What-up my homies, how's it hangin'? Just talking like one of my best friends for a sentence. Lol
So here's chapter 4!!! At one point someone says 'oober cool' which isn't a real word – it's just a thing I say just so you know it's not a typo and it's said the same way it's spelled. Flashbacks are in bold, and the bold italics in this chapter are the words of the person on the other end of phone conversations.
I decided I'm not getting rid of this story after all. I'll just write it out on my own… to tell the truth I pretty much did anyways even when there were two of us... Brandon is so not gonna appreciate me saying that. Hey, B if you're reading this!
So then… on with the show!!! Valentine's Heart Cookies for anyone who reviews!
Chapter 4: Take-Out Dinners and Hospital Visits
"Do you really think you should go alone, especially if you're feeling sick?"
Jessica scoffed at the mere thought of her brother's slightly thoughtless comment. Sticking her hands deep into the pockets of the hoodie she had grabbed on her way out of the house while kicking a pebble lying in her path, choosing to overlook the fact that deep down she knew that her brother only asked because he was worried about her, instead ranting inside about how he always treated her like a child. I mean come on, I ALWAYS feel sick because I'm ALWAYS sick! You get used to it after a while. Brandon needs to get with the program! I mean really, we found out six months ago for God's sake, why can't he just let it go? It's not like I'm gonna suddenly fall over dead… but then that's what the said about Mother too...
"There I go again, always acting like the childish little girl I am when no one's around. Why do I always have to go and cry?" Jessica asked herself with a small sob, a few tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes that were brushed away quickly so that her mascara wouldn't run as she continued up the street with no destination in mind. Not that she knew enough about the town to have anywhere she wanted to go or even to know where there was to go. All she had known for sure was that the constricted suffocated feeling creeping through her body needed to be appeased and that getting away from everyone for a while was the only way to make it go away. Walking down the middle of the completely unfamiliar road seemed to be helping slightly with the tight feeling in her chest, and seeing as Jessica had no intention of spending any extra time in her father or stepmother's presence…
"Jessica?"
Snapped out of her reverie at once by the sound of the voice, she looked up at the increasingly familiar person standing just behind a white picket fence smiling at her broadly as though seeing her standing there made his day worthwhile. She waved at him vibrantly, rushing down off the road and into the soft grass to look up over the top of the fence into his face.
"Hey there Riku, nice to see you again so soon. I didn't think I'd see you until tomorrow in first period, whatcha doing?" Jessica asked with a laugh when he continued to flash her his brilliant smile he seemed to wear just for her. Looking at the house behind him she gasped. "Is this where you live? It's a truly beautiful house."
"Yeah I live here, and I guess it is kinda nice from a certain point of view. I was just painting the fence for my parents – you know how it is with chores and all that unnecessary junk they always want their kids to slave away at. But to be fair and completely honest I must say, as long as I end up with my allowance at the end of every week I don't complain… too much anyways." Riku shrugged heavily, the shaking the paintbrush in his hand so the pain went flying everywhere. Jessica ducked, covering her head as she shrieked. "Sorry, there I go being clumsy again. I didn't get paint on your shirt did I?"
"No, you didn't get anything on me that time. No harm, no foul, no paint on my shirt, we're good." Jessica smiled up at him. Running out of things to say to him already and secretly afraid she might start to ramble like an idiot, Jessica looked for a way out of the conversation. "It looks like you're kinda busy right now painting your fence and whatnot. I can leave if you are…"
"I'm not really as busy as I look, you can stay and talk to me, I-I want you to stay for a while – if you want t-to I mean. You don't have to if you don't want to, I don't want to make you do anything you don't wanna do because I'm not like that." Riku ran over her talking fast and seeming a little confused as to what he himself was saying and why he was stuttering. "We can keep talking Jessica, it's no problem. I can paint the fence and talk to you at the same time. You wanna come over to this side of the fence? You can sit down over on the porch swing and we can talk while I work."
"I guess that could be fun. I can stay a while." She giggled as he opened the fence gate for her so she could step inside. It wasn't until he shut the gate behind her that she got a clear view of him – and immediately wished she was back on the other side of the fence where it was 'safe'.
"What's wrong Jessica?" Riku asked a slightly mocking note in his voice as he smirked down at the surprised look on her face. She blinked rapidly a few times, staring up at him resolutely through her long eyelashes as though indifferent, while really trying collecting herself before she spoke.
"Nothing's wrong, why do you ask?" Her voice sounded funny to both of them, as though she'd sucked the air out a helium balloon, but neither of them commented on the matter mainly for her sake. Riku touched her arm and she jumped, causing him to laugh silently to himself as he led her over to the swing. She took a seat straightening her skirt and he walked back over to the fence leaving her to her thoughts.
