Tell Me How It Feels

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Finlay followed the timid voice to Ryan's bedroom. Why he had never checked there previously he didn't know, but he appraoched the door and cautiously pushed it open, bracing himself for what he'd see.

Ryan was a tiny ball of skin and material on his bed. The room was feverish yet he was wrapped up ever so tightly within the sheets and quilt, his skinny body shape visible underneath them. Finlay gasped after a few seconds as he noticed just how strange Ryan looked today. His face was facing towards him, nuzzled in his neck but still at the correct angle to face Finlay. His cheekbones had always been sharp and bold but they were very noticeable now, even in the darkness of the room you could see the shadows underneath them. They were skeleton-like.

"Ryan, what's the matter?" Finlay enquired as he scurried to kneel down beside his friend's bed. He studied the sheets clinging to Ryan's body and saw that he was shaking underneath and his arms were locked securly across his body, hugging himself.

"Sh-" He started, his jaw trembling uncontrollably with distant watering eyes.

Finlay placed one hand carefully on Ryan's top shoulder. He could feel the vibrations of Ryan's tiny movements through his covers. "Take your time. Don't rush."

"She's- Sh-" Ryan sniffed and whined slightly. This scared Finlay a little, he'd never seen anyone act like this and it was strange to see one of his friends, his best friend, become like this. He watched as Ryan made a little effort to turn on his back, only to give up a few seconds later with a long, high-pitched sigh.

"Ryan, I'm so so sorry." Finlay knew exactly what had happened, it was clear now. He rose slightly on his feet to embrace his feeble friend in a comforting squeeze. He could feel Ryan's wet and cold face on his neck, along with the tears that were now mixing with his hair. Ryan had always been a very sensitive person, and he allowed him to cry on his shoulder like the friend he was to him. Of course it was uncomfortable for Finlay, but any decent friend would be there and he felt it was his duty to be there for him. Plus, Hayley had also been a friend of his.

"When did it happen?" Finlay broke the slience, staring at the bright window which seemed out-of-place since the room was so dark.

"Yesterday. Yesterday Ni- Last night." Ryan moved away from Finlay neck and put his head back on his pillow, not looking at Finlay. "I was there, and she just..."

"You'll be okay, you just need time to think about things and hopefully you'll be-" Finlay rubbed Ryan's shoulder as his speech was cut short by his uncontrollable sobs and whimpers beneath him.

Finlay stayed there for what seemed like years, rubbing Ryan's shoulder and comforting him with kind words and good memories he recalled of time they'd spent together, himself and Ryan. Eventually, the window began to darken and Finlay asked Ryan if he'd like a cup of tea. He said yes and made no reference to Finlay's awful tea like he usually did, so Finlay tried his best to make a wonderful, steaming cup of tea that Ryan could enjoy. Just so momentarily he could think of something different, like how on Earth his tea was nice.

It was actually shocking to Finlay how long he had stayed in Ryan's bedroom. All day it must have been, apart from the odd trip to the kitchen. His phone was in the living-room, and he expected to have many texts off his other friends, but he felt staying with his friend was much more important at the moment.

"Finlay?" Ryan's voice cracked slightly.

"Yeah?" He away from the small notebook he was drawing in towards his friend's face which was peering at him from behind his sheets.

"I know this sounds a bit strange but," he shifted slightly so he was lying on the side facing Finlay. "But will you, like, stay tonight?"

"I live here Ryan, of course I'm staying." Finlay was confused and gave a little smirk of humour.