❝ There's nothing I want more in this world
Than somebody who loves me naked ❞
- Ella Mai, Naked.
"Dang, where is it?"
I stirred, pulling my covers with me as I did so. My eyes remained closed even as I knew that there was someone in my room. I could hear and feel the movements.
"Tanner?" I called groggily, and waited for a response from him. I opened an eye slowly, still sleepy. Heck, I just needed to know who was in my room.
"Come on, go back to sleep," I heard a voice say calmly.
Wait.
"Kaleb." I called as I sat up, immediately making eye contact with him as his eyes went wide, "What's up?" He looked like a kid who had just been caught stealing candy.
"You tell me what's up, Kaleb Kaden," I looked at him.
"I know this looks bad, but I ran out of cologne, and I'm in desperate need of one, because you know I love to smell good," he let out a breath. "Now, I could have gone into Tanner's room, but we both know that guy sleeps with one eye open."
I chuckled, "It's due to reasons like this that he sleeps with one eye open. What are you even doing awake at this time of the morning looking around for cologne?" I looked at my phone, squinting. "It's 7:30am, Kaleb."
He sighed and plopped down beside me on the bed, turning to look at me blankly, "We're going to Aunt Irene's today."
"The one who pulls your cheeks nonstop?"
"That one," he nodded.
I stifled a laugh. Ha, I couldn't wait to see him with red cheeks in school tomorrow, "Oh come on, it probably won't be as bad. Did you come here to hide, then?"
"You know, now that you mention it, that would be a good idea. But mom knows I'm here. I know she'll take forever to get ready, so I came here to chill before we leave. Plus, I also need to smell good, remember?"
"Why on earth couldn't you just be normal and use your mom's perfume?"
"Uh, I low-key wanted to disturb you because I've missed you, douche bag," he flung his arms around me. "And, mom's perfume is way too feminine for me."
"And mine isn't?" I snorted.
"No, you usually smell a lot like Tom Ford," he shrugged.
"That's because I use Tanner's cologne," I laughed. "You played yourself, how do you feel? You've come here to leave smelling like lilies and strawberries."
"You're kidding," he looked at me blankly.
"Why do you think you couldn't find my perfume? I rarely ever use them anymore so I threw them somewhere in my wardrobe."
"This was a mistake," he muttered.
"A huge one," I grinned before getting off the bed and making my way to the bathroom. I needed to pee.
"You look like Rick this morning," Kaleb commented.
"Rick, as in from Rick and Morty?" I looked back at him. "You're insane, Kaleb. Hey, didn't season 4 just come out?"
"It didn't just come out, it's been out for some days now. Amazing season."
"You've watched it?" My eyes went wide.
"Uh, what do you think?" He rolled his eyes.
"You asshole! You were supposed to wait for me!" I grabbed my hairbrush which lay on my dressing table, throwing at him.
"Hey!" Kaleb yelped, successfully dodging the hairbrush. "I couldn't wait."
"You better not spoil it for me," it was my turn to roll my eyes.
"Then watch it fast. I don't know how long I can keep all that good stuff to myself."
"How'd you even watch it? You resumed your illegal act?" I resumed my journey to the bathroom.
"It's not illegal. It's common sense," he replied proudly.
So, here's what Kaleb does. He believed "there was no point wasting good money" on monthly subscriptions to Netflix, so he created a new account every month, used the free trial for 30 days, and then cancelled his subscription to days before the free trial expired.
"I know you're still thinking of my awesome ways. Can you now see it's common sense?" Kaleb yelled, and I rolled my eyes. Again. "Hey! You've got a text from your significant other."
"Significant other? Who still calls it that?" I chuckled. "What does it say?" I asked, flushing the toilet, washing my hands and making my way out of the bathroom.
"Apparently, he's down with a cold," Kaleb said, his eyes running through the screen of my phone. "Okay, now I need to pee," he got off the bed and walked to the bathroom.
"Kindly do not mess up my toilet seat, thank you," I called after him, grabbing my phone from the bed.
"Shut up, I always aim and shoot well," he called back.
I opened River's message and despite the fact that he stated he was sick, I smiled,
~I know we were supposed to do something today, but I've been feeling rough since yesterday night, I'm down with a cold. I've also been hallucinating.~
I ran my fingers through my hair, replying his message,
~I'll come over in a few. Do you want me to bring anything? Soup?~
His reply came in almost immediately,
~No, I'm pretty sure there's still some left from yesterday. I'll just wsrm it up. Just come with your pretty face~
~*warm~
Kaleb came out of the bathroom, "Why are you smiling?"
"What? Should I be crying?" I teased.
"What's up with River?"
"Well, he's sick. I'm going to go over to his place," I told him.
"Take some donuts with you," Kaleb advised.
"Donuts?" I tilted my head to one side.
"Yeah, if I were sick that's what I would want my girlfriend to bring to me. That, and a juice box. That's what I always did for Sydney... seemed to work."
I nodded, looking at him, "I'll do that. Do you know how Sydney's doing?"
