The Quarry - Aftermath - Rylan

5 ~ Sick

- Dylan POV -

At that point I had no self-control, my head on Ryan's lap, as he played with my hair.
For fuck's sake, I could probably full on makeout with him and not have a single feeling except sick and cold. I guess "sick Dylan" is a good Dylan, he doesn't worry about embarrassing himself and doesn't hide his feelings.

There was one thing I noticed other than the fact that I felt horrible. I felt safe. Safe with Ryan. I felt like no one could take that moment away. Kaitlyn was passed out in the front seat still, she had no clue what was happening. But as soon as I could tell her, I would definitely be screaming it at the top of my lungs.

I woke up to Ryan shaking my shoulder a bit, Kaitlyn was already up talking to the towing company outside.

"No.. Still sick... not ready..." I shoved my words out of my mouth.

"Dylan! We get to go home after this... You have to get up. We have our uber ready, let's get you in there, okay?" Ryan helps me straighten myself up and brushes some hair out of my face. I didn't say anything after that, but I wrapped myself in my blanket and hugged Ryan. I heard a small gasp from him, obviously, I surprised him.

"Okayyyy, let's get you to the uber." He helped me walk to the uber, still stumbling. Ryan waved at Kaitlyn and smiled, she smiled back and continued the chatting with the company.

"Hey! Are we waiting for anyone else?" The driver asked.

"Yes... my friend, she's over there, she should be here soon." Ryan smiled.

"Mm..." I grabbed Ryan's shoulder, pulling him into a warm hug. "You're warm." I could feel Ryan's heart beating pretty fast.

Cute.

"So, how long have you been dating for?" The driver looks back at us. There was an awkward moment of silence.

"Oh hah, uhm, me and Dylan aren't dating." Ryan chuckles.

"Oh goodness! I'm so sorry. I just thought uh- you are both so close... so... sorry."

"No uh, we're just... friends." Ryan responds with. I smile and rest my forehead against Ryan's chest.

At this point, he might never talk to me again because of how clingy I act when I'm sick. I didn't care at the moment. I could act however clingy I wanted and blame it on the sickness later. That was a future me problem, not a present me problem.

I open my eyes to see Kaitlyn hopping in the car.

"Yeah, yeah, lovebirds, get a room." Kaitlyn grins. "Sorry, my name is Kaitlyn." She introduces herself to the driver.

"Hey, let's get this show on the road, huh? First location?"

Kaitlyn tells the driver where they were heading first. The first stop was my house. I sat up and thanked the driver, handing him money, I opened the door and got out of the car. Ryan gets out with me.

"Huh?" I ask.

"There's no way I'm leaving you in your kind of condition home, alone." Ryan mumbled. He took my arm and guided me to my house. I was dizzy... very dizzy.

As soon as we entered the house Ryan sat me down at the kitchen table.

"I'm making you some soup, after you eat, you are going to get rest. You need it." Ryan was quite stern while saying this. He reminded me of a mom getting angry at her kids for not eating their veggies.

"Ugh, fine. If you say so~" I whined. A few moments later Ryan served me a hot soup which I finished in a few minutes. I took my bowl to the dishwasher and put it in.

"Okay... I'll be in my room..." I mumbled.

"I'll be out here, come out here if you need me." Ryan smiles.

I head off to my room and change into some shorts and a t-shirt. The covers were warm, but I was still freezing, and my head hurt, really bad.

I tried for about 30 minutes to fall asleep, until I gave up. I took some advil for my headache and headed out to the living room with my blanket wrapped around me.

Ryan was on the couch with Shrödinger on his lap with his earbuds in. He glanced up at me and took his earbuds out.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes.. well... not really. I can't sleep because I'm freezing ass cold and my head hurts really bad." I frown.

He pats the couch, "Hey, come sit."

I waste no time to go and lay right next to Ryan, my head was so close to his shoulder... just a few more centimeters and I'd be leaning on him. I look over at him, his eyes were looking at his hands, which were fidgeting with his earbuds.

"Ryan?"

"Yes?"

"Can I, uhm... may I... lay my head on your lap?" I say, slurring on my words.

Ryan looks a bit shocked, flustered even. But that didn't make sense. He was obviously straight, that kiss at the firepit that one night was just a dare, he never wanted to kiss me. Ugh... what the fuck was I doing? I shouldn't be thinking about Ryan's interest in men or women.

"Sure... uh.. yeah." He blinked a few times.

I lay my head on his lap and close my eyes. Ryan takes the blanket and wraps it around me more. There it was, that safe feeling again.

Ryan brushed some hair behind my ears and held his hand to my forehead. Probably to check my temperature again... that's all it was. I blushed and a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

Soon after I fell asleep. On my crush. Ryan. This was like a dream, other than the fact I felt like absolute shit. Everything else was perfect.

I woke up in my bed with Ryan sitting next to me on his phone.

I groan and cover my eyes with the blanket wrapped around me. It was pretty bright out.

"Good morning, sleepy head. It's 11 AM. You feeling any better?" Ryan sets his phone down next to him.

"I mean... I'm still cold, but the headache is gone." I push the blanket off my face and sit up. "Holy shit... I'm really dizzy too"

"Agh, uhm, I'll get you some breakfast, stay here." He pats me on the knee and my face heats up with joy. Ryan was always so... serious... but I didn't mind it. It was really cute, actually.

Ryan comes back with a piece of toast with some butter. He sets it down in front of me and sits right next to me.

"Thank you, Ryan. I uhm.. I don't know what I'd be doing here without you."

"Probably sulking in bed and not eating, Dylan." He stares at his hands and starts fidgeting with the ring on his hand.

"Uhm, Ryan, are you alright? You look... nervous?" I take a bite of toast and turn my head to him.

"Yeah, I uh... yeah, I'm good."

"Bullshit."

"What the hell?"

"I can tell you're lying, Ryan. I'm sick, not dumb."

"Okay, okay, yeah Dylan, you got me.. I'll tell you about it once you're done eating..."

I frowned and started eating. Ryan was a good cook, even his toast was extra good.  Probably from having to take care of Sarah all by himself, or maybe because I had the biggest crush on him, nothing was bad. When I finished I poked him on the shoulder.

"Done, now.. what is wrong?"

"Oh, okay, uhm... let's head to the living room." Ryan takes my plate and walks over to the dishwasher, putting the plate inside.

I sit on the couch with my blanket and look over at Ryan, coming to sit over next to me. He looked nervous.

"What's up?" I was honestly concerned.

"Dylan, uhm, I think..."

There was a long pause but I didn't want to interrupt.

"I think I... might... like you.."