HSMTMTS SICKFICS: because I'm bored :/

Big Red's Secret (Ashlyn and Big Red)

TW: Mention of Surgery, hospital visits

Ashlyn's POV:

This weekend I am having my 18th Birthday party at my house and I am going to invite all of my friends from each of my extracurricular clubs at school.

If this party is going to be a success I'm going to need someone's help. The last person who helped me with a party was Big Red. I kissed him after the Fall musical but got friend zoned by him after our moment had ended. I'm still heartbroken about it because I made the first move and he seemed like he cared about me but I guess not.

I'm going to ask him if he can help me out with the food and drinks for my party, even though we haven't talked since my annual Hannukah Party which he didn't come to because he said he was busy with family. He's been acting really weird lately and we've only met up twice over the holidays with friends.

Ashlyn: I know that we're not talking anymore but I could use some help with picking up the food and drinks for my birthday party. I miss you. Meet me outside my house on Saturday at 3?

Big Red: Sorry I can't come. I'm busy that day but I'll give you your gift when school starts again.

Ashlyn: Call me please. I'm worried about you. You've been MIA lately.

Big Red: I can't.

Ashlyn: Why not?

After staring at my phone for a few minutes like an idiot, I gave up on waiting for Big Red to reply. I decided to call Nini because she is Ricky's girlfriend and Ricky is Big Red's best friend, which means he probably knows what's going on.

"Hey Nini, are you busy?" I spoke to my phone nervously while laying on my phone.

"Hey Ash, what's up? I'll be back in a sec Ricky I got to take this call." I heard Nini say on the other side assuming that she was with Ricky.

"I actually need to talk to Ricky not you, sorry to bother you guys." I said to my phone which was on speaker mode while I started to brush my hair nervously.

"Oh umm okay.. one sec. Hey Ricky, Ashlyn wants to talk to you." I heard Nini say to Ricky through the phone.

"Hey Ashlyn, what's up?" I heard Ricky say through the phone as I put my hairbrush down on my dresser.

"I was wondering if you know why Big Red isn't talking to me. He replied to my text earlier and said that he can't call me. He's been friend-zoning me lately since the musical. I think you know what I'm talking about." I said to my phone as I took it off speaker and held it to my ear.

"Oh uh I don't know uh I gotta go finish my movie with Nini bye Ash." I heard Ricky say before he hung up on me.

Ok that was weird. Really weird. I know that Ricky doesn't have the best relationship with my cousin, E.J, because he dated Ricky's girlfriend, Nini, but that's no excuse to hang up on me after saying two um's.

After that weird call, I decided to drive over to Big Red's house to talk to him in person. I haven't had a chance to do so over winter break because I've had family bombard my house for the past few weeks after Hannukah. The only reason why I knew where his house was was because he told me his parent's owned a pizza shop below the building.

*******

"Hi Mrs. Donovitch, is Big Red here by any chance? I need to ask him something." I said to the older red head after knocking on the front door.

"Oh hi Ashlyn. I haven't seen you in a while. Big Red's in his room playing video games. He's on vocal rest for a few weeks, but I can give him a message if you want. He's still recovering." I heard his mother say to me in a joyful tone.

"Recovering from what? Why is he on vocal rest? What happened? Is that why he's been ignoring my calls. Is he okay?" I asked Big Red's mom nervously.

"Oh I guess he hasn't told you yet. It's not my place to talk about it. You can go visit him, he's downstairs in his room. Just make sure he doesn't talk. Doctor's orders." The older woman said to me as she let me into the house and lef me to the basement.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything. Thanks for coming Ashlyn. He hasn't had any friends over except Ricky this past month." I heard his mom say before leaving me at the top of the basement stairs in shock.

After walking down the familiar flight of wooden stairs that I remembered from the time we planned to save Miss Jenn, I saw a sight that I've never seem before. Big Red sat on his bed with a controller in his hand and a bandage over his neck with a sad frown on his face. He didn't seem to acknowledge my presence at all.

"Umm hey, I came over to ask you why you weren't calling me or picking up my messages but I guess I know why now. You don't need to say anything. I hope you feel better soon. Umm see you at school on Febuary 1st." I said before I walked back to the staircase.

"Wait, Ash." I heard Big Red say in a raspy tone.

"Your not supposed to talk." I replied to him as I watched him put the controller down and pat a seat on his bed for me.

Instead of replying, he handed me a packet of papers that he brought out from one of his night stand drawers' and handed it to me after I sat down next to him on his bed.

I looked down and read them carefully, they were doctor's notes saying that he had surgery for sleep apnea and listed all of the medications and treatments he had to do and all his recent doctors' visits. On the last page of the long packet of complicated notes there was a sticky note that said,

I'm sorry for not telling you. Please forgive me. I still love you. I was just scared to tall you about my medical problems. -x RED

It seemed like he had planned this whole thing after my call this morning and got the guts to tell me about his secret. I still love him even if he's had surgery or has medical concerns. He's been so kind to me and I still remember some of his compliments from last fall.

"I still love you too. Is it safe to kiss you? Just nod or shake you head. No talking." I replied as I smiled at him after reading the sticky note.

Big Red nodded his head while smiling shyly at me and leaned into kiss me before I could kiss him. I kissed him back passionately and was careful not to touch his bandage on his neck.

"I love you." I hear Big Red say as we pulled away from the kiss.

"Shh. No talking. Your on voice rest. Doctor's orders." I replied before I kissed him back.