Two Possible Paths

Three

Three

Scorpio's POV

"Everything's going to be okay," I felt Rowan's hand entwine mine, tears dripping like rainfall on his face. "I'm sure they'll let you in soon."

I was sitting with a devastated Rowan on a park bench, facing the hospital. The sun was setting, and traffic was buzzing. We sat in agreeable silence. Rowan was busy calling the hospital, while I sat and thought...

If I die, right now, right on the spot, nobody would care. I sighed, leaning into his shaking arms. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll call or find someone to fetch you." Rowan blinked comfortingly at me. Except this wasn't comforting. It sent me a chill down my spine, thinking about all the possible futures if they didn't come. If they abandoned me.

They didn't let me in because I have no family. I have no mother or father to pay for my hospital bills, and they didn't let Rowan do anything. Homophobic smelly dudes.

Tears were running down faster and faster, my heart was pounding quicker and quicker, my breath was losing itself, swift and rapid. He hung up the phone, whispered in my ear, and begged me to hold on.

"Just remember-" I croaked in a weak, high-pitched voice before most things I remember went blank.

Rowan's pov

He fainted. What?? Do people faint when they have cancer? Just remember what? Is he dead? "Hey, hey! Somebody fainted here!" I screeched, his arms picking up the limp body as people rushed around him.

"Can someone call the ambulance??" I mumbled, sweat dripping down my face like blood. I looked around, people lowered their heads, staying quiet. "What?" I dug in my pocket, trying to find my phone. "Please, somebody call the ambulance!" I repeated, grunting in disgust as people started stepping backwards.

"Listen, we can't." A weak voice popped up from the crowd, his body shaking with fear.

"Rules. Rules." A tall, broad woman kicked some rocks around with her sneakers.

I shook my head, my brain hurting from anger and melting from disappointment. "What rules?" I still held Scorpio in my hands, trying to wake him up.

"No, sorry." People mumbled, shuffling around before stepping away like a swirl of darkness, dropping me to my knees before tears came speeding out of my eyes as I sobbed hysterically. My hands shook, my legs wobbled and I sank onto the grass next to Scorpio.

I need to figure out this stupid rule since in the crowd of stupid pepole, nobody would tell me.

Hours passed with me and him on the ground, waving weakly for help. I didn't dare take my gaze away from Scorp as I was scared, scared for his life. As if he would slip away from this planet, and stop breathing.

I went to the hospital again, half begging to let Rowan in. I had a keycard- I could easily bring him in, but I could not bring him to a room.

The staff had a very serious tone and always seemed to sigh every chance they got.

"Well, why can't I bring him in?" I sighed in frustration, stomping my feet lightly.

"For the last time, does Rowan have any parents or relatives," A male staff member with deep, Maron hair and green swampy eyes asked.

"Well, he does have me," I mumbled, coating each word with fury.

The cold voice flashed back at me. "No relatives?"

"He is family," I repeated.

Silence.

"He is my family!" I screeched, hissing and stomping. My rage engulfed me until I turned around to knock down the most expensive thing in sight. A small, compact digital clock that had small weather buttons on top. Seemed outdated, but was the best thing I could find.

Time : 3:12 pm. Weather : Sunny. Date : 23rd March, 1992.

"Sir..." The staff turned to me with a hauntfull gasp, and the male staff had a strained expression. "You need to leave. If he has no family, go. We have people more important than that," he looked down at the body laid peacefully on the couch, his breathing dropped and raised, as if he were in a nice, comfortable nap not wanting to be woken up,

"But why..." I grunted, leaving marks on my face with the quick 'emotion change' I apparently had.

"You're his boyfriend or cousin?" One of the female staff knocked the male one out of line, made a batting motion with her hand and the rest of them flew out of the room like moths.

"Umm. Boyfriend."

"Okay. Please sign this then."

Turned out she was head nurse or something because her tag clearly seemed larger and bolder. It read 'Lexie Writeman, Nurse department and counter staff.'

.

I took a glance at the paper, thinking I could fill this out with ease and get Rowan in one of those nice, fancy bed compartments with a real plant next to you. I was fooled immediately. I had to write down a whole paragraph about the patient's problem, what you need, how long it will take you, your ID number, their ID number, your address, and much more. I flipped through the pages. 5 Pages total with small black ink, making my eyes squint even harder with each word.

"Mayors real homophobic." The nurse sighed, flipping her dark hair and tilted her glasses. "He made it really hard for people in or supporting the lgtbq community to get a room or even get a checkup."

I wanted to stay silent, but I couldn't stop myself muttering, "why? What's wrong?"

She shook her head, "if you can't fill out this form you need to leave."

"Well, please. Just a temporary room." I begged, my broad shoulders slumping and my breath quickening.

"I'll try."

I handed her my clipboard and smiled thanks. I held Scorpio's hand one last time before she sent in the male staff and a few more I could not recognize. They plucked him up like a baby chick and plopped him down on a hospital carry tray. They whispered and blinked back at me a few times, but I just hissed at them. Soon enough, they were out of sight.

"Goodie. Now, it'll be 200 a night. How many nights do you need?" Lexie turned back at me, her expression now blank and her voice tight.

I choked, "200??" I can get my dream bike with that money. Plus, I only have 34 dollars on me.

"200." The woman repeated.

"I- I don't have." Fear arose once again, stomping in like a party pooper.

She sighed, shaking her head. "Well, give me what you have and I'll give you one night."

"Thank you so much." I held her hand, not romantically, but like a beggar, thanking a god.

The walk home was filled with mixed emotions. The happiness of Scorpio getting a decent room was fulfilling my wishes, but the thought that he might get kicked out tomorrow stomped all the joy down, refilling it with hopelessness instead.

When I arrived home, I took off my shoes and slumped onto the bed. Expenses, expenses. How jolly good. How am I ever going to pay them? "Such a bad mayor." I cussed, stomping my foot on the wooden floor, which shook a little. The mayor should be helping his citizens, not breaking their life and hope into small, little pieces.

"Maybe..." an idea lit in my head, and my whole face brightened. I may have found a way to help this problem.

I could maybe... maybe- become the next mayor to remove this rule. It doesn't seem to exaggerated, it happens sometimes.

"Okay. I'll go to the mayor and maybe he'll let me shove him off his role." I grinned, sharing only a moment of joy before the thought of losing rowan made me slump my shoulders and sigh.