The rest of the Dyke family showed up nearly two hours after 2/3rds of the triplets arrive at the emergency room. They're wearing fancy clothes, a reminder they came from a theater. 

Alana is being comforted by her husband, and Riley scrambles to sit next to Rey. I guess when one of your other thirds are hurt, you cling to the rest for comfort.

After Rey updated them on Reagan's condition -the surgery went well but it'd be another half an hour or so before she'd wake up from anesthetics and family could see her- the Dykes turn back to me and give me an apologetic look.

"Oh, Barkley! I'm so sorry you had to be here through all this! Rey can take you home, I'm sure you want to get some sleep after all this," Alana pats my arm and I give her a tight-lip smile.

"Well, if it's alright with you guys, I'd like to stay to see Reagan? Just to check up, it'd make me feel better. But I can totally leave if I'm in the way! I understand if you just want to be with her!" I grip the seat of the chair, praying they let me stay.

"Barkley was the one that figured her appendix exploded," Rey speaks on my behalf and I almost feel embarrassed, "He was with her."

Jaycob glances at his wife next to him, across from us, "Well, I guess it'd be alright. I'm sure she'd be fine with seeing you too if you did save her life."

"Oh! No, no, I didn't save her life at all! I've just been told I'm a hypochondriac,"I let out a nervous chuckle and am relieved when they all smile too.

When everyone else settles in and talks or plays on their phone, I lean into Rey -trying not to pay attention to the smell of his deodorant or the soft cloth of his hoodie. 

"Don't throw me under the bus like that again,"I try to keep serious and harsh, but also too quiet for anyone else to hear.

My breath hitches in my throat when his head turns towards me slightly, his breath on my face. I didn't know I need this level of intimacy, but I welcome it.

"Then don't go around saving my sisters lives," His breath is barely above a whisper, but his tone isn't serious like mine.

I swallow and quickly sit up. I shouldn't be doing this. I can't be doing this. I should not be getting this close to my straight, neighbor who zero interest in even befriending me. 

I close my eyes and try to block out all the sounds -and the very hot body next to me- that engulf me. I wait and wait, rubbing the hem of my shirt between my fingers, and bouncing my leg up and down. 

"Reagan Dyke?" My eyes pop open and we all jump up, impatiently following a nurse past the doors and into the real emergency room.

We pass open and closed doors, nurses scurrying around, a few doctors reading on computer monitors. It's not as frantic as in the shows. Fluorescent lights are probably totally drowning me out, but that doesn't matter. 

We are shuffled into a small room, I let the real Dykes go first. Reagan's parents bow down and carefully wrap their arms around her. I feel a small smile find it's way to my face at all the relieved faces and warm embraces. Even Rey hugs her sister, the most emotion-filled thing I have ever seen. 

After all the greetings and checking to make sure Reagan's okay, I see Rey glance at me and my place still in the doorway.

"I guess you did decent, picking a future doctor for a friend," I tilt my head at his remake, wondering what he means till everyone in the room looks at me.

"Oh, me? Ew, no way. That's too many nasty things and body fluids. Uh-huh, no thank you,"I swipe the air with my hands and the room chuckles.

"Ow," Reagan cringes, so all our smiles drop, but Reagan still keeps hers, "You guys shouldn't have brought him. We all know he's going to make me too much!"

