the question hits riley like a ton of BRICKS. without telling anyone, riley had started packing a bunch of items into her suitcase & she was very surprised when she saw audrey standing in her door watching her. all riley really wanted was to be able to relax. to be able to breathe, away from this town, away from all the baggage that came with living there. lately, lakewood had been more detrimental to her health —— physically & emotionally —— than not.   ❛ i   —————      ❜     words have never been harder to speak until right now. she struggles to swallow back tears that threaten to spill, instead chewing down on her lip ( a nervous habit she’d never dropped ) & glancing anywhere but at the girl. sure she would miss her & noah & brooke & emma and the rest of the gang, but just because she was leaving didn’t mean she didn’t intend on coming back… EVENTUALLY. the taller girl took a breath before fixing her gaze on the shorter one standing before her.   ❛ i just… i just need a few… months to be alone. to get away from here & to heal and think. now that everything is over, there’s no better time for it. i’m gonna miss you aud, but i promise i’ll be back. i’ll be back before you or anyone else even knows it.      ❜     then she does something she’s never done before. she steps forward and takes the girl into a BRIEF but strong hug. it’s the least she can give.