Survivor { R5 fanfiction}

Chapter 55

ROSS

I slightly groan. The ray of sunshine are barely lighting up the room, but my developped senses betray me. The person I'm spooning with squirm under my grip, which cause me to tighten it around her waist.
Wait.
Who am I with?
I frown, keeping my eyes close. I don't dare to move, afraid I'll wake the person up. I pull myself together, as memories flood back in my mind. I smile like an idiot, and burry my face in my crush's back. What she did for me was so faint, but it meant so much to me. She's been a shoulder I could cry on, she didn't judge me and I let out all the pressure weighting on me. I don't really know how we ended up this way though. If my memories don't mislead me, we settled ourselves the furthest possible from each other, to the point I nearly fell a several times. I can understand she felt uncomfortable. It seems it was an eternity ago, but the barn scene is still in our mind. I mean, she knows I have a huge crush on her, and unfortunately for me, she doesn't feel the same way. She reassured me, complimented me yesterday, but she probably didn't mean it. She did what she had to do to calm me down.
I don't care if she's been genuine or not. She said it once, and it's enough for me.
I tense when there's a knock on the door, followed by a cracking sound. I pretend to be still asleep.
"Hey, lovebirds. We leave in a few minutes." Ellington's voice echoes in the room. I pouts when Hailey stretches out, and free herself from my grip to quickly stand up. I rub my eyes, and sadly observe she's clearly embarassed, putting back a few strands of hair behind her ear. She blushes along with me, when we make eye contact. I look away, and sit on the mattress.
"You feel better Ross?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Sorry for yesterday."
"You did what you had to do. God knows what would have happened otherwise. Could you hurry now?" Ell adds being the commanding guy he must be. Hailey leaves the room before me, but much to my surprise, she waited in the corridor. She glances at me, and we go down in silence, following a hurried Ellington.
I barely make it to the ground floor that a pair of arms embrace my legs. My look drops on a happy Todd.
"Ross!"
"Hey there buddy." I smile. He grabs Hailey's hand and mine, and we glance at each other in confusion, as he drags us toward the empty counter at the other side of the store, where the cash register probably used to be. I ignore the few people still present eyeballing at me on the way.
"Look! I packed your backpack!" Todd informs me. I pick him up, and make him sit on the counter so he'll be at my level.
"That's nice of you."
"I've done it all by myself!"
"Have you ate? Have you rested enough?" He nods vigorously. He keeps quiet for a short moment though.
"You were scary yesterday." I tense at his remark, and lower my head. He must have noticed, because he immediately poke my arm to catch my attention.
"But someone explained me why you did that, and it's fine. The boy was scary too. He almost shot her!" He exclaims as he points at Hailey, still by our side. I hum in response.
"Are you guys in love?"
My cheeks redden from embarassement, and Hailey giggles. As we stare at each other, she mouth me "he's so cute", and I do my best so my legs won't wobble. Her grin gives me some courage, and I smile back.
"No. She just stayed with me so I won't be alone."
"My parents were in love and slept in the same room." Todd says proudly as he crosses his arms on his chest. I chuckle and tousle his hair. He glares at me in return, and pouts as he does his hair again.
"Come on everyone, we're leaving!" Ellington announces at the door." The street's clear it's now or never!"
"Hey, Todd, you know where my siblings are?"
"Yes, they're already outside."
"Go Ross, I'll take care of him. You don't mind little one, do you?" Hailey gets closer, and tickles his sides. Todd burst in a fit of giggle. I thank her with a look, and pick up my oddly well-prepared backpack to scamper to the exit.
I shield my eyes with my hand once I'm outdoors, since they're not use to the bright sun yet. I move uncertainly, until I eventually see who I wanted.
"Ross!" Rydel shouts when she notices my presence. She crushes me in a hug, cutting my breath off in the process. I gladly hug back.
"You all right?" Riker, besides us, sends me a smile. I nod at him.
"Yeah, could be better, but yeah."
"Heather is hidding from you. She wanted me to tell you she's sorry for hitting you."
"Oh... It's fine. I'll catch her up later." I trail off. Ryland is a bit further, looking at us furtively. I release myself from my sister.
"Hum, excuse me, I gotta go." I leave my two siblings stunned on the spot, as I run toward my little brother. He pretends to be surprise and pissed when I arrive at his level. He even start walking faster, along with the group led by Ellington's orders.
"Hey, Ryland!"
He totally ignores me, and it hurts more than I wanted. I bite my lips, and decide to take drastic steps by yanking on his forearm and making him turn around.
"I'm sorry okay? I've never meant what I said, I was just extremely worried and I don't know how I could have lived if you would have get hurt or killed by my fault, I just..."
"Fuck it, I can't be mad any longer."
He suddenly takes me in his arms. We stop moving a moment, and the people look at us in aw as they pass by. Hailey, who is still with Todd, sends me an encouraging look, accompanied with a smile.
"I'm sorry too, I overreacted. You scared me yesterday." He confess as he pulls back.
"I scare everyone, I lost it."
"No, you scare me cause you could've get shot! And afterward too, you wouldn't wake up." He bows his head.
"I'm all right, thanks for worrying."
"Of course I'm worrying dumbass you're my big brother." I chuckle, and pass a arm over his shoulder, as we start walking again.
"I'll be glad to pair with you again next time." He snorts.
"Who said I would?"
I punch his arm playfully, and we chat for a while. Most of the people came to me to ask if I was okay, or even to thank me. I'd lie if I say it didn't warm my heart, and made me feel better about myself.
Maybe Hailey was right in the end.