Becoming Harry Styles

Chapter 15: Revelation

I sat at the picnic table for a few minutes alone reviewing everything that had happened over the week. Although it was nice to sort of clear things up with Hayden, the most important piece of information she gave me was the fact that Riley stuck up for me in front of everyone. To me, it meant that nothing had really changed at all. Although my life had shifted so much in the last week, it may have somewhat managed to come to a full circle. I’ve always had so much weight hanging on my shoulders, and it’s always been okay because Riley has been there to help me carry it. I sat there in the cool night air more relaxed knowing that some things never really change, even if you are convinced they have.

After a while, I’m not sure what came over me, but I didn’t have a need or a want to head back home just yet. I knew it was rather late, but I had a burning desire to go to Riley’s and my feet absentmindedly led me there.

I rounded the corner to the street her house was on. I approached closer and noticed that her house was completely darkened, but I didn’t want to let that stop me. I felt like I had to see her. It was really too long since I had a nice conversation with my one best friend.

Once I stood in front of her familiar brick house, I didn’t feel knocking on the front door would work or be appropriate since I assumed her and her parents were all sleeping. I strolled around to the side of her house, and found a few small pebbles nestled against the house. I’ve been to her house countless times, as I can recall literally thousands of memories running about it while growing up. I then walked to the backyard where I knew her bedroom window overlooked on the second story.

I looked up into the darkened window for a few seconds, finally realizing what I was about to do. I let out a long sigh while rolling one of the pebbles in my hand. I hoped she really had fully forgiven me for what I said and did to her earlier in the week, and that what she did for me today proved that.

Without another thought I wound my arm back behind my head and lounged it forward, releasing one of the pebbles. I heard a soft pound against Riley’s window where the pebble hit, and again when it returned to the ground. I study the window momentarily to see if it had done anything. The curtain drawn room remained closed, so I threw another. This time the pebble hit a bit louder, and I noticed a dim light flare from behind the curtains.

I waited a bit longer, as I assumed she was slowly rising from her bed and was most likely terribly confused as to what could be outside her window. While waiting for her to emerge, I noticed how cool the nighttime air had become. I pulled up a bit nervously on my jacket zipper, and then sent my attention back up to her window to see the curtain being fumbled with from inside.

The fabric moved over to the side only just, and I saw a delicate hand pull at the lock and open slightly on the window so it was only cracked.

“Good evening, Rils!”I say in a hushed tone.

The curtain opened further, revealing the dark shadow of her figure. “Marcel?” she asked for reassurance.

“Yeah, it’s me. I know it’s late… sorry. Will you come out here with me?”

In a slightly reluctant voice she called down, “Alright. Uh- Yeah. I’ll be down… in a minute. Uh-Meet me out front?”

I nodded my head in approval as she exited her window. I dropped the remaining few pebbles I held in my hand as I walked back around towards the front of her house. I sat on her porch step for a few minutes while I waited for her to come outside. I scanned our street with my eyes. It crazy how much we have changed, but this place that holds so many memories which always stay the same.

If possible, it had grown darker yet since I first came outside to talk with Hayden. The air was misty and the street sparkled from the reflection of the all the dim street lights. I realized I could never get tired of this simple, but lovely sight I have known my entire life.

A few minutes later I heard the door knob behind me twist, making me shift on the step a little. I quickly stood up as the door opened all the way, and Riley reluctantly stepped out closing the door behind her and folding her arms across her chest, cold from the chilly air.

“Riley.” I state nervously taking a few steps closer to her, to which she turns her face to the side. “I feel like I’ve been so lost without you this week. I’m so sorry for everything.”

She began to shake her head uneasily. “No. Marcel. Don’t be sorry.”

I stepped even closer. “I have to be though. I acted so stupid. I know that you are the one person I can trust, and always have. I should’ve listened to you. I just need to say how grateful I am for what you did today. Hayden… told me.” I paused for a few seconds, but her face still pointed off to the side. I decided to continue, “I don’t deserve someone in my life like you really. Thank you… If you give me just one more chance, I promise I’ll always trust and listen to you.”