Oh God, I wasn't expecting this to happen, of all things that could happen it had to be this didn't it? Not that I'm complaining about it or anything, but – I so wasn't ready for that one! How was I supposed to know he was SHIRTLESS!?! Or that he looked so ungodly hot without his shirt on, even though I probably could have guessed that fact now that I think about it... I mean really, I couldn't tell he was shirtless from the other side of the fence, this is so unfair! I was totally unprepared for that, but at least it's over with now… And at least he can't see me staring at him like this while he's painting – he definitely noticed me looking when I first came through the gate though. Oh damn, he's gonna be so flipping smug now…
"So how was your first day?" Riku asked as he worked, seemingly not conscious to his companion's inner turmoil over his impressive physique.
"Um, it was okay I guess, not that bad anyways." Jessica mumbled, not really paying attention to what she said. Will all fairness, she had good reason. Her brain had temporarily shut down, completely self-destructed on her when she needed it most.
How am I supposed to concentrate on anything let alone a conversation with him when I can see the top of his boxers sticking out of his pants practically DEMANDING all of my attention? Not to mention his amazing muscles that aren't even over the top and all that wonderful pale flesh. And God, did you see his abs? Don't even get me started…
"Make any new friends then?" Riku asked, looking over his shoulder when she didn't answer right away. He noted the uncomfortable, if not perplexed, look on her face and how she didn't seem to notice that he'd turned around just yet. A second later she did, her eyes trailing up his body until she met his eyes before looking away quickly as though embarrassed. "Jessica, is something wrong? You aren't talking to me, and in my experience so far it's hard to get you to stop long enough to breathe let alone get you completely silent."
"I'm fine, really." Jessica said quickly, a little too quickly for Riku.
"Am I making you uncomfortable or something?" Riku asked her, watching her eyes. The flicker of light that danced through them answered for her before she'd even opened her lips to speak. "I get it, don't worry. If you want I can put a shirt on-"
"You don't need to do that, really you don't!" Jessica cut him off, blushing once she registered what she'd just said and taken in the slightly shocked if not altogether pleased look on Riku's face. "I mean, it's hot out and you'll burn up. Really, I don't mind. I do have a brother after all, who happens to be a slob and run around topless all the time simply because he's too lazy to do his own damn laundry so that he has a shirt to wear… and I'm rambling aren't I?"
"Yeah, just a little bit." Riku smiled at her. She looked embarrassed again, her cheeks bright pink as she studied her shoes for lack of anything better to do. "It's okay though, I like it. When you ramble I mean. You're more comfortable with yourself and what you're saying when you ramble. Ramble all you want."
Jessica looked up at him, meeting his eyes without embarrassment this time. He smiled once more before returning to painting the last few feet of the fence, chatting with a much more comfortable Jessica – who of course was staring shamelessly at his half naked body from where she sat wishing she'd thought to bring her camera with her so that she could remember what he looked like without his shirt on for the rest of her life. When he was finished Riku went and collected his shirt from where it hung over the edge of the banister-like railing of the porch and slipped it over his head before sitting down beside Jessica on the swing draping an arm around her shoulders pulling her closer to him, Jessica only panicking in hesitation for a moment before leaning against him. Riku smiled down at her, realizing as she twiddled her thumbs as they talked of music that she was finally opening up to him and beginning to feel comfortable around him. They talked until it started to grow dark and the wind began to blow cold.
"It's getting dark out, I better start walking home for dinner if I want to get there before night really hits. I guess this is goodbye for now then Riku." Jessica said reluctantly pulling herself out of Riku's grasp and standing up. As she made to leave she felt a hand grasp her wrist staying her. Turning she watched Riku stand up towering over her.
"Jessica, do you want to stay? To, like, have some dinner or something… with me?" Riku asked her as he put his arm back around her should as she shivered in the cold. "Come on, you know you want to. It'll be fun, I promise."
"I don't know Riku. For one I've never met your paraents before. Would they mind if I say for dinner and they haven't previously met me?" She asked to buy herself more time to think. If I don't get home soon, my Father and step mother might flip out on me and do something drastic. I don't know how long Brandon would be able to cover for me…
"The thing is it's like this – my parents kinda aren't here right now. They're out of town for a business trip. Mum's a lawyer and got sent out of state for a big case she's helping out with and Pop's is a sales representative for one of the local companies that does business out of town." Riku said quickly, tying to persuade her to stay with him for a while longer. "But Sephiroth's here so there's parental advisory or whatever, and my older brother Zexion and his um… Zexion and 'his' Demyx are upstairs."
"Riku I…" Jessica started, fully ready to turn his offer down but the look on his face stopped her. The hopeful glint in his eyes made her change her mind at the last second. "I'd love to have dinner with you."
"Alright then, let's get you inside the house before you freeze to death on my front doorstep." Riku smiled to himself as he ushered Jessica towards his front door, thrusting his fists up into the air behind her as she walked inside the house.
"Oh my, this is your house?" Jessica asked her eyes huge and staring around. Riku nodded, cocking his head to one side in a perplexed sort of way at her reaction. "It's such an amazing house, what are you guys, rich or something?"
