A Million Trillion Billion (What's Eating Gilbert Grape Fanfic) *ORIGINAL*

Chapter 22 - Towel Excuses

After our failed meeting with Arnie's doctors, