Incompetent (BxB)

Chapter 25

A month had past. Eddie was in good condition to return back to his home. After his only couple of visitors being Danny and a few other folks he wasn't so familiar with, he decided to make his last visit to Atlas since being hospitalized.

During the walk towards Atlas' hospital room, he stopped to look at the view out the nearby window.

"Eddison Norris?" A woman called out.

"Hm? Is there something wrong?" Eddie questioned, he came to a stop and turned to the girl.

A young, trainee nurse stood right behind from where he stood, holding a clipboard. Her brunette hair flowed long and her dark, honey skin glistened. Eddie picked up on her captivating looks, and wondered why she was calling to him.

"Did I, um, do something wrong?" He questioned. She took a few steps closer, and clutched onto the board in her arms.

"Don't you remember?" She asked. "It's me, Elena." She greeted, with her pearly white teeth, and gestured a wave.

"Elena? That's not possible... I thought you moved!" A big smile grew on his face. His first, trusted friend stood before him. He was so sure she had been long gone.

"I'm back! How long has it been? Six, no- seven years?" She contemplated.
"Forget that— You've grown so much." She ran towards him with her arms spread open.

The two embraced in their reunion. "You have grown significantly as well." He feels his hands on her hair, it was silky and wavy, it hadn't changed a bit.

"You seem to be in the middle of pursuing your dreams." He pointed out, as he released his grasp and the two backed away from one another.

"I've been at it for a while, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it." Elena boasted, and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Why are you here? Have you been admitted?" She questioned.

"It couldn't be for the reason I think it is, right?" She waited for reassurance.

"Wha?- Why, no! I just got caught up in a fire." He insisted. "I'm feeling well enough, though. I'll be released any day now." He stated, examining his arms.

"Geez, how'd you get yourself in this one, Eddison Norris? You always seemed to find yourself in some sort of trouble." Elena joked, looking through the pages of her clipboard.

"I found myself in a tough situation, Elena. It's been stressful for me, lately." He confessed, with a sigh.

"Hm, well, I hope it has nothing to do with that crazy mom of yours." Elena commented. "She always caused some kinda fuss." She admitted, as she wrote on a piece of paper.

"No, no. Mom's in a different hospital, for different reasons. She's getting better." He assured, scratching at the back of his neck.

"Ah, I see. Well that's very good to hear, Eddie." Elena replied with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're good, you look great." She commented, brushing his hair back with her hand.

For just a moment there was silence, and Elena returned to her clipboard. "Anyhoo," She ripped a small piece of paper, and held it out for Eddie to take. "I've got to go now. That's my cell number, you can call me whenever. I'd love to hear from you again." Elena said, appreciating the sudden get-together.

Eddie removed his hands from his pockets, took the small note, and read it carefully.

"By any chance, do you happen to have a girlfriend?" She asked, nonchalantly.

"Oh, no. I haven't." He responded, stuffing the paper into his pocket.

"You should find one soon, you're such an eyeful now." Elena suggested, her compliment being delivered with no hesitation.
"I'm off now, Eddie. I'll see you!" She smiled, and turned to walk away, following up with a group of nurses passing by.

He looked back at the note, and flipped the piece of paper.
"I want to hear from you, Eddie ♡"

"Oh." His chest felt warm.

-

Eddie enters the silent room, with a light feeling to every step he took and a glisten of hope that this time, Atlas would be awake, as he was.

Eddie walked over to the bed, the clearest view of Atlas' unconscious body. He looked the same as he had months before, he was still dazzling.

Eddie fondled Atlas' ear, to his cheek, to his chapped lips. He remembers that Atlas always had the most smooth lips, and he hadn't touched them with his own in a while.

The room had only the sound of his and Atlas' shared breaths, and the heart monitor's beeping. It looked as though he hadn't yet had visitors that day, and so Eddie took it upon himself to tidy a little.

There, he fixed the sheets for Atlas' assumed comfort, brushing off some dust on the table, gave some watering to the flowers on his bedside, and amidst all that, he was interrupted.

"It's you, Eddison Norris."

His head immediately turned to the woman speaking to him. Another reunion? No, he's sure he's never spoken to this woman before.

"Do I know—"

The face clicked to him. He noticed the many similarities her and Atlas had in their appearance. His sister or his mother...

Eddie smiled at his conclusion. "Atlas' moth—!"

"You did this to my son! All this because of you and your dangerous shenanigans!" She walked towards the bed, criticizing the boy.

"I'm sorry?" He replied, his smile faded promptly.

"Don't play dumb! My Atlas is a good boy. When I heard of the relationship with my son, I knew you were only bring trouble!" She emphasized.

"Atlas is— I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen." Eddie apologized. Her face only grew more red, she wasn't forgiving just yet.

"You kids don't know what your doing. You bring bad crowd to my son, he wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!" She shouted. The altercation was drawing attention, and Eddie began feeling awful of the situation.

"I'll leave now. I'm sorry, I really did try my best for Atlas." Eddie expressed. "I would never want this to happen. Never." He affirmed, taking steps toward the door.

"It did, and it happen cause of you! Eddison Norris, you stay away from my son." She warned, "I don't ever want to see you again with him." teary eyed, and glaring holes into the boy.

His heart broke, but he knew she was right. This would not have happened if it weren't for his involvement with the people he knew he shouldn't have been involved with. But, he let it happen, and he's dragged Atlas into the consequences of his own actions. Eddie felt so terrible.

"Out. Now." She shooed with her hand. The woman turned her back to Eddie, and tended to her son.

"I am so so sorry." His hand holding onto the door frame, and dragging low along the wall as he walked away from the room.

After a while of walking silently, he found a clear area in the hospital. Eddie finally let tears fall down his cheeks, and crouched down to the floor. He held his face with his hand, he couldn't help but feel so ashamed. He didn't let himself make a sound.

Polished shoes tapped closer to him, and in front of him. Eddie couldn't bring himself to look up.

"Oh, Eddie, let's get you out of here... I'll take you to mines." Elena brushed through his hair with her fingers.