"Something kinda like that I guess, yeah." Riku laughed at the way her mouth was hanging open, taking her by the hand leading her down the hallway into a grand gold furnished dinning room. "Just sit down wherever you feel like it. If you wait here I'll go get the others so we can order dinner."
"Order, order what?" Jessica asked, momentarily confused.
"Why order Chinese food of course, what else?" Riku asked her looking scandalized. "You do like Chinese food, don't you?"
"I love Chinese food, not like. There's a very fine line between the two thank you very much Riku." Jessica smiled pulling out a chair and sitting down as Riku ran out in search of the other house occupants. A few moments later Sephiroth and Riku walked into the dinning room followed by two people that Jessica could only assume were Zexion and Demyx.
"Hey Riku, who's the adorable little brunette girl at the table I don't know, is she you're new friend you told me oh so much about in the car earlier?" The cheery boy with dirty blonde hair asked ecstatically, pulling out the chair next to Jessica and sitting down getting up into her face so that they were almost nose to nose. "Hey there new girl, nice to meet you, I'm Demyx! Who are you, do you know Riku?"
"Oh I forgot you two don't know her yet, sorry. Zexion, Demyx, this is my new friend front school, Jessica. And before you ask, yes Demyx, she's the one I told you about earlier. Uh, yeah, we better order soon or it'll never get here." Riku blushed, taking the phone off the hook so that they could call in an order, Jessica wondering why he seemed so uncomfortable all of the sudden.
"Oh she is, is she?" The other boy said, Zexion presumably. The chair on Jessica's other side was pulled out, the indigo haired boy dropping down gracefully into it. "I'm Zexion, Riku's older brother. Nice to meet you, Jessica, Riku said I'd probably meet you soon. He also informed me that I would like you and that we'd probably become friends very quickly."
"Oh really, is that what he said?" Jessica asked with a laughed mischievously, shooting an amused look at Riku over her shoulder, noting the extremely embarrassed look on his face. "So what else did he say about me Zexion?"
"Oh let me tell her Zexy, I wanna, I wanna!" Demyx whined bouncing up and down in his chair, Zexion nodding. "Riku said he really lik-"
"That's more than enough about that, thank you Demyx." Riku let out a nervous laugh, his hand over Demyx's mouth keeping him silent. Jessica gave him a questioning look which he ignored. He let go of Demyx, who pouted at being made to stop talking in such a brutal manner, and dialed a number. "Hello? Yes, I'd like to place an order. For delivery, at 3905 West Palm Street as quickly as you possibly can. Yes, the usual order, thank you."
"Jessica, wanna come up stairs with me and Zexy and watch a movie until the food gets here? We're watching… um… darn I forgot it… oh yeah, 'Howl's Moving Castle.' It's a really good movie, and we could start it over if you want. Please, please will you come?" Demyx asked tugging on her sleeve. She looked up at Riku who looked agitatedly down on the blonde not even noticing that she was looking at him.
"I can't Demyx, I really should stay with Riku you know since he is the one who invited me here to dinner and abandoning him wouldn't be a very nice thing to do to a friend." Jessica said, watching Riku over Demyx's shoulder as he turned and looked at her, smiling when she called him her friend.
"Oh, Riku won't mind!" Demyx smiled standing up and dragging her after him. Jessica shot a pleading glance in Riku's direction as she was drug across the kitchen after the hyper blonde. Riku rushed to her aid, detaching Demyx from her arm. "What gives Riku, we're gonna go watch a movie together!"
"No, Jessica's my friend and she's staying with me. Go back up with Zexion and do whatever it was you were doing before she showed up until dinner gets here." Riku said firmly, glancing at his brother who sighed and rose from the table, pulling Demyx out of the room so that it was just Riku, Jessica, and Sephiroth who had gone unnoticed so far where he stood watching over by the counter. "So what do you want to do now?"
"I don't really know Riku, any suggestions?" Jessica asked innocently, trying to banish the thoughts that had popped up unbidden into her mind.
I want kiss you right now, I want to hear you tell me you felt that electric shudder when our hands first touched when we first met on the side of the road two days ago, I want you ta take your shirt back off so I can continue staring…
"Let me think… I got it!" Riku smiled, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her quickly out of the room. "Come on, you'll want to see this. I just know it, you'll love it."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Move over a little Zexy, I can't see anything! Quit hogging the damn keyhole!" Demyx shoved the said teenager sideways to get a better view through the keyhole they were both crowded around. "Why would Riku take Jessica to the greenhouses anyways?"
"Well I'm sure I don't know." Zexion said second before dealing the other a savage blow in the chest causing Demyx to call backwards away from the door. Taking advantage of the situation, Zexion plopped down on Demyx's chest keeping him pinned to the tiled hallway floor as he spied on his brother.
"Hey, no fair no fair! Zexy, that's against the rules, you can't sit on me!" Demyx whined childishly, attempting to push Zexion off of his body. Zexion shushed him sternly, a finger pressed to his thin lips.
