Please Stay

Chapter 5 | "Young Love"

Adri

"Aren't you Connor's friend?"

Chantelle has met Ryan before? Wait. Connor was my sister's ex-boyfriend. And Ryan is friends with Connor, so thats how Chatelle has met him before.

Now I just made myself confused with the names.

"Yeah," Ryan answers reluctantly. He motions to my mom, and Chantelle studys him from head to toe. "Are you Adri's boyfriend?"

He sighs. I love it when he does that, air blowing his sandy bangs to the side and puffing chest. "Nada, I'm just a friend," I sensed a hint of annoyance in his voice. Doesn't he like me?

Wait, oh my God. No, Ryan would never like me that way! A team captain with an art geek? I choke on my spit. "Let's just get Mom to the hospital. Chantelle, show some sympathy to her, jesus."

Then she remembers Mom had broken her arm. All the color drained from her face just like mine before, and then trying to blink back tears, dials for the ambulance. Wow.

| Hospital |

"What would the doctors do when they see all those bruises?" Chantelle exclaims, her earbuds out to hear me clearer.

Ryan just stares at the blank empty walls and the boring green chairs in the waiting room, eyes dull. I ignore my sister's loud thoughts and turn to Ryan. "Are you okay? You should go home, I'll take care of the rest,"

"Um, yeah, I'll leave. I don't want to get in some trouble, and call me if something happens. See you at school tomorrow!" He says, without excitement.

"Is something wrong? And also, Chantelle drove you here. You can get the bus and go home, or someone can drive you," I point out.

Now I feel a bad after that came out. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me, I'm worrying about you. But at least you guys are alright. I'll be taking the city bus." I felt warm. He's thinking about me, making sure I didn't have anything else to worry about. Charming.

Shut up, Adri.

"Want me to walk you out?" I ask, completely wanting to take that back and mind my own business. I made sure he didn't see me blush.

Now shut the hell up, Adrianna Copeland.

"Okay." He answers, surprised but wasn't offended. I think Ryan's pretty pleased. I felt proud about myself, too. Maybe I didn't have to quiet. Chantelle wasn't paying attention to us, but chilling and listening to her music, distracted.

We walk around the hospital, both of too shy to say a word.

A nurse passes by and smiles at us, and even an old sweet grandma muttered, "Young love." I hoped Ryan didn't hear that, and waved at the lady. A breeze comes in as the both of us walk out. Us?

Some bus comes around by the curb, and it stops as soon as a man carrying a cane and his pet dog walk across the street. Ryan runs his hand in his hair and murmurs, "See ya." I open my mouth to say it back but didn't get the chance. He leans down to my height and kisses my forehead.

"Everything's going to be alright, Adri." And then he leaves me for the bus. I, in my t-shirt and jeans, wondered why someone so much better had kissed a plain girl's forehead.

I can't wait to see him again.

________________

Connor's a college guy, not a high school senior.
Right now Adri's blushing too hard about when Ryan kissed her on the forehead. I thought the ending for this chapter was a bit sappy, but aye, it's cute at the same time.
Next update will be next week! I'm pretty busy because school's coming up and I'm excited (surprisingly)! Thank you for reading/voting/fangirling/who-knows-what/loving Please Stay!