I'll Be Right Here | ✔

42 | Glad you're here.

Derek

THE FAMILIAR SCENT of the hospital takes over my nose, as I rush to the doctor exiting the door. "Doctor?" I murmur. "Is she okay?" He takes off his glasses, as if he's preparing to say something. The sweat trickling down his forehead. "I'm afraid she's ―"

"No!" I push through the door to find Aaliyah lying on the cot so still. I reach out to touch her forehead, just as the doctor pulls me back. "No!" I kick back. "I need to feel her. She's still here. You don't understand!" Tears fall on my cheeks as the pressure builds on to me.

"Gianna!" I wake up to a faint cry. I rush from the guest bedroom to my room, where Aaliyah lies straight up. God, she looks like a Goddess with that bed hair of she's ― and I'm not even exaggerating.

"Is everything okay?"

"Y- yeah, I just had a nightmare," she quickly murmurs, not even registering that I'm here. "W- where am I?"

"Uh about that," I scratch my neck, awkwardly. Aaliyah tilts her head.

"The last thing I remember is being at a party with Kat," she says. She seriously forgot the rest? Damn, I didn't know alcohol is that strong ― especially vodka. "Derek, what happened?"

"Aaliyah," I hesitate, unsure if I should go on, " you got drunk. "

"Me?" she looks at me like I'm crazy.

"You seriously forgot?" This is all way too much to handle.

She wrinkles my eyebrows. "Yeah, why?"

"D'you know how many drinks you even had?"

She counts on her fingers. "Seven, but they were all shots."

Seven whole fucking shots?!

"Aaliyah, "do you know how dangerous that is?"

"It was for a dare okay? Now how did I end up here?" she signifies to my room and I blush, just thinking about it. After the ride home, I decided to spare Aaliyah a lecture (from Rachel), so, I decided to place her in my room which lead me to sleep in the guest bedroom. Fortunately, both Mike and Patricia weren't home since they decided on staying at a hotel last night. They hate me that much, huh?

"You were drunk and needed a ride so..."

She rolls her eyes. "You could've just dropped me home!"

"And leave you alone, drunk?"

She folds her arms. "I can take care of myself."

"Clearly," I mutter.

"What was that?" Oh shit. I back away slowly, but then stop, as she sinks back into the comforters on account of her clothing. "Derek, what the hell?"

"You were feeling hot, so I took the initiative." After tucking Aaliyah in bed, she insisted that it was too hot for her. But after turning the fan on and lowering the thermostat, she still felt hot and insisted on taking off some clothing.

"I- I'm not one of your dolls, Derek!" she rises up from the bed.

"Where you going?" I hadn't expected her to leave so early.

She points to the bathroom. "The bathroom, don't even think of disturbing me."

"I won't," I smirk, knowing I've had enough. "Oh and also I fixed a toothbrush and toothpaste for you. Your favorite kind."

"W- what? My favorite kind?" She rushes to the bathroom, as I walk away with a huge ass smile on my face. The Aaliyah 'Lilac' Moore is in my house. Okay, let me rephrase that: the girl who I've been crushing on for the past three years is now in my house.

---

AFTER WHAT SEEMS of hours contemplating on what to serve for breakfast, I settle on the good old omelet. I mean, who doesn't like omelets? Especially the cheese ones! My ear tingles at the sound of the foot board creaking. I turn my head back, just in time to see Aaliyah heading downstairs. "You like omelet?" I signify to the pan on the stove. "How about cheese?"

She wrinkles her nose. "Not cheese."

What? Who the hell doesn't like cheese? "C'mon! Cheese omelet is the best!"

"According to you."

I look up. "So, now I'm some kind of weirdo who likes cheese omelet?"

She sighs. "I didn't mean it like that, Derek."

"No, it's okay," I look away, abruptly.

"Derek, I like cheese, but just not on omelets."

"But omelets are what make them good! C'mon, just try one little piece!" I beg her.

She grunts. "Fine," I smile as I fork a mouthful of omelet. "I can feed my ―" Aaliyah starts to argue, but then stops.

I look at her inquisitive. "See?"

"How did I not try this before?" She starts digging in, just as soon as I pull the pan away.

"Relax, cutie. Lemme just put it in a plate, and you can have it."

"Oh right, sorry," Aaliyah murmurs silently.

"It's okay," I don't like seeing people sorry, especially Aaliyah. I put the plate with the omelet in her hands. "C'mon let's eat outside."

"Oh uh..." Her head bobs to the time. "I should go, Derek."

"And get caught by Rachel?"

She wrinkles her eyebrows. "I'm already caught Derek, w- what do you mean?"

I smirk, knowing exactly what mean. "Uh well, I might've texted Rachel, telling her you were at Kat's house."

"You what? How did you even get Rachel's phone number?"

"From Kat, where else?"

She mutters something before looking at me. "And she fell for it?"

"It just took some convincing, and she fell for it."

I bore my eyes into hers. "Now, the real question is how you ended up going to a Juniors and Seniors party only."

She sighs. "Kat convinced me. She said that her sister got us in, and anyways, I didn't even realize it was a Juniors/Seniors party until we got there."

"Well, where was her sister?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "Probably making out with Zach."

"Zach Collins?"

Zach Collins is probably the most dangerous person ever, who you don't want to conflict with. Once Tyler had a huge ass argument with Zach and got pretty trashed up. "Hello?"

I look up to Aaliyah's hand over my face. "Huh? Oh yeah, I just. Zach Collins is a pretty weird guy. And you said her sister was making out with him."

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. I was actually ―"

"We should probably eat," I signify to the two omelets that are probably cold by now.

"Uh yeah," Aaliyah picks at the omelet.

"What's wrong?"

She looks up. "Oh nothing, I just ― I shouldn't have gone to that party."

"Me neither." Moments from last night circulate through my head, but I shove them away.

She looks at me rather surprised. "Oh well. I guess we're both mad at ourselves, then."

I chuckle. "I guess we are."

"Thanks."

There's a moment of silence as I take that in. I silently smile. "No problem."

Because it truly is no problem to have Aaliyah in my life. Oh God, I would do anything to always have her in my life.

~~~

hi :)

CEO of having writer's block 24\7. i know its only been a day, but i've (still) been having these thoughts about IBRH. oh well... still gonna finish this story though!

― AK