The Ebb & The Flow (Boy x Boy)

Chapter 8: If Only

A/N: The same night. From River's perspective. This moment is important for quite a few things. Some may come as a surprise. And others won't. But nonetheless I hope you enjoy the story!

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River:

      I awoke with a start as I heard my phone vibrating. Waking up from a nightmare I couldn't quite remember I was drenched in sweat. I looked over at my phone on my nightstand, seeing it was Wyatt's contact. I studied my phone further, seeing it was 2am. We had school in the morning maybe he'd called me by rolling over his phone while sleeping? Curious I answered the phone, putting it to my ear.

"Hello?" I spoke over the phone.

      There was labored breathing on the other end so I spoke again.

"Wyatt? You there?" I asked, getting anxious.

"H-help me." I heard his voice croak across the line, my heart racing.

"What's wrong? Where are you?" I asked, feeling nervous as all hell.

        There was a vibration coming from my phone before the line went dead. I checked my phone seeing a text from Wyatt. It was his location. I didn't know what was going on but for some reason I felt the need to get out there to get to him. I threw my comforter off, getting out of bed and scooping up a random pair of pants that were discarded on my bedroom floor. I pulled up the pants and tried to grab a shirt hanging on the back of my desk chair. I tripped, landing awkwardly. Floundering a bit I got my pants on and slipped on a shirt and some shoes. I didn't have time to tell my dad I was going somewhere at this time.

      I'd be questioned to death before I could get to Wyatt. And there's no telling what was wrong. I clumsily stumbled down the stairs, banking on my dad being a heavy sleeper. I left out the front door and ran around to the side of our house where i'd left my bike. I got on it peddling off into the night. I knew where he was; I just had to get there. Heart racing I pushed my poorly fit body to bike faster and faster. Crossing a street I just barely swerved out of the way of an oncoming car, getting honked at.

"Let him be okay. Let him be okay." I repeated over and over.

       I broke onto the nature trail, ducking under low hanging branches as I pedaled. Growing impatient with my bike I hopped off it, running down the trail instead with my phone's flashlight shining into the gloom. And eventually I caught sight of someone huddled against the base of a tree, a branch in hand. Upon closer inspection I saw it was Wyatt, looking terrified and covered in dirt. He looked ready to bolt but seemed to calm down when he saw it was me.

"Its just me." I said calmly, my brain not knowing what to do.

      Suddenly I was embraced in a hug, the sound of him sobbing filling the ominously still air around us.

"H-H-he...." He tried, crying as he fell into my as I just held onto him not knowing what was going on or happened to him.

"What happened Wyatt? I'm calling the cops." I rambled as I noticed his thighs were covered in bruises and I caught the sight of blood coming from somewhere I couldn't quite see.

       He didn't reply to what I'd said as he clung onto me crying inconsolably. I didn't know what to say or ask. So I just held onto him. The fact that I had a crush on him was thrown out of a metaphorical window as I just wanted to stop his tears. I shakily grabbed my phone again, going through my contacts with trembling hands, calling the first number that came to mind. Someone that made everything okay; my dad.

      The phone rung and rung and rung as I began to lose hope that he'd answer at this hour.

"I'm in the same house River." My dad groaned incoherently.