NO Love Club (Boy × Boy) ✔

25) JEALOUS, HUH?

X Bélizaire's POV 

As soon as they were gone, the room fell into silence, which wasn't really that silent at all. We could hear footsteps on the hallway, hurriedly walking past the room, the steady sounds of the monitors, the muffled conversation from the next room,.. The ward was bustling with people and filled with sounds.

"Are you in pain?" I asked eventually. When Cole glanced down at our joined hands, I could feel heat rushing to my cheeks. I pulled mine away and cleared my throat, failing to hide my embarrassment.

"This stuff is better than my meds." Cole pointed out, then frowning at his own words, as if to ask himself: and what the heck are you talking about? He had a drip and his eyes were bleary, unfocused, so I guessed he was getting something stronger than I had.

"Tell me about it. I'm gonna ask them to give me the same stuff for my migraine.." I started it as a joke, but let my voice trail off, as I realized it was actually something I needed to talk about. It was probably not the best moment to talk things through, but at least Cole couldn't escape me now. "And speaking of migraine, I really didn't mean it when I said you're annoying. My head had been killing me all day and I just wanted to silence you so that I could get home and rest."

Cole let out a sound that could have either meant that he understood or that I should keep talking. His gaze was on me now, more focused like he was straining to stay present enough to hear my words.

"I was just, um, jealous, I think. You chose Declan's side over me and, no offense, but he didn't seem like a friend worth standing up for. But he isn't nearly as bad as I thought he was, so what I'm trying to say is that I get it now." I explained, leaning closer to him on my chair.

"Jealous, huh?" Cole breathed, a groggy grin spreading on his lips. I had missed his smile more than I realized. "Does that mean you've lost the bet?"

"What, no, I'm still going to win." I told him, my voice coming out more high-pitched than I had hoped for. I tried to hide it with a chuckle and Cole let out a faint snort.

We grew silent again then, and after a while Cole dozed off. As I didn't know what else to do or where else to look, my eyes kept straying back to his sleeping face. A couple of times I found myself staring at his legs, their form obscured by the thick covers. What if he was never going to walk again? Would he hate me forever for it? And wouldn't he have all the right to do so?

"Hi." A soft spoken word woke me from my sleep. Although, I'm not 100% sure I was sleeping and not just staring at Cole in a trance. With all the meds in my bloodstream, I couldn’t really tell the difference. When I shifted on the wheelchair, I could see the person who had spoken to me.

He was tall and well-built, his clothes giving away an impression of wealth. His hair was brown, though lighter and in a warmer shade than Cole's, and his eyes were brown. He didn't resemble Cole all that much, but could this be his brother Cody? 

"Hi." I only managed to squeak, having to clear my throat and try again: "Sorry, I'm X. Cole's friend."

"Oh, yeah, alright. His family should be here soon." The guy said, taking a seat near the end of the bed. So, not Cody? Then he seemed to notice my puzzled expression and chuckled awkwardly. "I'm Ian, Cody's boyfriend."

"Oh, yeah, alright." I echoed his words purely by accident, making us both laugh. Ian leaned back on his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and smiling. That smile dimmed as his gaze landed on Cole, who was still asleep, and was replaced by worry.

We both turned our gazes to the door after hearing a rustle, and my eyes landed on a tall, scrawny man and a younger guy who reminded me of Cole scary much. He had the same long curly hair and gray-blue eyes, but he was shorter and smaller than Cole. I couldn't shake the feeling I had seen him somewhere before.

We began the awkward scuffle of introducing ourselves, but didn't get far before Cole's mom, Chloe and my dad joined us. The mom gave me a small smile, which looked genuine, so I guess her and dad's talk went well.

"Should we give you some space now?" I asked, realizing that and I didn't really belong in the room. I was surprised by Cole, who had woken up during the introductions, tucking at my sleeve. His eyes were pleading, begging for me to stay.

"What's the hurry?" Chloe chirped, keeping her tone cheerful, even though it was clear as day she hadn't slept a wink either. Once she took her gaze from Cole's fingers clutching my sleeve, she gave me a brief conspiratorial smile.

For the next hour or so I mostly just listened to Cole's family chatting together and with my dad, observing the way they behaved around each other. When Cody said something to Cole, making him smile, I was yet again bothered by the idea that I knew him from somewhere.

I could almost conquer a picture of a younger version of Cody, looking glum and all so serious. But then I was distracted by dad, who got a call and was apparently also reprimanded by the caller. A while later mom appeared in the room, frowning at me and dad at first, but switching to her professional mode immediately after turning to face Cole and his family.

"Hi, I'm Kari Bélizaire, Xa— X's mother." She introduced herself.

"Wait.. The Kari Bélizaire?" Chloe exclaimed, her eyes widening and mouth hanging open in awe. Apparently she knew a thing or two about politics. "The new leader of the opposition Kari Bélizaire?"

"Well, in fact, yes." Mom agreed. From my peripheral vision I could see Cole giving me a wide-eyed glance, as if he was seeing me in a completely different light. But honestly, we were a normal family, considering mom's position. She had wanted to make sure both Maddy and I were kept out of politics and had a chance of a typical school and social life. 

"But I'd appreciate it if you kept this to yourself." Mom said, gesturing at me and dad. The others agreed with nods and of courses and sure things.

Then mom turned to face Cole, taking a step closer to his bed. Her tone was gentle but firm: "I am so sorry this happened to you and I assure you we'll make sure you'll get all the treatment you need. We are also taking care of that dangerous blind intersection."

"Thank you?" Cole muttered, making it sound more like a question. I could tell mom's words made him uneasy, for whatever reason. He was probably thinking about his legs and the accident, as a line appeared between his brows. He fell silent for the rest of our visit, making me wish mom hadn't said anything at all.

****

Question of the day:
What's your favorite movie to watch over and over again?

(Me: The Butterfly Effect, Donnie Darko and #alive [#살아있다].)