I give a weak smile and shrug. 

~~~

After about three days in the hospital,  Reagan was released to stay at home for three to four weeks. And because her appendix ruptured, she has a drain in her decision. She called it her gut tube. It's nasty, but we all try to keep the topic off it. 

The thing she was most mad about was homecoming at school. It landed right in the middle of her house arrest. Let's just say Reagan wasn't very happy when she learned she would have to stay perched on her couch on the night of her last homecoming of high school.

I tried to tell her it really wasn't a big deal, she'd be fine for prom, and that's the only dance that actually mattered. But she whined and said that homecoming was fun too, just because she gets to get dressed up and camp out at the game beforehand. Which I retorted with how she could get dressed up any day, she didn't need a school dance, and that sports are too boring to sit in the cold with.

So, please Mrs. Homecoming-fanatic, I suggested we hold a mega sleepover at her house in place of dancing. She jumped -not physically of course- at the idea and so here we are on homecoming night in her living room, not really watching the movie we were playing, and me doing her makeup.

"Girl, after this we are going to have a serious photo shoot," I carefully draw a wing on her left lid, "If I'm not seeing dm's by tomorrow I'm throwing the whole straight male species away."

Reagan giggles, but I still her so she doesn't ruin my good job. Lately, my make up skills have been getting better. Plus, with two models living right next to me, I pretty much could practice whenever I want. I've already done Riley's and Heidi's make up tonight.

"Girl, me too. You look snatched!" Kendra whistles behind me as I sit back to review my look. She really did look so good. 

"Honestly, how do you not have a man yet?" Heidi claps and I can see Reagan blushing even under her makeup.

"I'm so glad to be friends with goddess twins," I shake my head at Reagan and Riley. 

They smile to take a picture together, which leads to a thirty-minute photoshoot, everyone involved. Even though it's nearly midnight and Reagan still isn't allowed to move very much, we take photos all around the house, even a few in the backyard.

The girls even try to get me in, which I try to deny because I'm not wearing anything or makeup so I honestly look like an ogre, but they all whine and tug at my arms.

"Oh come on, Barkley! You're so hot! You slay my game, please let me take a picture of you!" Riley pouts, twisting the arm of my sweatshirt.

"Guys, I'm not looking hot at all. I look like a raccoon right now," Everyones about to yell when I add, "Plus, we've already taken pictures in every crevice of the house. I don't think we need any more."

Every droops a little and I think finally I've won the battle and they won't make me take pictures. I really do look terrible past like nine at night if I'm not wearing makeup. And I'm also wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants, so I probably look like I belong in a mental institution.

But my eyes widen when Riley perks up, a fire in her eyes I don't really want to see, "Oh my god! No! Rey's room! Rey has a bunch of cool music stuff like records on the wall! Oh, let's go take pictures in Rey's room!"

The girls squeal and run up the stairs to knock on Rey's door, but I give a dead look to Reagan who's still on the coach.

"Oh, come on, Bark," She rolls her eyes, "Just please them and take a few pictures. Then, bam! You're done! Plus, Rey really does have a pretty cool wall of records, he's a music hoe like that."

"But Reagan," I switch the weight on my feet as I hear Riley rambling, "Rey's not about to let a pack of girls and a gay boy borrow his room for a few pictures."

Reagan scuffs, "One, Rileys a sweet talker. Rey will give either of us the world. It comes in handy at times. Plus, he likes you. Thinks you saved my life and all. And he'll leave soon, so its whatever."

My heart shouldn't have pounded harder at her words, but they did. He liked me. Approved of me, is more accurate but I'll take it. I bite my lip, trying to figure out how to respond when Riley calls down the stairs.

"Barkley! Get up here! We need to work fast, Rey's given us a time frame!" 

I glance at Reagan who shrugs and gestures to the stairs. I sigh and slowly climb them, following the sound of a few teenage girls squealing. 

I hesitantly peek around the door frame of Rey's room. He's sitting criss-cross on his bed, still in jeans and a tight hoodie, reading something on his phone. Riley and the other girls are pointing at the wall with vinyls hung up. 

The last time I looked in Rey's room Reagan was puking her organs out, so I didn't really have time to look around. Now I have time, so I inspect the room. Navy blue walls, its truly a music lovers room. Album covers, concert posters, a DJ set up in one corner. I hadn't really realized how much Rey loved music.

Heidi notices me first, "Oh, Barkley! Okay, get over here, we have a perfect idea."

Rey's head pops at the sound of my name and I wince at how awkward this is. Some part of me hopes that maybe I won't be in here because if one of this sisters. 

"I'm really sorry about this. I tried to get them to stop, but they insisted. Then, they got the bright idea to come to take pictures in your room. And they ran up too fast for me to stop them, so I don't know, I'm really sorry to intrude in your room like this. You can't possibly like having a whole posse of teenage girls and an obnoxious gay boy all up in your room, which is like super cool. I wouldn't know half the names or songs on your walls, but i defiently love the decor and all. Very edgy, hipster. Which, I mean I'm not always supportive of because sometimes it's obnoxious. But so am I, so why am I being a hypocrite? I'm rambling, anyway, thanks for letting me borrow your room for a miniature photo shoot." 

The girls laugh at me, I shoot him a finger gun (is that what straight boys do to their bros?) and am pleasantly surprised when I see a hint of a smile lift at his lips.

"Wow, now that was a presidential speech," Riley giggle and I flash her a cheeky smile, "And, wow, you made Rey smile? Who knew mindless rambling made it to his heart," I glance at Rey who scowls as if he was mad at getting caught smiling, "Anyway, get over here."

I can't help but feel self-conscience of my posing abilities with Rey in the room. I could see from the corner of my eye, that he glances at me trying to pose in front of his music memorabilia. After nearly breaking my legs in an awkward stance, and going blind from flash, the girls run back downstairs to show Reagan my modeling skills. 

I groan, standing up when a voice stops me from leaving, "And here I was getting the impression you like being the center of attention."

My jaw drops as I turn to Rey, who leans against his headboard. Did he just mock me? Was it a friendly mock or a hateful mock?

"Usually, yeah. But not when I'm rocking mental-institution-raccoon-ran-over vibe like I am right now,"I let out a weak laugh and gesture to my body. 

To my surprise, his eyes follow my hand as I gesture down at my body. As if checking me out, or verifying my description of my body.

"Well," His eyes don't meet mine as he starts speaking, but when they do I bare, "I think you fine. It is eleven at night, no ones expecting you to be wearing a tux,"I pray he can't see me blushing, "You look good. Fine, you look fine."

I blink, frozen at his words. I couldn't have possibly heard him right. Because if I had heard him right, he would have said I looked good. And he wouldn't have said that. What straight (sane) man would say that.

I lick my lips, "Well, compared to you, I'm certainly underdressed. Why are you wearing jeans at night? Don't tell me you sleep in jeans," I pretend to be horrified, and I watch his cheek twitch.

"Only sometimes. I don't think it's that big of a deal. People act like its painful or something," He shakes his head and climbs off the bed. I feel my heart move a little quicker at the movement as if he were going to come to me, "We should probably get downstairs, I've got to go."

I blink, "Oh, right, yeah. Yeah, I need to see all the new insta post I help create. Dm's better be starting, it's my favorite entertainment."

I head towards the stairs, Rey following me, "Sounds like fun. But make sure no creepy guys hit on my sisters."

 I quickly turn to him and place a hand over my chest as if hurt, "Huh! I would never!" 

I see a tiny smile and can't help but grin back in excitment. i made him smile twice. 

I went to sleep dreaming of making Rey smile.