Manhattan

14.

TWO DAYS LATER, Benji was still asleep. Aidan watched as his best friend's chest rose and fell steadily. He squeezed his hand, like if he held on tight enough, he'd wake up.

He looked up at Leah seated on the chair beside him, then at Julie sitting at the foot of the bed and Amir opposite them, on Benji's other side. They'd come to visit as soon as Aidan had told them what had happened.

"I'm going to kill whoever did this to him," said Amir, fists clenched at his sides. That was the one thing Aidan hadn't told them; that it had been Jeremy, that it had been Benji's own stepfather. He wasn't sure if Benji would've wanted them knowing, and besides, it wasn't his job to tell, wasn't his secret.

Aidan felt Leah's eyes on him, but was grateful when she didn't say anything.

Julie sniffed, wiping away a stray tear. Amir moved to comfort her, putting an arm around her shoulders. Aidan blinked, surprised at the sight, as he couldn't imagine them staying in the same room without bickering, let alone hug each other. So far, they'd proven him wrong on both occasions. He looked at Benji, almost expecting to find him exchanging a knowing look with Aidan, but he was still as comatose as ever.

"When did this happen?" Julie asked.

"Two days ago," Aidan said. "I was with Leah when I got the call from Benji's mom." 

She nodded. They sat in silence again, listening to the heart monitor. There was really nothing more to say. What had happened had happened, and words of comfort were useless when none of them knew how all this was going to end.

"Maybe you can will him to wake up," Amir said, breaking their silence.

Aidan blinked. "What?" 

He grinned, a startlingly familiar expression that eased the tension within Aidan for a moment. "Maybe if you will him to wake up hard enough, he will."

"Amir," said Julie. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"So stupid it has to work," Amir replied good-naturedly. "Try it, Aidan."

He gave Amir a blank stare. "I'm not doing that."

"Oh, come on, dude," he argued. "Don't you want Benji to wake up?"

"Of course, I -"

Amir held up his hands. "Ok, I said that the wrong way. Just do it. Come on."

Aidan exchanged a look with Leah. She shrugged with a smile, as if to say, what do you have to lose?

Aidan sighed, deciding he'd do it solely for the purpose of entertaining Amir. With his eyes closed, he held on to Benji's hand.

This is stupid, he thought. Ok. Fine. Benji, wake up.

There was nothing.

Benj, please, please wake up, Aidan thought, feeling even more ridiculous. If Benji was awake he'd probably be laughing at Aidan. Then again, if he was awake, Aidan wouldn't be doing this in the first place.

Seriously, Benj. If you want Amir to think I'm some sort of magician for the rest of my life, wake up.

Aidan opened his eyes, unsurprised to see that Benji looked the same as ever. He grimaced at Amir. "I bet the only reason you made me do that was so you could watch me make a fool of myself," Aidan started, then paused when he felt Benji's had twitch in his.