River
I usually don't let anyone else see that I'm annoyed, or hurt. I usually gather all my emotions and hide them away from others. However, my regular amour falls when it comes to Lea. I swear I do it subconsciously.
And now, as a result, she sits by my side in the hospital waiting room. Her body is still, her breathing steady, and her expression full of worry.
Don't blow this River; she admitted that she likes you, so don't blow this.
I turn in my seat to get a better view of her, my eyes focusing on hers, which are staring ahead at the television stuck to the wall. On its screen sits a female news reporter, talking about the current financial crisis.
Then, I glance down at her hands that are tightly intertwined together and buried in her lap. The way she's sitting, it's too still, too rigid, as if she's too afraid to move a muscle of her body.
"Are you okay?"
Startled, her head flicks in my direction. She must have been zoned-out or day-dreaming because my delicate voice came as a shock to her. For a moment, she comprehends what I've just said.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replies, forcing the corners of her lips to tweak up a little.
"Are you worried about Emily? Because you know, you don't need to do that." I start, but she stops my flow of speech with a shake of her head.
"No, no. I'm fine, seriously."
But she isn't, and I can't tell why. However, instead of dragging on about it, I nod my head and rest my back against the chair again. Turning away from Lea, I face ahead of me, hoping to watch some TV to pass the time. However, someone a few meters to my right catches my eye, and instantly my head twists in his direction.
"Ky?" I say, rather to myself because he won't be able to hear me over the rushing noises of this hospital waiting area.
"Hm?" Lea says, and I feel her eyes land on me.
"Ky's here," I reply, pushing myself off the seat, and making my way to where he's standing, leaning against the reception desk of this hospital ward.
He looks anxious as he chews away at his lip, waiting for the receptionist to reply to something that he's said. With Lea following close behind me, we reach within hearing distance, and I hear the receptionist say "take a seat, Dr. Rallen will be with you in a moment."
Only after Ky says 'thank you' and turns away from the receptionist, does he spot Lea and me.
While burying both his hands in his jeans pockets, he approaches us, walking the few meters that separate us.
"Your mum told me where you were." Is the first thing he says to me. He then glances down at Lea to offer her a smile. "Hi." He says to her, but there's little emotion in his tone, and his face is as pale as paper.
"Hey," Lea responds, forcing another fake smile.
"You didn't need to come," I reply.
"Yes, I did, River." Ky retaliates.
"It's only an update, Ky. Nothing serious." I say, trying to reassure him, and myself.
This man has had it tough, and I feel for him sometimes. He's like my brother, and I'm glad that Emily has a boy like him to respect her as much as he does. For the past year, he's been there for every check-up on her condition, and he visits her – sometimes even more than I do.
I just regret that I never realised earlier that Nick was no good. And that Ky was better for Emily. One day, when Emily wakes up, I hope she too realises that Ky is a good guy for her.
"Mr. River Parker?" Calls a nurse several meters behind us.
"Yes?" I turn around completely to face her, taking a few steps forward.
"Dr. Rallen is ready to see you." She states. "Are these your friends?"
"Yes, can they come with me?" I ask, hopeful.
Usually, anyone is allowed to see the doctor for check-ups on Emily's condition. However, if it's serious, things are kept confidential, meaning only the family is supposed to know. I hesitantly wait for the nurse to reply.
"Yeah, of course. Follow me please." She smiles at all of us in turn, before turning on her heal and leading us down the hospital corridor.
A rush of relief boils through my veins. Today may just be a standard check-up, and nothing serious. Maybe the doctor even has got some good news for me.
The nurse didn't need to guide us to Dr. Rallen's room; I know exactly where it is, after having been to this hospital over hundreds of times. And every time I come, I pray for one thing.
Let her wake up.
***
Lea
"So..." Jake says, trying but failing to kill the silence that surrounds us.
Currently, Ky, Jake and I sit in a booth, inside a milkshake shop that sits at the corner of Queensway Road – the road that is a few blocks away from the hospital.
Luckily, all our moods have been lifted by the hopeful news of Emily's improvement. The doctor notified us that Emily is finally responding to her treatment, and her chances of waking up have increased considerably.
Thus, you can imagine how much River's mood lifted. Before we entered that room, he was stiff, robotic and uncomfortable. Now, he's stood at the counter, giving our orders to the waitress on the other side of the countertop, which winds its way the whole length of the diner.
