Lovesick. - Tronnor ✔️

8.

After we had officially decided my dad was never going to make breakfast again,  we drove up north to the American River where we would go rafting. We parked our car and you could already hear the river going wild. We walked towards the big, red building that was placed besides a peer and we went inside. 

A blonde, beach-lifeguard looking guy greeted us and told us he would be our instructor for the next hour. First, we had to put on life-vests since rafting can be kind of dangerous. We were going to do a race, the Mellets versus the Frantas. 

After the instructor, whose name was George (it fit him perfectly), demonstrated how to use our peddles and what we needed to do so we wouldn't die, he took us to the peer. Two boats had been set up for us and we were going in, one by one. 

I went in first, because well, I liked action and adrenaline. Once our boat was complete, the Mellets started getting into theirs. As everyone was getting in I could see Troye's face becoming more pale with every second. I looked at him with an expression that said: are you okay?

 He saw it but didn't give any sort of response.

 'Troye, your turn' Laurelle's voice screeched. I had discovered her voice always screeched, not just in the morning when Tyde puts on music no one asked him for. Troye didn't move. Shaun got annoyed, 

'Troye get in' he demanded. Troye walked closer to the edge of the peer, hesitantly, but he did. Then all of a sudden he rushed towards the edge, he bent forwards and threw up in the river. He fell on his knees as my dad's meatloaf came out of where it once got in.

 George immediately went up to Troye and knelt down next to him and made sure he wouldn't fall into the river. Troye's parents got out of the boat while talking in hushed voices. That soon turned into louder voices as Laurelle was drawing circles on her son's back.

 'No, Shaun he can't stay here! We need to go back!' 

'And let him ruin everything? Come on, just one bad meatloaf, no need to ruin everyone's day' 

'Shaun, he's on the list of a neurological scan, it was a ridiculous idea to take him with us in the first place!' I looked at Troye and I could see his self-worth being crushed by every sentence his parents spoke. They were making it seem like he was a burden on everyone. His face was as white as a sheet, you could almost see right through him. 

George stood helplessly in the middle of the two arguing adults, his eyes darting between Shaun and Laurelle.  I looked at mom, 

'Can you give me the car keys?' I asked. Mom raised her eyebrows.

 'Why?' she asked surprised. 

'I'll drive Troye to the tents, then both the Mellets can stay and stop fighting and everyone can raft' I explained. I had rafted a lot of times in my life, I could miss one. Mom got it, she didn't like this either. She got the keys out of her pocket and handed them to me.

 'Thanks Connor' she said with a smile. I smiled back and climbed out of the boat onto the peer. Laurelle stared at me confused, Shaun looked mad, his eyes piercing through me. As if it was so bad I interrupted his argument with his wife.

'I'll take him back to the tents, he can't stay like this, and you guys can then go and raft and everything will be great, okay?' I said as I looked at the Mellets. Troye smiled timidly, his eyes said a thank you, and George's even a bigger thank you. Shaun raised one eyebrow and looked at his wife. 

'And since when does Connor Franta know what's good for our son?' he stated sarcastically, as if I wasn't there.

 'Ever since you don't' I replied sharply, god this man was a douchebag. I was surprised by my own remark actually, but he deserved it. He stood there startled, Laurelle looked at him with an expression that said she would kill him If he said one more thing. 

I stretched my hand out to Troye who grabbed it and I pulled him up. I let go and he staggered, he could barely stand, he immediately grabbed onto me for support. His legs were limp, he slowly sat down again. I could see the tears welling up in his eyes. I knelt down and shoved one hand behind his back and the other one under his knees and picked him up bridal style.

 I brought him inside the building, we took the lifevests off. I saw the goosebumps that were covering his upper-arms. He was shivering again.

 'God Troye, why didn't you bring a hoodie?' I remarked with a supportive smile. Troye smiled timidly, I could see he was on the verge of breaking and if he said something his voice would crack and the tears would be flowing like a river.He  needed someone who was there for him without calling him weak or finding him annoying for something he can't help. 

I took my hoodie off, 'Swap' I said and handed it to Troye. He took his own sweater off and gave it to me. He needed a warm hoodie more than I did. It looked baggy on him, it looked cute. His sweater fit me too. They probably didn't sell the size Troye was. I picked him up again and walked to our car, I put him in the backseat and drove all the way back to the tents.

 I carried him to our tent and laid him in bed. 'Thanks' he said.

 'No problem' 

and then he fell asleep. His eyelids fluttered as he dreamt about lord knows what. Hopefully it was something that made him happy, so he wouldn't feel as bad when he woke up as he did when he fell asleep. 

When both families came back he was still asleep, he slept all through dinner and bonfire as well. I made sure to check on him every 30 minutes and he slept like a rose. Then, around 11;30 pm our parents decided we had to go to sleep as we had school the next morning. They would drop us off on the way back home. So we couldn't really sleep in. I didn't quite get why we stayed this night too but I guess they didn't like just 2 days of camping. My parents were weird. And Troye's too apparently.

 I carefully entered our tent, trying not to wake Troye up. I shoved under my covers and decided to check my phone real quick before going to sleep. Bethany was asking how I was surviving, I ignored it.

 'Connor..?' I heard Troye's voice. 

'Shit, did I wake you up?'

 'No.. Maybe.. Yes..' Troye said as he rubbed his eyes. 'How long was I asleep for??' he asked, his voice was raspy.'

 'About.. 6 hours' I stated, he widened his eyes. 

'what?' 

'Yeah I guess you were tired' I responded with a smile. Troye sat straight up.

 'Damn..'  he stared at the ground as he fumbled with his hands. 'I hate this so much,' he stated with a sigh.

'What?' I asked, not knowing what he meant. He looked at me, sadness shone through his eyes. 

'Just, this, that I can't even participate normally in a camping trip, instead someone has to drive me back' he explained, his head hanging low. 

'But you can't help it' I said, trying to cheer him up and getting him to smile again. He didn't smile a lot, but when he did he looked beautiful. I hated that there was something he didn't have control over that stopped him from smiling. Troye slowly nodded his head, moonlight fell on his face, enhancing his jaw.

 'Come, let's get out of here' I said and I made my way over to the entrance. I noticed Troye hesitating. 

'You wanna participate in a camping trip or nah?' I asked rhetorically as I raised my eyebrows. He sighed, 'sure' 

 We crawled out of our tent. 'and now?' he asked when we were both finally standing. 

'We walk'

 'To where?'

 'There doesn't have to be a destination' I answered and I started walking.

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I'M OFFICIALLY ON SUMMER-BREAK SO THAT MEANS CHAPTERS! (or not since I sometimes have a social life but that's really rare)

xo -J