"Why should I care?" He shrugged. "Barely even notice her existence anymore."
"Well, I'm happy for you," I hugged him tightly.
"I'm happy for me too," he muttered. "Now, Billie Eilish can find me and date me."
"You need to go to Aunt Irene's place already," I chuckled.
*
I made my way into River's room as quietly as I could, seeing that he was asleep. I placed the box of donuts I bought down on his table and took off my jacket. It was a few minutes past ten. Kaleb had left when it was some minutes to nine. After having a quick breakfast, I freshened up, got dressed and rushed out to get a box of donuts and a juice box, just as Kaleb had suggested.
"Renée?" I heard River call and my gaze averted to him before walking to his bed.
"Hey," I bent down to kiss his forehead.
"You smell good," he sniffled, sitting up on his bed.
"You look pale," I smiled back at him. "How'd you wind up sick?"
"I think I got it from one of the people I worked with yesterday for the photo shoot," he grabbed a tissue from the box beside him and blew into it, his nose a little red from the impact.
"How do you feel now?"
"Better than I did yesterday," he answered. "I felt like death last night. But after some soup and medicine, I feel better. I'm left with this stuffy nose and a little headache."
"Well, have you had any medicine today?"
He nodded, "The medicine makes me feels so out of it, though— Are those donuts?" His attention was now on the box of Dunkin' Donuts.
"Mhm," I nodded, smiling.
"Can I have one?" He asked, his voice was a bit gruff.
"You know, you sound endearing when sick," I bit back a smile as I walked to the box, taking it to him so he could take one.
"Do I?" He looked at me, weakly raising an eyebrow as he picked a donut from the box, immediately taking a bite out of it. "How about a kiss?"
I chuckled, "No, thanks, River, as tempting as that sounds, I've got school tomorrow and I can't afford to be sick."
"Boo," he gave a thumbs-down, chewing on his donut and I playfully rolled my eyes at him, "Do you have anything to do today?"
"Uh, not much, but I do have to send the pictures to the people I worked with yesterday," he ran a hand through his hair.
"Is it a lot? I can help you with it," I pushed my hair away from my face.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course," I looked around, "Where's your camera?"
"In that bag over there," he sniffled, pointed to his backpack which sat right beside a beanbag.
I grabbed the bag, opening it and pulling out his camera, "Okay, what do I have to do?"
"You'll just have to connect the camera to my laptop through the USB. It's easy. Come, I'll show you."
*
After close to an hour with River guiding me on what to do, I had successfully sent over a dozen pictures each to three people.
"That's a lot of work, jeez, is that what you always have to do?" I fell back on his bed, my fingers throbbing from all the work it had to do.
"Always," he affirmed, chuckling. "But hey, I usually don't mind, because it's part of what they're paying for."
"It has to be worth it," I let out a breath before sitting up, facing him.
"Thank you for helping me send out those pictures, though. You saved me a lot of work."
"Remember the day I was sick and you came over with Gourmet brownies from Sky? And you brought some soup and juice for me?"
"Mhm," he nodded, now blowing into a tissue. "I thought you looked beautiful that day."
"No way—"
"Really, though. I saw you in your truest form. That was all I needed. Hair sticking out in different directions, dark circles under those eyes... that was all I needed."
"You know how to make me smile," I moved to give him a hug when there was a knock on the door.
"Mom?" River called.
"Yes, it's me. I have your soup warmed up," she pushed the door open, "Renée, please ensure he downs all of this?"
I chuckled and nodded, smirking a little at River, "Sure, Maddie, that's not a problem."
*
Getting River to finish the whole bowl of soup was an extreme sport. He would say he was tired, and I would tell him to stop being stubborn. Sometimes he just wanted to be really playful, and I would wait for him to finish displaying his acts. It was a little after 2pm when he had to take his medicine again, and when he did, we chewed on some donuts while I watched him get quiet and sleepy.
"I think the medicine's kicking in," he looked at me, he sipped on his juice.
"You should sleep. I'm sure you'll wake up feeling better," I told him.
"Can we cuddle?"
"River Jenson, you're a whole germ right now is all I'm saying."
*
"You're ridiculously comfortable," I stated, laying my head on River's chest, my arm around him.
"I know," his voice held a smile.
A vibration was heard from River's phone and he moved to grab his phone from the bedside table as he swiped across the screen to take the call.
"What's up?. Bro, you sound like a faulty train. You got a cold too?. Same, dude. It's most likely from the shoot yesterday. Renée came over, so I'm good. Oh, you don't have anyone to look after you? That's tragic. No, we don't want you here, we're about to nap. Bye."
I chuckled, "You're so mean."
"I mean, I love Xavier. He's like the brother I never had, but it's girlfriend time," he pulled me closer to him and I snuggled into him, "Nap time?"
"Nap time."
*
Authors Note
Hey guys!
Here's an update! I'm going to try to update more often, because I'm also trying to get this book done. I mean, I've been writing this for a WHILE!
Let me know if you're still on this journey with me, and let me know your favorite part of this chapter.
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