Friendship For Life

Chapter 6: Too Damn Stubborn

By the time I woke up in the morning Adam was already in the shower. A few minutes later he walked back into the room in his sweats his hair dripping on my face as he leaned down to kiss my forehead.

Me: How are you feeling?

Adam: Sore … but I’ll manage. I’ll have to work on disguising my eye with makeup.

Me: Hungry? I’ll go make you breakfast.

Adam: Don’t be silly sweetheart … I’ll come help.

Me: Did you check your texts?

Adam: No …

Me: Maybe you should …

Adam: No I … I can’t.

Me: Do you want me to?

Adam: Yeah … would you?

He shakily handed me his phone and I pulled up the texts. Tommy had sent him 10 messages since the night before. They all said a variation of that he was sorry and to please answer him. I was finishing reading Adam the last one when he called the phone.

Adam: Tell him I’m in the shower.

I nodded and he smiled before starting to walk downstairs. I hesitated a moment and answered the phone.

Me: Hello?

Tommy: Oh hi Ryleigh … umm is Adam there?

Me: He’s in the shower.

Tommy: Can you tell him when he’s done to come downstairs. I’m waiting outside.

Me: Oh no we’re not at his house.

Tommy: You’re not?

Me: No he stayed over at my house.

Tommy: Oh … how is he? Is he ok?

Me: He’s in pain but he’ll be alright.

Tommy: How bad is he?

Me: Well he has a black eye, scratches all over his cheeks, and pretty much his whole chest is bruised. So you could say he’s in pretty bad shape.

Tommy: Ryleigh … you have to know that I … I didn’t mean for any of this to … happen.

He was getting choked up and I sighed.

Me: I know …

Tommy: I think I’m in love with him … actually I KNOW I am.

Me: I can tell he loves you too. He thinks that he screwed up last night. That he ruined everything between the two of you because of sleeping with you.

Tommy: He … he told you about that?

Me: Yeah … sorry I shouldn’t have brought it up.

Tommy: No it’s ok … I didn’t think he’d want to talk about it. I’m ok with you knowing I don’t mind.

Me: Yeah we tell each other EVERYTHING.

Tommy: It seems like you two have a great relationship.

Me: Yeah … I love him to death. He’s everything to me. In a purely platonic way of course.

Tommy laughed which made me giggle a bit.

Me: Why don’t you come over to my house? We’ll be hanging around back so just walk around the house. He might feel a little more comfortable talking to you if I’m here? I hope you don’t mind that I’m around.

Tommy: No … no of course I don’t mind. We’ll have to get to know each other better since you’re such a big part of Adam’s life. Yeah sure, where do you live?

I gave him my address then walked downstairs. Adam was finishing helping my mom plate our breakfasts. I walked over and handed his phone back to him.

Me: Let’s go eat out on the back patio. It’s beautiful out this morning.

Adam: Alright …

We carried our food outside and relaxed on the patio with our light jackets on. It was sunny and the wind was completely still. Adam stared at me and he could tell I was hiding something.

Adam: I know you have to tell me something …

Me: Tommy is on his way over here …

Adam: What?!? Oh no … no you didn’t Ry.

Me: He said he loves you Addy … he was crying on the phone when I told him the shape you’re in. He begged me to believe that he didn’t want any of that to happen. I thought you would be more comfortable talking to him with me here so that’s why I did it.

Adam: He said he … loves me?

Me: Yes …

Just then we heard footsteps approaching from the front of the house. We both turned and Tommy walked over.

Me: Hi Tommy.

Tommy: Hi Ryleigh.

Me: If you’re hungry there’s extra food in the kitchen. I can go get a plate for you if you want?

Tommy: Oh um … sure.

Adam tensed up realizing I was trying to give them a few minutes alone. I gently rubbed his arm as I walked past to reassure him. I walked inside and saw that my mom had been watching out the kitchen window.

Mom: Who is that? Is that Adam’s boyfriend?

Me: Yeah … that’s Tommy.

Mom: He’s not the one who hurt him is he?

Me: No.

I placed some food on a plate and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs allowing them some time to talk. They curled up next to each other on the porch swing and Tommy had his arm around Adam. Adam smiled and relaxed resting his head on Tommy’s shoulder. I walked outside with the dish and Tommy smiled taking the dish from me and starting to eat.

Tommy: Thanks Ryleigh.

Adam smiled at me and moved down a bit allowing space for me to sit on his other side. He leaned over and kissed my forehead pulling me close so I was snuggled under his arm.

Adam: Thanks Ry … without you I would’ve been too damn stubborn.

Tommy: Yep you sure are stubborn.

Adam: Hey!

We all started laughing and ended up spending the whole time until we had to get to the school for that night's performance together.