At my last word, a loud sob escaped from Riley’s mouth as a few tears began to slip down the side of her cheek. She brought her hand gently up to her face to wipe them away with her fingertips, as I wrinkled my eyebrows unsure of what I had done. I was about to ask, when she turned to face me. My mouth fell and my eyes grew wide as tears began to instantly form in my eyes.

“…and I should have listened to you, Marcel.” Even with as dark as it was outside standing there with her, I could see her eye was badly bruised and swollen. Tears continued to spill down her face, and I could tell even that was painful as she kept her face scrunched up. I was speechless. My heart felt like it had completely stopped. Riley let out a deep sigh as she gently wiped more tears away.

I wanted to help, but all I could do was pull her close to me and carefully wrap my arms warmly around her body. I brought my head over her shoulder so we were cheek to cheek. She held me tighter yet and began to cry harder as I started whispering, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” over and over again into her ear.

For how long we stood there in that way, I could not say. I didn’t want her to let go of me, and she didn’t seem to want to anyways. She continued to sob into my shoulder when I spotted further hand print bruises spread down the side of her neck. I began to tear up further, shutting my eyes never wanting to see her like this.

I hadn’t asked who did this to her, because I already knew. I gripped more protectively around the small of her back, suddenly getting angry. I wished I was more muscular and stronger just so I could really make Kyle regret what he had done to this perfect girl. I knew that was not an option, however, as it was Riley who saved me from this very fate earlier that day.

Still warmly embraced, I tried my hardest to keep myself together for her sake, as I asked, “Riley…please tell me what happened?” She took a deep breath as if she wasn’t quite ready. I scanned our surroundings and spoke in a low voice and pointed with my head towards the street, “C’mere.”

I slid my hands from down her back and cupped one of my hands in hers. I was surprised as to how perfectly they fit together. I gave her a comforting smile before leading her out further into the cool air to go sit on the street curb. Her eyes had fallen dry for the moment, but her face remained serious and surprised as she studied my actions carefully.

My mind was racing as we reached the street side and stood in the darkness in between the yellow light of the two street lamps. I quickly stripped myself of my jacket, sending cool tingles poking all over my body, and laid it on the ground. I sat down first and grabbed a hold of Riley’s perfect fitting hands in mine once again, pulling her gently to the ground atop of my jacket with me.

I kept my hands in hers as our knees touched, pointing towards each other. I held her gaze and spoke softly, “Riley… please?”

She looked up into the cloudy sky as a new set of tears to form in her eyes. When she blinked and looked back to me, it caused them to come spilling out all over again. I took one of my hands from hers and tenderly swiped my thumb along her cheek, making sure to avoid any bruise marks. A soft smile played at her lips momentarily before she took yet another deep breath. She soon exhaled and began, “Marcel… After you left… I-uhh. Well I saw what was happening, and I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“Couldn’t take what?” I asked concerned, giving her all my attention.

“Seeing them treat you that way. I didn’t know Kyle was a part of it. I saw Hayden standing there too… and the look on your face when you saw me. It broke my heart. Then when you ran from the school, something sort of flipped inside me. I realized… I couldn’t possibly be upset with you.”

“Me neither, Riley. I regretted everything I said to you right after I said it. I just… didn’t think you really cared. I know that was foolish.” I took my free hand and caressed at the side of her face, pulling a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. “…but I don’t understand how… this…happened.” I stated concerned.

Her voice cracked as she started, “Well… I guess Hayden told you what I did… but I sort of yelled at Hayden and got into Kyle and everyone’s face. I guess I held my own for a while because they all kind of backed down and left the scene quickly… except for Kyle… He didn’t like that I put him in his place in front of his friends. So… I guess after they walked away he decided to… punish me.” She closed her eyes, recalling the day’s events. She continued, and her voice was more rushed and anxious. “Then he just grabbed my arm and led me out of school towards the back. He started shouting in my face, I tried to to fight back, but he slapped me hard against my eye,” she said pointing towards the terrible markings, “I started crying instantly. I couldn’t help it.” Her eyes grew perhaps wider if it were even possible. “He wanted me to stop…so then he grabbed along my neck to get me to quit."

