risk// 5SOS

39

Tw. Psych ward
Sage

"I wish there was a swimming pool. Can you swim?"

"No,"

"Oh, I bet I could teach you," Rory said, catching the ball he kept throwing at the ceiling, "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. Still a bit shaken up,"

"Sorry I snooped in your file. I wasn't thinking properly, and I just wanted to understand why you might be avoiding me. I struggle making friends,"

"Me too,"

"Are you gonna tell your dad what happened?"

"No. It happened, it doesn't matter. I'm fine, I barely said anything anyway,"

"Okay. How come you can't swim? Oh, nevermind. Do you want to swim?"

"Never really thought about it,"

"Sometimes I wanna swim in the ocean. I haven't been to the beach in ages,"

"I've never been,"

"We should go,"

"How?"

"Sneak out,"

"No,"

"Party pooper,"

"Stop calling me that,"

"You are!"

"Hey, play nicely you two," Mark said, "Rory, you should preserve some energy for the day,"

"I have constant energy,"

Under his eyes were huge bags, and he was extremely pale. He constantly fidgeted, and busied himself, and never seemed to slow down.

His hair was all messed up, and his nose was slightly crooked as if he had broken it once or twice. I'd broken mine too.

"What are you looking at, do you have a crush?"

"You wish,"

"I know I look tired. I don't feel tired, that's the main thing. I don't need sleep, do I Mark?"

"You definitely do need sleep, mate,"

"Pfft,"

"You guys ready for breakfast?"

"Mark, can you come so I can have waffles. Please? My mum makes the best waffles, maybe when she visits she can bring me some. Once we went out for waffles and I got them with nutella, and cream- Sage, try the waffles,"

"Um, maybe,"

"Good,"

"If Holly is there with Sage, you can have waffles. But what did we say about talking about a mum?"

"No, you have to come,"

"I have things to do, you will be okay without me,"

"You have to come and get me, and walk me to group therapy,"

"I will meet you at group therapy, hopefully both of you,"

"This is not a good compromise,"

He took my hand and pulled me off the sofa, waving goodbye to Mark; I shook my hand free and waited for Holly to catch up, then we walked to the canteen.

She had to tell them that Rory had permission to have a knife, then we sat down opposite each other. I didn't have to guess why he got those privileges taken away- he had a wound across his forehead that was still healing.

"You got nutella too. Cool,"

"Yeah,"

"So will you come to play board games later?"