I sit with my elbows rested on the table before me, while Jake and Ky chat amongst themselves, every so often asking me a few questions. Being a socially awkward weirdo, however, isn't helping me join in the conversation.
"So..." Ky says this time, leaning back from the table and looking at me. "When did River tell you about Emily?"
I blink maybe a million times before responding, "Like..." Oh damn, my voice sounds like a mouse. I clear my throat nervously, before speaking again. "Sorry, like a few weeks ago."
"Did you ever know her before?" Jake asks.
"No, no I didn't." I shake my head, glancing over at River, who is patiently waiting for our milkshake orders.
Would you hurry up and come back here already River?
"So..." Jake says, again. I want to die because of how awkward this is. "You and River, eh?"
I look away from River's broad shoulders and turn to Jake, shaking my head, then nodding, then shake it again. "Um...It's complicated, I think." I furrow my eyebrows, looking away from Jake.
River finally joins us to save me from the awkwardness, bringing a tray full of fancy-looking milkshakes, which have funky straws pierced in them.
Firstly, River hands me mine – strawberry. A smile illuminates his face as he places the cup before me, and his eyes lock with mine for a good few seconds too long.
"Ugh...young love," Jake mumbles, reaching for his milkshake.
Ky shakes with silent laughter, evidently finding Jake's comment funny. From the corner of my eye, I notice River rolling his eyes, before sliding into the booth to sit next to me.
"Shut up, Jake. Just because you can't keep a girl for more than thirty minutes." River bites back at him, a smirk reshaping his lips.
Ky shakes even more violently and points at River. "Now, that is true."
"Fuck off," Jake mutters, looping his mouth around the straw and gulping down his milkshake.
I can't help but smile and admire the friendship between these three boys. The support they have for each other is incredible, for example, within ten minutes of River calling Jake to tell him the good news about Emily, he met us at this Milkshake bar.
As Jake and Ky keep up the conversation, one that I'm successfully avoiding, I can't help but take a few peeks in River's direction. Some colour has returned to his once sallow complexion, for which I'm grateful.
He looks at me. I know, I should look away, but I don't, I just continue to admire him.
You're hopeless.
He alters his cheeky smirk into a genuine smile and continues to look at me. At that point, I understand that Ky has asked me a question, and all three of them are waiting on my response.
"Wait, what?" I turn away from River to Ky.
Simultaneously, they all laugh at me. Ky sips at his milkshake, but he has the biggest grin on his face as he does so. River brushing his hair back with his fingers, amused. And Jake – well, he's making it too obvious that he's laughing, from the way he throws his head back to face the ceiling and chuckles loudly.
"Are you coming to Graceland?" Ky finally asks again.
"What's Graceland?" I reply.
Their laughter stops quite abruptly, which makes me smile. But then I realise that they are eyeing at me as if I've lost one of my eyes.
"You never went to Graceland after GCSE's*?" Jake asks, utterly shocked.
"Uhm...no." I lick my lips, while anxiously playing with the straw of my milkshake. "What is it?"
"It's like a little town, where practically everyone goes after exams." River explains. "You've never heard of it before?"
"Oh," I say. "No, I haven't."
"Well, would you like to go?" River questions.
I turn from him, to look at both Ky and Jake, and then look back to him.
"I don't know. I'll have to ask my parents."
Oh God kill me now. I can't believe I just say that I have to ask my parents.
Oh, my God.
Jake snorts a laugh, but quickly covers his mouth with his clenched fist. And as if they've already planned it out, both Ky and River hit Jake. Ky slaps his arms, and River kicks his shins underneath the table.
"Ow! What the hell?" Jake fumes, holding his hands up in surrender.
"You're being a dick." River and Ky say, at exactly the same time.
River faces me, wearing an apologetic expression. "Sorry, Jake's just jealous that you have parents that actually care for you."
"Oi! My parents do care for me!" Jake retaliates.
"Oh yeah, is that why they moved you out of the house?" Ky laughs.
River joins Ky in his laughter, while Jake frowns at them both, yet is unable to conceal the amusement that shines through his face.
"At least I have my own space, unlike you two twats." Jake bites back, finishing off his milkshake.
"Dude, your dad pays your bills, and your mum still cleans and cooks for you sometimes. It's hardly your own space." River says back, still amused.
"Whatever," Jake huffs, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the booth seat.
I smile, taking a small sip of my delicious milkshake.
"It's okay, Jake. I have to ask my parents permission for most things; they just don't want anything bad to happen to me I guess." I admit.
