finding you

fifty four

I managed to get Rhys to start driving. I honestly think it's because he's trying so hard to not give in to me so he's doing it to distract himself. The thought makes me smile. His phone rings suddenly and he quickly answers. 

"What. Yeah, we left... okay, that's what I thought... It's fine. Bye." He clicks off and tosses his phone in the middle console and looks at me. "Ashton took Ronnie home, too. She's getting sick. Fuck, you guys got way too drunk tonight. If you feel like puking, you need to tell me."

I just stare at him and nod. I don't feel like puking. Ronnie definitely drank more than me... but not by much. Suddenly, I feel a little anxious. I've never gotten sick from alcohol before. I hope Ronnie is okay. If she's puking already then I must have not been far behind. 

"Theo?" 

My head snaps up. I zoned out on the road in front of me. I'm starting to feel really tired. I hear a sigh beside me and I can see Rhys pulling his face through his hand for the second time tonight. "Why do you seem so stressed?"

"What?" He turns to look at me for a second. "You're stressing me out. You're like passing out and it's fucking stressing me out."

I start laughing at him. He looks utterly distressed right now. It's making him look way too cute.

"Stop laughing."

"Okay," I laugh. "You're taking me to your bedroom right?"

"Christ, Theo-"

"No, whoops- sorry. That came out wrong." I burst out laughing again. "I just mean you're taking me back to your house, right? Although... I do somehow mean your bedroom, too, I guess-s." 

I hear nothing but a dramatic sigh come from his lips. 

"Nobody's home, right?" I ask after a moment of thought. 

"Theo!"

We get to his house not ten minutes later. I've become increasingly tired but I still feel awake enough to feel the nerves about being alone with Rhys in his house. It's weird how every time is like the first with him. I follow him up the front steps of his house, dumbly stumbling behind him. His hand is gently holding mine, not letting it go to even unlock the door.

"Watch your step." Rhys guides me inside and I'm welcomed by the familiar home-like environment. It's comforting to be here with him. "I'm getting you water. How are you feeling?"

"I'm not going to throw up, okay?"

"I'm just making sure... are you sure, though?"

"Rhys! I didn't drink as much as Ronnie. You wouldn't buy me more drinks, remember?" 

"Remember?" He repeats back to me in a mocking tone, pouting out his lip.

I gape at him before strutting over to him with my hand raised. He grabs it before I can even think about what I was actually going to do with it. He has an excited grin on his face, waiting to see what I do next. I narrow my eyes at him with a devilish grin I know I'm sporting. I go to lift my other hand but when he goes to grab it, I lift my knee to kick him. He moves so fast I don't even know what is happening for a few seconds. He has my one leg up in the air with his hands wrapped around it. A scream leaves my mouth followed by the sound of a true Rhys Collins laugh. It takes a second before I'm literally flipped upside down and thrown over his shoulder. He starts to run up the stairs and I try to hold onto his back for support. "Rhys, this is how I'm going to throw up!"

Rhys stops immediately and gently places me down. I'm still holding onto him even though my feet are steady on the ground. I don't quite trust myself to walk on my own at the moment. I feel his hand touch my lower back as he gently continues to walk us into his bedroom. "Bedtime, baby."