The Boy Upstairs /tronnor/

fourteen

Connor

"Where are we going?" I laugh, a piece of fabric tied over my eyes. Although that's blocking my sight, I'm still keeping my eyes closed to make the surprise authentic. 

"You'll see!" Troye chirps, his laugh sounding something like wind chimes. I begin to hear something like water, and immediately curiosity hits me. "Okay, take the blindfold off!"

I remove the fabric from my eyes, and I'm instantly hit by beauty. We're parked in front of a cute little pond. We're alone, and the sun is beginning to set. Next to my chair, I see a blanket laid out with a single candle in the middle and PB&J sandwiches next to each other. "Ta-daa!" Troye yells, throwing his arms in the air. "What do you think?!"

"It's beautiful." I whisper, smiling. Troye picks me up and lays me on the blanket, and I don't even hesitate to take a huge bite out of the PB&J. I moan out and close my eyes. "Ugh, this is so good. Such a nice break from that shitty food."

Troye laughs as he bites into his sandwich. "I know, right? I figured this would be a fun little getaway for us."

"Makes sense." I smile at him, taking another bite as we silently watch the water lap up on the rocks on the bank of the pond. "How did you know about this place, Troye?" 

"I've found it wandering around a bit." He smiles mischievously. Then he goes quiet, his eyes casting down to his sandwich. He lets out a shaky breath and looks up at me, his eyes submerged in tears. "It isn't fair." He croaks. I know exactly what he's talking about, and I make him curl up in front of me and wrap my arms around his waist, spooning him.

"I know, baby. I know." I murmur, kissing his cheek, up his jawline, to his ear. "We're gonna be okay."

"How am I supposed to tolerate this place without you?" I know's he's struggling to not let out a loud wail, and I hold him closer to me. 

"I'm always gonna be with you in here." I point to Troye's chest, and I nearly cringe at how cheesy that was, but it seems to comfort Troye. He sighs a little and snuggles up to me more. He closes his eyes and his breaths become even. My chest feels a sharp pain, but I ignore it. "You know that, right?" I ask when he's quiet for a while. "Troye?"

You'd expect him to wake up from his sleep, but he doesn't. I tap him, kiss his neck, shake him like a rag doll. Nothing works. Panic consumes me, and I'm looking around, screaming for someone to help. I reach into his pocket and pull his phone out, gasping for air at this point, my lungs working overtime to help me reach the end point of this panic attack I'm in the middle of. I call Jackie, begging to any higher power for her to pick up.

"How's the date going?" I can hear the smirk on Jackie's lips until she hears my hyperventilating. "Connor? What's wrong?" I can hear her jump up from her desk, muttering profanities under her breath.

"We were cuddling, and I thought he was asleep, but he won't wake up." I whimper. "He's still breathing. He just won't wake up." I start to panic again. "Jackie, why won't he wake up?"

"Con, it's okay. Try to calm yourself down. Panicking isn't good for your lungs, okay? Are you still at the pond?"

"Y-Yes." I stutter, tears rolling down my cheeks as I stare at Troye's seemingly lifeless body. "What's happening?"

"He told me he could handle a day without his medicine." She smacks her steering wheel. "He refused to take it this morning. Shit! I'll be there in five, okay? Stay on the phone with me, tell me if anything changes."

I nod, but I realize you can't pick up a nod over the phone, so I mumble something of an "mmhmm," and scoot back over to Troye, turning him on his back and placing his head in my lap. I play with his hair and sing to him under my breath until Jackie arrives in her minivan.