"I want to hear what Riku's telling Jessica, be quiet Demyx." Zexion murmured to the disgruntled blonde under him so that Riku wouldn't hear through the door. When Demyx continued to pout, Zexion bent down swiftly and gave him a hasty peck on the lips. "Be a good little boy for me while I spy on my devious younger brother Riku and there's more where that came from, love."
Demyx smiled, nodding his head in approval. Of course, Zexion knew by now that it was possible to get Demyx to do just about anything if you plied him with gentle kisses, just like a certain spiky haired younger brother of Demyx's…
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"No peeking now!" Riku smiled to himself, enjoying how he was evidently torturing her.
"Riku, get your hands away from my eyes, I wanna see!" Jessica complained in a voice that radiated her amusement. Caught between her feelings of excited curiosity as to where Riku had taken her and the nervous terrified feeling at having someone she barely knew drag her around with his hand over her eyes so she couldn't see, Jessica was at a loss for words as Riku led her from one room to the next.
"Alright, here we are, ready?" Riku asked, laughing when she shook her head, his hands still pressed to her face to keep her from seeing where she was. Riku smiled as she continued to fidget. "Okay, open your eyes!"
"They are open!" Jessica huffed, reaching up and pushing his hands away. Five seconds pause before she turned to face him, a smile already in place just for him as she slid her hand into his. "It's scary how well you seem to know me after only two days Riku, you know that?"
"So I did well huh? Well enough that in chess I'd call out checkmate right about now?" Riku asked, squeezing her hand softly. She nodded but stayed silent, secretly thinking he'd had her beaten that moment on the side of the road when he'd first smiled at her. He'd taken her to the greenhouse in the back of the house where the gardener Marluxia tended to the plants and flowers there. "Shall we look around for a while then? I bet you're just dying to see the roses."
"You have roses here too?" Jessica asked with awe in her voice. I like him more already…
"Of course we have roses, no greenhouse or garden is complete without at least a few roses." Riku smiled knavishly as she bounced up and down, giggling girlishly as he led her through the rows of flowers to a bunch at the very back. Boxes upon boxes of blooming roses of course: red, yellow, violet, and –
"White roses," Whispered softly as the breeze, deep chocolate eyes wide as her fingers gently brushed the fragile white petals of rose newly in bloom. Riku's hand moved to rest over hers, his fingers tenderly stroking the back of her hand as he inches closer to her until his chest just barely touched her back. "Riku, what are you doing?"
He didn't respond with words. Jessica felt his hadns run sowly up her armsm holding her gently. Oh shit, what do I do, what do I do...
"Riku…" She turned around slowly looking up into his face, her eyes twinkling. He beamed happily at her as his drew nearer to her, Jessica's eyes sliding shut instinctively when he cupped her chin in his hand.
"Riku, JESSICA, THE CHINESE FOOD IS HERE!" Zexion and Demyx shouted together very loudly through the door of the greenhouse. Jessica started at the noise and pulled away, stuttering something about 'not meaning to' before quickly slipping out of the greenhouse doors leaving a very startled looking Riku behind, his hand still held out in midair holding onto something that was no longer there.
"There you are Jessica, I was worried sick! Zexy and Sephy and I were beginning to wonder where you ran off to with that little silver haired scoundrel." Demyx chirped as she entered through the kitchen doors seeming embarrassed, him grabbing her by the wrist immediately and pushing her down none too gently into a seat between himself and Zexion who was too immersed in a rather large novel to notice anything else around him. Sephiroth took his seat at the head of the table looking politely amused as Riku sauntered into the kitchen looking slightly depressed, even more so when he noticed the seating arrangements. "Riku, come sit down! You can sit across from Jessica!"
"Or you could just let me sit next to her Demyx." Riku suggested sourly, glaring at the brunette with such ferocity that Jessica laughed so hard that she went into a well places and unintentionally executed coughing fit that left her breathless. Thankfully no one but Sephiroth seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary about her sudden desire to hock up a lung but, acting on the fact that Jessica hadn't said anything about it and didn't seem as though she was going to anytime soon, stayed silent against his better judgment.
"Now why would I do that? Then I couldn't sit by her!" Demyx said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Riku took a seat looking sullen, then opened his mouth to speak. Strangely enough, Demyx cut him off before he could utter a word. "And before you say anything I wouldn't ask Zexy to move either. He's too sucked into that weird book to pay any attention to anyone – including me!"
"What book are you reading Zexion?" Jessica asked him, her hands folded neatly in her lap as Demyx and Riku started opening all the oriental looking containers. He looked up, pausing before he answered her.
"I know it's kind of girly but… Jane Eyre." Zexion looked back at his book.
"Oh I've read that!" Jessica said enthusiastically. Zexion looked up, wide eyed.
"Really, you have read it?" Zexion asked sounding astonished. Riku's mouth hung open slightly as Demyx sighed looking bored now that the conversation had turned towards reading material. "Most people haven't even HEARD of this book, let alone read it! Did you like it?"
