Carefull, the young woman placed a hand on his shoulder, that was bared by the sleeveless shirt he wore. Riot look up, a slight frown on his face.
"Please, come with me for a moment," Tally said and she gave him a weak smile, letting go of his shoulder and walking on ahead. Hesitantly, the young man got up and followed her. Her long, dark hair moved supply with every step she took and looking at it had something mesmerizing, in the same way Riot could look at those figurines that were impossible to topple over for hours.
They stopped near a group of small boulders. Tally sat down on one, and Riot reluctantly followed her example, staring at the tall grass at his feet. He folded his arms defensively.
"Riot, please, just look at me," Tally said. Riot looked up, his eyebrows slightly raised, as if to say; well, get on with it.
"Listen... There's something I want to ask you. And I know that it won't be an easy request but, I want to ask you to try and leave the past behind."
Riot opened his mouth to object, but she quickly rose a hand, gesturing him to be silent, and taken aback by her bluntness, he closed his mouth.
"You are not the damage that has been done to you Riot. You are not that one night. You are a great friend, someone I would trust my life to. You are brave, and more loyal than anybody I have ever met. And I could go on like this for at least another hour, but I won't take that much time of you."
Riot looked away. What was she trying to say? That he should just pretend nothing ever happened? Did she mean what she'd just said? How in the world could hé be considered a great friend?
"What I'm trying to say is," Tally continued, "that you are so much more than just the things that have been done to you. They were awful, and of course you'll never forget them, but... Please, don't let the things that have been done to you define who you are. You are more than that."
Riot swallowed. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. Tally got up. Riot listened to the sound of her footsteps, wich stopped when she was behind him. Again, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"A lot of people love you. You have your girlfriend, your friends, your guardians. The only person here that doesn't like you, is you, and all because of things that happened in the past."
Riot surpressed the urge to push her hand away and stand up. It made him uncomfortable, this conversation, if it even deserved that name with the lack of input he provided.
"You're capable of so much more, boy. Don't let the past hold you back, don't let it define who you are. Be you. Make yourself proud."
And with those words, the young woman walked away, leaving Riot alone with his thoughts.