Jake looks up from his milkshake; his eyes are a little surprised. Then, the smirk pulls at the corners of his lips, and for a moment I think he's going to tease me for what I just said.
"And that's good, more people should be like you," Jake says.
***
River
We arrive at home at around ten o'clock at night, after having said goodbye to Ky and Jake when we finished our milkshakes. I round the fountain outside my house and park the car in my situated spot. Pulling the key out of the ignition, both Lea and I climb out from the car.
"Did you enjoy that?" I call over to Lea as she rounds the car, making her way over to the house door. I follow closely in her tracks.
"Yeah," she smiles, looking at me for a moment, before turning away. "Ky and Jake are fun."
"Yeah, but they're a bit weird. Sorry if they said anything offensive, especially Jake." We climb up the garden steps that lead towards the front door, our bodies side by side.
"No, not at all." She grins, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.
"Nice earrings," I comment when I notice the diamond earrings pierced in her right ear.
Her hand instantly shoots towards her ear lobe, tracing the earring with her finger.
"Thank you," She smiles again.
Damn, that smile.
"No problem." I look back at her, only to find her blushing.
Damn, that blush.
Turning away from her adorable face, I place the right key into the teeth of the front door lock. Twisting it, the door clicks open, revealing only an inch of our hallway. With the tips of my fingers, I push the door open wider, allowing enough room for us to enter.
Trying to be as gentlemanly as possible, I gesture with my hand for Lea to enter first. And, when she takes up my offer, I can't stop my beam from widening when I see her blush deepening in colour.
"Lea!" A voice calls from inside, startling us both.
I turn on my heels to find Lea's mother pacing towards us, she seems worried as much as she is angry. When she gets close enough, she stands still before us with her arms crossed over her chest, and her nostrils flared with fury.
"Where have you been? It's almost ten thirty!" She speaks, her voice loud.
Before Lea can respond, I step forward.
"It wasn't Lea's fault; it's mine. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kept her out for so long." I reply.
From the corner of my eye, I see my mother rounding the corner of the corridor, and coming into the hallway. Her tracks come to a halt when she sees us.
"Well, Lea. You should know better than to stay out without our permission!" Her mother looks away from me, and back to her daughter.
"I'm sorry, we didn't pay attention to the time," Lea responds, her voice vulnerable.
"We're extremely sorry, Mrs. Wilson, this won't happen again." I plead.
Lea's mother sighs, looking between Lea and me – exhaustion plastered all over her face. I glance over at my mum, who is stood silently a few meters away. She gives me a disapproving look.
"Darling, stop. Lea understands what she's done wrong, now haven't you Lea?" Lea's father comes out from the living room, stepping towards his wife. An expectant look is directed at Lea, urging her to say that she understands.
For a split second, he glances at me with a blank stare.
Yeah, I've never been good with a girl's parents.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Lea responds to both her parents, a little annoyance evident in her tone of speech.
"Yes, it won't. Now, if you excuse us River, we need to talk to our daughter in private." Lea's dad addresses me, and I nod instantly, watching them head towards the staircase.
When Lea's mum notices my mother, she nods at her. Brenda nods back, before turning to face me. Without saying a word, her hand rises and with a wriggle of her index finger, she gestures for me to follow her into the living room.
She's pissed at me.
Well, shit.
Like an injured puppy, I follow her into the living room. Portraying another disapproving look, she holds the door open, and only once I'm inside and about to take a seat does she close the door.
The door to the living room never closes, unless we're having a very serious conversation.
Well, crap.
"Before I talk about you and Lea, I need to talk about Emily, if you don't mind." My mum says, pacing towards the couch opposite me.
I wait patiently for her to sit comfortably down, and watch as the sofa grooves in to support her weight. She crosses one leg over the other, placing her hands on her lap.
"Go ahead," I say.
"Well, how did the appointment go? You seemed worried about it."
I shake my head, "it went fine, she's actually responding to the treatment. She's getting better." I smile without thinking, happy at the thought that Emily might wake up soon.
My mum smiles back at me, "that's great, River. That's brilliant news." She bites her bottom lip before continuing. "And, do you know whether she'll be moving in with us, when she wakes up?"
My smile remains and widens on my face at the remembrance that there may be a chance that Emily will live in the wood house when she wakes up. A few months before her accident, I'd agreed with her parents and mine to allow her to live with us before she headed off to university. However, due to the circumstances, we were never able to fulfill that promise for Emily.
But now, there's a possibility that she can still live with us.
