RILEY HAD LOTS OF THINGS SHE WANTED TO DO IN LIFE, TO SEE AND TO EXPERIENCE BEFORE SHE FOUND HER WAY INTO THE GRAVE, but heading back to the very place where she watched her best friends slip from her hands to death wasn't exactly on her to do list. If anything, it was the furthest things away from the top.

     After the tragic accident, she didn't know what to do with herself other than be there for her best friend Josh, while she rotted away in her own sorrow. She deserved to be punish for what happened, as it was her fault she wasn't strong enough to save the sisters.

     The girl didn't really keep in contact with the group after it, the only few she did was Josh, Mike, Sam and sometimes Chris. Other then that, she couldn't bare to see the others face's knowing they played a part in Hannah and Beth's deaths.

     Ever since the two were classified as dead, Riley was always by Josh's side to comfort him through his time of grief. She was his shoulder to cry on, his support when he needed someone to talk to, when he needed someone to eat ice cream with on the couch watching movies, or when he needed someone to be there for him... in a different type of comforting way.

    To sum it up, Riley was Josh's emotional, physical and mental support whenever he needed it. As she promised herself on that day when she watched his sisters fall, she wouldn't leave his side for anything.

   And it was till the day, when he sent out invites to their old group to come back to the lodge for a time away for the sake of Hanna and Beth. Today exactly marks the anniversary of the disappearance of the Washington sisters.

    This brings Riley Watson to her current situation, sat in the warm bus next to Sam both on their way to Blackwood mountain. Both girls decided to meet up together, so they wouldn't be alone walking into the place where it took their best friends from them.

     Riley's hair had grown a bit longer after the year also, it reaching past her shoulders now and had bangs that were tucked behind her pierced ears. Her jewellery amount went up also, every finger on both hands having a ring on it and a few more beaded bracelets around her wrists, as well as the familiar blue butterfly necklace and her other few chain necklaces.

     She tugged down her red long—sleeve jacket more, and fiddled with the two beaded draw strings that hanged off the front of it. Her Doc Martens tap gently against the floor of the bus, as she glazed outside at the passing scenery of the familiar path up to the mountains.

    Sam, who was quietly sat beside her, listened to the radio that was talking about the sisters and how today was the anniversary of their death. Her headphones were in, to keep the talking to herself so she didn't upset Riley knowing how she felt about the accident.

    That was until she pulled up the video of Josh's invite, and gently nudged the tanned girl's shoulder, "Hey, Rye." Sam started softly, pulling out one ear plug to hand it to her, "Wanna listen to the video Josh sent out with me?"

    Riley's face shifted into an uncomfortable one, and tried to hide it from Sam with a weak smile, "Yeah, sure." She murmured quietly, taking the ear plug in her ring covered fingers and slipped it into her left ear.

    When Sam pressed play on her phone, the over enthusiastic face of Josh appeared on her screen, making Riley rest her head against Sam's shoulder watching the video play out with a small smile, a bit stronger then before.

    "Well hello friends and fans-- alright let's do that again," His head shakes in the video, not liking how he started off introduction, and goes to film once more, "Alright. Well hello friends and fans! It's beyond awesome to have you guys all back this year. First of, I gotta say I am super excited to welcome all my pals back to the annual Blackwood winter getaway!"

     A heavy frown creased over Riley's brows, her eyes looking into the video Josh's ones. She knew straight away that he was putting up an act, and was hurting despite how excited he sounded. She knew that male like the back of her hand, quite literally.

     "So um... let me just let you know, let's take a moment to address the elephant in the room for a second--" His voice trailed off in the video, making the two girls share a wary look with one another, "I know you're all probably worried about me and I know it's gonna be tough on all of us going back after what happened last year. But-- I just want you all to know.. it means so much to me that we're doing this--"

    Before she could hear the rest of the speech, Riley tugged out the ear plug out, her face pale and uncomfortable again, "Sorry, I-- I've heard this before and I don't want to listen again." She sheepishly admitted seeing Sam's worried gaze.

    "Oh, no it's okay, Rye." Sam assured softly, placing a soothing hand over the girls hand in between them and gave a gentle squeeze, "I understand, don't worry. We're almost there anyway."

     Riley just gave her friend a tight smile, and passed back the pink ear plug so Sam could finish listening. Her green eyes shift towards the snowy pines outside, her stomach twisting knowing they were getting closer and closer to the place she's been dreading seeing again.

    Outside, the snow-covered landscape stretched endlessly, the towering pines and frosted peaks forming a familiar yet haunting backdrop that she knew too well.

