my best friend: a tyrus fanfiction

chapter 12

"So, which part do you not understand?" he asked after getting organized.

    "Well," I looked down at my hands. I could feel the blush painting my face, "Not really any of it."

    "Okay, it looks like you know how to do that form so I'll teach you this one," he motioned towards the problem.

    I nodded. I followed what he said and soon I was getting a hang of it.

    "So what is the vertex of this function?" he asked me.

    "Um...36 because 9 times 4 equals 36," I was almost positive I was correct this time.

"Wait, Teej. That's a 6, not a 9," Cyrus explained.

Oh no. He's going to know one of my biggest flaws. I felt dumb. How could a junior in high school not know the difference between a 9 and 6?

"Well, I actually have a learning disability. It's called dyscalculia. It's embarrassing," I could feel the red color on my face deepening.

"That's not embarrassing, Teej. That isn't something to be ashamed of," he comforted.

"I know. I just feel stupid sometimes. Like I don't know the answer to a simple problem when everyone else does and that really sucks," I answered.

"You aren't stupid TJ. You are one of the smartest people I know," I gave him a disbelieving look, "It's true."

"I mean definitely not with math," I sighed, "clearly I-"

"TJ," he cut me off, "you're okay."

"I guess so," I replied.

"Let's finish this."

I nodded. I hadn't even noticed the nonexistent gap between our arms. His arm was right up against mine making my heart flutter. I never realized I could that way until now. I made sure I didn't move, to make sure he didn't notice either.

    "Cyrus?"

    "Hmh," he looked up at me.

    "Thank you."

    "Oh no, it's really-"

    "For everything," I didn't let him finish.

    "What do you mean?" he asked.

    "You care about me. More than anyone else has. You came here to help me do my homework when you could be with Andi and Buffy. I'm sure you have homework and things to do but you came here to help me. My sister is in a coma and you're not pitying me. You genuinely care. You drove me here because I was such a mess I could barely breathe or see. Thank you isn't enough," I blurted.

    "Of course, TJ. You've become like my best friend." I wish I could be more than his best friend.

    "I think I would say the same," I smiled.

    We sat in the cafeteria for a little longer talking about everything I had missed. We talked about Amber and Cyrus's friends and basketball and art.

"Do you want to come see Amber?" I asked breaking the conversation.

"I mean if that's okay," he answered.

"She's not conscious so I don't think she'll care," I felt bad making a joke right then but it needed it.

"Okay," Cyrus laughed.

We walked towards the staircase. We were close. Our shoulders bumped as we walked, neither one of us caring. When we got to the ICU I took Cyrus's hand.

"Come here," I said leading the way, "It's intense in there. I mean that's a given cause its the Intensive Care Unit but you know what I mean. It's kind of scary being in there."

I pushed open the double doors. We dodged doctors and nurses and we made our way towards Amber's room. When we got outside the door I pulled Cyrus close to me. I think I took him by surprise because I heard a small gasp escapes lips. I could kiss him right now. Yea not smart, TJ. We were inches apart. The tips of our shoes were millimeters away from each other and the only thing between us was our intertwined hands.

"She doesn't look like herself," I bit my lip, "She looks...sick. Like not dead but not alive."

"I know," was his only answer. He squeezed my hand making it hard for me to hold back my smile.

My mother opened the door making Cyrus and I separate to an "acceptable" distance for friends.

"Hey boys. I was just going to come look for you. You can go see her. Dad and I are going to take a walk," she held the door open for us and I nodded.

The room was dark. The blinds were shut and the only light was seeping through the slats. Amber's bed was in the center of the room and all of the machines that she was hooked up to surround her. Looking at her in that bed made me sad and I so badly wanted to know what was going through Cyrus's head at that moment. I held onto his hand as we stood at the foot of the bed looking at my sister. She looked tired, the same as always. I looked over at Cyrus. He bit his lip and sighed as he saw her. Kathy stood near her bed, adjusting one of the machines to Ambers right. She looked up as she heard us come in.

"Hi TJ. Who's this?" she asked turning towards Cyrus.

"This is Cyrus. He's a friend from school. Cyrus, this is Kathy she is Amber's nurse," I introduced.

"Oh. Cyrus, it's so nice to meet you," she smiled warmly, "I've heard so much about you." My stomach sank at her last words. Why did she have to add that? I mean I guess it was true but he didn't need to know that.

"Oh really? It's nice to meet you too," Cyrus added giving me a look.

"Well, I'll be out of your hair in just a sec. She's doing well T," I smiled at her as she left the room.

When the door was completely shut Cyrus nudged my side, "You talk about me?"

I could feel the blush warming my face, "Yea. I talk to her a lot when we are in here alone and when she's on break." I looked down at my hands messing with the bracelet Amber had made me when we were younger. It was a beaded bracelet with the word 'BEST' spelled across white cube beads. The rest of the beads were blue and green. Some were see-through and others weren't. Amber had the matching one that I had made for her. Hers had pink and yellow beads with the word 'FRIENDS' written across it. I never took mine off and neither did she. I only took it off for basketball and when I was afraid to lose it. I looked over at Amber. Her arm laid loosely over the sheet. I glanced down at her wrist that wore the matching bracelet smiling while threatened to appear.