Pillow Talk

3~ Road Trips Make Me Sick. . . Literally (Scarlet)

The couple days went by fairly quick.

River made sure to do most of the stuff around the house, including helping me around everywhere. He would occasionally joke around with me, trying to lighten the mood, and thank God he is who he is because he actually got a few laughs out of me.

"The wedding will be great." River said, kissing me as he helped elevate my foot a little in the car.

"Not when I can barely walk. Collin is going to be so pissed." I replied, smiling at him. He rolled his eyes and shut my door, sliding into the car beside me.

"You should worry more about Sally hating you once she gets a taste of Nik." We both laughed as he started the car and revved the engine. I shifted my body so I was facing him as we drove away form my mom's house.

"What's that?" I barely saw the box poking out from the trunk. I saw River's body stiffen and his hand start to grip the steering wheel tightly.

"It's nothing." He said, then quickly added on to it, "It's Collin and Nina's wedding shower gift." It was then I knew that he was lying through his teeth. I could hear it in the way his voice wavered a little and dropped an octave, I could see it in the way his hands gripped the steering wheel and he kept letting out shaky breaths.

"Why are you lying to me? Is everything okay, River?" I could feel my heart starting to race at the thought of something being wrong with him-or Ryan.

"Everything is fine, Carls." He lied again. I stared at him for a second, ready to call him out on it again, but decided against it. Instead I let him turn up the radio and I fell into a comfortable and dreamless sleep.

*

"Carls? Hey, we're at a rest stop." I groaned, pushing River's hand off of me.

"Scarlet, babe. Come on, I'm pretty sure you have to go to the bathroom." I groaned, moving a little. It was only that little bit that sent a wave of nausea through me.

"Wow, there. Are you going to be sick?" River asked, touching my cheek.

"I need to go to the bathroom. Now." I replied, grabbing on to his shoulder as he helped me out of the car. I didn't make it to the bathroom before another wave of nausea washed over me and I turned and threw up in the trash can beside us.

"Shit." I heard River whisper as he grabbed my hair and held it back, "Are you okay?" I pulled away from the trash can, burying my face against his shoulder.

"Bathroom." I whispered. He helped me to the girls bathroom, taking almost all the weight from me and helping me walk. I was relieved when we finally reached it and I was able to get into a stall.

"Scarlet, what's wrong? Did you eat something bad?" He knelt down in front of me, rubbing my good leg with a worried look.

"It's probably just the pain in my leg." I mumbled, "Sometimes pain can make you sick. Or maybe it's the Advil not agreeing with me." I responded, trying to be optimistic. He nodded, smiling.

"You need to smile more, Carls. Everything is fine." He squeezed my hand, kissing the top of it. I laid my head against the stall door beside me, shutting my eyes at the great feeling of the cold stall against my cheek. It wouldn't be until I got to the car that I forced River to give me hand sanitizer to clean off my cheek.

"What if it isn't? What if-"

"Carls, you can say what if all you want, but it won't change anything. What's happening now is happening now, don't let your mind convince you otherwise." I stared at him for a second before a smile tugged at the corners of my lips.