Sunflower

Chapter 26

4 Years Ago

Niagara Falls, New York

"Chris, man...you don't look so good," Cole says, stating the obvious when he and our other friends finally find us on the ferry boat.

"I'm aware," Chris groans, pulling the hood of his poncho back over his eyes.

"I didn't know you got sea sick," Andrew says.

"He doesn't. He gets...shrimp sick," I say, realizing how lame that sounds as soon as the words leave my mouth.

"Good one babe," Chris says, patting my back.

"We were just talking about doing one of those pedal bars after this," Annie says excitedly. "You guys in?"

I look at Chris and frown. There's no way he's going to be pedaling anything in his condition. "I think Chris and I are just gonna go back to the room."

"No, no. You should go," Chris says quickly. "You've been looking forward to this trip so much. Don't let me ruin it for you."

"Ruin it for me? You're sick," I remind him.

"I'll be fine. You go out and have fun. I'm just planning on napping all day anyway; you won't be missing anything," he shrugs, smirking.

For a second, I contemplate his offer. I know he'll be fine on his own. He doesn't need me to take care of him. But that's not why I don't want to go.

"I don't want to go if you're not going," I whisper to him so our friends don't hear us.

He smiles as if he didn't expect me to say that at all. But it's true. Everything is more fun with Chris around. If I went out without him, I'd only be thinking of him the whole time and worrying if he's okay. Besides, if it was me who got sick, Chris wouldn't hesitate to stay in and take care of me.

"So... are you going? Not going?" Cole asks, motioning for me to hurry up and give an answer.

"Sorry, we're sitting this one out. But you guys have fun!" I tell them.

"Come on, Lu Lu, Chris will be fine! Come with us, please!" Annie begs, latching onto my arm.

"I'm sorry, I can't. My boyfriend is sick," I remind her.

"He's a big boy. He can take care of himself," Sam smirks.

"I know he can, but that's not the point. I want to take care of him when he's sick. I would rather be cooped up in a hotel room watching reruns of The Office all night while my boyfriend snores like a freight train, than to be doing something fun without him."

"Hey," I Chris says, mildly offended.

"It's cute that you want to take care of your man, but as your best friend, I can't allow you to miss out on this once in a lifetime trip," Annie says, not willing to back down.

"It's not a once in a lifetime trip. You and I were just here two years ago," I remind her.

"If she wants to take care of her man, let her take care of her man," Andrew shrugs. "I wish I had a man to take care of me when I'm sick."

"Why? You've got us," Cole smirks at him, slinging an arm over Andrew's shoulder.

"So you're seriously telling me that if I got sick, you'd take care of me instead of having fun?" Andrew asks, giving him a bored look.

Cole looks a bit caught off guard, definitely at a loss for words.

"Uh-huh, yeah. That's what I thought," Andrew scoffs. "If Lucy wants to take care of Chris, leave her alone about it. If it were Sam who ate the bad shrimp, you'd want to stay in and take care of him too."