Because You Need Someone: Book 1 in the Need Trilogy: The Pack: Merome

Chapter Twelve: Pills

Oh wow this is weird...two updates in the same week and they aren't short chapters. Are you proud of me? ^-^

(I have been reading Attack On Titan manga. I read all the chapters in two days. And also I have finals to study for and my SAT coming up next week. School is almost over! I is so happy since I'm gonna be a Senior next school year)

*The Next Day*
Jerome pulls out a pill bottle and looks at it. Then he replays what Dr. Crook said in his head.

"Start giving these to him. It should help lift his mood, but you need to get him to start eating." She said. Jerome bites on his bottom lip and hears movement. He hides the bottle and looks at Mitch.

"Hey Mitch, can you sit down please? I want to talk to you." Jerome said.

"Um...sure." Mitch said. He sits down at the table and Jerome leans against the counter.

"Are you hungry?" He asks. Mitch shakes his head. Jerome crosses his arms. "You know I find that really hard to believe with you not eating anything in the past two days." Mitch puts his arms on the table.

"I...I just don't--" Jerome sets the pill bottle on the table and Mitch looks at it. "W-What are those?" He asks afraid of the answer. Jerome sits in the chair across from Mitch.

"Dr. Crook thinks you should start taking these." Jerome said. Mitch looks at Jerome.

"I f*cking knew it." Mitch said.

"Knew what?" Jerome asks.

"You promised me that I wouldn't have to take any drugs--"

"Mitch these are not drugs....well..I mean they are. But lets just try it, it might help." Jerome said. Mitch stands up, balling his fists.

"Yeah, it will help you not have to deal with me." Mitch said. Jerome shakes his head.

"Mitch, no. Y-You're being stubborn again." Jerome said. Mitch looks away from him feeling his blood boiling all of a sudden.

"I am not being stubborn. I don't have to take the pills if I don't want too and I don't want too. I don't need them." Mitch said. Jerome crosses his arms.

"Then why were you crying last night if you don't need them?" Jerome asks bluntly. Mitch takes a step away from Jerome, shocked. Mitch looks at the bottle. He hits it making it fly into the wall and break open. Jerome stands up. "Mitch!" Mitch takes a step towards him making Jerome step back.

"I don't need to be put on drugs!" Mitch yelled. Jerome sits in his chair, Mitch takes a step back and leaves the room. Jerome gets up and kneels down picking up the half empty bottle. He looks at the mess. 'He never acts like that towards anyone. He has always been one to keep his cool, so what got into him?' Jerome thought.  Jerome starts picking up the mess as he hears his phone ring. He gets up sighing irritated. He grabs his phone off the table and answers it hearing Rob's voice on the other end.

"Hey, how are things going?" He asks. Jerome sits in a chair.

"Not well. I need help, he's not...he's not himself." Jerome said. Rob chuckles.

"Well depression yeah. I would--"

"No. No. Not that. I mean...he's been having this weird mood swings lately. He would go from upset to just being mad and then back to upset." Jerome said.

"Has he lashed out at you?" Rob asks. Jerome picks up the rest of the pills and closes the bottle.

"I tried to get him to take some prescribed pills and he threw them at the wall and yelled at me." Jerome said. Rob sighs.

"You're being too soft on him. You're letting him walk all over you, Jerome." Rob said. Jerome puts the bottle on the table.

"I...I can't be mean to him. He's given up, he's told me that. I can't break his heart any further, I'll feel like a d*ck." Jerome said.

"That's why we are coming, unlike you I'm not gonna develop a crush on him." Rob said. Blush creeps up Jerome's neck.

"How did you--"

"It was so obvious that it physically hurt." Rob said. Jerome bites on his bottom lip.

"I-I'm sorry. I just can't hurt his feelings any more then they already are. Jessica really hurt him, I just want to be there for him." Jerome said. Rob sighs again.

"It's okay, Jerome. Lachlan just arrived in California from Australia. He's taking a plane to Canada tomorrow. Lachlan will be there before the rest of us. But until we get there, I need to know. Are those pills something he needs to take?" Rob asks. Jerome looks at the bottle.

"Dr. Crook said--"

"No. No. No. Jerome, don't think about what the doctor said. Do you honestly believe Mitch needs to take this in order for him to get better?" Rob asks. Jerome hesitates, thinking through in his mind what to say.

"Y-Yeah. I think they'll help improve his mood. Maybe make him start eating again." Jerome said.

"Wait he isn't eating? Jerome!" Rob shouted. Jerome flinches and looks at the floor.

"I'm sorry, at first I was full on helping him. But as the days went by I..I--"

"You're being toxic to him, Jerome. You are promoting his bad behavior, you need to put your foot down." Rob said. Jerome puts his hand through his hair frustrated and doesn't know what to say. "It's okay though. That will change when we show up in Canada. And you need to promise me that you won't give in to Mitch anymore and you won't be coming to his aid if Preston and the others are teaming up on him."

"But Rob--"

"Jerome, he's in a very dark place right now. And all you are doing is pushing him closer to the edge, I'm gonna tell the others about this. Promise me?" Rob asks. Jerome pauses and looks at the pill bottle. He stands up and leaves the room. He stops seeing Mitch crying into his knees. He grabs his shirt and looks at the floor.

"Y-Yeah. I promise. I have to go." Jerome said. He hangs up and runs over to Mitch's side.

"Jerome--" Jerome puts his arms around Mitch.

"It's okay, I'm right here." He said. Mitch rests his head against Jerome's shoulder, burying his face in Jerome's shirt. Jerome sits on his knees and his hand rubs Mitch's arm. 'Rob's right. I am soft when it comes to Mitch. It's just...I don't want his already shattered heart to be hurt anymore.' Jerome thought. Jerome bites his bottom lip back, his eyes look down at Mitch. 'We haven't talk about what happened two nights ago. I want to, but whenever I bring it up, he gets mad at me. Things will change when the others come, I hope anyway.'