defeat

[Arden Patricks]

I laugh slightly, shaking my head. "Don't much blame her...."

[Riley Pearson]

I laughed a little and nodded. "Yeah, I don't either.. I'd be doing the same thing with my kids." I said with a small smile. "But yeah... thing's are good.."

[Arden Patricks]

"Good." I smile faintly again. Please, please remain that way after I take myself out of the equation.

[Riley Pearson]

I smiled back to her and nodded a little bit. "So thanks for telling me about Lilian.. and just being here, you know?" I said, not really asking her.

[Arden Patricks]

((Lmao, ah, you're cruel.))

"No problem." I smile weakly again, then drop my eyes.

[Riley Pearson]

[[ lmao i didn't know what to put... ]]

I smiled back to her, watching as she dropped her eyes. I couldn't really tell if she was okay or not. So I hoped she was. I didn't bother to ask, because I was pretty sure of the answer I was going to get.

[Arden Patricks]

I'm not really certain how much longer I can keep up this pretense, keep on talking and all. And I probably should be going home, just to see if Logan's done anything.
Or not.

[Riley Pearson]

I sighed slightly, "So um.. You haven't.." I paused for a moment trying to decide whether I should bring this up or not. "Have you thought about what you said the last time we talked.. about Logan and everything?" I asked her cautiously.

[Arden Patricks]

"Um...." It takes me a second to track, and then I shake my head. "And that was?"

[Riley Pearson]

"The whole.. turning yourself in if Fitzy says something?" I said after a moment, clarifying it a bit, even though at that moment, I felt more like I should just say nevermind. "I know you told me to forget about it.. but um.." I trailed before shrugging faintly.

[Arden Patricks]

"You didn't?" I finish for him, raising my eyebrows. Then I shrug. "I don't know."

[Riley Pearson]

"Yeah, I didn't." I said shaking my head faintly. "Can you just promise me that you aren't going to do something stupid?" I asked looking over to her, knowing that didn't sound very good. Actually I don't know if I should have said it.

[Arden Patricks]

I pause a minute, struggling yet again with the whole honesty thing, before finally shrugging. "No."

[Riley Pearson]

I frowned slightly now. "Arden, please." I said quietly, shaking my head slightly.

[Arden Patricks]

"Please what?" I ask, looking up at him. "Lie to you? I can't promise anything, Ri. I can't promise I won't provoke him deliberately just to prove he was wrong when he said he wouldn't hurt me. I can't promise I won't snap and start carving up my arms like I did when I was a teenager. I can't promise anything."
This is all a lot more weary than antagonistic, but I still feel like wincing at myself when I realize what I'm saying. Instead I huddle closer to the table, pretzeling my arms over the shoulders.

[Riley Pearson]

I didn't say anything now and looked at her for a couple moments before turning my eyes to the table instead as she spoke. I wanted to her tell me that she was going to do something stupid.. I guess it's good to know at least that she wasn't lying to me. Except now, I was just going to be even more worried than usual about her.
I didn't know what to say to that. I didn't really think I had anything that I could say. I've already said my thoughts about this already and I just shouldn't've said anything even relatively close to it.
".. Fine." I said even more quietly than I was talking before.

[Arden Patricks]

I shake my head, feeling worse than ever, and finally making to stand up. "I should go."

[Riley Pearson]

I looked up to her slightly quickly as I heard her standing up. "I, um.." I paused, standing up after her, "Do you have to?" I asked frowning a bit and looking at her still.

[Arden Patricks]

"I... should." I shake my head, sitting back down again because I feel like it makes more sense to sit indecisively than stand. "I shouldn't leave him alone so long, and it makes no sense to be here... I don't know."

[Riley Pearson]

"Right.." I said quietly, getting slightly confused when she sits back down. I followed though and sat back down too. ".. If you have to go, I won't keep you.." I said with a faint shrug. I didn't really have anything much to talk about, I just didn't really want her to go.

[Arden Patricks]

"I don't... know." I shake my head. Ah, the indecision. Worse than when I'm not feelind depressed, suddenly everything's confusing. Dammit.

[Riley Pearson]

I didn't say anything for a moment and shrugged faintly. "I wouldn't mind seeing you a bit longer.. but.. I mean, do we even have anything to talk about?" I asked, definitely feeling a bit more depressed now than before I went on my break.

[Arden Patricks]

"Not... especially. Not unless you do." I shrug slightly. I would kind of like to stick around, I guess, just because there's a good chance this will be the last time I ever see him... but I don't know.

[Riley Pearson]

I shrugged a little bit too. "Not really.. Just don't really want you to leave yet.."

[Arden Patricks]

"I can... maybe stay then, for a bit." I shrug slightly, looking down at the table.

[Riley Pearson]

I nodded a little bit, "Thanks." I said with a faint smile. "Now I just wish I had something to say." That isn't trying to convince you to not be stupid.

[Arden Patricks]

I shrug again, shaking my head. "No suggestions, I'm afraid."

[Riley Pearson]

I nodded faintly, thinking that I should have expected her to say that. "Hey, um.. girl's birthday's coming up next week.. You should stop by." I said after a few moments. "They're having friend's over and I don't think I can face six ten and eleven year olds running around." I added with a soft chuckle.

[[ honestly no clue when their bdays are ]]

[Arden Patricks]

((Lol... well, next week I guess. ))

And I don't know if I'll be around.
"I'll... try," I nod anyway.

[Riley Pearson]

[ lol.. guess so I was thinking about making it Riley's birthday, but that would just be cruel ]

"Thanks." I said back with small smile, even though her answer didn't really sound like she was going to make it. "I'd appreciate it.. Besides my sister and parents, I think you're the only other person who keeps me partially sane."