“... Riley…” I interrupted not being able to listen to much more.

She shook her head as she was almost finished. “He eventually realized what he was doing and released me… and then he just began to pathetically apologize.”

“How could he… do this to you? Doesn’t he realize what he has?!” I huffed out more furious and upset than I have ever been before.

“Had.” She corrected. “I-uh broke up with him. I don’t know how… it was one of the hardest things… I was so scared of what he would do, but somewhere I found the courage…. I think I found it because of you…” her eyes slowly rose to meet mine as a small smile was playing at her lips.

“Me?”

“Yeah… I know what you go through on a daily basis. You’re so courageous, Marcel.”

I pushed my glasses onto my face, “No… I don’t think so.”

She rubbed her fingers over my knuckles gently. “Yes you are. Thank you. I’ve been so stupid not to listen to you…I guess we are even now.” She let out a short laugh and rolled her eyes, obviously thinking about Kyle. Her eyes then became large and full of confusion. “How could I have been so stupid this whole time, Marcel? You warned me over and over again… and I never listened. I let this go on for too long.” Her mouth instantly shut, worried that she had revealed too much.

Little did she know I already knew the awful truth behind their whole relationship, and how he had a knack of getting angry easily. I had learned firsthand after all. I pretended to overlook her last comment and stated, “Riley. Never think you are stupid. In fact, you are the brightest person I know. In so many different ways you couldn’t even begin to understand.”

She let out a true Riley smile and nuzzled closer to me, leaning her head on my shoulder. “Thank you Marcel… for everything.”

I laughed quietly and said, “I’ll always be here for you. You know that… but have you told your parents about this?”

“No! They can’t know. I hid in my room when I got home. I don’t want to make a big ordeal about it.”

“It is a big ordeal though, Riley! It’s unacceptable!”

She stared not sure what to say. “I don’t think I can do it.”

I pursed my lips to the side, “Find your courage again then. Something needs to be done about this. I would do something myself if I thought it’d help…”

She pulled at some of the grass behind her thinking for a few seconds. Her shoulders soon slumped over. “Will you be there with me when I tell them?”

“Of course I will! I always be here for you.”

“Thank you, Marcel…” she smiled.

We stayed silent for a few minutes, left to our own thoughts. Somehow through everything, we felt peaceful.

Riley was first to break our silence. ”Marcel… do you remember when we used to sneak out late at night like this?”

I laughed recalling the particular set of memories she was talking about. “Yeah. We would meet at the park and play until we could barely keep our eyes open.”

She giggled while she spoke, “We would see who could go the highest on the swings or who could last the longest on the merry-go-round.”

“I always won.” I stated humorously.

“No. I don’t recall that!” she laughed. “…but I do remember that one time we went to the park, but it was shut down for being remodeled, and we didn’t want to go home. So we sort of just walked down the street, acting like we were some kind of super stars in the street lamps?”

I let out a big smile. “Yeah, I remember.”

“Then we got some sort of weird idea that they were spotlights, and we should learn how to dance.”

“Yeah. So I tried to slow dance with you, and you wouldn’t let me lead!”

“I tried… but I was just so much better at it!” she giggled.

“Hmm… I don’t recall that. I remember you squashing my feet every two seconds though.”

“Hey now!” she said while lifting her head carefully from my shoulder, not wanting to bump her bruises.

“It’s true you know.” I stated comically.

“Yeah.” She chimed in a happy tone, putting her head back in its place on my shoulder. There was another few seconds of silence before she said, “Sometimes I wish I could go back to those times. They were so much… easier. Just you and me. Marcel and Riley.”

