Forbidden Feelings

CHAPTER ONE

THEODORE

I've never been shot before.

Hurts like a bitch, though. My whole arm feels numb and tingly, and there's a white hot pain like knives in my left shoulder blade. Man, I already had bad handwriting before all of this.

Voices are fading in and out of earshot. I can't actually tell who's with me. Haha, that's funny. No, it isn't. Hold on, am I going looney from the pain? Probably.

"Theo? Can you hear me? Where does it hurt?" I recognise that voice from somewhere, but I can't for the life of me pinpoint who it is. It sounds masculine, so it's most likely a boy. How many boys do I know again? I can't remember.

"Ngh..." I groan. C'mon, Theo. Those aren't words. I try again, "arngh....mmm." God, it's like my brain has completely disconnected from the rest of my body. I try to open my eyes, but they're seemingly glued shut. I feel something sharp prick my neck, and then... darkness.

Sweet, familiar, welcoming darkness.

***

I groan as I force my eyes open, my mind foggy. I squint against the blinding lights as I open my eyes to find myself in an unfamiliar room. Blinding white walls, a wide window, a simple closet, two armchairs and a soft, beige carpet. I look down to see that I'm not wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Or the day before yesterday. I'm not entirely sure what day it is, if I'm being honest.

All of a sudden, the door opens, and a kind looking lady's eyes widen at me sitting upright. She blinks several times before rushing out. Weird. I mean, I've had women reject me before, but at least they used words. A few minutes pass, and the lady rushes back in with a man in a white coat, followed by my best friends Eliza and Alex.

"Hello. My name is Doctor Wilson. You're Theodore Blackburn, correct?" I nod, and he continues. "Your friends here rushed you in about three days ago. You'd been shot, is that right?" I nod again, sceptically. "Well, we successfully extracted the bullet, but it'll take a while before your arm returns to its original condition. If it's alright with you, we'd like to keep you here tonight, and if you're feeling well tomorrow, we'll send you home with a prescription. Does that sound okay?"

"Uhh... yeah, yeah. Sounds fine," I say. I know it sounds dumb but come on. What else was I supposed to say? I just found out I'd been asleep for three days. God knows I needed the rest, but that's what being an insomniac does to a person. With that, Doctor Wilson and the kind lady leave the room.

"Duuuude. How're you feeling?" Alex asks as he moves to sit in one of the cushioned armchairs in the corner of the room. He sits with his legs draped over one armrest, so that his back is leaning on the other. I know his father would've killed him for it if he ever saw him like that.

"Fine, I guess. My shoulder doesn't hurt as much. Remind me how I was shot again?"

Eliza cuts him off as he tries to tell me, and he sticks his tongue at her from behind where she's stood. "You were shot because this idiot," she gestures towards Alex, "wasn't keeping a proper lookout. One of the guards probably saw you and fired at random." 

"In my defence, there was a lot going on! You were fighting three grown men all by yourself, and I didn't know if you needed help or not. I'm sorry for caring about my best friend," he pouts again, crossing his arms over his chest like a baby.

"So, what I'm hearing is, we failed," I conclude. They both nod solemnly, and I swear under my breath. "Fuck. Johan will have me for this. We're in the local hospital, right?" They nod again, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Is that... good?" Alex asks, confusion laced through his voice.

"Yeah, it's good. Means he shouldn't know yet that we failed."