The Guest
chapter 18
[Frank's pov]
Soon after we'd made our way up to our rooms Brian called us all together to let us know what was wrong, before he even began to speak I knew it was pretty serious, all the colour had drained from his face and he looked as if he'd aged about ten years.
He sat down on the end of one of the beds and rubbed his eyes before beginning to speak, the message had been from his aunt back home. He spoke so quietly as he told us that as he'd been walking home from school yesterday, their brother had been hit by some drunk driving his car the wrong way down the street.
We sat in silence not really knowing what to say, he told us that their brother was critical and the doctors weren't sure whether he'd pull through or not, so he and Rachel would be leaving the tour to go home and be with their family.
"Is there anything that we can do?" I asked eventually.
"Actually yeah, I've gotta sort some things out so could you go and sit with Rachel? She's in room 304." He said looking up at me.
I turned my head slightly to see Maria shooting daggers at me, and you know what for the first time in ages I really didn't care, if she wanted to be petty at a time like this then I wasn't going to try and stop her.
"Sure I will," I said standing up.
I quickly made my way out of the room and headed down the hallway to Rachel's room, I paused outside her door for a moment to think.
I'd never been in this kind of situation before, I didn't know what to say or whether I should say anything at all. I mean her brother could die so I doubted saying 'it'll be okay' or 'don't worry' would be enough.
I took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door, a few seconds later it opened to reveal a red eyed but still extremely beautiful Rachel.
"Hey," she said wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Hey, Brian asked me to sit with you for a while." I said pushingsome hair out of her face. "Are you okay?"
"I guess so," she replied looking down at the floor.
"It's okay if you're not," I whispered.
She smiled slightly and moved aside to let me in, as I looked around she closed the door and made her way over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it and gesturing for me to join her.
"I can't believe this has happened, he's meant to be going to college soon, getting away from that place and making something of himself..." She said softly as a tear escaped down her cheek.
I sat down next to her on the bed and gently placed my arm around her shoulders, she moved a little closer to me and lay her head on my shoulder.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," I soothed. "These sort of things happen all the time, and people get over them."
I didn't know whether that was a good thing to say or not, I didn't want to be the guy that built her hopes up for no reason, then again it's best to stay positive right?
"You're right, but..."
"But what?"
"I really don't want to go home, Brandon is the golden child, the one that can do no wrong. I'm not handling knowing that he's in hospital very well, how am I going to cope with actually seeing him and getting a load of shit from my mother on top of that?" She cried.
"Baby, come on don't cry. I know you don't get along with your mum, but I'm sure it wont be like that now. You just have to focus on being there for Brandon okay?"
"Okay."
We sat in silence for a while, the only noise to break it was the occasional sniffle coming from Rachel as she cried silent tears, I felt it was better that she let it all out so I didn't try and stop her, I just held her as she did so.
Eventually Brian came to say that he'd booked them on a flight home and that a taxi would be arriving soon to take them to the airport.
"Look, you can call me any time that you want okay? Even if it's like four in the morning I don't care, or like all you want to do is cry or rant I'll be there for you." I said standing us up and cupping her face in my hands.
"Are you sure?" She asked. Her eyes sparkling.
"Absouloutely one hundred and eighty percent sure." I replied kissing the tip of her nose.
"Well if you say so," she smiled before wrapping her arms around me.
"Everything will be fine, soon Brandon will be better and you and Brian will be back here with us having fun." I said returning the hug.
"Come on we've got to go," Brian said picking up their bags. "Thanks Frank," he said placing a hand on my shoulder as Rachel pulled away and moved over to the door.
"No problem," I smiled before following her out of the room.
The rest of the guys had gathered in the hallway and I stood back and watched as they all hugged and said goodbye to Brian and Rachel, Maria obviously couldn't find the descency in her to do the same, she'd just gone back to our room.
A few minutes later they left, I watched them as they quickly walked towards the elevator, Rachel looked back as the doors opened and smiled at me, causing me to use all my strength to resist running after and going with them.