"Very much, actually, once I got into it. I found the beginning a bit dull and distasteful." Jessica frowned, the look on her face rivaling one of someone with motion sickness after riding a roller coaster. "The beginning sucked, but other than that it was extremely good."
"I know, the beginning was dreadful," Zexion chatted animatedly, Riku secretly thinking this was the first time he had ever heard his brother so enthusiastic. "I mean, who could ever be that cruel to a child? It's unheard of in today's society! People don't abuse and neglect children like they used to that long ago."
Jessica looked down at her plate without really seeing it, not bothering to reply to Zexion's unfeeling comment. Zexion peered into her face, then looked up at Riku who looked as shocked and confused as he did himself before shrugging and letting it go.
"Are we gonna eat or what?" Demyx, of course, hadn't noticed anything at all, he'd been too busy blocking the conversation and playing with his straw. Everyone nodded and dinner began. "I don't see why they always give you so many chop sticks, it's not like anyone can eat with them but Uncle Sephy and Zexy over there."
"I can eat with chopsticks." Jessica said, looking over at Demyx. He handed her a pair wordlessly. "Do you want me to show you how Demyx?"
"Please, could you? That would be so oober cool!" Demyx bounce up and down in his seat as she took his hands, correcting the way he held the chopsticks. She looked up at Riku slyly from behind her curtain of hair that had fallen in her face, noting the peculiar look he wore as she touched Demyx's hand. "Okay, I think I got it!"
Demyx tried, failed, tired again, and eventually gave up and stuck to stabbing through his food with one stick like it was a shish-cabob. Jessica and Riku didn't talk at all as they ate, instead listening to Zexion talking to Sephiroth about how society's morals were rapidly disappearing as Demyx sang along loudly with his Ipod. Just as she was beginning to get comfortable being around all these new people, Riku kicked her making her choke on her egg role. Sephiroth gave her a sideways look which she ignored clearing her throat. It was an accident, why would her kick me if I haven't done anything to him? Now it if happens again, I'll –
Riku's foot tapped the toe of her shoe gently, pressing his foot against the side of hers. She blushed, acting as though she hadn't felt a thing or hadn't noticed. Acting as though she wasn't secret pleased when he did it a third time. She pushed back against his the next time he attempted it. He dropped his fork laughing into his sweet and sour chicken, quickly murmuring some made up lame excuse about a joke Sora had told him earlier that he'd just now understood when Zexion and Demyx shot him funny looks from across the table. Sephiroth smiled knowingly at Jessica when she glanced at him to see if he had noticed what was going on making her think he must know exactly what was going happening her and his nephew.
I'm glad somebody knows what's happening between me and Riku – I'm not even sure what the heck's going on here. I've never acted this open around a boy before unless you count my brother of course, I don't act like this around boys at all. I used to stay away from boys, I used to tell boys off when they flirted with me and threw drinks in their faces when they asked me on dates. I've turned down every boy that ever asked me out at my old school, even the good looking ones and ones I actually liked. It's easier on everyone if I just don't get involved, that way if I get suddenly worse no body gets hurt…
"That was the best, I'm glad you decided to stay for dinner tonight Jessica. Tonight's been really fun for me." Riku smiled at her as Sephiroth cleared the table. Jessica smiled back sweetly, glancing casually at the clock. She gasped.
"Is that really what time it is?" Jessica asked, hoping the clock was wrong. It can't be 9:30 pm already! Riku nodded looking confused at her sudden panic. She stood up and ran for the door, Riku hurriedly following after her. "I gotta get home right now! They'll have been expecting me to get in ages ago!"
"Wait Jessica, hold on a second! Let me drive you home, its way too dark to go walking through the streets." Riku grabbed a set of car keys hanging on a hook beside the front door. "I'm sure Zexion won't mind if we take his car so that you get home faster. Let's get going then Jessica."
He opened her car door for her and she slipped inside, Jessica not even bothering to put on her seatbelt as he shut the door for her and climbed inside slowly, Riku wanting to take his time and Jessica wanting him to hurry. They drove in a complete and comfortable silence, Riku basking in the glow of his almost perfect evening as Jessica prayed that she would be able to sneak in through the back window to her room without her father or stepmother catching her sneaking in and how terrible things could turn out. Very different people from completely different backgrounds, different thoughts floating through their minds bouncing off their brains in the silence. When Riku finally stopped the car across the street from Jessica's house he took her hand.
"This one is for you, Jessica." Riku pressed something into Jessica's other hand, pressing down against her fingers to get them to close around it. Looking down at her hand she saw the most beautiful white rose she had ever seen, halfway in bloom, attached to the long green stem which she held tightly. She looked up into his eyes, noting how they reminded her of the ocean waves that lapped at the shoreline. Detecting that the color of his hair reminded her of starlight and moonbeams falling through her window in the darkness of the night. Observing the way the muscles in his arms rippled fantastically in his sleeveless tee shirt as he eased over to lean over closer to her without breaking the bond between their eyes. Noticing he was once again inching closer to her, his face getting so close that she could feel his warm breath every time he exhaled.
