Bounce Back

Chapter 30

Ryan's POV

I woke the next morning and I knew that I wasn't going to be going to school today. I moved slightly and pain flared in my back. I couldn't hear anyone moving downstairs and I guessed that my parents had already left.

I sent a quick text to my friends telling them that I wasn't going to be at school today. After a couple of minutes I knew that I had to get up and get a painkiller so that I could actually think. It took me a good five minutes to even make it down the stairs.

I found them sitting on top of the fridge and swallowed a couple. I stood there for a minute willing the pain away before I stumbled back up the stairs into my bed where I fell back asleep.

The next time that I woke a couple of hours later I was still in quite a bit of pain. When I glanced at the time I saw that it was already the middle of the day and that I was starving. As soon as I stood up the pain got worse but I had to get something to eat.

I was yet to find a good way to make it down the stairs without hurting myself more. Gripping the banister and took the smallest, slowest steps that I could as I made it into the kitchen. I managed to find some leftovers that I could quickly heat before collapsing onto the couch.

That is where I stayed for the rest of the day. I tried, and failed, to find something on TV that wasn't a trashy soap opera. All four of my friends had texted me back so I wasn't surprised when I saw them come in afterschool.

I was still stretched out on the couch when they came in. Their voices stopped when they approached me.

"How bad is it?" Drew asked.

"It's pretty bad. I've barely moved all day," I complained.

I hadn't noticed that Tyler had disappeared until he came back in and sat down beside me. He handed me a couple of tablets and a glass of water which I gratefully took. I swallowed them before laying back down again.

"How are you feeling?" Tyler asked.

I moved slightly before responding. I told him that it hadn't been great and he moved to sit so that my head was resting on his lap and as we all started to talk he slowly began to run his fingers through my hair.

I listened to them all catch me up on everything that they had done. As far as I could tell nothing had really happened but I had a bit of work that I should do. The painkillers had started to kick in and I could finally feel like I might be able to move slightly.

"Is your back getting better or worse?" Tyler asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Over time, is it getting better or worse?" he repeated.

"I guess that it probably the same. It only really occurs once in a while it is extremely painful when it does," I rambled.

He stopped rubbing his fingers through my hair and switched to rubbing his hand up and down on my back.

"You guys make me sick. You are too cute," Drew complained.

I laughed slightly but neither made a move to stop doing what we were doing. We started talking about other things and I relaxed against Tyler. Jordan got up and pulled the coffee table over and the rest of my friends started to work.

I didn't bother doing anything because I knew that I was just going to hurt myself more so I continued to lie there and help them if they needed it. Tyler still hadn't moved despite me asking if I needed to.

I lost track of time and I didn't notice how late it was getting until the door opened and Mom came in.

"Hey guys, it good to see you again," she smiled.

I hadn't seen or talked to my mother since our discussion but she didn't seem to want to talk about. Instead she disappeared into the kitchen and we continued to work. Drew and Morgan both had to head out not long later but Jordan and Tyler both stayed.

Usually we would have dinner at the table but Mom didn't want to aggravate my back more so she and Dad joined the rest of us in the lounge. Tyler slowly helped me sit up so that I could eat.

I listened to my Mom and Dad both talk about their days and then they asked the appropriate questions about Jordan and Tyler and what they were up to before we all finished. Mom and Dad disappeared into the office so the other two offered to help me upstairs.

I wrapped an arm around both of them and we slowly made it up the stairs before I collapsed on the bed.

"I think I need a new back," I moaned.

Both the guys laughed at me before joining me on bed. We continued to talk before Jordan also had to leaving just me and Tyler.

"I didn't want to ask before but did you talk to your parents about college?" he asked.

I scowled slightly and buried my face in his neck. He didn't say anything for a minute and we stayed like that.

"They didn't like it," I mumbled.

"What?"

"They told me that it is a stupid idea and that it's not going to lead anywhere," I explained.

Tyler wrapped an arm around me and I could feel myself shaking against him.

"You know that you can do what you want," he whispered.

I nodded but he knew what I was thinking. I wasn't sure that I could do something that my parents didn't agree with because I've never done it before.

"Do you think that you will be at school tomorrow?" he asked, moving the conversation away from my family.

"I don't know. Usually the worst pain only lasts a day but it might be longer. I'll see," I said softly.

He nodded and we stayed like that. Tyler had made sure that we were in a position that I wasn't hurting. We continued to talk about safe topics until he realised that he should go.

"Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow," he smiled.

I nodded and he pressed a soft kiss to my lips and headed downstairs.

............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Comment and Vote

The Wise One