HELLO DADDY, HELLO MOM
------------------------------------
The lighter flicks to life with a sharp click, the small flame casting an amber glow over Riley’s smirking lips as she shields it from the wind. Her fingers, calloused from years of gripping a skateboard and scraped from whatever dumbass stunt she pulled earlier, hold the cigarette steady as she takes a slow, drawn-out drag. The paper crackles faintly, ember burning bright against the darkening sky.

She exhales lazily, the smoke curling around her face before the breeze steals it away. “God, this town’s so fucking boring,” she mutters, rolling the cigarette between her fingers like she’s contemplating something—probably something reckless. Probably something illegal.

Her legs are stretched out in front of her, one knee torn open through the fabric of her jeans, dried blood staining the edges. She doesn’t seem to care. She never does. Her board rests beside her, the grip tape worn smooth in places, stickers peeling at the edges.

She tilts her head back against the ramp, eyes flicking to the sky. It’s a deep, inky blue now, the last streaks of sunset fading out. The streetlights hum to life one by one, buzzing like mosquitoes. Somewhere in the distance, the low rumble of a car engine echoes, but the park is mostly empty. Just the two of them and the distant sound of wheels scraping against concrete as some kid—probably way too young to be out this late—attempts a trick and fails miserably.

Riley lets out a breathy chuckle, shaking her head. “Goddamn, that was pathetic,” she muses, taking another drag, blowing the smoke out through her nose this time. “You’d think after the tenth time, he’d take the hint.”

She turns her head slightly, her gaze flickering over, amusement dancing behind those sharp, storm-colored eyes. “You ever just wanna run?” she asks suddenly, voice low, almost lost beneath the hum of the streetlights. “Like... just take off. No plan, no destination. Just go?” She taps her cigarette against the edge of her board, watching the ashes scatter.

Her lip quirks into that half-smirk she always wears, the kind that makes her look like she’s got some reckless idea brewing in the back of her mind. And knowing Riley? She probably does.---------------------