-riley-
Mrs. Friar calling...
"Hello, Mrs. Friar?"
"Hi Riley, honey. Can I ask a favour? I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Mrs. Friar. What is it?"
"You see, Lucas is crazy sick and I just got called in for work and his dad won't be coming back home from his business trip for a week. I really wish I didn't have to ask you this, but will you be able to come over and take care of Lucas for the night? He's been talking about you in his sleep as well, so I know he'd be in good hands."
"Don't worry about it, Mrs. Friar. I'll be there in a bit."
"Will you really, dear? You are an angel. Thank you very much. But just to warn you, Lucas is a vomiter."
"I can handle it, Mrs. Friar."
"Thank you, thank you."
I hung up the phone and dressed up. I still need to ask my dad if I can go, but I am not going to take no for an answer.
I go to the living room and see them eating and discussing the day's events.
"Daaaddy, mooomma." I begin sweetly.
"Oh no, she wants something." Auggie rolls his eyes at me and keeps eating.
"Why are you dressed up, honey?" Mom asks.
"Yeah, where are you going?" Dad adds suspectingly.
"You see, Lucas is sick and his mom got called in for work and no one is at home to take care of him and he's been muttering my name in his sleep and he's crazy sick and he's a vomiter and he really needs someone to take care of him so I really need to take care of him for the night." I said rambled on. My breath runs out and I smile at them after saying everything. My dad just has his usual "what is wrong with you" face and my mom looks like she already knows what to say, like always. Auggie, on the other hand, is just stuffing his face, watching what's going on.
"Riley, I don't understand why-"
"Yes, Riley. You can go." My mom interrupts what my dad has to say and smiles at me.
"But-" My dad tries again but my mother just glares at him.
"Thank you, thank you so much. I love you." I kissed both of my parents on the cheek and messed up Auggie's hair and ran out the door.
Lucas' apartment was a couple of blocks away from ours and it would take me 10 minutes to get there. I was really worried about Lucas and how sick he was. He hasn't been to school in 2 days and he hasn't been on his phone at all, so I don't even know how bad he is right now.
I get to his apartment complex and buzz, telling the intercom who I am. I got buzzed in immediately and walk up the stairs to his door.
His mom opens the door with a worried smile and she hugs me.
"You don't know how thankful I am for you. I hope I didn't get you in trouble for this, honey."
"Don't worry about it Mrs. Friar, my mom will lawyer it up." I smiled.
"Well, I'm running late. I know my son is in good hands. My number is on the fridge, the bucket is beside his bed, the washroom is down the hall, towels are in the closet beside the washroom, medicine is in the cupboard in the kitchen. I think that's everything." Lucas' mom was frantic and really worried.
"Mrs. Friar, don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything. Take care." I smiled at her as she walked out the door and she hugged me again.
"My son is lucky to have you." She says as she closes the door.
I slowly walk to Lucas' room and slowly open his door. His room already felt slightly stuffy and he looked slightly pale under the sunset from his window.
"Riley..." He groans from his bed.
I quickly sat on the space beside him and held his forehead. He was burning.
I went to his washroom and soaked a towel in lukewarm water. I went back to him and put it on his forehead. With the cool feeling, his eyes fluttered open.
"Riles?"
"Hey sickhead." I smiled at him.
"Why are you here?" He tried to say without coughing.
"Your mom had to go to work, so she asked me to come."
"She shouldn't have done that. I would've been o-" He stopped what he was saying to throw up and I moved the bucket closer to him. I rubbed his back as he threw up.
He stopped throwing up and I got up to get him ginger ale from their fridge and crackers from their cupboard.
I came back and he was having a coughing fit again. He was sat up and rubbing his face with his palms.
"You know you don't have to do this." He says after coughing, his voice all raspy.
"Well, I want to."
He reaches for a cracker and I help him drink the ginger ale. He smiles slightly at me and starts coughing again.
"Have you gone to the doctor's yet, Lucas?"
"No, my mom and I were supposed to call today."
"Okay well, I'll call the doctor with you now."
I go to his fridge and see all the important phone numbers: His mom's, the doctor's, his dad's, his neighbour's. I take my phone and dial the doctor's number and ask him to come over. He says he'll be here in 20 minutes.
I come back and Lucas is coughing again.
"Your doctor will be here in 20 minutes."
"Thank you. You know you're amazing, right?" He smiled at me.
"Of course, you tell me everyday."
"I just like to remind you." He smiled, but still went back to coughing.
He reached for my hand and I held it immediately.
"I like having you here, beside me. I feel like I did something right."
"Lucas, you are something right."
"Riley, you are the only thing that's right with me. Thanks for being here."
"Lucas, you're sick. Of course I'll take care of you."
"No, not just now, Riley. I mean, thanks for being my friend and being there for me, no matter what."
"You've always mattered to me, you don't even need to mention it."
"Well, I'm doing it anyway."
I move to sit next to him and he moves to make space. I put my head on his shoulder and he just keeps my hand in his hand.
Ten minutes later, the doctor arrived and examined Lucas. He gives him medicine to take for the night and some sleeping pills so he'll be able to get through the night without waking up to throw up. Lucas was basically drugged to sleep and I set up my little cot to sleep by his bed, in case he does wake up.
"Rileeeey." He called and I laughed a little as he moved around his bed.
"Yes, Lucas?"
"Sleep beside meee, I'm lonely."
"Lucas, your mom is going to come home and she expects me to sleep on the floor or on your couch."
"Please Riley, it'll be the only thing that'll make me better."
"Lucas.."
"Rileeeey.."
"Yeah, okay." I rolled my eyes and lifted the blanket to lay under.
He immediately put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
"I'm in love with you, Riley." He whispered and I think I choked a little.
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I'm sorry, I said I'll have this up by sunday or something but I've been soo busy and I've been feeling sick. Thank you so much for voting, reading and commenting. You guys are amazing