    With each passing mile, the twisting knots in her stomach tightened. They were getting closer to the lodge—the place where everything had changed. The place that fueled her daily nightmares she dealt with everytime she closed her eyes.

    The bus hit a bump in the rocky road, jarring her from her thoughts, and her fingers instinctively fiddled with the worn fabric of her dark green pants.

     The edges were frayed, pieces of thread sticking out, while the pockets at her knees were starting to wear thin. She couldn't help but trace the imperfections in the material, her hands shaking with nerves. The memory of what had happened there a year ago weighed heavy on her chest.

      Suddenly, she felt a faint vibration from her brown side bag, interrupting her anxious reverie. She reached inside, pulling out her phone, its clear case revealing the polaroid she had tucked inside—a picture of her and the Washington siblings, their faces beaming with joy, a snapshot of a time when things had been simpler.

    Unlocking her phone, her home screen lit up, showing her favorite photo of her and Mike. They were making funny faces, their arms slung around each other, eyes squinting with laughter.

    The sight brought a faint smile to her lips, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. As she stared at the picture, her nerves began to settle, like a weight slowly lifting from her chest.

    A new message popped up from Mike, his name appearing at the top of her screen, and the sight of it made the world outside feel a little less overwhelming.

    She read how he was asking where she was, and how far away she was from the mountain. She rolled her eyes at his attitude even over text, and read the last message that popped through. One that made her double take.

   Whatever you say, sweetheart. Have a safe trip getting up here.

    Riley ignored the way it made her cheeks heat up, and instead rolled her eyes fondly. She was use to his flirty ways over text and in real life, but never thought anything of it. She was so sure that was just Mike... being his usual self.

    Just as she goes to slip her phone into her pants pocket, a gentle tap to her shoulder made Riley turn her head and saw Sam smiling at her, the latters figure covered in warm clothes also since it was incredibly freezing outside.

    "We're here." Sam told the girl calmly, motioning to the massive sign outside hanging off the wood which made Riley's stomach drop, "Come on, before the bus driver gets mad at us."

     The brown haired girl just nodded her head silently, slipping her side bag on which had a few keychains hanging on the zips. She stood up from the seat once Sam did, and together they walked through the bus, all the way down to outside where her nightmare would become reality.

    Her boots hit the snow covered ground with a thump, just as she heard the bus start up behind them and now drive off with their only way to escape. Well, it was not like they needed the transport again... right? Not until the trip was over.

     Riley felt a sudden chill travel up her spin, making her wrap her arms around herself standing before the entrance to Blackwood Pines. She didn't exactly feel cold, it was more like she felt the same eerie feeling of being watched again, something she hasn't experienced since being away from the mountains.

    "Alright, it's just my imagination." She mumbled to herself which worried Sam, who stood beside the girl glancing at her, and watched Riley move her hands up and down as she inhaled to exhale, "Let's get this over with then."

    Sam furrowed her brows, concerned spotting Riley's trembling grasp pushing open the small gate to the entrance, "Rye, it's gonna be okay." She voiced comfortingly, and the latter paused mid step to listen to her, "I know it's hard being back here, but we're doing this for the sisters and Josh. Remember?"

    Riley hummed lowly in response, flashing a croaked smile over her shoulder to Sam which made her bangs fall over her forehead, "Yeah, I know. For the girls and Josh." She repeated thickly, nodding towards the path ahead, "Come on, I wanna get inside already. It's freezing out here."

    Sam gently closed the entrance gate behind them, and made her way along the snow covered path to beside Riley, both of them walking together now. Their steps made crunching sounds in the snow with each step, and left imprints of their shoes also in the ice.

    While they were walking quietly through the winter wonderland, a sudden noise of a tree branch snapping had both girls stopping. Riley's face paled on edge, while she gripped the butterfly necklace in her fingers, really wanting to run the rest of the way towards the cable station.

    "Hello?" Sam shouted into the wind after the sound, causing Riley to panic and try shushing her with a tug on the arm, but Sam just patted her hand reassuringly, "Is someone there?"

    As predicated, there was no answer but a small screeching sound that only Riley seemed to pick up on. She swallowed the lump in her throat, green eyes scanning the snowy covered area around them, before she was tugged forward by Sam to continue walking the path.

    The bigger gate that blocked up people from entering came into view, and Riley's nerves calmed the slightest knowing they were getting closer. However her brows raised confused, seeing how it was closed which it normally wasn't around this time of year.

    Getting close to the gate, both girls then spotted the note placed onto the metal. Riley frowned reaching for it, and held it up in  between them, "Oh, come on." She groaned annoyed reading what it said, Chris haven written that the gate was busted, "I am not fit for this type of workout."

