V IVIAN • jace + vasco • lookism

Chapter X

For goodness sake. I'm fed up with everything. Honestly I'd be better off than seeing him twist himself into a life with endless troubles.

I'm stressing out unnecessarily. I mean, I care about Vasco. After all, he was my closest friend in elementary but all of the incidents that took place was in a mere 4 days. Of course, he can slip up once in a while but he'd never be this silly. I mean, take a look at the state he's in! He's found himself im a hospital bed!

Everything seems off. Is this reality or am I in a dream? I swear life was never this busy - I've always had free time. From the moment Vasco and I went on a small trip to the beach, everything spiralled out of control.

I grabbed my cigarette pack from my back pocket. I know I should've quit long ago when Vasco told me to but I just can't seem to stop.

I lit one of the cigarettes as I leaned against the walls of the cubicle. I inhaled and huffed the smoke.

Shit. I'm in the men's bathroom.

I took out the cigarette from my mouth and flushed it down the toilet and quickly dispersed the smoke. I'm thankful the alarms didn't go off.

I left the bathroom and popped into the ward that Vasco stayed in.

"Hey. I'm going to leave now. Love you my guy." I teased.

"Love you too, bro. Come here." Vasco gestured.

Me and Vasco had this handshake from middle school and never stopped using it ever since - it was a symbol of our friendship.

"Aight, I'll see you later. Wait, do you know when you'll get discharged?" I asked.

"I just woke right? I think I'm going to recover and soon, I'll have to take, uh what are they called, a discharge assessment? But those are only performed in about one-to-two weeks?"

"Aight, see you in a week or two. I'll miss you lots, bro. Stay strong." I smiled faintly.

"Same, man. See you later." Vasco sighed.

---

I reached home. I've got a caring father and a manipulative "mother". Can I even call her a mum? She's out here to get to me by using my dad! How messed up is that?! Honestly, I hate her guts so much.

I took off my shoes and sat in the living room.

"Hi, Jace." My dad smiled.

"Hi, dad." I sighed as I sat on the armchair. "Where's your girlfriend? What even is her name?"

"Her name is Vivian and she at work. Haven't I told you where she works? I'm sorry if I haven't. She works as a staff nurse in the hospital just around the corner."

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. "What? So she works night shifts?"

"That's right." He responded.

"What ward does she work in?" I asked nervously, uncovering my mouth slightly.

"I don't know. Most likely, she works on level 4. Why would you want to know that?"

"It's private."

"Okay, I won't meddle in your business. You do you. I'll sit here and watch Netflix." He chuckled. "Kids these days are so secretive."

"What a liar." I laughed. "First, she lies about her name and now, her job?"

I cackled as I laid myself down on the bed.

"What a liar."

---

Two weeks later
Vasco's POV