heal// 5SOS

41

Luke

"There's a bed ready for you if you please,"

"Huh? What?"

I yawned and opened my eyes, sitting upright as I saw Sierra standing over me. My neck cramped and I scrunched my face up, then turned to Rider and saw him tiredly watching a video on Calum's phone.

"Sorry,"

"It's all good. I'm about to go to the canteen, you should probably eat,"

"I'll stay with Rider for a bit,"

"I'm okay," he said.

"No, I will stay,"

"You heard the kid," she teased, "He will probably be fast asleep soon, it's getting late,"

"Okay... goodnight sweetheart. You have made us all super proud today, and I will come back in the morning,"

"I love you, Luke,"

"I love you too," I said quietly, smiling beneath my mask.

It hadn't come from Rider before. Perhaps I wasn't doing a bad job at all- maybe he felt safe.

Somehow.

I took off all the protective gear and followed Sierra down to the canteen, a couple of steps behind. There was no subtle way to say it: she was beautiful.

I was surprised Cal hadn't ever mentioned her to be honest.

Silently, I scolded myself, for I was behaving a little too much like Michael for my own liking, but hey- I couldn't control my feelings I guessed.

Not that there was anything there... all I was saying was, she was beautiful.

"So... how come you now have responsibility of Calum's kid? I didn't realise you were so close,"

"We are family,"

"Ah. We never really talk about personal lives, my bad,"

"It's okay," I said, scratching my head, "I'm not really hungry, I think I'll just get a coffee,"

"You should really eat, and don't get coffee. It will stop you sleeping,"

"Fine,"

"Rider had some pasta, he seems perkier. How are the other kids?"

"Gia is pretty upset, and refuses to go to school. Sage is back in the psychiatric hospital. I'm clearly a great fake parent,"

"I highly doubt this is your fault. It's a big responsibility, we all admired his parenting,"

"I thought you didn't speak about your personal lives?"

"No, but you can feel the happiness radiating off him if he talks about his kids, even when you're the other side of the ward, I swear. I really hope he recovers soon,"

"Me too,"

I got myself some food and a decaf latte, then we sat down at a table and tucked in. It was about 8pm now, so I must've napped for a while. Still, I was ready to sleep again.

"Once we discharge Rider, he should be okay to go back to school,"

"It's whether he will want to. Gia won't go,"

"Has she visited Cal a lot?"

"Once- crap, we were supposed to do that again today. Let me just text Ash to say we will do it tomorrow,"

"Oh, it's okay. They came by earlier,"

"They did? Oh, good,"

She smiled and I could feel myself blushing, so looked down to cut my food up.