Rye Beaumont
“Why are you all wet?!” Andy asks as soon as he saw her.
Alexandria didn’t say anything, she shakes her head and just stands by the side of the room as she rubs her arm to somehow make herself warm.
“I’ll just get you a towel.” Andy says and hurries out of the room.
“Uh, should I make you a cup of tea?” Mikey gets up from the sofa.
I nod for her, before Mikey walks out of the room and head to the kitchen to make her a cup of tea. I just put the cans of sodas on top of the coffee table and look around the room for a chair, so she could sit down.
“Jack, help me look for a chair please.” I say to him without looking at him.
“Okay.” he gets up from the sofa and looks for a stool in a different room.
I glance at Alexandria and Brooklyn’s currently hugging her and keeping her warm, which makes me smile a little – it’s one of the things that I like about Brooklyn, he’s really sweet and he really knows how to make someone better. Just as I am about to look away, she suddenly lost her consciousness.
“Woah, woah, woah!” Brooklyn says, trying to keep her up on her feet.
I hurry over to them and lift her up, bridal style. I walk down the hall and come across Andy, who’s now holding a towel.
“What happened?” Andy asks with his eyes slightly wide, looking at Alexandria in concern.
“I – I don’t know, she just lost her consciousness.” I stutter out.
Andy quickly opens a door to one of the rooms down the hallway, “Just put her on the bed.”
I didn’t say anything, I just did what he told me.
“Look after her for a while, I’ll just call Mrs. Anderson.” he says and leaves the room.
I take the towel that Andy left on the bed and wipe her face and arms with it, then I rummage through my backpack at the side of the bed and pull out the first button–down shirt that I saw. I walk towards the bed and just look at her; hesitating whether I should do it or not, but I don’t really have a choice. I breathe out and sit her up, facing her to the other side so I could only see her back before taking her shirt off.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Andy asks, stopping by the doorway.
“I am changing her clothes.” I reply, glancing at him. “I am being careful, don’t worry.” I assure him.
I look away and work on carefully buttoning her shirt, before laying her back down and put the back of my hand against her forehead to check her temperature.
“Is she okay?” Jack walks into the room with a concern look on his face.
“No, she has a really high fever.” I reply.
“I’ll go get a towel and a basin.” he says and leaves the room.
As I wait for Jack to come back, I just put a blanket over her and sit on the edge of the bed; just looking at her. I really miss her a lot, just being close to her, talking to her, seeing her smile..
“I got it!” Jack walks into the room and puts the basin down on the bedside table.
“Thanks, man.” I say, smiling at him a little.
“Mrs. Anderson isn’t answering.” Andy turns to look at me worriedly.
“She’s probably at work right now.” I reply, glancing at Alexandria. “Well, don’t bother anymore, let’s just look after her.”
He nods, keeping his phone back into his pocket whilst Mikey stops by the doorway.
“I have the tea already.” he says, mixing it with the spoon.
“You’re too late, Mikey, she’s already asleep.” Andy replies with a small smile.
“Oh,” Mikey chuckles. “I’ll just drink it then.”
I smile and shake my head at Mikey.
“Guys, come on, let’s drink.” Brooklyn shouts from the other room.
“You three go ahead, I’ll just follow.” I say to them.
Andy smiles a little and nods before he and the boys leave the room, leaving me and Alexandria by ourselves.
• • •
I squint as soon as the screen lights up in the dim room, it is only 03:27. I get up from the floor where I was sleeping and look over at Alexandria, who is now awake and just staring at the side.
“Hey.” I whisper, so I wouldn’t startle her as I walk towards her.
She turns and looks at me, smiling a little as she sits up on the bed.
“Why are you awake?” I sit down on the edge of the bed.
“I could ask you the same thing.” she replies with a smile, making my heart beat faster.
“Oh, uh, I..” I stammer, looking away from him.
She giggles, I look back at her and shakes her head, “Oh, and why were you sleeping on the floor?”
“I, uh..” I stop and bite my lip. “I’d rather stay in the room with you, so I could look after you.”
“You didn’t have to, I am okay.” she says reassuringly, there she goes again.
I breathe out, “You keep on saying that, you lost your consciousness, how does that make you okay?”
“Ryan,” she giggles and puts her hand on my arm, looking at me. “you worry too much.”
“I am sorry.” I say almost in a whisper.
She smiles and bites her lip and didn’t say anything whilst I look away and clear my throat.
“How are you feeling?” I ask in a shaky voice, trying to change the subject.
“Uh, not very well.” she replies sheepishly.
I shift on the bed and turn to her again; leaning a bit as I reach out and put the back of my hand against her forehead.
“Wait, I’ll just get you a medicine.” I get up from the bed and leave the room.
I go downstairs and look for the medicine box in which Andy got the medicines from and go back to her room along with a glass of water.
“Here.” I give her the medicine and turn the lamp on, before sitting down on the edge of the bed.
“Thank you, Ryan.” she smiles, taking the medicine.
I nod and smile back at her, “Hey, uh, do you want to eat McDonald’s?”
“But it’s like three AM.” she replies, giving me a quizzical look.
“It is three AM,” I affirm. “but that doesn’t mean we can’t have McDonald’s.”
“Well, I won’t say no to that.” she giggles.
I smile and ask for her order, before calling for McDonald’s. Almost half an hour later, our orders arrive. I pay for our food and go back to her room in silence, considering that it’s already three in the morning and everyone’s already asleep. When I get there, she is in front of the television and she had just put a CD into the player.
“Hey, I got our food already.” I say, as I walk into the room.
“Cool,” she replies, looking away from the player. “I just put on a movie that we can watch while eating.”
“What movie?” I walk towards the bed and set them down on the blanket.
“Miss Congeniality.” she grins.
“Well, that’s very Andy.” I mutter, making her laugh.
I smile and she sits down on the bed, I give her her food and sit down on the floor. I just look at her and realize that she had put on my sweater, putting a small smile on my face.
“What are you doing there?” she asks, as she unwraps the paper of her burger; I immediately purse my lips when she looks towards my direction.
“Uh, I am going to eat..” I reply with uncertainty, it actually came out more like a question.
She laughs and shakes her head, patting the spot next to her on the bed.
“Well, come sit with me.” she says.
I look at her for a second, before getting up from the floor and sit next to her on the bed. Halfway through Miss Congeniality, she just rests her head on my shoulder and when I look over at her; she is already asleep. I put the wrappers, empty cups, and plastics at the side and carefully lay her down on the bed and put the blanket over her. I lay down next to her and as I was staring at her, she suddenly puts her arm around my waist and snuggles up closer to me. I couldn’t help, but smile as I watch her sleep.