Friendship... -- 7 December 2008 (DONE)

Ashley was in the library studying and finishing up some last minute homework assignmens before exams and the break for the holiday (and the Yule Ball, of course). She normally didnt' study or do any of this, but she had nothing better to do... her friends were all hanging with their boytoys and she lost hers... and she didn't have Riley to hang out with, so she was stuck in the library doing work. Ugh.

After his chat with Austin, Riley did a lot of thinking. ANd he decided to find Ashley and talk to her. He needed her as a friend -- he realized that after the slight argument. He found her in the library and was slightly surprised to see her with her head in a book. He sat down at the table she was working at and said, "Hey... I wanted to apologize..."

Ashley looked up and stared at Riley. He was initiating a conversation? He was apologizing? Had the world stop spinning?

"Er... OK... I didn't really expect to be talking to you," Ashley said, "but I like it. Why did you do all that stuff -- say all that stuff? Why were you drinking?"

Riley sighed. "I didnt' mean to say all that stuff," he started. "I was way out of line... I'm sorry... but something just snapped and I dunno what. And I was drinking because I hate December with a passion -- especially Christmas."

Ashley resisted to touch Riley's arm when she heard the pain in his voice at the mention of Christmas and she saw the pain in his eyes. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

Riley took a deep, slightly shaky breath. "Well... that's the day my older brother died. He was only five," Riley replied distantly and quietly, the image flashing in his mind.

Ashley's eyes widened. "Oh my God! Riley... what... how...?"

Riley looked into Ashley's blue eyes through his dark, tear blurred ones. He took a deep breath and started.

"It was Christmas morning and we were playing Aurors and Death Eaters because he got a new cloak and some really cool stuff... and he let me play with them as we played the game because I never got anything good for Christmas. We were actually allowed to run in the house while our parents were downstairs preparing the Christmas dinner that we always had with our grandparents. Christian and I were playing for quite some time... each taking turns being the Death Eater and the Auror... and our grandparents arrived wihtout us knowing -- at least I hadn't heard them and Chris never said antyhing. Anyways, I was the Death Eater and he was the Auror. He was always so much faster than me because he was a year older. And whenever we played outside, I'd always trip him a little bit to give myself some time to get out of his reach -- and he always stayed on his feet. We were running in the wooden hallway in our socks because it was chilly. I was almost at his room and he almost had me, so I did what I always did -- I tripped him.

THe only thing was was that Chris didn't keep his balance... I turned in time to see my brother who I looked up to -- who was the only one I could stand, really -- fall backwards down the stairs. I could do nothing. I thought it was a dream or something... I heard bones crack as he fell closer and closer to teh bottom. I knew what had happened just by the sound of my mother's scream when she was at Chris' side. They all looked up at me with hatred filled eyes... I backe dup against a wall and slid down into a sitting position and started crying becasue of what just happened."

Ashley had one hand over her mouth and tears were sliding down her cheeks. Her other hand moved to go on top of Riley's and she gave his hand a comforting squeeze, despite how he hates to be touched.

Michael heard a little of Riley's past event. He then looked around a shelf and saw Riley and Ashley holding hands. Michael looked down, and walked off. Partly, he felt jealous...though was she moving on?, he thought to himself.

Riley pulled his hand away and looked away from AShley... and saw Michael. Oh shit, he swore to himself. "Ash... damage control," he muttered.

Ashley's eyes followed Riley's and she could barely see Michael. She understood. "oh... Hey Michael!" she said brightly, wiping away the remainging tears on her cheeks.

Riley rolled his eyes. "He's gone, dingus," he replied. "You saw the tail end of him. I think he saw you holding my hand... or maybe he heard the story and left... or... something."

Ashley sighed heavily. "Riley... I'm not going after him. Not right now. You need me after what you just said... you're shaking," she added suddenly. "Not a lot... but I can see your hand moving like it's shaking. ARe you OK?"

Riley sighed. "I'm fine, Ash... go after Michael. And I always shake when I tell that story... it just seems like it happened yesterday still," RIley replied, answering Ashley's question.

"Michael is a big boy and can handle himself," AShley snapped harsher htan she intended. "Riley, don't push me away. You need someone to lean on, I'm here. Lean on me."

Riley was surprised by Ashley snapping, but shook hsi head. "Ash... I don't lean on people. I don't need someone to lean on... I never have needed someone to lean on..."

"Start now, RIley. If you don't... then this whatever it is will eat you up and you won't be Riley anymore. You've lived with this far too long by yourself. Let me help you the best I can... at least just let me be an ear and talk to me," AShley insisted -- almost pleaded.

Riley sighed knowing Ashley was right. Whatever this was had been eating away at him for far too long... and he was losing the war that was raging in his subconscious and there was nothing he could do about it. "Ash... you've no idea..."

"Then help me to understand... help me get an idea of what's happened to you. Let me know what your parents and family did to you that made you so... so timid and scared and shy and everything else that you are. I'm sure you were never this shy before."

Riley chucked slightly. "You're right... I wasn't this shy until I was four years old... because of that one bloody Christmas," he replied somewhat bitterly. "I was normally always outgoing... and even after that I was decently outgoing... but then they kept beating and yelling... but there were still good days. THere were just few and far inbetween..."

Ashley smiled. "What kind of good days?" she asked softly. "Or are those private memories? I don't mind either way... I'd love to hear them... your eyes brightened with the thought of the memroies... I liked that a lot."

"They're nto that private... but I dont' want to talk about them here," Riley replied.

Ashley smiled. "Then let's go back to the common room and if that's crowded, we can go into one of the dorms and hope that they're empty... we coudl talk there. Or by our favorite place to divulge secrets -- the lake."

Riley nodded and stood up. "Let's go," he said, leading the way back tot he common room.