His nose has a little bump at the top, funny the things you notice when two people get close together. Wait, what's going on? I barely know him and he's getting so close to me. This can't be the right thing to do; I mean, just sit here and let him get this close to me. I don't even know him that well… Things were rapidly spiraling out of her control and she didn't know what was going on. Demyx and Zexion weren't there to save her from destruction this time…
"Riku, what are you doing?" Jessica pulled away just as his hand came up and brushed her cheek, practically falling out of the car when she opened the door. "I have to go now, I'm sorry. Thanks for the ride, goodbye."
She ran across the street, not bothering to answer when he called her name. Jessica snuck around the house and to the back window, tapping on it lightly only after she heard his car speed away. Brandon opened it at once, helping her climb inside the room.
"Do you have any idea what time it is Jessica? I was so damn worried about you. You should have at least call me on my cell phone and told me where you were or something!" How the parentals didn't hear was a miracle. Brandon was yelling at her of course, quite loudly in fact. Jessica turned away to face the opposite wall, feeling the killer migraine that came when she forgot to take her medicine slowly creeping up on her as she did so making her feel nauseous and dizzy. She swayed where she stood, coughing and clutching at her neck as though she was choking. "I thought you had more sense than to pull something like this. I hate to sound like you parent or something, but hell knows our actual ones don't even know you were gone, I told them you didn't feel well and were lying down. That was so irresponsible of you Jessica, I – what's wrong?"
She had turned back around to face him, her skin cold and oddly pale, her eyes half closed. Without a word she collapsed, passing out cold, falling right into her brother's arms before he could so much as blink. At first he did nothing, just stood there staring down at his sister's face before it finally sunk it. Brandon shook her roughly, called her name, trying desperately to wake her up to no avail. Placing her gently on the bed he pulled out his cell phone and dialed three numbers he was rapidly becoming accustomed to pushing, 9-1-1.
"Hello I need assistance, this is an emergency. I need an ambulance right now at 3621 North Fern Street, Destiny Providence. My twin sister just collapsed, passed out cold." Brandon said through tears, gasping his sister's wrist to check for a pulse. It was rapid and faint, but it was there.
"Is there anything else you can tell me about your sister? I need as much information as possible on her or I can't send an ambulance."
"Why the hell can't you send an ambulance?" Brandon asked, shocked. Damn it, I can't even tell if she's still breathing. I can't get a pulse, my hands are shaking too bad. Please don't let it be too late…
"Policy, young man, I'm sorry. We need medical records to be able to send an ambulance or the hospital in question could fine us. I'm afraid there is no record of anyone from that address ever visiting a doctor's office and no health insurance can be found for the people that are listed as living there."
"Look, my sister needs an ambulance or she dies! I don't think you understand the severity of what you're doing by refusing to send an ambulance." Brandon nearly screamed, thinking better of it lest he wake his father or stepmother. Better for them to wake up when the ambulance arrived and there were paramedics around so that no one got hurt. Tears rose in Brandon's as he looked at his sister's lifeless face. "Please, my sister is very sick. We just recently lost our Mother and my sister…"
"I'm afraid I have bad news." I was beginning to think that was the only kind of news doctors had to give. First I loose my Mother, then they run tests on my sister without telling me, then they run tests on me 'just to be safe', and now they had MORE bad news.
"What is it? What's wrong now?" Jessica sounded scared, more scared than I had ever heard her in my entire life.
"Miss, can I speak with you out in the hallway privately for a moment?" The doctor didn't want me to know whatever it was. I flipped him off in my mind, taking my sister's hand to calm her.
"No, you can't. Anything you have to tell me you can tell my brother too. Whatever it is, I want Brandon to know too." Jessica squeezed my hand. I couldn't help but notice it was a weaker grasp than normal, that she looked frailer and sicklier than I could ever remember her being. Her eyes, too, looked dimmer than usual without the spark that normally shone there like a lit match. The doctor looked nervous. "Just tell us. Is it the test results?"
"It is, actually. Young man, your tests came back negative which means you're perfectly healthy." He paused, looking directly at my sister's face. "I'm afraid, however, that you weren't quite as fortunate Miss…"
"My sister… has cancer."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"Brandon, we're over here!" Namine, calling loudly across the lobby in the early morning of the next day jogging Brandon out of his dark depressing thoughts making him look up. He waved, changing course heading towards them. "There you are, we were beginning to wonder if you'd ever show up. How are you, Brand- oh my God, are you okay Brandon? You look absolutely terrible, did something happen to you? It looks like you're about to fall over."
"I was at the hospital all night, didn't really get much sleep. The annoying nurses wouldn't let me doze off even for a minute." Brandon yawned widely, slumping against the wall nearest him and closing his eyes immediately.
"Why was ya at the hospital? Ya have a' accident yest-day or sumpin'?" Wakka asked sounding confused and a little concerned. "Is ya okay den Brandon?"
