Chapter Ten

River




Class let out early today, I decided to stop by the hospital to visit Brody instead of heading home just yet. I haven’t been in to see him all week, which is unusual for me, but life’s gotten much busier since Chevy woke up.

“Hey, buddy!” I greet, taking a seat next to his bed. Walking into Brody’s room always puts a smile on my face. If I were to be in a coma, I would want my room to be turned into something that was just for me rather than the same drab, white walls that every other room in this place has.

“How have you been doing?” Glancing up at him, I listen to the steady beeping of the heart monitor. “Sounds like you’re doing pretty good. I haven’t been too bad. Actually, I’ve been great. As you know, Chevy woke from her coma and is staying with me. It’s incredible, buddy. She’s incredible. I really like her. Like, really like her.” Heaving a sigh, I take a moment to gather my thoughts.

I don’t know why I’m talking to a kid about this, but I don’t feel like I have anyone that I can truly voice what I’m feeling to without being given shit about it. “This is unchartered territory for me. I’m trying to tread lightly, take things slow and let her warmup to me but she’s so different from anyone that I’ve ever met before.” Raking my hands through my hair, the need for answers grows stronger.

“I don’t know what I’m doing here, buddy. I don’t know what she wants or what she’s thinking. Sometimes when she looks at me, I think that she feels it too but then this wall goes up and she’s put me in the friend zone. The damn friend zone! I don’t want to be in the damn friend zone!” Pulling my phone from my pocket, I bring up a picture that I had taken of her this morning.

We had been sparring back and forth, trading insults. I made some off the wall wisecrack and she turned to walk away, acting as though I had truly insulted her but then she turned back when she thought I wasn’t looking, casting a glance over her shoulder. That’s when I took the shot. And fuck she is a sight to behold. Her blonde hair is trailing down her back in soft curls. Her blue, doe eyes are alight with humor and her full bottom lips caught between her teeth. The picture captures her curves, her round ass perfect and her tits full and tempting.

Suppressing a groan, I adjust my hardening cock as I stare at that delectable ass.

Fuck, I’m hard up for her.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do, buddy. What do you think? I should probably give her time, huh? She’s still adjusting.”

“We ran into her family when we were at the mall the other day. Seeing them, finding out who they were…it was really hard on her. Her mom said that they had been looking for her since she ran away but I don’t know that I believe her. Something didn’t seem right. Her mom, Corinne, wants Chevy to go back to their home and meet the rest of her family. I don’t want her to get hurt. She’s been through so much…”

“River...” A voice says from the doorway. Turning to the doorway I see Nurse Harriett standing there with a smile on her face. I don’t know how long she’s been there but I’m betting she heard me talking about Chevy. “It’s good to see you.”

“Thanks. You too.” Harriett has asked me to go out several times, offering me a good time that I won’t regret. But I’ve never taken her up on it on account that you don’t shit where you sleep and all of that. Eventually she stopped with the sexual advances and asking me out but it’s still uncomfortable being around her.

Standing, I get out of her way and make my way towards the door. “I should probably be going.”

“Oh, don’t leave on my account. I won’t be long.” She says and she writes something in Brody’s chart.

“Nah, I need to get back home anyway…” I say, tucking my hands into my front pockets.

“Back to Chevelle.” She says, giving me a look that says she definitely heard me talking to Brody.

“Yeah…” glancing back down at the sleeping boy, I walk back over and ruffle his hair. “See ya, buddy.” Then turning my attention back to Nurse Harriett, I give her a nod. “Have a good evening.”

“You too, River. And on Chevelle, just give her time. She’s had to adjust to a lot. Be her friend and let things happen as they are supposed to.” I’m shocked by her advice, but I appreciate it just the same.

“Thank you.” And with that, I walk out the door and down the hall.

The whole drive home, I think about what Harriett said, knowing that she’s right. I had just said the exact same thing to Brody before she interrupted us. But knowing what I should do and what I want to do are two completely different things.

Walking in the door, the smell of something cheesy hits me first, followed by the sound of laughter. Curiosity gets the best of me and I follow the sound to Chevy’s room. Stopping just outside the door, I find Chevy sitting on her bed. Caprice is sitting behind her, playing with her hair.

“You had the biggest crush on the quarterback, Drake Hayes.” Caprice comments as she secures a tie around the end of the braid that she had put in Chevy’s hair.

“Really? A jock? I find that hard to believe…” Chevy murmurs looking through a book in her lap. “He really is cute though, isn’t he?”

