Triple Trouble

17|| I'm Getting Fat

l u k e

"Don't leave. Please stay here with me," Alex mumbled in her sleep. I was definitely okay with it, but Ryder probably wasn't.

I turned to him and raised an eyebrow, silently asking for permission.

"Fine. You can stay here with her, but no inappropriate anything. Lexi's bed is right there," he pointed at another bed that was identical to Alex's queen sized one, except Lexi's was blue and gray, and Alex's was yellow. "I think she's gonna be back at midnight."

He reminded me about a few more things before getting up from Alex's bed and leaving the room.

I still sat on Alex's bed and looked at her. She was sleeping peacefully with a small smile on her face.

She suddenly pulled her hand to her chest and started groaning in pain.

My eyes widened at the sight of her in pain. 

"Hey, hey, are you okay? Do you need anything? Just tell me what I have to do," I slowly pulled her up to a sitting position, and her eyes opened.

"I'm okay. I'm fine. Just go downstairs and get me an ice pack, please? There should be some in the freezer," she winced again.

"Yeah, okay. I'll get it as fast as I can. Just wait here," I stood up and immediately went to the door.

I sprinted down to the kitchen and went straight to the freezer. I was in such a hurry that I didn't even notice that Ryder and Jackson were there until they spoke.

"Bro, chill. What's up with you?" Ryder raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Aren't you supposed to be with Alex?" Jackson backed Ryder up.

"Well, yeah. She asked me to get her an ice pack, see?" I lifted my hand that was holding the ice pack and showed it to them. "And if you will please excuse me, I have to go back upstairs now."

They turned to each other then followed me back to Alex's room, whispering things to each other—things I couldn't really hear or understand. I didn't really care what they were talking about. I just had to get back to Alex.

I opened the door and went to Alex's bed, giving her the ice pack she requested. She thanked me and sighed in relief once the cold surface touched the palm of her hand.

I sat behind her, and she slowly leaned on my chest.

"Um... just asking, why are you guys here?" she turned to her brothers, curiosity laced in her tone.

"We thought something serious happened to you. Luke ran to the kitchen all panicky when Jax and I were looking for something to eat. We followed him up here to see what was going on. Is it your hand again?" Ryder asked her. "From Paige's laptop?"

She was caressing her hand gently and sighed, nodding. "It's nothing, really. It doesn't hurt so much anymore now. You guys can go already." 

It was just really not in her nature to lie about things.

"Okay. We'll just be in our rooms. Come to us if you need anything," Jackson reminded us. "And don't do anything that I wouldn't do. Lexi can see you from the window over there and also if she goes to Austin's balcony."

"Uh huh. Okay, we won't. You know that you're already right beside the door, right? Just get out." That surely wasn't me. I didn't have the nerve to talk to them like that.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back in around thirty minutes,"  Ryder said as they left the room, leaving me all alone with Alex. I held her hand, the one that didn't hurt, and intertwined our fingers together.