Hero Needed

Reilly’s POV

Ah, it felt so good to be back in my own home. To cook. To clean. To sit around watching a pointless TV show. To go to school. Wow…I never thought I’d say that.

“Do you think it worked,” I asked Shyler for the fifteenth time today. We had taken the day off so that we could hang out.

Shyler yawned and flipped the channel to Discovery. “Maybe. Rex changed Ash completely, so I wouldn’t be surprised. But then again, Valex is pretty smart.”

“Oh, they have their Romeo and Juliet presentation due today,” I said, only just remembering. “Wonder what they’ll do.”

“Improvise, I bet.”

“Wish I could see that.”

The front door opened and Rex and Ashton walked in. Ash looked as if he was on clound nine or eleven or fourteen or whichever is the highest. Rex was trying so hard not to laugh. His hands were covering his mouth but I could see his small frame shaking.
What exactly happened today?

“So, did it work,” Shyler asked, changing the channel once again. History this time. It was a program about the American Revolution. Shy sat up and stared at the TV attentively. He had a thing for history.

“He fell for it,” Rex giggled, giving up on trying not to laugh.

Ash blushed and slapped Rex’s shoulder. “Shut up!”

Shyler and I grinned at the both of them. “So, what happened?”

“Nothing,” Ash said defensively.

“Everything,” Rex countered.

I pulled away from Shyler, who’s lap I was formally lounged across and sat besides Rex. “Ohh…Do tell, Rexie.”

“Remember the Romeo and Juliet act out?’

“Of course.”

“He did it with ‘Asher.’”

“Who,” Shyler and I asked, confused. Ashton was supposed to do it with Valex. So who was Asher?

“Asher is Ashton’s Canadian cousin,” Rex explained.

I gave Ash a curious look. “We don’t have a cousin named Asher.”

“Exactly,” Rex said with a wink.

I shook my head. “He’s going to kill you.”

~X~

I ran downstairs at the sound of the door bell, calling “Coming,” along the way. I unlocked the door from the inside and swung it open. Valex stood on the porch, hands in pockets.

“Um, hi,” I said nervously. I wasn’t sure if we were still friends. I haven’t talked to him in a month and I really wanted to. He was one of my best friends. But he hurt Ashton. If Ash didn’t associate with him, I couldn’t.

“Hey,Reils. Is Ashton okay,” he asked.

Okay? Why wouldn’t he be okay? Ah! What the hell kind of lie did they make up to explain his absence to this poor boy? He looked like he was going to burst into tears.

“Ah, yes,” I answered uncertainly.

“May I come in?”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.’

“Oh…”

Benvolio and Mortricia appeared behind me, trying to see who was at the door. “Are you looking for Asher,” Benvolio asked. “We sent him to get some food.”

“Ah, no,” Valexander said, tapping his foot lightly on the cement. “I was hoping to talk to Ashton.”

“Oh, he and Rex are upstairs,” Mortricia said. “He’s rewrapping the gauze on his hand.” Ah, so that’s what they were up to.

“Come on in,” I invited Valex. He smiled shyly and stepped inside for the first time in years. “Just go on up.” He nodded and walked to the stairs.

I turned to Ricia and Ben. “Is this safe?”

Ricia shook her head. “Cant tell for sure.”

“Let’s hope it is,” Ben said with a sigh.

Yeah, lets hope…