UNKNOWN || Dylan O'Brien

Chapter 20

Andrew's POV

It' 3am and I can't sleep. Ryan has been shuffling in his bed for the past hour. After we checked in the hotel, our sleeping arrangements were quickly set. Each room had two beds so Aleah and Ellie paired up, Will & Drake, Fay & Marie and Ryan and I.

"Shut up, I'm trying to sleep." I throw a pillow at him.

A few minutes pass and he's till shuffles in his bed. Sighing, I turn on my nightstand lamp. "Ryan I'm tired man. All I'm asking is for sleep." The light hits my eyes and I squirm. When I adjust to the light I look over to Ryan and I can see that he's sweating. That's weird, I think to myself. The heat isn't on and its 12 degrees outside. "Ryan" I call his name multiple times but he doesn't answer.

I throw my sheets and stand up. "Ryan" I call, now next to him. "Hey buddy wake up." I nudge him and once again there isn't a respond. "Ryan, wake up." This time I shake him out his sleep.

For a minute I regret it because he currently looks scared and unaware. "Are you okay?" I ask him.

He shakes his head with bloodshot eyes and he shakes. "What's wrong?" "N-Nothing." He stutters. I back up giving him some space. I've never seen him like this, wearing a look of disconcertion. I wait for him to tell me anything but he doesn't.

I stare at him unsure of what to do or say. "Hey you have to tell me what's wrong." He shakes his head. I run my hands through my hair. Why is he acting like this? I think back and he's been acting strange since he showed up at my house. "Is this why you've been staying over at my place?" he slowly nods, "What is it nightmares?" shaking his head he brings his knee's to his chest. "Then what is it?" I sit next him on the bed. A minute goes by and he doesn't answer. I arch my eyebrows and he looks away biting his lower lip. "Ryan what's up man? You're scaring me," for the first time he looks me in the eye. "I don't want you to think less of me Andrew." Tears fill his eyes. A hundred, if not a million things cross my mind, "C'mon dude, you know that's not likely."

"My uncle does, my aunt, even my own father does." A tear falls down his cheek. "I won't, I promise." He pauses breaking eye contact. "I'm, I'm..." a whimper escapes him and he sighs deeply. Closing his eyes he lays his head back. "I'm an addict." He says. What, I slightly chuckle thinking this might be a joke. But he doesn't laugh, he doesn't smile he doesn't do anything that might make this a joke. "Are you serious?" He nods.

I breathe slowly trying to hide any facial expression. "Oh," Is all I manage to say.

In the worst moment, my mind goes blank. "It's okay; I know what you're thinking." Ryan looks at me blinking away his tears. He gets up and walks to the bathroom then closes the door. Leaving me in the room alone with "I'm an addict" circling inside my head.

. . .

Lying in my bed I continuously replay over what Ryan said. Never would I have thought that he were capable of something like that, he's good and kind. The Ryan I remember was nowhere near anything bad let alone an addict, but I guess people change. Now what he needs is help, not another person to add to his list. It won't matter to me what he's going through or what he's done. He's my friend and I'll do anything I can for him.

A while goes by before Ryan exits the bathroom. His hair is wet which means he took a shower, I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I failed to hear the shower running. "About what I said," he says reaching for his suitcase. "Don't worry about it." I reply and he scoffs.

"I'm not, I just wanted to tell you that you don't owe me any... pity." he throws on a shirt. "What are you talking about?" "I saw how you looked at me Andrew and its okay, I get it." Along with his jeans he puts on his shoes and leaves the room. And once again I'm left alone, this time feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. Ryan needs someone right now, I might not be that person but I have to at least try. Like Marie, he's my best friend and I at least owe him that.