“He is. And you’re right. Typically, jock wasn’t your style, but he was our neighbor and one of Cam’s best friends.

“Ahh…that explains it then. Crushing on the older brothers’ best friend. How cliché of me.” Chevy grins as she turns the page. “Oh my god! Is that me? I was hideous!” She says turning around to look at Caprice.

“Yep. Your teens were not good to you. Braces, acne, and awkwardness. You grew out of it obviously…” Now I want to see the picture of a teenage Chevy.

Surely it wasn’t that bad.

I mean, look at her now.

She is absolutely stunning.

How bad could it actually be?

Deciding to give the girls some more time to bond, I follow the mouthwatering smell to the kitchen. In a pot on the stove is what appears to be Alfredo. It smells heavenly and when my stomach growls, I remember that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

After spooning a heaping serving into a bowl, I place it in the microwave and wait for it to warm.

Footsteps come rushing down the hallway; I turn just in time to see Chevy stop just inside of the kitchen with Caprice right next to her.

“Ladies.” I say with a smirk at the blush covering Chevy’s cheeks. She glances down at her outfit that barely covers anything, the action brings my attention to her attire and I let my eyes skim over her body. Loving how the itty-bitty shorts show off her long and toned legs and the shirt shows her hardened nipples.

Without a word, Chevy rushes back down the hall, Caprice hot on her heels.

“What’s the deal between you two anyway? He’s fucking hot as hell!” I hear Caprice ask and I can’t help but wonder what Chevy’s response will be.

Pulling the pasta from the microwave, I head to the living room, plopping down onto the couch and grabbing the remote to see what’s on TV.

Chevy hasn’t had anyone except for me since she left the hospital and while I love being the person that’s always there for her, I know that she needs a girl friend.

A couple of hours later, the girls come back down the hallway, stopping just behind the couch.

“I’m going to walk Caprice to her car. She needs to get back. She has school tomorrow.”

“Mom is probably going to murder me for being gone this long as it is.” Caprice comments looking from Chevy to me and then back to Chevy as though she’s looking for something. A grin slips onto her lips and then she bites the corner of her bottom lip just like her sister does. “It was good to see you again, River. Hopefully, we will see you at the house soon?”

“It was good to see you too and if Chevy wants me there, then that’s where I’ll be.”

“Glad to hear it. I’ll let you know when they’re planning on trying to get everyone together for you. Mom wants it to be soon.” She says, shrugging into her jean jacket that I hadn’t noticed was in her hands.

Chevy, whose legs are now covered in a pair of baggy sweats, although her tight top is still in place, follows Caprice to the door.

“I’ll be right back.” She hollers.

“I don’t think I would be able to contain myself if I lived with that. Damn, Chevy. What are you thinking, keeping him at a distance? I would want to be all up close and personal with that one.” I hear Chevy groan and try to stifle a snort at Caprice’s blunt remark. Aside from the groan, I don’t hear Chevy’s response before the door closes behind them.

About ten minutes later, I hear the door close and then a few seconds after that Chevy sinks into the couch cushion next to me. When I turn to look at her, her face is beet red, clearly embarrassed by Caprice’s remark and knowing that I heard.

“I’m glad that you got to spend time with your sister.” I murmur, trailing my fingers through her soft hair.

“She’s definitely something else.” Is all she says as she brings her legs up on the couch and begins watching the movie with me.

I can tell that she can’t really concentrate on it though. She keeps sighing or moving, glancing in my direction, and biting her bottom lip.

It’s really cute but I’m not going to be the one to address the elephant in the room. If she wants to discuss it, she will.

“About what you heard when we were leaving…” she starts, “I’m so embarrassed…”

Turning away from the TV, I note that her face is flushed once again. She really wasn’t kidding about being embarrassed.

“Don’t worry about it. At least someone thinks I’m hot.” I remark, trying to ease the tension out of her.

“That’s not…” but she stops herself, not finishing what she was going to say.

“Like I said, don’t worry about it.” I pull her into my side, trying to let her know that it’s fine. “But I gotta see that yearbook picture of you…”

She hits me in the stomach, and I bust up laughing. The tension finally eases out of the room and I can feel Chevy relaxing against me as we turn our attention back to Captain Jack Sparrow.

“This movie is really creepy, you know, that right?” she says when it shows the entire crew of Davy Jones ship in the moonlight.

“My shoulder works as a pretty good shield for the parts that bother you.” I murmur, not turning my attention away from Ms. Swann as she realizes what kind of a ship she has found herself upon.