Soon after we'd made our way up to our rooms Brian called us all together to let us know what was wrong, before he even began to speak I knew it was pretty serious, all the colour had drained from his face and he looked as if he'd aged about ten years.
He sat down on the end of one of the beds and rubbed his eyes before beginning to speak, the message had been from his aunt back home. He spoke so quietly as he told us that as he'd been walking home from school yesterday, their brother had been hit by some drunk driving his car the wrong way down the street.
We sat in silence not really knowing what to say, he told us that their brother was critical and the doctors weren't sure whether he'd pull through or not, so he and Rachel would be leaving the tour to go home and be with their family.
"Is there anything that we can do?" I asked eventually.
"Actually yeah, I've gotta sort some things out so could you go and sit with Rachel? She's in room 304." He said looking up at me.
I turned my head slightly to see Maria shooting daggers at me, and you know what for the first time in ages I really didn't care, if she wanted to be petty at a time like this then I wasn't going to try and stop her.
"Sure I will," I said standing up.
I quickly made my way out of the room and headed down the hallway to Rachel's room, I paused outside her door for a moment to think.
I'd never been in this kind of situation before, I didn't know what to say or whether I should say anything at all. I mean her brother could die so I doubted saying 'it'll be okay' or 'don't worry' would be enough.
I took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door, a few seconds later it opened to reveal a red eyed but still extremely beautiful Rachel.
"Hey," she said wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Hey, Brian asked me to sit with you for a while." I said pushingsome hair out of her face. "Are you okay?"
"I guess so," she replied looking down at the floor.
"It's okay if you're not," I whispered.
She smiled slightly and moved aside to let me in, as I looked around she closed the door and made her way over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it and gesturing for me to join her.
"I can't believe this has happened, he's meant to be going to college soon, getting away from that place and making something of himself..." She said softly as a tear escaped down her cheek.
I sat down next to her on the bed and gently placed my arm around her shoulders, she moved a little closer to me and lay her head on my shoulder.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," I soothed. "These sort of things happen all the time, and people get over them."
I didn't know whether that was a good thing to say or not, I didn't want to be the guy that built her hopes up for no reason, then again it's best to stay positive right?
"You're right, but..."
"But what?"
"I really don't want to go home, Brandon is the golden child, the one that can do no wrong. I'm not handling knowing that he's in hospital very well, how am I going to cope with actually seeing him and getting a load of shit from my mother on top of that?" She cried.
"Baby, come on don't cry. I know you don't get along with your mum, but I'm sure it wont be like that now. You just have to focus on being there for Brandon okay?"
"Okay."
We sat in silence for a while, the only noise to break it was the occasional sniffle coming from Rachel as she cried silent tears, I felt it was better that she let it all out so I didn't try and stop her, I just held her as she did so.
Eventually Brian came to say that he'd booked them on a flight home and that a taxi would be arriving soon to take them to the airport.
"Look, you can call me any time that you want okay? Even if it's like four in the morning I don't care, or like all you want to do is cry or rant I'll be there for you." I said standing us up and cupping her face in my hands.
"Are you sure?" She asked. Her eyes sparkling.
"Absouloutely one hundred and eighty percent sure." I replied kissing the tip of her nose.
"Well if you say so," she smiled before wrapping her arms around me.
"Everything will be fine, soon Brandon will be better and you and Brian will be back here with us having fun." I said returning the hug.
"Come on we've got to go," Brian said picking up their bags. "Thanks Frank," he said placing a hand on my shoulder as Rachel pulled away and moved over to the door.
"No problem," I smiled before following her out of the room.
The rest of the guys had gathered in the hallway and I stood back and watched as they all hugged and said goodbye to Brian and Rachel, Maria obviously couldn't find the descency in her to do the same, she'd just gone back to our room.
A few minutes later they left, I watched them as they quickly walked towards the elevator, Rachel looked back as the doors opened and smiled at me, causing me to use all my strength to resist running after and going with them.