If the Story Aligns

Chapter 15-Misplaced Indifference

Asher Reed

God, those bruises were terrible. Rhea rushed to put her sweater on so I didn't get a chance to look at them, but they looked bad. How could she possibly be okay after taking a fall off of a fucking motorcycle like that? Why wouldn't she tell anyone? Why wouldn't she tell me? I also got another look at the tattoo, this time I was able to tell it was lighting.

I realize I'm gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles were turning white when I hear Rhea make a tired moan from the passenger side. She passed the fuck out, she must be extremely tired. Before I can change my mind I switch routes towards my house rather than the school where her bike is.

I reach home, and gently try to shake Rhea away but does not budge. I get out, putting the books we need in my backpack and throwing it across my back before walking towards the passenger side door to grab Rhea. Maybe she will actually wake up if I try moving her. I readjust my backpack so I can better carry her before picking her up.

Moments like these are when I hate living on the second floor. Walking inside I see Nia sitting in front of the TV, she gasps not realizing I walked in and almost starts crying. "She's black, mommy, she looks like me." I walk over and realize she's watching the trailer for the new Ariel. I know a lot of people are upset about the switch in race for Ariel and lack of bright red hair, and honestly at first I was also like what the fuck, but seeing Nia's reaction makes me so happy for for this next generation of kids getting the representation they deserve.

After a few more seconds I realize I'm still carrying Rhea, and my mom and Nia look over at me. Nia squeals and says "Ashy and Rhea!!" I quickly shush her and whisper "Hey, Ni, I love you but you got to be quiet Rhea's sleeping." My mom looks at me with a knowing look and I just shrug, well at least as well as I can with a grown ass woman in my arms. "I'm going to go put her down, then I'll come back downstairs to talk to you, kk?" I add. "Kk, Ashy be quick I miss you and we need to watch the Ariel trailer again." She says giddily.

I go back to walking up the stairs, and I nudge open my bedroom door. I set her down onto my bed and her sweatshirt starts to ride up a bit, a large bruise is peaking out on her left lower back and I'm tempted to lift her shirt a little bit higher before I realize that sounds like a really bad idea and an Invasion of privacy. Before I decide otherwise I quickly change out of my wet clothes and head back downstairs.

"Ashy, why is Rhea over? It's late isn't it her bedtime?" Nia asks.

"She's asleep, silly, isn't she?" I retort.

"I know that! Shouldn't she be sleeping at her house?"

"Yeah, shouldn't she be, Asher?" My mom sarcastically adds.

I glare at mom before turning back to Nia, "She fell asleep while we were doing homework and she couldn't drive herself home on her motorcycle so I just took her here, I didn't want her to die."

Nia gasps and looks at me with wide eyes, "She would die?"

"Maybe, bikes are really dangerous especially when she's really tired."

"Oh, kk, good job taking her here then Ashy, I don't want her to die."

"Me neither." I mumble softly. My mom sends me another knowing look as I glare back shaking my head, even though I know she is right. I am so down bad for a girl who doesn't even feel the same way.

Mom puts the Ariel trailer on again because Nia insisted that I have to see it, and that I'll be so shocked by the mermaid. I look at my little sister and smile because seeing how happy she is makes me happy.

After making it through about a half an hour of Moana, I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. We all turn to look and see a rough looking Rhea. Her sweatshirt has a wet patch right across her chest and her hair dried in knots resembling a rat's nest on top of her head. I chuckle at her appearance because even though she looks like a disaster she looks gorgeous.

"Rhea! You're awake!" Nia runs over to her and hugs her, before she crinkles her nose in disgust and backs away from her, "You're wet."

"I know." She chuckles.

"Here, let me go grab you a change of clothes." I say and head towards my room.

"Um, no it's okay Asher," She scratches the back of her neck, "will you just take me to my bike, I need to get home."

Before I can object, my mom does thankfully. "No, Rhea, I can't let you do that, it's already dark, and it's pouring outside right now. It's too dangerous, especially on a motorcycle, I wouldn't be a good mom if I let you leave."

I could tell this frustrated Rhea but she just smiles and says "Okay, if you insist ma'am, thank you."

"Honey, I've already told you this, there's absolutely no need to call me ma'am."

"Right, I apologize ma-Nora." She sends Rhea a warning look before grabbing Nia and walking towards her room.

"Right after you." I smirk at Rhea and gesture her towards my room, I get a scoff in response. Well, tonight will surely be fun. Note the sarcasm. I look through my clothes and try to find the smallest things I own, I end up grabbing her a pair of boxers, a sweatshirt and sweatpants and hand them to her. She wasn't too much smaller than me, being 5'9 but I still had about 8 inches on her, so the sweats may be a problem, but her ass may make up for it.

She looks at me confused so I sigh and add "Do you want to sleep in wet clothes all night?" I hear a muffled thanks, before she walks into my bathroom. The spot I put her in my bed earlier was damp, so I quickly changed the sheets.

Rhea walks out of the bathroom wearing just the boxers and hoodie, "They were too long on my legs," she mumbles, "uncomfortable."

"Okay, let's go to bed." I chuckle.

"Are we both going to sleep on the bed?" She questions, I don't know where this shy Rhea came from, she's behaving much different from normal.

"Yes." I say and pull her into my bed, she faces the opposite direction of me and I take a chance by pulling her towards me wrapping my arm around her. She stiffens at the contact then eventually relaxes into my hold. Before I realize it, I'm drifting off into a deep sleep.

. . .