Chapter 5

…the skin was now inflamed and flaky…

"So, lemme get this straight…you met a girl…who I'm gathering you like, yet…you're obsessing over her best friend?"

Huddled together under the bus stop yawning, basketball resting on Dez's lap, the two boys watched as the rest of Miami splashed by. Shivering slightly, Austin drew his jacket collar closer, pretending to ignore Dez's observation. Their planned weekend of asphalt courts and autumn sunshine had not acknowledged the sudden tropical storm from the Gulf, or the overcrowded YMCA courts, so he wasn't sure where the red head had got the notion it also included gossiping like old biddies about his love life. Watching as the pedestrians tip toed around puddles and dodged waves of gutter sludge, he frowned in annoyance as Dez repeatedly elbowed him in the ribs, trying to get a response. He regretted even mentioning the encounter as it was obvious his friend had been dying to talk about it ever since Friday at lunch.

Rubbing at his bruised shins, his frown deepened. It was crazy really. He talked to Ally for all of, what? Ten minutes? But already he craved more. He wouldn't say he fancied her or anything, he'd just meet her, but she did gather his interest. He had been hoping to bump into her again during his last shift in the Elderly ward, but after hours of carefully stepping around corners and lurking around the cafeteria during his breaks, he realised that another chance encounter was very, very slim. Her ward was at least three floors up and across the building. She could have left the hospital already for all he knew. He couldn't even sneak a peek at the patient list when Nurse Madeline wasn't looking, as he only knew her first name. And 'Ally' could be short for something. There could be numerous 'Ally's'. And what ward was she in exactly? He never got the chance to find out as she was whisked straight out of the elevator by those nurses and her best friend.

And that's where his thoughts had stopped. Her best friend- Trish.

It had only been a few awkward moments, but his encounter with the overly concerned Latina kept popping up in his mind. He just could not shake the feeling that he knew her somehow. He had asked his dad on the down low if they knew anyone that met the description but he had looked as confused as his son felt. Austin didn't dare ask his mother. Even though they were talking again, it seemed colder than when they hadn't. Both too stubborn to apologise and let by gones be by gones, the atmosphere in the house was frigid whenever the two were in the same room. He couldn't help but to feel a little smug after his comment on Thursday night, but that was quickly disappearing into a haze of longing and frustration. He just wanted his mum back.

The bus rambled up to their stop, prompting Dez to stop elbowing him as they shuffled on board. However, once they were moving again, he bounced the basketball off his friend's leg, trying to snap him out of his funk.

"You know, you're a real sour puss when things aren't going your way."

"Just let me be a moody teen for once will ya?" He whined, snuggling up to the window in an attempt to distance themselves. Rolling his eyes, Dez shuffled around so he could face him properly, before bouncing the ball off his thick skull. The dull crack Austin's head made against the glass reverberated through the bus, as the sullen teen howled.

"Dude! What the hell?"

"Lighten up Mr. Grumpy Gills. Talk to me."

Groaning Austin slide up the window further, wondering how to broach his thoughts. They weren't overly nice towards Dez at the moment though. Apparently he took too long as the ball hit his sore head once more.

"Dude!"

"Hurry up then."

Muttering a curse under his breath –or so he thought- he glared at the ginger before sighing in defeat.

"I don't know where to begin."

"How about with the girls?"

Rubbing his head with careful fingers, Austin frowned in concentration. "What about them? Ally seemed cool, but I didn't get much of an opinion on Trish. Though from what I saw and heard, she's bossy. Caring. A little frantic when stressed."

"And she's the one that's stuck in your head?"

"Was. Until you chased away any remaining brain cells I had with that bloody basketball."

Dez grinned and attempted to spin said ball on his forefinger. "Face it buddy, I did you a favour. You didn't have any to begin with."

Chuckling, Austin shook his head slowly, just as his expression begun to sour again. "Yeah…she's the one stuck in my head. Like I said, I only saw her briefly, but…I swear I've seen her before."

"Maybe you're just over thinking it," Dez reasoned slowly, still trying to spin the ball, "It could just be a girl you've passed on the street."

"Or bumped into in a café."

"Or at the zoo!"

"Could be man, could be. But it doesn't feel like that." Austin muttered, turning to look out at the washed out world as the bus trundled on. They sat in silence for the rest of the journey, eventually stepping off at Dez's stop. As they made their way to his house, bouncing the basketball between them through shallow puddles, he tried to think. Usually simple was the easiest option. And the correct one. But as all the obvious options ran through his mind, none of them seemed to fit.

