Chapter XIII

The time ticked one minute past ten to two. 1:51 PM.

Briella was asleep on her sofa.

Suddenly, someone barged into Briella's flat. "Briella!?!? Are you okay???".

"AGHHHH?!? WHAT??? WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED? WHO IS THAT??". Briella felt as if her soul left her body for a mere second. That was the magnitude of her fright.

She looked up at the person who has just entered her home. Nadia.

"Nadia!!! You scared the living-".

"I know, I know, I'm sorry! But why didn't you tell me this morning that you are feeling unwell??? I would have stayed here with you!".

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you that I was ill this morning," Briella replied, wiping her left eye. "You would have missed out on school.".

"But still!! You think that school is more important than friendship?" Nadia interrogates.

"Most of the times that's the case, yes.".

Nadia lets out a sigh. "Okay, fine, maybe you are right. But it doesn't ring right with me that I had to hear from Ryan about you feeling unwell...". Suddenly, Nadia stopped. "Speaking of...". A devilish smile took its place on her lips. "Did something happen between the two of you?".

"W-what?!".

Just then, a knock interrupted their conversation. Both Briella and Nadia look at the door. Ryan. "The door was wide open by the way...". With that, upon his entrance, he closes the door behind him.

Walking closer to Briella, that is when she noticed another bag in his hand. "Thanks to Nadia, I now bought you something that I know you'll like. She said it's your personal favourite.".

'So that's why you asked me what Briella likes... Ryan, you sneaky-'.

"Are you better now? You took your medicine, right?" Ryan asks.

"M-medicine? What medicine??? Briella? Is there something you are not telling me?!?" Nadia exclaimed.

"What??? No! It's my medication that Ryan bought me this morning for my illness.".

"R-Ryan bought you medication??? Okay, now it really doesn't ring well with me... You tell Ryan everything and simply forget me?... Am-am I getting switched? I-Is Ryan going to be your new best friend???" Nadia furthermore interrogated.

"What!?! Nadia? What are you talking about? Nobody here is getting switched for anything. You will always and, literally, forever be my best friend. Do you understand that?" Briella replied.

"Also, it wasn't like Briella invited me over to her house. If anything, I came by my own free will," Ryan joined in.

Nadia looks at them both as her face becomes slightly pale. 'Okay... I feel like this now reflects more so on me than on Briella. I should have dropped her a text this morning, but I didn't know...'. A deep inhale. "I am sorry, Briella!! I am a horrible friend! I should have texted you a good morning message or something like that! I feel so bad, please forgive me!!". Nadia immediately wrapped her arms around Briella.

"N-Nadia!! Be careful! I am sick, I don't want you to get sick too!...".

While this all was going on, Ryan kept his eyes on them both. He couldn't help but let a small smile grow on his lips.

Seconds pass before Nadia unravelled from her hug from Briella. "Anyways, if you don't mind, I need to use the restroom really quickly..." Nadia said and with that, she went off to do just that, leaving Ryan and Briella alone in the living room.

Silence ruled the room for a few seconds.

"So, tell me. Are you feeling better now?" Ryan asked, breaking the silence.

At first, Briella nodded. "Yes, after taking my first dose I'm already feeling better. Thank you for asking.".

Ryan couldn't hide his contentment with what he just heard. "I am very glad to hear that you are feeling better.".

From there, his eyes divert to the coffee table. A few pages caught his gaze.

They sat right beside the empty mug of tea that he brewed for her earlier that morning.

"What's that?".

"What?...". Briella picked up the pages from the table. "These?".

"Yes," he replied.

"Oh... just some random scribbles and an overall word vomit," Briella chuckled sheepishly.

"Would you mind if I glanced through it?". Briella widened her eyes at his question.

'G-glance through it?' she thought to herself.

"I mean if that's okay with you?" Ryan added.

"I- I don't mind!! Here, just beware, they are not good...".

"Hey, you do realise you are speaking to a writer. I know the pain, I have been through that a few times," he responded.

Taking the pages into his hands, he flicked through them, scanning each page. His eyes widen ever so slightly. "The rhyme..." his voice drifted off.