I could practically hear the smile in her face. I nodded my head agreeing, and began pondering silently to myself. Then all of a sudden, a thought popped into my head and my body reacted absentmindedly. I slipped my shoulder from her cheek and stood up from my spot next to her on the curb.

Her face was twisted up into confusion. “Marcel, what-,”

I offered out my hand to her for the third time that night. “Riley Anderson, may I have this dance?”

A smile spread across her face as she scanned all the darkened houses around us. “Sure.”

I lifted her up with my arm and led her under the street lamp. I could better see her discolored bruises. I hated that I let this happen to her, but she still was the same beautiful girl I have always known. I was going to prove to Kyle that he messed up and hate him forever, but in that moment Riley was the only thing that mattered.

I placed one hand at the small of her back and held her other hand up so we were in a proper frame. “Are you going to save my feet this time around and let me lead?”

I looked deep into the centers of her eyes which simply sparkled beneath the dim yellow light of the street lamps. Her smile beamed into me, “Of course.” I then began to slowly sway us back and forth to no particular rhythm. She giggled to herself, “This just seems silly with no music.”

I looked passed her and pursed my lips while quickly bobbing my head in agreement. I flashed a quick smile as a song popped into my head. I hummed a bit trying to find my tune and began to quietly sing.

“When I find myself in times of trouble,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.”

Riley’s eyes began to water again, but I knew they were tears of joy. I took my hand from her back and wiped them away from her eyes as I continued to sing.

“And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.”

I gave her a giant smile, letting her know how special she was in that moment, but also every other moment we spent together. I wanted her to know that I will never betray her again, and that I will always be there for her through anything.

“Let it be, let it be
Ah let it be, yeah let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music,
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
Yeah let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah let it be
Oh there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah let it be
Oh there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Ah let it be, yeah let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.”

I finished the last note of the song as I slowly whirled her around. We stopped dancing, but remained standing in the light of the street lamp.

I didn’t want to let go of her, so I kept my hands wrapped around her as she rested her hands round my neck. She smiled wider and stated, “I love that song, and your voice.”

“I owe it to you. Nobody else has ever heard me sing like this. You helped me come out of my shell.”

She looked to the ground and back to me. “You’re going to do some great things in your life, Marcel.”

“You are too, Riley. There’s not a doubt in my mind about that.”

Her smile fell, and her head tilted to the side in wonder. “You know… It amazes me that I’ve never seen this before.”

“Seen what?” I asked confused.

A beautiful smile pierced my heart as she spoke, “How much you love me.”

“I always have, Riley.” I say to her. My heart pounded hard in my chest, though I knew she meant only as a friend.

“Marcel?”

“Yes?”

“Can I try something?” she asked reluctantly.

“Sure.”

“Okay… just so you know… this is because I think we owe it to each other… to make sure that last person who kissed us… loves us.”

Her slightly swollen eyes tenderly closed. In that instant I closed mine as well as we both began leaning in towards each other. The second my lips met hers, it felt like everything I always imagined. My heart fluttered and tingles danced all over my skin. My hand flew to the back of her head as I held her against me for a few seconds wanting to hold onto this moment forever.

When we pulled apart, Riley immediately pulled me into a hug. “Love you, Marcel. Thank you for tonight.”

“I know. We’ll get through this together.”

“I don’t know how to thank you for everything.” She beamed.

“You don’t have to…” I stated calmly.

We began the short walk to her front door together. “Don’t forget to come here in the morning… so we can talk with my parents…” she said with a serious face.

“I’ll be here.” I said as we stepped up onto her porch.

She nodded her head happily, and put her hand on the door handle to begin to twist it open. She looked back to me, “Well then. It's late. I best get inside... Goodnight, Marcel.”

“Goodnight Riley.”

With that being said she stepped inside her house with a smile on her face and quietly shut the door behind her. I stood there on her porch for a few minutes, and I knew I would love and care for her the rest of my days.

Notes