4 Nerds Want Lemons

20

Chapter 20

Tomlin

Saturday 4:10 pm

***

I didn't know much about Ryland, but I could tell something wasn't right with the guy. It was 4 in the afternoon and he still hadn't come out of his room. I was starting to worry. What if he killed himself? What if he snuck a boy in? Oh, my god. What if he wasn't even here?

My brain was going wild.

My dad called and decided to go on an impromptu trip for the weekend and wouldn't be back until Sunday night, which was fine by me. I just didn't know if I should tell Ryland that my dad was gone and I was the only one here if he wanted to talk. Or just let him be. I will admit I was freaking out.

I decided to go and check on him. I knocked on his door and got a moan in response. I opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it lightly behind me. I was surprised he was still in bed curled up under the blankets.

"Ryland, are you okay, hun?"

"No. Go away, Lemons. This is all your fault."

I chuckled. "That's a lie. I don't know you well enough for anything to be my fault. Yet." I chuckled, sitting down on his bed, holding on to two mugs of coffee tightly.

"I made you coffee. Sit up and tell this queen your problems. I'm certified in being a life coach. I promise I'll be nice." I teased.

He sat up reluctantly, groaning with a long yawn. He took the coffee and sipped it then grimaced. "Too much sugar."

"It'll help make your insides start working. Deal with it." I told him, crossing my legs under me, my silky pink pajamas felt good against my skin and his comforter, they were brand new and only just worn today. I put them on after my morning shower to feel pretty.

"Where's the entourage of your beautiful boys?" I looked around and was surprised not to see them.

He rolled his eyes and a few tears seeped over his lids. He shook his head putting the coffee on the nightstand and curled back under his blankets. Whoa, okay. Seeing this 6'5 smart as fuck, hot as fuck, scary as fuck, dude with the military haircut crying was a hard pill to swallow. I put my mug down by his on the nightstand and curled under the blankets on the other side of him so I could look at his face.

"Tell me. I'm practically a stranger so it won't be as bad." I pouted with big puppy dog eyes.

He sniffled, running his long sleeve of his shirt under his nose. "They left the friendship circle." He sounded like a dying goat for a second the way his throat let out a scream of pain.

"No need to sound like an animal, hun. Come here, I'll hold ya and then you can explain." He chuckled a little, allowing me to pull him into a hug.

"There, there. Now try to tell me without the theatrics. I'm gay, not Robin Williams in the birdcage gay."

"Stop making me laugh." He whined.

"Then stop crying. Tears can clog your pores, you know. And make ya look ugly. I will die before someone sees me cry." I was joking, but not.

He smiled at me, his dark blue eyes seemingly a little lighter. "They're all mad at me I guess, the fucks." He complained.

"What happened between when I fell asleep and now to change things? I swear when I fell asleep everyone was good."

"It's so fucking dumb. You're gonna laugh at me."

"Oh, that's cute assuming I'm not laughing at you already. You literally just made a wild animal noise. So, hit me with your best shot." The song was started now and I had to end it with, "Fire away." Sung in a sing-song voice and a butt jiggle.