Stay//Poofless//discontinued

Chapter 4

Rob's POV

I lean over him, laying the blanket across his chest. I see him looking at me so I turn to him as well. I have a typical, mocking smile across my face but it quickly fades. He's looking at me and I'm looking at him and it feels like everything is frozen. As quickly as it happened, it ends. I feel my body moving away from his.

No! Get closer, not farther away.

Wait what?!

I stand up and immediately avert my gaze to the floor. I focus on messing with a piece of loose string at the hem of my T-Shirt. I hear myself muttering something about if he needs help and then immediately run like hell.

I run up to my room, slamming the door as I slide down it.

What where you doing Rob?
You aren't like that.
It meant nothing.
Right?

Ugh I don't even know. What was that to me? It obviously meant something. I press the side of my head against the door, it's cold surface refreshing against my burning face. Downstairs I hear Preston talking to Sara.

Of course it didn't mean anything to him, it was just another weird moment of Rob and Preston. I shake my head and stand up. No, I'm not going to think about it.

It was nothing. I repeat it in my head. It was nothing.

I fall asleep easily, letting the moment slip to the back of my mind.

When I wake up the first thing I hear is Preston's voice.

"Rob!" he's yelling. His voice is full of pain.

I immediately rush down the stairs, stumbling as I reach the bottom. I look at the couch but he isn't there. Instead he's laying on the floor beside it.

"Rob!" he says again, letting out a sigh of relief.

"I'm here Preston," I reply, taking in the situation. It would appear he managed to fall off of the couch. He landed on his bad leg, I can't imagine how badly that must hurt.

I reach down and try to help him up in various ways but it results in groans and yelps of pain. I eventually am able to help him back up onto the couch.

"Do you need any of the pain meds?" I ask, pulling the table closer for him to rest his foot on it.

"No, I'll be fine," he replies, his face still slightly contorted.

"Really? You look like you're in pain."

"I'm fine." He says a little harsher.

"Preston-"

"I said I'm fine!"he yells back at me, cutting off my sentence. I nod, but then realize he has his eyes squeezed shut and his fists balled. I know he's hurt.

I walk away and grab the bottle of pain meds and a glass of water. I set them on the table next to a pillow I placed for him. I help him lift his foot onto the pillow and sit down next to him.

"I didn't mean to upset you, I just don't like to see you struggle," I say apologetically. Seeing him hurting kills me.

"No I'm not upset, I'm just kind of stressed out and you were just trying to help," he replies, finally opening his eyes.

I smile at him and he returns it.

"Do you need me to go get your crutches? You'll need them," I ask standing up.

"Yes please, as nice as this couch is," he says rubbing the soft material, "I'd like to be able to walk."

"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?" I question him. I don't want him to get hurt. If he falls again I won't be able to help him up.

"Yeah I'll be fine, I've got Netflix, that should keep me occupied," he says smiling, gesturing to the TV.

I nod slowly, "Okay... I'll be right back," I say walking to get my car keys. I also grab the key to his apartment on my way out.

I drive in silence, finally letting the thoughts from last night flood into my head. I still don't know what that was. If it was nothing then why am I still thinking about it? If it was something why don't I realize it?

My head is spinning by the time I park my car in front of Preston's apartment complex. When I reach his door I pull the key out of my pocket and open it.

Crap. I have no idea where he keeps these stupid things!

I decide to check the closet in his bedroom first. It's a decent sized walk in, and it's completely full.

That's my Purrston. Always a mess.

I think smiling to myself.

Wait, my Purrston...?

I move around a couple of boxes, looking to see crutches anywhere. Instead a box hits my head, not too hard, but it still hurts a bit. I shake my head, rolling my eyes, as I pick it up off of the floor.

The top of it has come off and the contents are laying on the floor. I bend down, horrified at what I see in front of me. Thin little pieces of metal lay in front of me, their smooth surfaces catching the light.

I pick up what look like the blade to a letter opener and turn it over in my hand. I drop it immediately when I see rust colored stains lining its edge.

I back away slowly, edging myself out of the closet.

No! No this can't be right.
Those...those cant be his.
Can they?
Did I cause this?
How long?
Why?

I shake my head in horror as I close the door. I don't realize I'm crying until the tears are staining the bottom of my shirt. I walk away in a daze and almost reach the door before I remember why I came here.

I turn around reluctantly and go to his hallway closet. I find his crutches there and take them. I walk slowly back towards my car.

How am I supposed to face him now? Do I say anything?

All I'm getting is questions without any answers. I finally decide to pretend it didn't happen. If I push him will it break him? I don't want to find out.

As I pull into my driveway and walk through the doorway I am greeted by the sound of Modern Family on my TV. I set down the keys and sit down on the couch beside Preston.

"I brought you something," I say, attempting to hold my fake smile.

"Oooh what is it?" He asks smiling.

I hand him the crutches and he laughs a little.

"Well thank you," he says trying to stand up with them. He stumbles a little bit trying to stand and I rise to help.

His balance is slightly off as he stands and he's leaning away, about to fall. Instinctively I reach my hand to his side to steady him. When he's standing up straight I realize that my hand is still on his side.

Before I can move it he turns to face me. Heat rushes to my face but my hand doesn't move.

"Thanks," he says, his own face flooding with color to. I nod and he moves, letting my hand drop back down.

I nod, "No problem. If you need any help getting around let me know, do you need me to take you home?"

He nods in response and I walk towards the door. He follows, trailing behind me, and I slow my pace. I help him into my car and we drive, not saying a word. This time the radio is playing so I focus on that instead of what just happened.

I drop him off at his complex and decide I need to go do something to distract myself. So much has happened in the last 24 hours with Preston and I can't think about it right now.

I end up just driving around aimlessly, no real destination in mind. I just focus on the road ahead and let the rest fade into oblivion.