"I wasn't there for my sake, I was there for Jessica. She… passed out last night." Brandon hadn't really lied to his new friends, but he immediately felt like he had. He couldn't tell them the whole reason as to why his sister had been taken to the hospital, Jessica had made her decision and he had to stick to it.
"But why Jessica, why are you asking me to do this?" I asked, confused. My sister wasn't making any sense at the moment, and my sleep deprived brain just couldn't comprehend.
"I don't want everyone feeling sorry for me as soon as we set foot in the school. And our Father doesn't need to know." Jessica explained as she pulled on her hoodie, looking our of the hospital windows for our Father, who was coming to collect us, the court had ordered that we had to go live with him until they found our Mother's will to see what she had wanted as far as who our legal guardians were. "We both know that if our father found out he wouldn't take me in at all. He doesn't have the money to take care of me if I needed to stay at the hospital if I got worse."
"You won't get worse, don't say that!" I hadn't meant to shout at her, but that was how it came out. She looked taken aback. "Please, I can't stand to hear you say things like that. One of us has to be positive, mainly you. You'll be fine, you have to get better."
"Now who's the positive one?" She smiled, laughing like her old self. The old Jessica that wasn't burdened with the knowledge that she had cancer that could knock her over dead if it worsened poked through in that moment cheering me up and giving me hope that maybe everything COULD be okay after all.
"There's Dad's car, let's go." I said softly, heading for the doors. She grabbed my wrist staying me.
"Brandon, please promise me that you'll never ever tell anyone that I have leukemia. If anyone's gonna find out then I need to tell them myself." Jessica's eyes bored into me making me nervous. "Promise me."
"I promise."
"Oh my God, is she going to be okay?" Tidus asked sounding nervous. I nodded and he sighed in relief, running a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Is it okay if we go see her? Can we go visit her after school today or is she too in need of rest to receive visitors?"
"You can go see her after school Tidus, she'd really like that. She's doing a lot better today." Brandon yawned again just as the bell sounded. He pulled his bag up higher on his shoulder, heading towards his first period without another word to any of them. Reaching first period, he threw down his bag, flopped into his seat, and laid his head down on his desk not caring what anybody, including the teacher, thought of his sleeping in class.
"Good morning everyone, today's just great!" Brandon moaned, pulling his hood up higher over his head. Why can't people just keep their damn mouths shut? Just for today, just one God damn day! I spent all last night at the bloody hospital talking to nurses and doctors, trying to keep our Father from strangling my sister, and explaining why we couldn't pay the fucking bill for the ambulance. Damn… "Brandon?"
"Sleeping, go away now." Brandon murmured not caring how rude he was to whoever was trying to talk to him, his brain too tired to give him any clues as to who it was.
"Brandon, are you okay? It's me, Sora, you're new friend remember? Talk to me! Earth to Brandon, come in come in! Permission to land the plane, please respond, hello-hello." Sora patted Brandon lightly on the top of the head repeatedly until he finally looked up. Sora frowned upon seeing Brandon's face, kneeling down in front of his desk to get him in eye level. "What's wrong did something happen to you?"
"My twin sister passed out late last night, so I spent all last night at the hospital with her to make her feel better and keep her calm as they poked her like a pin cushion with needles, which she happens to be deadly afraid of now that I think about it." Brandon explained tiredly to the sad looking brunette, vaguely wondering just how many times he was going to have to explain his 'sister's condition and why he was so damn tired' throughout the day. "She's doing fine now, a lot better. I'm going to visit her after school with a few friends to check up on her and see if she needs anything."
"Poor sick little female thing, I feel bad for her. I wish there was something I could do for her… oh, I know! I'll come too when you go to see her, if you doing mind me coming of course." Sora asked making Brandon smile even through his pain. He nodded, and Sora beamed looking happy considering the bad circumstances. "Great, I can get my brother to drive us all up there if you want. He has a van because he carts the instruments for his band from one gig to another."
"That would be good, I still can't drive." Brandon yawned loudly again laying his head back on his folded arms on the desk while still looking over at Sora. Sora stroked Brandon's hair softly making him feel a little better. The simple beautiful act done in pure innocence and tenderness touched his heart – not that he was about to tell Sora that any time soon for fear of embarrassment. "I don't even know what she was doing last night Sora, she went out for a walk and when she came home finally she passed out. I don't know what happened to make her just collapse like that."
"I know where she was last night. She was with Riku until she had him drive her home." Sora said thoughtlessly. Brandon looked up giving him a curious look. Sora shrugged childishly, slipping into his desk beside Brandon's and pulling out his book for the lesson. "Riku called around ten last night after I'd gone to bed and told me they'd hung out after school until pretty late. He said that Jessica was walking past his house when he was painting the fence, he greeted her and they started talking, and finally Riku asked her to stay for dinner. She agreed, there was some Chinese food eaten, and then he drove her home when she said she was late getting home and didn't want to get in trouble."
