evanescence (2.) | ✔️

Trouble

        "AND YOU'RE ALL good," the nurse says, finishing up with taping the gauze on Roman's nose. "Good thing it was a clean break. Made my job a lot easier. You stay out of trouble young man, you hear me?"

        Roman's eyes are on me as he answers. "Yes ma'am," he rasps. I fold my hands in my lap.

        As soon as the nurse leaves, apologies fall from my lips. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened. I mean, I know I hit you but I didn't mean to, it's just you got under my skin and next thing I know my fist was hitting your face, and holy crap, your nose is broken."

        He presses an ice pack to the injury, laughing softly. "It's not the first time this has happened, all right? Quit whining."

        "I'm violent. I am a violent person," I mutter dejectedly. "You should hit me back. Why haven't you hit me back?"

Roman laughs softly, sliding back into his jacket and walking out of the hospital room. I trail behind him tentatively. "Look, obviously you were taking something out on me. It's my own fault; I shouldn't have pushed so hard."

I balk, crossing my arms. "Roman, I broke your nose."

He turns to me just as we reach the hospital doors. "Yeah, well. Something inside of you is broken as well. And that's not your fault."

He pushes the door open and I sigh before walking through it, the cool night air icy on my skin. "Robyn was right. You are my gay sherpa."

Roman chuckles before reaching into his pocket. I watch with wide eyes as he pulls out a lighter and a cigarette, the picture of nonchalance as he takes a drag. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Nicotine? In front of a hospital?" I shout.

Roman leaves the stick in his mouth as he glares at me. "Braylen, I currently can't feel my nose. I think I deserve a cigarette."

"It'll kill you."

"I'll quit before it does."

I shake my head. "That's not how it works. You don't get to decide when something kills you. It just does."

        Roman looks over at me. There's a glint in his eyes that I'm not sure I like. "That's the first real thing you've said to me all day."

        I shrug my shoulders, staring at the emptying street instead of his face. "You were right. Everything you said. I know I'm not myself and I don't think I ever can be again," I admit. There was no feeling in my voice. It was all matter of fact. "But if you think I'm going to get in a onesie and tell you how bad it sucks that my boyfriend killed himself while we're binge-watching Nicholas Sparks movies, you've got another thing coming."

        I finally turn to look at him only to find him staring back at me. "All right. Then that plan is out the window," he jokes, sending me a sarcastic smile. I absolutely hate myself for smiling back. "Here. Give me your phone."