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Content Warning: The below contains references to self-harm and drug addiction.
Ten years older than Charlie, Riley shows that addiction can destroy a person’s artistic promise regardless of the depth of their talent. Riley models the path Charlie might end up following if she cannot free herself from her own self-destructive behaviors. However, unlike Charlie, who subjugates her own needs and desires to get the approval of those around her, Riley does as he pleases, with no consideration for the people around him. He falls into a codependent relationship with Charlie, in which Riley relies on Charlie to enable his addiction while Charlie agrees to his demands out of fear that he will leave her if she doesn’t. While Riley recognizes this weakness in Charlie, he is shocked to find her tender kit, which contains her supplies for self-harm, and is outraged and disgusted by it, oblivious to how similar it is to the drug kit he hides under his floorboard. Charlie makes this connection, but she can’t bear to lose him despite their toxic dynamic. As their relationship falls apart, Riley refuses to see Charlie for who she is and tries to shut her out. Despite being unwilling to hear about Charlie’s troubles, Riley goes a step further, forcing Charlie to see him fully by pushing her against the wall and screaming at her to acknowledge his faults. Riley’s selfishness and out-of-control behavior vividly suggest the future that Charlie’s friends are trying to help her avoid.
