COLD TO THE TOUCH || RILAYA

F I V E

I jumped out the car and slamming the door behind me, not realizing Farkle was following. I ran into the hospital alone and began to vigorously ring a bell on the front desk.

"Ma'am, I'm going to ask you to stop," a man said as he turned to me, "we will be with you in a moment."

"I don't have a moment, I need to see Riley Matthews," I answer.

"Listen, there are other people here with medical issues that need to be taken care of first. Please just give us a few minutes."

I step back and take a deep breath, letting the people behind me take my place. I sit down and hunch over in the chair, playing with my ring to ease the stress. I feel a rub on my back and look up to see Farkle, my mom, and Mr. Matthews.

"We'll see her soon," Farkle said as he sat down next to me, "Topanga will let us know when it's okay to see Riley.

"It'll take time, baby girl. We all just need to be patient," my mother told me. Mr. Matthews nodded and patted my shoulder.

A few hours passed that consisted of me fidgeting with the ring, pacing around the waiting room, and constantly complaining to my mother how it was taking too long. Eventually, Topanga came out of the emergency room and greeted us.

"I'm sorry I never called or texted you, I left my phone in the car," she said to Cory in a calm voice. Calmer than I expected since her daughter just got into an accident.

"It's fine, just tell me how she's doing."

"She's stable, but unable to breathe on her own. The car hit her just right to bruise her left lung. I- Maya?"

Topanga noticed me shaking uncontrollably in my chair with tears flowing down my face.

"Maya, she's okay, she's okay! She survived, she's alive! Can you hear me?" Farkle said, looking me straight in the eyes.

"She almost died..." I managed to say.

"But she didn't. She's still here," he said as he leaned in and gave me a gentle hug.

"Matthews?" I heard a voice say. Farkle released the hug and I stood up.

"Is she okay?" I asked the doctor.

"Yes, she is. Where is the mother?"

"I'm right here," Topanga says as she emerges behind me.

"I need you stay in the room with her in case she wakes up. We don't want her to begin to panic when she doesn't see a familiar face with her."

Topanga begins to follow the doctor but turns around once she reaches the door. She makes eye contact with me, causing confusion. She walks in and walks back out, making a signaling for me to follow her. I eagerly run to the doors and trail behind her through the hallway.

As I walk by the rooms, I see children who are having to be strapped down to the beds, throwing up in buckets, and crying in pain. I then walk by a family surrounding a bed with three doctors inside. There was a space open to see what was going on, and I find the child to be hidden under a white cloth. I begin to feel my knees weak and stomach screaming.

"W-we need t-to get to R-Riley..." I whisper to Topanga.

"I know honey, but she's going to be okay, I promise you," she whispers back followed with her arm wrapped around my shoulders. I take deep breaths and keep on walking until we reach room 224. The doctors open the door and I push the curtains open as I run in.

"Oh, Riles..." I begin as I sit down next to her, "I can't believe you're going through this. I'm so sorry, but I need you here."

I dropped my face into my arms that rested on the bed extend to her as I cried.

"I... uh... I prayed for you," I said with a sniffle, "I said certain things I wish I had the courage to tell you to your face. I was just so scared of you leaving me. I just hoped the prayer reached to God and he answered because I can't have you leave us, especially me."

I look up to see her body completely still. I touched my hand to her heart. She was cold to the touch, but the beats were slow, but they were there. I let out a sigh of relief and I smiled. I remove my hand from her chest to her hand and hold a firm grip, but soft enough so I don't hurt her. I look at our hands to see the friendship rings.

"I remember you said how I'd die first and you'd tell the doctors to keep the ring on my finger. I don't want to tell the doctors to keep the ring on your finger, Riles."

I begin to tear up. I knew she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, so I rest my head next to her on the bed and drift off to a deep sleep, still holding onto her hand.

"Maya?" a voice said. I was half awake so I couldn't identify the person speaking, but I had high hopes it was Riley. But as my vision cleared, I saw Shawn hovering over me with his hand on my head.

"Hi, Shawn..." I say in a sleepy voice, "What are you doing here?"

"Well I heard about Riley. I heard how she came looking for you and got hit by a cab."

I lifted my head and squinted my eyes. "Who told you that exactly?"

"Minkus!" he exclaims in a soft voice. I release a small chuckle along with him. "Hey, Riley isn't going to wake up for some time and you still have school tomorrow. Everyone else left and Katy told me to bring you home."

"What? School? How do you expect me to go to school without her?" I ask with genuine curiosity.

"Alright kid, you're exhausted. Let's get you back home," he said as he lifted me onto my feet.

"No no no, I can't leave Riley! If I was in the hospital, she wouldn't leave for school the next day, I just know it!" I say, fighting back his grip.

"Maya, we're going to visit Riley everyday after you get home and you can stay as long as the doctors let you. Now come on, we have to go, it's very late."

I start walking out of the room in anger, feeling Shawn trailing behind me. Soon enough, we get into his car and I talk to him all the way home about Riley.

"You know, we totally beat you and Mr. Matthews. We're such better friends and-"

"I know you love Riley," he interrupted, "but is there anything else?"

I froze. How could he of known, or even guessed?

"What? That's ridiculous. She's my sister, what are you talking about?"

"Please, Maya. I know a friendship when I see one. I know lovers when I see them. Can you tell me that there isn't something more?" he said, making eye contact with me through the mirror.

"I... She..."

"Maya?"

I took a deep breath. "She's my world. She's my everything and I can't lose her. That's what I know."

I looked out the window and back at the mirror to see Shawn focused on the road, but wearing a smile on his face. I smile, too, and realize how it's okay if he knows.

"We're home, kid," Shawn said. I must've fallen asleep.

"Is she okay?" I ask, half asleep.

"She'll be just fine."

"Okay, good. I'm tired."

"I know, so let's get you inside," he replied with a side smile.

I hopped out of my seat and stretched, accidentally hitting Shawn in the face. He grabbed my hand and lightly touched my back with the other to guide me to the front door. I opened it myself and walked to my room. I flopped on my bed and turned to my right to see my wall dedicated to pictures of me with my best friend. I started tearing up, in fear she wouldn't make it.

Riley would never give up on you, snap out of it. You'll see her after school tomorrow. She'll be okay.

Without taking off my shoes and changing into pajamas, I fell asleep and dreamt of her.

-- END OF CHAPTER 5 --