No Matter What (Synacky)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Zacky

Brian was in the hospital.

It was three days from whenever Suzy found out about our relationship.

I sat in the waiting room alone, impatiently tapping my feet as my heart raced. My thoughts drifted to terrible places. I didn't want to think about the condition he was in.

Suzy had admitted him to the Emergency Room after she found him lying on his bedroom floor, unconscious, blood spilling from his nose and mouth.

She hadn't told me what happened though. She said that she didn't even know. I wasn't sure if I believed her. It seemed a little strange that she and his father weren't in the waiting room as well, checking up on him.

I stood, beginning to walk to the front desk to find out what the hell was going on. But I was stopped by a nurse.

"Are you here for Mr. Haner?" She asked, giving me a small, dimpled smile.

"Uh, yeah." My voice cracked, and I covered it with a cough. I felt weak. As if I was about to pass out.

"He just woke up. You can go see him now, but he has a concussion." She then gave me his room number.

I was about to walk away, when she held her hand up, stopping me once more, "Also, he probably won't remember the event. Or at least not immediately. Don't push him into telling you what happened, it'll just cause stress."

I nodded, and began walking down the hall, looking for his room. I found the room number that matched the one the nurse had given me, and quickly stepped through the doorway. I then quietly closed the door behind me.

I felt tears prick my eyes at the sight of Brian. A black eye was beginning to form, and his lip was busted open. His nose was covered by a small cast, meaning it must have been broken. He didn't notice me, so I walked to the bed. Standing by his side, I gently ran my hand through his dark hair several times.

Brian gave me a small, toothless smile. I kneeled down on the floor so that I was closer to him.

"Hi, Zee." He croaked, reaching his hand towards me to touch my face. Using his thumb, he wiped the tears away.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, slightly frowning.

I sniffled, "Because, you're hurt."

Brian sighed, rolling his eyes in a joking manner, "I'm fine."

Clearly he wasn't.

I decided to go against what the nurse told me, "Bri, do you remember what happened?"

He shook his head, then winced in pain at the sudden movement.

I sighed, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"I'll tell you as soon as I remember anything." Brian promised, "You'll be the first to know."

He then told me that he hated seeing me upset. So despite the sorrow I was feeling for him, I was able to smile for his sake.

"When can I get the fuck out of here?" Brian asked, groaning.

I shrugged, "You have a concussion. You might be here for a while."

Then, he let out a small whine.

"Does it hurt?"

I realized what a stupid question that was, and expected a bitchy comeback, but instead he stayed calm.

"Yeah." He replied, "Everywhere." Yet I did hear a bit of annoyance in his voice.

He suddenly seemed to get more upset, though I wasn't sure why, "Stop looking so goddamn sympathetic."

"What do you mean? You don't think I'm gonna be upset when you're in the hospital?" I furrowed my brows.

"I wouldn't be fucking crying." He shot back, then his eyes immediately filled with regret.

I opened my mouth for a moment, then closed it again when nothing came out.

Brian reached forward, comfortingly brushing his hand through my hair, "I'm sorry, Zee."

I shrugged, as if I didn't care, "I guess I'm just more sensitive than you."

"I didn't mean to say that."

I didn't respond.

He sighed, "I'm just really pissed about this whole thing. I guess I tried to hide it at first, but I really wanna get out of here. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"I can ask when you can go back home." I offered, beginning to stand up, "I'm sure they'll call your dad and Suzy to pick you up."

"No." Brian held my shirt, holding me there, "I don't think I can actually go home."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I think I can remember what happened." I kneeled back down.

Brian took a deep breath, "But not completely. I know it was my dad though." I tried not to gasp at this.

"I remember Suzy telling him to stop and she was saying all this shit, which I was really just trying to ignore. But then my dad bursted into my room, and next thing I knew," He paused for a moment, looking around the room, "I was in here."

I felt as if my jaw had dropped to the floor.

"So," I searched for words to say, "Your dad. He knows?"

Brian nodded, but then gave another grimace of pain, "I guess."

The door opened and an older man, who I assumed was a doctor, walked over to us.

He explained to us that Brian had a concussion, which we both already knew. But then he told us that he would be able to leave the hospital as soon as he was feeling well enough.

I wasn't sure if Brian was telling the truth, or if he just really wanted to get out of there, but he told the doctor that he felt perfectly fine and he was ready to go home.

Nurses came in and did several quick tests before giving him painkillers and unhooking him from the IV.

Then they gave Brian his clothes and left.

I could see that his head was killing him as he sat up. But he tried his best to ignore the pain and got dressed instead.

Before leaving the hospital room, I embraced him with a hug.

I never wanted to let him go. I never wanted him to have to suffer again.