Kylie and Keith survived their... eventful week together.
And, now they're living their life like each other's yin and yang. Balancing each other out, and reigning each other in.
Until, news is heard.
Good news.
Keith gets selected to tour Europe wi...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
∆∆∆∆∆∆
(Keith's POV)
I'd just met with coach about a celebratory party and was walking back to my and Ryder's shared room with Justin, when I heard an unnaturally raised voice.
It was coming from my room.
Justin shot me a worried look, but I assured him I'd manage and told him to get back to his own room. He looked a bit unsure, but eventually he gave in.
I tapped my key card onto the lock and pushed open the door just in time to hear Ryder hang up with whoever it was and chuck his phone across the room.
I rushed into the main part of the suite to find Ryder curled up, with his body actually shaking with sobs.
"Ryder?" I asked quietly. "All good?"
Ryder looked up with tears running down his face.
"No. I just..." His voice cracked, and he shook his head. "I can't do this."
He whispered.
I moved to sit down beside him, and I wrapped my arm around his shoulder.
Ryder knew how to fill the room with his jokes and macho attitude. And around the girls...? Don't even get me started.
So, whatever was bothering him must have been really really bad, because this was the first time I'd ever seen Ryder shed tears.
But then, I realised what was bothering him.
"Kylie."
Ryder nodded wordlessly, filling the room with a thoughtful silence that seemed even to muffle Ryder's sobs.
Finally, Ryder spoke.
"I'm so worried about her, Keith. I don't know what she's doing to herself. I..." His voice cracked again, and anyone who knew Ryder would know that this was him hitting absolute rock-bottom, emotionally.
"I know." I told him quietly, it felt like if I raised my voice, he'd shatter beyond repair.
But this is Kylie we're talking about. She'll manage. She always does.
But, I bit back the words. I knew they'd just make this worse, and they'd make me look even more uneducated in the arts of Kylie.
The minutes flitted by endlessly, and Ryder's body began to still. But it wasn't until Ryder's barely audible snores filled the room that I realised he'd fallen asleep.
So, I re-adjusted his position as carefully and as well as I could (Ryder wasn't exactly light) and let him sleep off his grief. All the while hoping, that Kylie could hang on for a little longer.
~~~~~~
Ryder refused to eat that night.
Not. A. Bite.
And when coach threatened to send him to his room early, he looked bleakly up at coach before silently getting up and leaving.
Which led everyone to looked really pointedly at me.
"Is he okay?" Jacob asked.
"He's... Yeah. He's just dealing with something."
"Both of you are dealing with something." Coach corrected. "Don't think we haven't noticed."
I opened my mouth to argue that he was wrong but it was a futile effort.
Coach seemed to get the gist, and he frowned.
"You know what, why don't you boys take the week and a half off, hmm? Starting Tuesday. I mean our next set of games are beginning only next month, and since we have continuous games after that, you'll need all the rest you can get." He turned to look at each one of us. "I'd also like that you stick to your fitness and diet regimes. If you do that, we have a deal."
One by one all the boys nodded, until finally coach's eyes landed on me.
I weighed my options, not really needing much time.
"Okay, coach. We'll do that. Thank you."
Coach nodded stoically, but I could see the understanding in his eyes.
"I expect not to see you and Ryder moping around after this break. I'll bench you if you are." I knew coach meant it as a joke- his smile told me so- but I couldn't help but wince.
