Get A Room!

~:*:~ Sixty-Seven ~:*:~

Ian

We waited all afternoon for Jedson to wake up but he never did. The doctors had pumped him up with so much morphine that it kept him knocked out through the entire examination, the numerous stitches, and the casting process for his fractured wrists. They also gave him a lot of antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria that had transferred from the metal door into his wounds. He was so drugged up to numb the pain that it wasn't a surprise that he felt too tired to face the real world.

Our group, apart from Bright, decided that it would be best to head back to campus instead of needlessly crowding the waiting room. Leona left her phone number with his parents so someone could call us when he was finally conscious and able to see visitors. I reminded her that Bright already had her number and wouldn't be leaving the hospital until Jedson opened his eyes, to which Leona responded, "Calling me will be the last thing on his mind when Jedson wakes up, so it's better to leave the responsibility to someone else. I'm sure his family will be a little more level-headed."

She didn't talk to me after that, nor did she say anything to me before at the hospital. The last time we spoke, aside from my text earlier to send her to Chace's aid, was when we fought on the soccer field. I don't think Chace had a chance to tell her why he was crying, but she definitely knew I'd done something bad. Basically she had a handful of truths and a few half-truths to justify giving me the cold shoulder.

As the five of us took a cab back to campus, I overheard Leona asking Chace if she should skip her evening class so they could talk. Sitting in the front seat with Chace directly behind the driver, I caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye. He gave Leona a forced smile to reassure her that he was fine, and then instructed her to go to her class. Leona knew him well enough to know that he was lying, but like me she could also tell that he needed some time alone before they talked about it.

Chace went on, "I've got something to do anyways. So go to your class, and I'll stop by your room afterward."

"Okay." She agreed warily.

We all went our separate ways once we hit campus. Paxton and Leona bolted to their classes, Nate went to the cafeteria to pick up dinner, and Chace just vanished before I could even get out of the cab. I was left to pay the cab fare before meandering to Massey alone.

I suppose this is how things are going to be from now on; the moment our group outing is complete, the need for civility will disappear and Chace will walk away without a word.

I can't complain; I asked for it.

~*~*~*~

Chace didn't return to our room for another few hours.

I couldn't seem to focus ever since he left me alone by the cab, wondering what he was up to and who he was with. I even began questioning my hasty reaction this morning to finding him in bed with Angel. I knew he wasn't at fault, and yet I still wanted to punish him for it. I wasn't wrong though; all the girls I brought around would continue to prefer his company over mine in the future. But I was starting to doubt my reasoning for feeling angry and betrayed. These girls weren't special enough to me to justify dissolving my friendship with Chace entirely and kicking him out of the room. So why did it hurt so much to see him with them?! Why was I irrationally blaming Chace for something out of his control?! Why was I so fucking jealous?!

These were the thoughts that were racing through my head as I looked over a course syllabus for the hundredth time, unable to retain a single bit of information from this stupid booklet.

When Chace walked in, I kept my back to him out of spite, pretending like I was absorbed by the lesson schedule.

Despite my regrets, I still wasn't going to be the first to speak.