The Middle Child

Chapter 13

One day Alyson woke-up the pain was gone and the chill she'd developed from the fever was gone she felt bone-tired but didn't feel any pain. She gently shook Hayden. He'd fallen asleep with her in his arms. Nothing romantic but it was the only way Alyson was able to fall asleep or be comfortable at all.

His eyes opened tiredly, he looked like a small child. His face was innocent and pouty from being woken up.

It was replaced almost instantly as he looked at Alyson.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" He asks his eyes raking over her.

"I think my fever broke," Alyson says. Hayden's face suddenly broke into a toothy grin.

"Lemme feel," Hayden says gently touching her forehead.

"Feels normal, but I'm gonna go get a thermometer. Wait here," he says his eyes bright despite the lack of sleep that both of them suffered from. Kai yawned and wiggled up closer to Alyson's chest. Alyson laughed at the pups' causal behaviour.

Hayden came back with company, Daniel, Dylan, Mason, Collin, Luca, Nate and even the meanie Dustin. They all wore a face of relief.

"Open up, Goldilocks," Hayden says. Alyson gives him a pointed look. Ever since she's been having this pain he's started to call her Goldilocks and Alyson didn't appreciate it. She opened her mouth for the thermometer.

The air was thick in the room as they waited for the stupid device to beep. When it did everyone jumped at the sudden noise, 98.6. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Finally, now I can get some sleep without your crying," Dustin says but his eyes give him away, showing he was glad she's okay now. Mason ran over a threw his arms around her and tackled her to the bed.

"Archerson!"

"Maikoh!" They challenged each other. Kai gave his pupish bark at them angry for being disturbed. Alyson pushed the much heavier person off her, but it was harder than it usually was. She felt weak. All her muscle felt like it disappeared. She pushed him off with sheer willpower. Collin was the next to attack her. He hugged her tightly, no witty jokes just him being glad she was alright, everyone soon joined in on the hug. Alyson felt laughter bubble up until she was bursting with joy.

Alyson stopped laughing as she remembered this was bound to happen again in the future. She'd been thinking a lot about what this meant for her in the future.

Would this happen more often now?

Would she ever get used to it?

How come this didn't show up before? Why now?

She suddenly felt helpless, she pushed away from the internal struggle and focused back on the herd of boys in her room.

"So, what now? Can I go to the woods again with you guys?" Alyson asks excitedly. The boys all shared the same face and refused to meet her eyes. While she was sick, they'd ran around getting themselves aquatinted with the forest. The only one she could be with was Daniel and though Daniel was awesome, she missed the forest.

"Well... we all decided it'd be best for you to go back home for a while and rest up. We learned the forest well enough for us to find the heart on our own," Dustin says not meeting her eyes. Sadness rushed through her. Then it was quickly turned into anger. She should've known better, no one ever wants her around for too long.

"I understand," Her voice hiding the disappointment in her heart. She knew no one would ever truly care for her. Today would be the last time she saw them for a long time if ever again. A lump formed in her throat, she swallowed it quickly.