Chapter Nine: Reformatory Prison (2)

                                The cage remained darkened for days. It was surreal for Adam hearing Riley move about her room, and living her life. The first hours he continued to scream profanities, and yell about how wrong this was. He wasn’t even thinking about earlier when he was trying to get her attention from atop her desk. Adam was completely unaware that Riley had heard not a single word from after she stepped away with him sealed in the cage. The shelf that Riley has the cage it elevated high enough so that it’s about eye level with her; making matters worse that outside his cage and her Taylor Swift memorabilia that’s the only thing in that area. This meant quite often Riley is in other parts of her room well out of his vocal range.

                The first day felt incredibly long for Adam, but the next two felt like an eternity. He had literally nothing to look at but blackness. All he could do was think and his mind often drifted to his family and to Riley. He continually replayed the few weeks over and over again in his mind thinking about if there were any signs. As he replayed things he could see several instances where he was at fault.

                The blaring Alarm woke Adam up with a fright. He could feel his heart racing. He looked about the room forgetting where he was for a moment before the loud voice  of Riley voicing her disgust over having to run reminded him. He had expected the cage cozy to be pulled off but true to her word she left him toiling in darkness.

                The afternoon begun to stretch on and a new problem had arisen for Adam. He had been drinking water quite regularly now and found that he needed to relieve himself. He tried calling for Riley several times but she didn’t seem to be around and having no ability to see meant he had no real way to know if she would be back soon.

                She couldn’t expect me to relieve myself like some kind of animal can she? Is she that upset with me? Is she this mad? Adam wondered as he struggled to hold back his urge to urinate. The more he struggled to hold back his urges the more he began wonder if the fact she used cedar chips as the cage floor had another meaning.  Cedar chips were known for the absorbency. Has she expected all along for him to urinate on the ground he walks and sleeps on? The idea in and of itself sent a shudder down his spine. The idea of using the bathroom like some beast seemed so undignified so primal. It was completely beneath him. 

                Adam tried to hold his bladder as best he could but finally he lost out. He rushed over as fast as anyone can rush in complete and utter darkness to a corner and started urinate into the cedar chips.  As he did so he couldn’t help but feel as if Riley had made a small victory. She was getting what she wanted. He was demeaning himself.  The reality of the situation begun to weigh on him; this was nothing to her. The only one this punishment effected was him. She was going about living her life. She was training for soccer; she was hanging out with her friends and doing everything she did before. The idea of living like this forever seemed impossible.

                That night when he heard the door open, Adam was ready to apologize as much as hated to admit it she was right. While he didn’t agree with her putting him in this cage, but swearing and yelling at her surely wasn’t going to get him out.  Just like any situation the more you attack someone the more they are going to fight back or dig in to their point of view. His actions were only vindicating her choice of action.

                Three days passed before Adam saw a small shard of light appear from the bottom of the cage and slowly more and more light began to shine in. The brightness of the room was blinding to Adam now as Riley looked in at him. Her face dominating the entire front of the cage, he had known she was home for quite some time so the fact that she had already showered and changed was unsurprising, but what he didn’t expect was to see her chewing on a hamburger.

                The aroma emanated from the meat were like pheromones to Adam as his stomach began to growl while his mouth salivated. He could only watch her chew at first before his eyes veered down to the massive bite mark on the burger. He desperately wanted real food. He had finished off the last of fiber bar that Riley had put in here a day ago. He had drunk through of his water as well so the bottle mountain dew beside the burger was not lost of his senses either.

                “Well what do you have to say for yourself? I will not tolerate such language from my boyfriend, and especially not someone who is going to be my fiancée one day.” Riley chided as she took another bite from the burger.

                “I’m sorry. You were right. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. Just please, don’t do that again. I’m sure we can work this out.” Adam said trying to keep his temper in check. While he knew he had to admit he was wrong and he was partly to blame the fact she took none of the blame angered him slightly, and he had inherited his father’s quick temper.

                “Now was that so hard? So did you think about anything else? Are you ready to come out?” Riley asked trying to mask her excitement over the prospect of being able to move on with their relationship.

                “God yes, just open up the door and get me the hel-hay out of here.” Adam said walking towards the door.

                “Really? You’re ready to move on from Lisa already? I knew you truly loved me. See what happens when you just accept your feelings.” Riley said looking in happily at Adam.

                “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m ready to get out of here, but if you think that changes how I feel about you. You’re wrong. I do care about you Riley and while Lisa and I have our faults…”

                “I knew it was too good to be true. I am glad to see you started your diet at least, but I haven’t noticed that little training wheel getting any use.” Riley answered masking the hint of frustration and sadness over Adam still not being ready to move on.

                “You can’t just…”

“No, you understand Adam. I’m doing this for your own good. You proved to Lisa that you didn’t love her the moment you got into bed with me, as that moment consummated everything we had felt over the past few weeks. You just can’t admit that. You’re so hung up on my age. I told you I was sorry for misleading you. I didn’t intend to fall in love, and I didn’t think you would fall in love with me. It just happened, and you get so far in you don’t want to lose it. I was wrong for that, and I promise not to lie again.” Riley said.

“It’s not just that Riley..” Adam got out before Riley started back in, cutting him off once again.

“I know what’s best here Adam. This is all for your own good. Once you understand that and just stop fighting me you can become the perfect boyfriend, and an even better fiancée and then husband. Now, I took the liberty of getting this divorce settlement drawn up for you. I thought it would be best to just leave Lisa everything as based off your current predicament I can’t see what use it would be to you and like I told you. I have enough money so you don’t need to ever worry.” Riley proudly stated holding the divorce documents up to the cage.

“You what? You expect me to sign that?” Adam said dismissively with a huff.

“Of course not; you really are a riot sometimes, Adam. I don’t think you could lift the pen; so I just logged into your email account and printed off some documents you had signed and emailed to yourself.  Placing the page with your signature beneath this document and when I turned on my scanner the light from it was enough to have your signature bleed through. All I had to do was trace it, but I went ahead and took liberty learning it.” Riley taking a bite of hamburger, and then a drink of mountain dew.

“You aren’t serious. I mean, you can’t do that.” Adam said his eyes staring at a picture perfect replication of his signature.

“I plan on dropping it off in the mail tomorrow during my run for you. I know you might be a little upset now, but in time you will understand that this was the right choice. As we can’t get married if you’re legally married to Lisa and you did break up with her. I’m sure you aren’t the kind of guy to lead her on. Are you Adam.” Riley said quite pointedly at the end.

“Umm no, I mean of course not. I would never lead Lisa on. But this is.” Adam got out before Riley cut him off again.

“I know what you are going to say, and there is no need to thank me. I saw how hard it was for you to break up with Lisa, and I didn’t mind getting that out there for you. Which is why based off your little disability, I’m arranging for power of attorney. As that way if any kind of accident would happen, I would have the means to properly care you. It will just take a few weeks to get arranged as I don’t want my parents to find out yet. As daddy might be a little upset that we had pre-marital sex.”

“YOU ARE WHAT!!!” Adam yelled shocked still trying to process everything.

“You are welcome Kitten. Just leave these relationship details to me, you just sort out your feelings, and get over that bitch, so we can put this chapter behind us.”

“Bitch, you don’t talk about her like that. I..i…” Adam said

“Too soon? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything buy it. I just am kind of protective about all my boyfriends and you being so tiny I just can’t help myself sometimes. But I can see you need time to process this. So you just munch on these celery sticks and I will change out that water for you and just leave you be.” Riley said while scurrying off leaving Adam in a state of shock.