Hi guys heres the next chapter! hope u enjoy!
Rian Chapter 4
Rian felt a smooth hand brush his hair away from his forehead. He knew it couldn't be his mother. Not his father either. His body felt like one giant bruise and his ribs were sending sharp pain through his sides. He opened one eye. Didn't attempt to open the other, it was swollen shut and ached to high heaven. His one eye was blurry and he couldn't see who was in front of him.
"Who?" He croaked through a dry throat.
"Shh. It's Jake and Tristian. You're gunna be ok. Tristian get him some water."
There was silence then. "Tristian? Water?"
Movement. Rian tried to move as well but his body screamed in resistance.
"No sweetie. Don't try to move. You're ok. We'll look after you." Jake's hand continued to smoothen his hair and Rian felt calmer than he had in months.
"You're ok." Jake continued to whisper.
When Tristian returned Jake helped pull Rian's shoulder up so he could drink. It was incredibly painful and Rian cried out. The water was cold and refreshing. Liquid life.
Jake took charge again. "Tristian can you get a face washer so we can get him cleaned up a bit."
Tristian left the room again. Jake peered down at Rian with a gentle look on his face. "Can you tell me where it hurts the most?"
Rian stared at him for a moment. "My chest and my face." He rasped out.
"Can I lift your shirt?" His hand was still stroking Rian's forehead.
"My chest is not very good." Rian whispered.
Jake chuckled. "I've seen it in the locker room Rian. Its fine, better than good." Jake was horrified at the marbled flesh he saw when he lifted the shirt. Tristian gasped as he came in.
"Oh god Rian! Your dad did this didn't he? How could he do this?" Tristian came over and finally getting over his shock sat down next to Rian as well.
"Ree?" Tristian got Rian to look at him. "You trust me don't you?" Tristian asked. "You know I would never do anything to hurt you right?"
Rian nodded slightly. "Yes."
"Let me call my dad. Remember what I told you. You can trust him, he would never hurt you but if you stay here your dad will."
Tristian watched the emotion flicker over his best friends face. Fear, pain, uncertainty and realisation. Finally it was defeat. He nodded.
Tristian left to make the call and Jake resumed his stroking as he could see it was calming Rian down.
Rian watched him for a moment and asked almost curiously. "Why do you care?"
"We're friends Rian. Of course I care." Jake smiled at him.
"But I was so rude to you. I'm sorry you know. I always wanted to come hang out with you but I wasn't allowed to. I would've otherwise." Rian stopped talking his throat burning and coughed groaning in pain.
Jake moved to slip his arms around him, bracing Rian against his chest and bringing the water to his lips. Rian was starting to feel sleepy and when he finished with the water he snuggled back into Jake's chest and almost promptly fell asleep.
When Tristian came back into the room, Rian was wrapped securely in Jake's arms and Jake was looking tenderly at Rian's face. Tristian pondered the relationship but put it aside as being momentarily unimportant. He sat silently beside the bed and watched the two. Jake seemed unaware that he was being watched as he continued to stroke and pat Rian's forehead. The sound of a car pulling up in the drive pulled both boys out of silence. Jake looking startled over at Tristian to which Tristian smiled reassuringly.
"Its just my dad." He knew the sound of his dad's car. There were footsteps in the hall and moments later Tristian's dad appeared at the door.
"Oh god. We need to get him to hospital."
There was a flurry of action and Jake refused to let go of Rian, insisting he had to carry him down to the car. It seemed a mercy that Rian had passed out and couldn't feel any pain. Jake nursed him in the back of Tristian's dad's car as he drove quickly to the hospital.
The doctor on duty in the emergency room was horrified to see the extent of the injuries as Jake carried an unconscious Rian inside. Gus talked Jake into handing the boy over then led them down to sit down while Rian was rushed through. A nurse came out to talk with Gus and they had a murmured conversation in the corner.
Tristian looked over at Jake who had his hands over his face.
"You like him don't you?" Tristian blurted out after a minute. Jake looked up startled. "Like in a more than friends sort of way." Tristian added.
Jake stared at him for a moment. Then nodded. "Yeah."
Gus came back over a moment later.
"What's going to happen dad?"
Gus looked troubled and took a seat next to Tristian. "The police have been called and a doctor is looking over Rian now. Stay here I'm going to call your mother." He glanced at Jake before he stood up. "I'm Gus, Tristian's dad by the way. I haven't seen you before."
"I'm Jake. I play soccer with Rian."
Gus raised his eyebrows and hummed quietly then stood up. "I'll be just over there. Come get me if the doctor come out."
When he left there was a silence as both boys were lost in their own thoughts.
It seemed like ages later when a doctor appeared in the waiting room. Tristian called his dad and he hurriedly hung up and came over.
"Are you a guardian or parent of Rian?" He asked of Gus.
"I'm afraid not. We think his father may have done this. My lawyer is coming over soon so we can see if I can get temporary guardianship." Gus was anxious to find out if Rian was ok.
"Is there any other family around?" The doctor asked looking a bit disturbed at the news.
"His mother took off recently and I don't think Rian knew where she went." Tristian added in. "His grandparents live in Portsea though."
"Do you know any way to get in contact with them?" The doctor asked.
"Well they're his father's parents and his last name is Balmont." Tristian shrugged.
"That's all I know."
"Alright we'll see if we can get in contact with them. In the meantime he is asking for Jake and Tristian, he was getting a bit agitated so we had to mildly sedate him but you may go through and see him if you like."
Both boys nodded. Gus told them he would wait for his lawyer. The boys followed a nurse through to the curtained off bed in the emergency room. Rian looked fragile laying on the hospital bed with a saline drip coming out of his hand and a bruised and beaten face. Jake and Tristian hurried over to see him and Rian opened one big beautiful yet sleepy eye.
"They called the police didn't they?" He croaked out.
"Don't worry about that now." Tristian told him as he and Jake gently took a hand each.
"Dad's sorting it out."
Rian's eye closed again and he fell asleep.
"You stay here, I'm going to see if dad's lawyers turned up."
Jake nodded then turned his attention back to Rian.
"Jake?" Came a very sleepy voice a minute later.
"Yes?"
"Can you stroke my hair again?" The voice sounded so sweet and innocent that Jake quickly complied.
"Of course.