    "Ugh, of course it's broken." Sam grumbled with her, sharing the same annoyance as she takes the note next and placed it back onto the gate's hock, "Guess we're climbing it then."

    Riley gave her friend a deadpanning expression, and Sam snickered amused. She walked over first to the stone wall leading over the other side, and turned to the brown haired girl, "See you on the other side? I'll make sure you don't fall when I get over."

    "I'll support you from here, but yeah the other side." Riley sighed heavily, nodding her head and moved herself just under where Sam began to climb up the stones, "Be careful, it looks slippery."

    When she heard Sam's figure land on the other side, and her calling out it was her turn, Riley sucked in a sharp breath to prepare herself. Her ring covered fingers gripped the stone, pulling her figure up until her boots found a solid place below her, which did make her curse a few times almost slipping.

    Riley careful climbed up the stone wall, moving her hands and feet with each movement, up until she reached the top surprisingly uninjured. Snow clinged to her locks from the dark sky, as she swung her body to sit on the top of the stone wall with her feet dangling.

    "Alright, jump down now!" Sam called up to her from the ground, her figure placed near the wall in case Riley fell off and she brushed the snow off her skirt, "Be careful when you do though."

     Riley just playfully saluted her friend, two fingers coming up to press against her temple. She then pushed off the wall, and dropped to the snow covered ground with a grunt. If it weren't for Sam's arms steadying her, she could of most likely face planted from her uneven balance.

    "Thanks, Sammy." She spoke breathily through a chuckle, gaining a small smile from the girl. Riley stood back up to her full height, and wiped off the snow covering her elbows, "The cable station shouldn't be too far away now."

    Sam nodded in agreement, the fur hat covering her head shifting from the movement, "If I remember, it's just up at the end of this path." She informed pointing with her nail polished finger in the direction they needed to walk.

    The more they walked along the path, the closer the girls got to the lights which were placed on the edges of the cobble steps. It lead to the cable cart station, but a sign just before the steps catches Riley's attention.

    She tilted her head to the side reading the butterfly prophecy's, and it made her instinctively touch the necklace around her neck, "Interesting..." She mutters to herself, hands on her knees to get a closer look at the information on the bolted sign.

    "Riley, come on!" At the voice of Sam calling her, the girl snaps out of her daze and stands back up straight. She quickly walks up the small steps, Doc Martins making a crunching noises in the snow as she strolls through the snow to where Sam was.

     They both notice a familiar chunky bag sat on the chair outside of the cable station, and shared a look with one another, "Chris? Are you here?" Sam called out to the unknown, not gaining a reply back expect for eerier silence and Chris' phone to start vibrating in his bag.

    "He's so careless sometimes, I swear." Riley muttered knowingly, a small smile lining her lips as she reached forward to zip up the pocket exposing his phone, just before a voice talked excitedly behind them.

    "Rye! Sam!" The man in question appeared from around the corner, a dopey grin covering his face as he walks into their view, "You guys made it, hey!"

     Riley beamed up at him from her spot near the chair, and slipped into his side for a small embrace, but he ended up squishing her against him in a bear hug, "Nice to see you too, Chrissy boy." She laughed into his shoulder, and squeezed him back in return.

    Once they pulled back, Chris' glasses covered eyes lit up suddenly remembering something, "Oh, so! I found something kinda amazing." He began to rant, and grabbed his massive bag to sling it around his shoulders, "It's gonna blow your minds."

    The girls shared matching amused looks, something they've been doing a lot since back together again. The sound of the incoming cart makes Sam speak up instead now, "Afraid that 'something' is gonna have to wait. Our ride is here."

     Riley bumped her shoulder gently against Chris', making his sad pout form into a smile at her playful nudge, "I'm sure you can show us another time, Chris." She compromised faintly smiling, and followed after Sam towards the entrance, "We got plenty of time here anyway."

    Sam approached the door first, pressing her palm against the door and tried to twist to handle, but it wouldn't budge, "Hey, that's weird. Doors locked."

    Riley furrowed her brows confused, not even remembering if Josh told her about this or not before arriving. She glanced to Chris for answers, who was reaching into his pocket for something, "Yeaaah... Josh wanted us to keep it locked. To keep out. Apparently he said they found people sleeping in the station one time."

    Why didn't Josh tell me that then? she thought to herself confused, watching Chris unlock the door with his key and pushed it open to motion for them to go inside, "Oh, what a real gentleman you are, Captain!" She teased in a deeper voice, making him roll his eyes amused.

    All three of them now walk into the station room, with Chris locking the door behind them just as the cable cart arrive at the platform and lines up with it so they could get on safely.

