Problematic // Vikklan Au

Chapter 6

-Edited-

Mitch's POV

We had been discharged from the hospital quickly, and it was saddening when we realized we hadn't seen Lachlan in weeks, as he couldn't have visitors on account of severe injuries that were life threatening. Vikk has been hanging out with us lately, apologizing profusely that he never realized what he was doing until after the fight. We forgave him quickly.

The only thing bad was that Jerome would be attending school again today after being suspended for three weeks. Rob has come back as well after having his nose re-broke and fixed back in place. He was quite lucky, as he didn't suffer too terribly like I or Lachlan had, but I was glad that he didn't.

Rob was such a calm person, and he often could be found sitting with a few flowers in hand. He was just a gentle spirit, and it was so calming to see him in his own nirvana. He never deserved being dragged into the group and forced to bully. He deserved happiness, and quite frankly, I could see this being a new start for him to have just that.

I walked alongside Rob, Brandon, Preston and Vikk down the hallways, and everyone seemed to stare at us with surprise. Word had spread fast about the fight and who was involved. We had all healed majorly, so luckily we didn't have to bare our wounds that long in the public eye.

It was as if we were the spot light as people ran up to us to ask what happened, which we would never fully tell. It was no ones business but ours on why Lachlan wasn't back.

We walked into our first period which we all shared together. Brandon had happily changed his schedule to be with us, so that was something good going for us. We sat in the back, like we normally did, and we were quick to go silent; not like we spoke much anyways.

Suddenly, my pocket exploded in a frenzy of vibrations, and I was quick to answer the call.

The teacher, who was strict with phones,(the only thing she could get mad about besides The Pack) glared at me, but I sent one right back at her. "Hello?" I mumbled, and I stood up immediately as the voice on the other end filled me in.

Jerome had walked in then, having given the teacher some sort of note and shyly walking over to us and sitting, observing me as I stood up with a phone to my ear. I started shaking, holding my breath as I bolted out with no words to the teacher who called after me angrily.

Tears flooded down my cheeks, and I kept running even despite the almost stumble in my footing.

"Mitch, wait!" Someone had yelled, and I stopped and turned to see the guys running up with breathless faces, "What happened?" My eyes must have told a story that my lips could never say, and they nodded as we turned to start running again, but another voice cut in, "Wait!"

I looked over my shoulder scarcely as I came to another stop, tears nearly blinding me. Jerome hurried over, tears cascading fast down his cheeks, and I could see the shame and guilt rotting away at his face.

"Please, let me come with you," he began to plead, voice weak to my ears, and I scanned him over before nodding wordlessly and turning to run with the others in tow.

=-=

Arriving in the waiting room of the hospital, I bounded straight down the hallway and towards where I knew an elevator would be. Nurses looked at us as if we were insane teenagers, but we were just heart broken boys missing a friend.

I hadn't bothered to sign in considering the nurse on the phone told me the number already, and I went off of her words as we clambered into the elevator to go up five floors. Impatiently, I tapped my foot, and the tears had at some point stopped falling. Now my cheeks were just stiff and clammy, but I didn't care.

As the box ringed, the doors opened too slow, and when they did finally open, we ran out. Numbers whizzed past our bodies as we bounded down the seemingly never-ending corridor. "Six twenty-three," I mumbled so that the others knew what to look for, and we began to count up the numbers beside the doors as we passed by.

Once at the door labelled with the numbers I was told, we froze outside staring at the door like it was the most morbid creature ever in creation. My heart was in my throat, and my lungs burned with the exercise.

I sucked in a breath as I reached my hand up and knocked three times, hearing a voice call for us to enter.

I had froze again, looking at it in fear and anticipation.

When I had managed to snap back, I opened the door with great hesitation, and before we entered, I looked to Jerome, "You better apologize for what you did."

Jerome cowered at my statement, and I was glad he did.

As we trudged inside, we instantly saw the sight of a white hospital bed and a boy with blonde hair and dull blue eyes staring back. He was covered in tubes and wires, and as the monitor beeped loudly, he motioned with his head for us to come over. We did, running and calling his name as if we hadn't seen him in years, but that's what it felt like.

Lachlan's POV

I laughed fondly as five boys embraced me with teary cries of missing me. Once they had their fill, they backed away, and I noticed a sixth person in the room. None other than Jerome stood awkwardly with glossed over eyes as he looked at me brokenly.

I stared back, finding it in myself to not be able to be mean, so I smiled softly as I opened my arms for him to come into, and he did after bursting out crying. "I'm not mad at you, Jerome," I whispered in his ear, and he pulled away with a thankful smile as he mouthed I'm sorry, and I just nodded with a half smile.

"How are you doing?" Vikk's voice was strained, and I looked to him to see sweet hazel eyes with a glaze of water over them. I smiled gently, "A lot better."

Everyone relaxed at that.

"We'll go get you some food, okay?" Mitch's tone was soft, and I nodded as he motioned for Rob, Preston, Brandon and Jerome to follow. However, Vikk stayed behind with his hands folded in his lap.

"Look, I'm so sorry for what happened," he mumbled, and I could instantly detect the sadness in his voice. I looked at him intently, "It's not your fault," I smiled sweetly, "I see you and Jerome are friends with the others again." He nodded quickly with a faint grin.

"I always wanted you and Jerome to see that we don't want bullies, rather we want friends. I wanted you two to see that, and I am happy you finally realized it after such a freak accident, " I laughed lightly, and he giggled, which made my heart flutter and the monitor to speed up.

As the others returned not a moment later, baring mountains of disgusting, distasteful food, I thanked them. I ate slowly, not liking the way it felt on my tongue or the way it was in general, but some distasteful food was better than no food at all.

=-=

As the day for my release came up, everyone of the group waited patiently so that we could go together, and when we could leave, we did happily.

As we drove silently, I looked out the window, "Hey, we could all go to my house and stay."

The boys all agreed, and I smiled as I looked at the passing scenery with interest.

A body was suddenly against mine, but I didn't mind as Vikk closed his eyes. Mitch was asleep against Jerome's shoulder, and Rob drove as Preston did the same as me; look out the window. Brandon left - however - before we did, saying that he couldn't stay and had to go do other things, but we weren't upset. He had a life too.

Soon, snores came from Vikk's lips, and I fondly smiled as I stole a glance at him and felt my heart swell at the sight of such a pretty boy, all calm and happy, asleep curled into my side.

I couldn't be happier.