"So that's why she didn't come home right away. She was actually out having fun for once." Brandon sighed exasperatedly, finally giving in to the complaints of his exhausted body and closing his eyes. She was hanging out with a hottie while I was at home covering for her ass. That is so unfair! And she got Chinese food? I didn't even get any dinner because she wasn't there to cook anything. Damn it, I should have learned to cook when I had the chance…
"Um, Brandon, can I ask you something really quick before you fall asleep on me?" Sora asked nervously, unsure whether or not he really wanted to ask whatever question he had in his mind. Brandon nodded stiffly, not bothering to opening his crystalline eyes and mean the sapphire ones staring through him. "Who's gonna tell Riku about this?"
What does he mean who's gonna tell Riku? Why Riku would even care about my sister being in the hospital unless – oh shit, I didn't think of that…
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Jessica sighed, the fingers of her left hand deafly toying with the crisp linen sheets of the bed as she turned the pages of the book she had asked a nurse to bring her from the hospital library so that she had something to do. This book is pretty good, just like the other six in the series. I never realized quite how good The Edge Chronicles were until I got to read them one right after the other simple because I had nothing better to do. I just adore how sweetly naïve and innocent Twig is, Quint's ego, Rook's bravery and loyalty…
Her brother had left early in the morning to go to school, her stepmother and father had gone home as expected after the doctors explained that they wouldn't have to pay for her being in the hospital of for the ambulance once they'd spoken to her mother's old doctors, and the nurses had finally left her alone to rest and read her book. No more God damn needles being pricked into my arms. Yuck, I hate needles, they just freak me out. I thought they'd never stop poking me. How many tests do they have to run before they figure out what's wrong with someone? I mean really, come on…
"Excuse me Miss, I'm sorry to bother you like this while you're resting but you have some visitors here to see you. Shall I let them into see you or send them away?" A pretty blonde nurse popped her head around the door, smiling. Jessica nodded when she asked to let them in, setting her book aside while wondering why the word visitor was said as a plural. Who would anyone come to see me besides my brother? No body else even knows I'm in the hospital. There was a knock at her door, then the subtle creaking of it opening. Upon looking up, she smiled as familiar faces that came streamed into the room. Her twin brother walked in first before the small crowd taking the empty seat beside her bed as her other friends came spilling in.
"We come bearing gifts." Sora smiled setting a small box of chocolates at the foot of her bed.
"We hope you get better soon, art classes aren't quite the same without you there to delight Professor Sephiroth." Namine, Yuna, and Rikku said handing her the card they had made in their free time. Opening it she laughed, her eyes falling it once on her professor's large loopy signature and hopes that she would be well soon.
"Me next, me next, mine's the bestest! I got you a present too, I hope you like it!" Demyx bound forward with a burnt CD in his hands for her which she set on her bedside table after promising to listen to it later. "Give her yours Zexy, she'll love it!"
"You're probably always read it, but there you go." Zexion set a large book on her bedside table labeled J.R.R. Tolkien's Collected Works – Including the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Jessica smiled, patting the cover lightly with a smile plastered on her face.
"I was really surprised when Sora told me." Roxas said sadly, the worry wrinkle in his forehead quite obvious. He tied a large heart shaped balloon to the post at the end of her bed. "It's not much, but I thought you'd like it."
"Hey Girly, stay tough and don't let them see you cry." Paine said sternly, tossing a couple of magazines on the table beside her bed with her collection of other trinkets. "Wakka had basketball practice or he would have come too. He sends his hopes that you'll get better soon so we can all hang out again."
"I – I hope you like it." Tidus stuttered stepping forward thrusting a small black stuffed bear holding a heart into her arms, blushing furiously. She smiled at him, squeezing the bear tightly.
"Thank you so much guys, you're the best friends a sick girl could ask for. I feel better already having all of you here." Jessica smiled and laughed, her eyes filed with happy joyous tears. Everyone crowded around the bed all talking at once, smiling and laughing as though they had all gotten together just to talk, none of them remembering their previous arguments with each other, the preps hanging out with the losers just for Jessica's sake. Don't I feel particularly special right now, oh so loved! Each half hates the other, and yet they're pretending to get along for me. If this is what it's truly like to have friends, I never want to be alone again…
"Do I have the right room number? I'm here to see a friend of mine. Her brother informed me she was a little sick and in need of some company." The crowd quieted as if it were a signal, dispersing slightly away from the edge of the bed facing the door so that Jessica could see who it was that next entered her room carrying a dozen or so white roses held together with a thick black ribbon tied in a bow. Now that I see who it is, I bet it was a signal. He probably thought this all up…
Jessica smiled girlishly as though flattered, waving a hand lazily for Riku to join the group around her bed. With a small smile he complied, setting the roses in a vase beside her bed, Brandon giving Riku his chair and motioning for the others to follow out of the room. Just as the door shut, they saw the way Riku's fingers touched Jessica's hand so very gently.
And not caring what anyone thought, she took his hand in hers.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
And thus the fourth chapter is finished!!!! Yay for me and for you that read it and hopefully liked it!!! Please review this chapter, as a Valentine's present?