark my words.”

“You don’t want to go down this path” I warned “You really don’t know what you’re messing with here…we grew up in luxury not understanding what it’s like on the streets, if you start playing around…you’re going to wind up really really hurt.”

“If that’s what it takes then that’s what it takes” he declared out of anger “I can’t turn the corner at school without being laughed at…that small little degenerate made me the laughing stock of the whole damn place…I’ll never let him forget the day he fucked with me.”

“Owen, I’m hanging up now” I decided “but as your friend I have one last warning for you…Riley has changed, Riley’s not the person you think he is…but if you back him into the corner…if you treat him like an animal…I guarantee he’ll give you a lot worse than a broken lip.”

“We’ll see about that” he growled as he clicked off the phone.

My mom looked towards me, having heard the whole conversation and sighed “Love will always beat hate.”

“Love will always beat hate” I nodded, not even slightly concerned about whatever half assed plan Owen is cooking up.

You never know what tomorrow will bring…who you’ll meet, who you’ll be, what will change…but me…I know one thing for certain…I’ll never stop loving Riley Walker.