    The sliding doors open up next slowly, and one by one they walk inside to large space. Riley and Sam sit beside each other, bags on the floor on their respected sides and Chris sits on the chair in front of them.

    "Just like going to the prom." Chris comments trying to lighten the mood, which did manage to crack a smile from Riley who folded her arm over her chest chuckling softly, before looking outside just as the cable starts to move.

    It was quiet inside the cable cart for a few minutes, the trio taken in the scenery around them as they got closer and closer to the lodge. That was before Riley exhaled a heavy sigh, "I hope this was the right thing to do, guys."

    Instantly, the other twos eyes fell on the slumped girl in the chair, "What? I haven't seen Josh so excited about something in..." Chris dragged his words out, and threw his arms up wide making her smile a bit softly, "in forever! But, I mean, he seems his happiest with you."

   "Yeah, he's right. You are Josh's best friend, it's gonna be good to see him smile again." Sam added on noticing how tense Riley was, and patted her hand gently resting on the metal seat, "It's a good idea everyone is getting together."

    Riley bit her bottom lip, and anxiously fiddled with her butterfly necklace resting against her coat, "I just hope everyone else feels the same way." She mumbled quietly, eyes focused on the gorgeous snowy environment passing them outside, "I know we do, and Mike does at least."

    "Oh, of course you know what Mike thinks." Chris raised his eyebrows knowingly, a teasing smirk breaking out over his mouth as he leaned forward gaining a look from Sam, "And I'm sure he knows what you think too, right? C'monnn, give us the juicy details--"

    Her cheeks burn a scarlet color, and she sent a kick to Chris' boot making him snicker at her scowling expression, "There is noting to tell." She huffed out, and placed the butterfly necklace back under her coat again, "And there is nothing between us. He's just... just my best friend."

     Sam and Chris share a knowing look over the girl's head, not realising how blind and oblivious their best friend was when it came to Mike's feelings for her. It wasn't their place to say anything, but Chris knew he wanted to test the waters again sometime soon.

    "Mmh, sure Rilz." Chris hummed with a slight smirk, before turning his gaze out of the window beside him, "In all seriousness though, we all showed up to be here... so it's gonna be a good trip, something that we all need."

    The cable cart jolts to a stop, them now arriving at the upper level station where the lodge was. Riley was the last one out from the vehicle, the girl slipping her side bag on around her shoulder and walked up to where Chris was hitting the glass door.

    "Jess!" He was shouting at the blonde, as the door wasn't opening and they didn't have the key, and hearing the name being said caused Riley's face to scrunch up, "We're stuck in this stupid thing, press the button please!"

    The blonde in question stood on the other side of the door, mouth moving to say words that none of them could hear. She disappeared from view once more, and a few seconds later the door was opened with a clicking sound, making the three pile on through it.

    "Oh, my, god!" Chris began to talk, him being the first to walk out into the snowy weather with Sam and Riley following behind after closing the door, "I thought we were goners. Another ten minutes in there and I would have chewed off my own leg."

     All three girls cringe hearing his comment, and Sam was the only one to actual say something about it, "Aw, sick, Chris." She gagged shaking her head at him, standing beside Riley who looked at Jess, the latter avoiding eye contact.

    Chris spotted something in Jessica's hand next, which was an red envelope and he quickly yanked it from her grasp, "Well, well, well..." He ignored her protest, and held up the object teasingly, "What do we have here? My goodness. Seems that someone has a lil crush on our good friend and dear class president Michael Munroe."

     Riley goes stiff hearing that information, stomach twisting with guilt as she fiddled with her rings on her left hand. It was funny, how quickly the tables were turned. Now that Emily was broken up with Mike, Jess couldn't wait for the chance to pounce on him, but Riley? She would just keep her feelings tucked inside, like usual.

    "Mike and Em spilt." Jess defends the situation, crossing her arms over her chest as her eyes flickered to Riley's tense figure before glancing away uncomfortable, "So... it's okay for me to like him."

    No it really isn't, Riley thought to herself deadpanning at Jess before shaking her head, "I'm gonna go on ahead," She speaks to Sam and Chris, who both gave her a sympathetic and knowing look, "Have fun, kids."

    She passed Jess with a side eye, earrings clinging as she moved her head, and her long locks just missed hitting the blonde in the face, who huffed annoyed. She waves at the three over her shoulder, before continuing on down the snowy path.

❪ ✏️ ❫ 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 : 3829
─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :

long asf chapter my baddd i got carried away once again but im saying this now not every chapter will be long/short... it will depend on how much i wanna write and how much i write of scene part of the game so

anyways hottie mike next chapter which means scenes with him yipee 😜