Lucky's Real Life Romance Novel

Chapter 6

It didn't take much convincing to get my dad to agree to let me go to Aiden's band's performance Friday night. My dad was actually happy I was planning on hanging out with friends outside of school. Plus, he planned on a weekend trip to a haunted hotel in the middle of Kentucky and wouldn't be back until Monday anyway, so I would've been home by myself to make my own decisions anyway. That's how my dad was. He never really worried about me and often left me to my own devices whilst he was off chasing his next study subject. I was used to taking care of myself. I actually put effort into my outfit, wearing bell bottom jeans and a simple black crop top with my hair down and curly. I had my contacts in because I was still too lazy to get new glasses.

I drove to Café Blué after the sun went down and chose a small table off to the side to watch from. Surprisingly, there was a good crowd. Almost every table was sat. I sat through the other bands, and two Americanos later, Aiden took the small stage with his band Plum Punch. It was Aiden on guitar and vocals, a bass player and a drummer. They only played three original songs, but they were actually kind of good. I found myself writing notes in my journal. It was an indie band and Aiden's other players we're definitely older. After the bands were done, they all came out to talk with the patrons. Somehow, Aiden managed to find me almost immediately.

"Hey, you made it. You look great," he smiled at me.

"I told you I would come. Your band was great. Nice sound," I smiled back at him.

"Thanks, it means a lot. Let me introduce you. This is Vern and Ross. Guys this is my locker mate, Lucky," he said, introducing his band mates to me. They both waved awkwardly.

"Hi," I waved back even more awkwardly. It was almost eleven at night and despite the constant stream of caffeine, I was getting tired. I couldn't help the yawn that escaped me.

"You we're here for the whole thing, you must be tired. How about you get some rest tonight and I'll take you out for breakfast tomorrow too thank you for coming," he offered. I didn't see why he had to take me to breakfast and my initial reaction was to decline his offer, but I had to commit to the immersion learning of romance. If this was a prelude to a date, I had to take it.

"Sounds great. I'll see you tomorrow then," I agreed. I left the café feeling exhausted. Maybe it was the fact that the room was full of people but I was drained. As an introvert, social interactions were the most exhausting to me. If this was how it was going to be trying to figure out what romance was, I had my work cut out for me. I drove myself home and changed into my sweatpants and hoodie, pulling my hair up into a ponytail. Sighing in relief, I pulled the full trash bag out of the kitchen and to the curb. I froze when I saw a figure staggering across the street. The figure coughed before they fell to their knees. They could barely walk.

"Are you okay?" I called across the street. The figure was wheezing hard. As much as I wanted to turn around and go back inside my own home, my inner Florence Nightingale wouldn't let me. I sighed in frustration before crossing the empty dark street and going to the figure's side. A small nagging part of my brain warned me that it could all me a ruse to kidnap me, but since moving to this small town, I realized it was vastly different than the big city. I sat the guy up and tried to get a good look at his face. I was shocked.

"River?" I asked. His face was in worse shape than the last time I saw him. His eye was practically swollen shut and his cheek was red with blood. He was holding his ribs as well.

"We should get you to a hospital," I said. He was barely conscious as it was, but he shook his head as he wheezed.

"No hospitals. Can't afford it," he wheezed out. He pulled a key out of his pocket and pointed at the house we were in front of.

"Go get my sister, Mia," he asked. I took the key from him and put his arm over my shoulders before taking him across the street to my house. I laid him down on the couch before holding up the key for him to see. He groaned and held his ribs again.

"I know you can barely talk right now, so I won't ask much, but I'll go get Mia now. Then we'll try to clean you up a bit," I said to him. I crossed the street once again and paused at the door to his house. Out of all places, River just had to live across the street from me.

"What the hell am I doing?" I muttered to myself before I used the key to open the door. I turned the light on before looking around curiously. River wasn't joking. His house had essentials and essentials only. A couch, a really old TV, a broken table. I went upstairs and started checking the rooms. They were mostly empty except an air mattress in one. Maybe his sister could help me answer a few questions I had, like why River was so stubborn. Finally, I found a room with a bed on the floor and a ratty blanket covering River's sleeping sister. She wouldn't be able to answer any questions for me. Seeing her made my heart break. She was a small helpless little girl. She couldn't be older than six years old. I went to her and shook her gently.

"Mia. Mia," I whispered. She hummed and stirred awake before sitting up and looking at me.

"You're the pretty girl from across the street," she recognized me. I was glad. That made this a whole lot easier.

"Hi, Mia. Your brother sent me over to come get you. Do you want to have a sleepover at my house?" I asked her with a small smile. She nodded and held her arms out for me. I picked her up as she wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I left the house, locking the door behind me, before heading back over to my own home.