Rising his eyes from the pages, he looked back at Briella. "Are you writing a poem?".

"N-no...".

"A song?".

"Well..." Briella begins. "That's my attempt in writing a song...".

"Mmmmm, I see..." Ryan replied. "Is this your first time doing such a thing?".

"I guess you can say so, yes.".

"I see..." Ryan repeated. "I mean, I do see some space for improvement, some better synonyms for words and all... but considering this is your first time writing a song, well done!!".

'W-was he assessing my work???? I thought he only wanted to glance through it!!'. Her gaze dropped down his body ever so slightly. "Thank you...".

Ryan's eyes return to the pages in his hands. 'These words are all specifically chosen to bring out the emotion of heartbreak, regret. Anger... is this song going to be about... him?'. At that thought, Ryan's eyes left the page and went back to Briella. 'About her ex-boyfriend?'.

After finishing her business, Nadia had one ear pressed against the door, listening to the ongoing conversation. Just when she thought the timing is right did she exit the bathroom. Mind you, this was barely ten seconds after Briella's 'thank you'.

"Perfect. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to run to the bathroom real quick too and after that, I'll be off," Ryan said, leaving the pages back on the coffee table.

Ryan entered the bathroom and Nadia was stationed where Ryan was only seconds ago.

Briella and Nadia looked at each other.

"W-why are you giving me that look?" Briella asked.

It was as if Briella's words made Nadia conscious of what she was doing, so she moved her gaze elsewhere.

"Honestly, sickness couldn't have found a more convenient time to make you feel ill. We have a week off so you can lay in bed all you like until you feel better..." Nadia said before walking closer to Briella. She sat by Briella.

"You know you'll get sick from me if you are at this close of proximity from me, right?".

"And?" Nadia began. "You are like a sister to me, I couldn't care less. If I get sick, so be it. Either way, I am STACKED with vitamin C at home.". A pause. "But tell me... is it just me? Or does Ryan have a liking for you?" Nadia asked, ensuring to keep her tone as quiet as possible.

Briella ended up looking at Nadia for a second or two. "I- I mean, if it turns out that he likes me that way... he'd be wasting his own time. I don't mean that in a harsh way...". Briella too kept her tone as low as possible. "Right now, I see love as being a waste of time. Dylan wasted my time, time I could have used improving my piano skills... time I could have used on, I don't know... on something other than loving someone...".

"But that was Dylan. This is Ryan..." Nadia spoke. "What if Ryan is different?".

"What is he is not? What is that is all just a facade? He is great with words and it's scaring me, a lot. He'll know how to lure me into him and then... when he no longer wants me... dump. I feel like that would be my punishment for naively handing over my heart to another guy..." Briella reasoned. "I can only see him as a friend...". For some reason, it was those words that brought about pain slightly greater than she anticipated.

"But..." Nadia began, "I-I have never told you this about Dylan, but... I genuinely feel like Ryan is a good guy...".

"I... I-" but before Briella could get a chance to continue speaking, the opening of the door caught them both off guard. Ryan comes out. 'He didn't hear us, did he?' Briella thought to herself.

"Anyways. Thank you for having me, I think I better get going.". Ryan reached for his bag.

"Wait, but you didn't have a drink, I am a horrible host!" Briella exclaimed.

"No, you are a sick host. In both ways. You are a host who needs to rest, because rest is the only way the host will get better, and for the drinks, I wasn't thirsty either way," Ryan spoke. "Take care of yourselves, I'll send you a text to check up on you later, Briella.". Before Briella could have made another utterance, Ryan left the apartment, closing the door behind him - just like he did this morning.

"You don't think he heard us, did he?" Nadia asked.

------

Ryan rushed out of the apartment complex.

'I heard her...' he told himself. With that, he ran in the way of his home. 'I can only see him as a friend... it was those words I heard so clearly...' he added to his train of thoughts. Next, he stopped, he took in a deep breath before looking up towards the sky. A small smirk appeared on his lips.

"But I don't mind that, Briella..." he began. Then, how his smile appeared on his face, that's how it also disappeared.

'Because maybe, just maybe, some things aren't meant to be...'.