No, she will come and live with us, when she wakes up.
And for that reason, I didn't allow Lea's family to stay in the wood house. The wood house is Emily's, and it shall remain that way until she decides she doesn't want it anymore.
"She wanted to, and her parents will let her. So hopefully." I answer, happy at the thought.
"Okay," she smiles warmly back at me. "Hopefully."
Then, she sighs, looking down to her hands.
I know what's coming.
"I'm happy for you, River. But I'm still your mother, and I still need to set boundaries between you and Lea."
I roll my eyes, rubbing the side of my face in irritation.
"Mum, I don't-" She cuts me off before I can speak any further.
"No, River. Listen to me." She demands calmly. "Lea is not like Georgia or any other girl for that matter. She's different, and she comes from a family who has strict morals, do you understand that?"
I breathe out. "Yes."
"So, that means that you can't be keeping her out at late hours."
I throw my head back to stare at the ceiling. "Yes, I understand that already. I'm sorry, we lost track of time." I say, annoyed.
"River, don't give me that attitude. I'm only saying this for your benefit." Mum snaps, urging me to look at her.
"I know,"
"And I swear to God, River. If you force her to do anything she doesn't want to do, I will make sure that you won't be able to walk again."
At this, my eyes widen.
"Mum! For God's sake!" I reply, slouching back into the cushion of the sofa.
"Just warning you – she's a lovely girl, and she deserves the best she can get." My mother states, and I know that every word she says is true.
"Yes, I know, mum." I sigh; it feels like I've said 'I know' a million times already.
"And thank God you've broken up with that Georgia; you two were never good for each other."
"Mum!" I groan before she can say anything else. "Can you stop, please?"
"River, you've made many mistakes in your life, and I'm just happy you're starting to realise how stupid they were." She says, her eyes piercing into mine.
Oh, crap. Not this again.
"Can we please not bring up the past, I'd really appreciate that," I say, clenching my jaw tightly together.
My mother inhales a drag of air, then after a few moments, she exhales gradually and slowly.
"Does Lea know about Georgia's pregnancy?" She asks quietly. And from the way her eyebrows wearily knit together, I think she already knows the answer.
"Mum, no she doesn't," I reply, closing my eyes in annoyance. "And this conversation is now over," I state, pushing myself off of the sofa.
"River Robert Parker, sit down." My mother says sternly, and you know that she's pissed when she says my full name.
Huffing, I sit back down into my seat and continue rubbing at the right side of my face, just to do something instead of looking at my mum.
It's a horrible topic that carries a set of memories that I want to forget. It's the last thing I want to talk about.
"River, you can't run away from your problems. The sooner Lea finds out that Georgia was pregnant, the better." She tells me, calming her firm voice down.
"Mum, it was a year ago, Georgia lost the baby, why does it matter anymore?" I bite the inside of my mouth, trying not to remember what happened.
It's too late now though. Instantly, the image of Georgia's tear-stained face fills my mind – the night she found out that she had a miscarriage.
"If you have any chance with a girl like Lea, you need to tell her about everything, and not only Georgia's pregnancy. You have to be completely honest with her because eventually, she will find out everything about you." Mum says, and all she's saying is right – but I'm not going to admit it.
I scoff. "Mum! I think Lea knows a little too much for now."
"What do you mean?" He eyes narrow, and she leans forward in her seat.
I sigh, swallow, and speak. "She knows that Emily is my sister, and she knows about my adoption."
For a split second, her eyes widen slightly. Her lips press together to form a straight line, and she reclines back into her seat. After a few silent moments of my mother intensely studying me with pursed lips, a smug smile reshapes them. Slowly, it gets bigger and bigger.
"When did she find out?"
"A week days after she came here," I reply.
Mum laughs a little, shaking her head in disbelief.
"So, it takes you a year to tell the boys that Emily is your sister, but Lea only a week?"
My fingers move from the side of my face and to my hair, finding the straying strands of brown and pushing them to the side of my head.
"Yeah..." I respond.
"And she, a complete stranger, happens to be one of those few people who know that you're adopted?" My mother speaks again, but I don't believe her question directs itself at me. I think she's just digesting the information. Her eyes, however, are still focused on mine, and as the moments go by, they become more and more excited.
"River Robert Parker." She finally says. But this time, the way she says it isn't in her stern manner like usual; in fact, she seems thrilled.
My hand falls and lands on my thigh as I listen to what she has to say next.
"You, my darling, like that girl."
***