You Can't Hate Me

13

Ajax's POV

I blink groggily. I can hear faint drifts of voices above my head, but I can't make sense of them.

The murmurs turn into actual words as the world blinks into focus.

"Ajax? Are you awake?"

I squint, wincing as my head throbs painfully. "Luke? Bryan? What are you guys doing here?"

"Oh my god we thought you were dead!" Luke exclaims dramatically. Bryan backhands his head. "I didn't, he did," my auburn-haired best friend corrects.

"How did you guys..."

"Alia called us."

"She has your phone number? Please don't tell me you guys're trying to hit on her. I will actually vomit onto your shirt."

Bryan huffs, offended. "She got it from the phone book, dumbass."

"She keeps a phone book?"

"Whatever. What is actually important right now, is to get you to eat," Bryan says.

"No thanks, it'd probably end up on your shirt anyway."

Luke peers down at me. "Why and how did you end up more than a hundred miles out of town? Are you crazy or what?"

"I was...running," I shrug, grimacing as pain shoots up my shoulder muscles.

Bryan laughs dryly. "Yeah, running. For three hours straight. Are you out of your mind?"

"Probably."

"You need to eat something."

"I don't feel like it. And it would probably end up on your shirt," I say, giving him a pointed look.

"I heard you the first time," Bryan grumbles.

I manage to muster a small, smug grin at him.

Bryan shakes his head. "The reason you threw everything up is because you put too much physical toll on your body. You need to eat to restore that energy."

"Fine, Dr. Day, I'll take your word. But food better be something like apples or smoothies. If you give me a friggin' hamburger or pancakes, I'll ensure that they end up on your shirt."

Bryan salutes, smiling. "Yes, sir." He leaves the room.

Silence settles over the remaining two of us like a blanket.

"How y'doing?" Luke asks.

"Better than before, I guess."

Luke clears his throat, looking at me uncertainly. "What happened?"

I try to appear nonchalant. "I freaked out over life, and, as usual, thought I could outrun it."

I can see that Luke understands. He always does.

"I wish I could outrun life too," he says.

I immediately think of his brother. "Is Leon okay?" I ask, looking him in the eye to show that I mean it.

Luke snorts. He hesitates for a moment before saying. "No. He, is definitely not okay."

I close my eyes, frowning against the pain shoveling into my head. "Y'know, you should talk to him."

"He doesn't like to talk."

"Neither do I," I point out. "But you guys know I talk, only to you guys, though, because, well, you listen."

This is getting super awkward.

Luke considers it. "I guess."

"So, you gonna try?"

"Maybe."

The door swings open and Bryan walks in, carrying a tray filled with chocolate chip cookies, apple slices, and three glasses of smoothies.

"Yep, best friend ever," Luke confirms, nicking a cookie before Bryan has time to react.

Bryan scowls. "Those are for Ajax, he needs the carbs. You get a smoothie, though."

Luke pouts. "That's no fair!"

"Do you want the smoothie or not?"

Luke humphs and grabs the smoothie.

I sit up, trying to ignore my cramping muscles and woozy head. Bryan gives me the tray. "Enjoy your snack, Monsieur," he says in the worst French accent ever. I snort at his lame attempt and pick up an apple slice, savoring it's sweet taste while pretending Luke doesn't exist.

Bryan sits down opposite Luke, on the other side of the bed I'm in. "I called your Gran, she knows you're here and'll probably come pick you up later today."

"Okay." Great, another thing to worry about. I can just imagine how great Gran and Alia will hit off. Both of them are too stubborn to be able like each other.

"And, Ajax."

"What?"

"Your dad, uh, kinda, y'know, threatened me to threaten you to remember to stop by his house this week."

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

"Okay. Sorry you got threatened. He usually doesn't carry out his threats unless it's me he's threatening."

"Wow, that's reassuring," Bryan says sarcastically.

There's an awkward silence. "Yeah," I breathe.

"Sooooo," Luke drags out. "Anyone wanna come over to mine tomorrow?"

"Sure, whatever."

"We're playing Xbox, right?" he asks hopefully.

Bryan rolls his eyes. "Dude, Xbox is for babies."

"Technically, babies don't know how to play Xbox."

"Shut up," I groan. I've heard this argument so many times I can tell exactly how it'll go.

"You'll play, right?" Luke turns to me.

I glare at him. "Yeah, if you want all this," -I gesture to the food in front of me- "to end up on your shirt, then yeah."

Luke pouts. "You guys are so mean!" he complains.

Bryan pats his shoulder. "That's what friends are for."

I sigh and lean back against the pillows, their bickering fading into the background as sleep once again washes over me.

************************************

That was boring.

Anyways, I'm gonna update real soon because I've just been hit with this huge burst of inspiration and will probably keep writing until it fades.

So get yourself ready for my update bombing!

:)

-thc_jasmine