"It's like my brain is trying to tell me to think older. Older what?" Austin grumbled, startling his friend. Regaining his step, Dez dribbled the ball for a while, thinking hard.

"Have you tried going through old photos? Maybe she's in one of those?"

Austin stopped, slack jawed.

"How did I not think of that?" He asked in disbelief. A wiry grin stretched across Dez's freckled cheeks.

"Because your head is struggling to deal with all that pent up teenage angst and girl problems." He responded cheekily, tossing the ball at him. "I would say ask your mum, but with your mummy issues also raging on your mind, I fear it'd fry it."

"Dude," Austin growled playfully, taking a threatening step towards him.

"Dude." Dez echoed in reply, a twinkle in his eye. The unsaid challenge accepted, they took off for the hoop behind Dez's house, pushing and shoving each other into the neighbours' shrubs along the way.

Hours later, mud caked and exhausted, the two teens sat under the shelter of the back porch, sipping at their water as they listened to the rain lash Miami. Swirling the water around in his cup, Dez focused on the way the little rivulets appeared against the glass as Austin returned to his brooding from earlier. Rolling the ball under his sneaker, he scrolled through all the pictures on his phone, scanning each for the Latina. He knew it was a slim chance, but there were some old photos on there, from a few beach concerts they had attended a year or so ago. And until he went home and searched the attic or the den for the family photo albums, this helped ease the curiosity.

"Man, if this is what you're like now, I worry how you're going to be when you really get to know these girls." Dez muttered, watching as his friend frantically swiped away. Sighing he reached out and prised the phone from his hands, ignoring his whine of disapproval.

"Look at me. You, have to quit it. This is going to lead to a very unhealthy obsession if you keep this up." He warned, holding the phone out of reach as Austin snatched for it. "Do you read me?"

"Yeah, yeah, I saw. But, come on man, there's still a few that I haven't checked yet."

Frowning, Dez stood up and moved away from him, not liking where this was going.

"I'm worried Austin. Usually when it comes to a crush, you have a habit of falling too fast and doing things you come to regret. I'm just…concerned that you'll end up using one of these girls against the other."

Austin was gobsmacked. "Dez, you know me…I would never-"

"I know you wouldn't, but people change. And at the rate you're going-"

"I swear, I will not become like that. Never would I use a girl. Ever. Just please, give me back my phone." He pleaded. Dez seemed to contemplate something for a while before visible deflating as he sighed.

"Fine, you can have it back,"

"Thank-"

"-But first, let's clear this topic properly." He interrupted as he sat back down. Confused, Austin nodded warily, shuffling around slightly so he could clearly read the situation.

"You may have promised to not use these girls, but when you do find them or make friends with them, I want to be included. One, so I can meet them and make my biased friend judgement, and two to keep an eye on you."

"But I don't need-"

"I don't care. I'm close to a stage of not trusting you Austin. Second, I want to help on this mad quest of yours. Describe both these girls again, and I'll search through my photos and videos as well. We've been friends for years and ninety percent of the time, have met the same people. If they're our age, then I've bound to have met them. And thirdly, I want you to calm the hell down. This is not do or die. So you met a cool chick. So you want to know her better. Great. But what you should really be focusing on is improving your grades and your volunteer work. You want to become a doctor. Prove it."

Blinking, Austin tried to process everything for a moment, feeling sober for the first time all weekend. Eventually he let a weak smile slip across his lips as he stuck out a hand.

"Deal. Thanks for that buddy…I-I felt like I was losing my mind."

"You were," Dez agreed as they shook hands, "But I've already lost mine, so we need to keep yours protected. Now, finish up your water good sir, the rain is starting to clear and we have a tie breaker to play."

Grinning, Austin skulled back the rest of his drink before racing back out to the make shift court, intent on kicking butt. All worries were pushed away until late that evening when he finally returned home. Trooping into his room, he dropped his bag by the door and slowly made his way towards his bed, meaning to just flop down and sleep. But as soon as his back hit the mattress, he was bouncing back up with a soundless cry of agony. Cursing under his breath, he rubbed his sore spine, turning to see what was lying on his bed. A large photo album sat there, nestled against his pillow, with a post it stating, 'There's more in the den,' in his mother's familiar, large and slightly scruffy writing. Amazed, and strangely heartfelt, Austin smiled at the note, tucking it safely away on his dresser before settling back to spend the evening, flicking through the photos, one by one.