Come Home to Me (Dylan Holland Fanfiction)

Headaches

I woke up in the morning ready to go back to bed. My sinuses felt like they were three times their usual size. I groaned as my phone rang. Rolling over, I realized that I'd slept through my alarm and it was already after nine. I answered my phone and put it to my ear. "Hello?"

"Annah?" Seb whined. "Please tell me you're going to be over soon."

"What's wrong?"

"He keeps waking up and freaking out and I haven't gotten any sleep. I'm so screwed for my tournament."

I sighed. "Calm down. I overslept, but I'll be over in 20."

His tone brightened dramatically when I said I was coming. "Okay! See you soon. Love you Annah."

I rolled my eyes and hung up before crawling out of bed. I changed from my pajamas into a different pair of sweatpants and one of Seb's old hoodies from middle school. Addie doesn't realize it, but through all of my years being friends with Seb, I've managed to collect more of his clothes than she could ever wish to have as his girlfriend.

I stumbled to the bathroom like a zombie, pulling my hair into a messy bun, and brushed my teeth. I didn't waste much time at my house at all. I walked downstairs to my basket of pills and swallowed the daily necessities including two allergy pills, two tylenol, and a pill for my stomach. I picked up my school bag and keys and headed out to my car. It only took a few minutes to get to Seb's and when I did, the door was unlocked.

I let myself in and went straight to the kitchen, grabbing myself a granola bar and bottle of water for breakfast before heading up the stairs. Before I reached the top I could hear Seb trying to soothe Brett as he cried. I slowed down and walked carefully down the hall and stopped in Brett's doorway. "Hey," I said quietly.

Brett buried his face in his comforter as Seb turned towards me with his hand still on Brett's shoulder. "Hey, Annah."

I stepped in the door, rested my bag against the wall and sat down on the foot of the bed. "What's going on?"

Brett shook his head, still crying and laid back down with his face in his pillow. I found his leg under the blanket and sat my hand on it. "He's got a massive headache and he can't remember the accident," Seb told me and then he mouthed, "He's scared."

I nodded and sighed. "Did he take another painkiller?"

Seb nodded this time. "Yeah. It hasn't kicked in yet."

"Why don't you go back to your room and get some sleep? I'm not going anywhere."

He leaned down, whispered something to his brother and stood up. "Thanks for this, Annah."

I shrugged. "It's no big deal."

He shot me a small smile and walked out. I moved to where Seb had been sitting and laid my hand on Brett's shoulder. "Hey," I said quietly. "It's going to be okay. The medicine will kick in soon and your head won't hurt anymore."

He turned his head to the side and I saw his tear-stained cheeks portraying the childish complexion he hadn't quite shaken yet in his fifteen years of life. I ran my hand through his short hair. "It's okay. I'm right here. Seb's down the hall. We're taking care of you. Okay?"

He nodded and a sob involuntarily shook him. He winced as it happened and I smiled at him. "Just try to calm down. Crying is only going to make it worse."

He didn't say anything as I continued running my hand through his hair. "Just try to go to sleep." He nodded and closed his eyes. After awhile I listened to his breathing even out and stood up, crossing the room to the desk in the corner to my granola bar. I checked my phone properly for the first time that morning and found nothing but texts from Seb and a DM on Twitter.