The Human Body

6

I was sitting in the waiting room with Prince sitting next to me. My leg was bouncing and I was wearing Prince's clothes. "I don't know what happened, baby." Prince said. I was shakily holding his hand. The doctor walked in and I stood up accidentally dragging Prince up with me. "He's fine. It appears he overdosed on a narcotic and it sent his system into a shock." "What? That's stupid. He's never done drugs in his life." I spat. Prince rubbed my back. "His urine test came back that he had. He's going to be fine. We pumped his stomach and everything appears to be normal. You can take him home." The doctor walked away and I stormed down the hall to Johnny's room. Prince was following as close as he could behind me. I stormed into Johnny's room and he was sitting on his bed getting his boots on. "You fucking idiot." I said without a filter in my mind. He was quiet and I realized what I said was harsh.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. I grabbed his shirt and stood him up. "What the fuck is wrong with you!? You had me worried sick! You collapse on someone's yard and you nearly die on me!" "I didn't die. Plus, now you know what it's like to see you go through this." He said. I grabbed my hair and started pacing the room. "This is so fucking different!" "No! It isn't! I needed to get the fuck away from you. Do you understand what it's like to watch your best friend nearly die? Well, now you know." He stomped out of the room and I followed him with Prince right behind me. "Johnny! Talk to me!" I said as we were walking out of the hospital. "I don't want to talk about it. Just take me home." He reached for Prince's door handle and I shoved him with all I could. "We are going to discuss this NOW! You're everything to me, and I don't wanna be the one to kill you. What's wrong?" I was speaking softer as my words trailed out. Johnny leaned against the car.

"I just can't do this shit all the time. It's a lot." He said. "Do what? Deal with me?" I asked. Johnny nodded and my heart sank. "Not just that but...just being me. It's hard." I rolled my eyes but was also understanding it. I glanced at Prince who was staring at Johnny. "Look, man...I'm just like you. We're going through the same stuff, but dealing with it with drugs ain't the option." Prince said. I crossed my arms seeing Johnny sink to the concrete. Prince knelt down. "You know, being us isn't easy. All the traveling, all the shoots, all the pressure. It's hard, but it's...it's a gift, too." Now I was understanding. I probably wasn't helping that I was...me. I felt bad for Johnny.

Prince stood him up. "There's things to live for." When Prince said that I remembered Johnny saying it, too. "People love us. That's what I'm here for. I'm here for them. Even if it's no one else. You think my family cares about me? No. My dad hates that I have what he couldn't. He always told me I could never be like him, but I'm better than him and I feel his bitterness every time we talk." It was sweet seeing them speak to each other. Johnny wiped his face. "You don't have to be a concrete walk, Johnny. And...Felicity is okay now. She's gonna be okay." He sobbed and I came over to hug Johnny. "You've been taking care of me for so long, but Prince is here now to help." I began to cry into his chest. Prince was rubbing my shoulder.

We pulled away and honestly I didn't smell good since Johnny still smelled like cigarettes and the drug he was sweating out. "I should have stayed ov-" "No. Last night I was fine. This morning was rough." Johnny confessed. "It's better now. We're gonna take you home, okay?" I told him. The three of us got into Prince's car and I asked him to stop by the grocery store to grab the stuff for chicken tacos. Somehow, Prince said he'd join in on this meal and it was perfect for lunch. When we got to Johnny's, I made him lay on the couch while I started to cook and Prince was in the kitchen with me. "Should we leave him?" He asked. I wasn't sure. "We'll see how he does." While I let the chicken cook I was rubbing the back of my neck as that's where my stress would go and Prince hugged me. I slipped my arms around his neck and let him hold me. "Thank you for helping me with this." I said softly. "It's what I'm meant to do." He said.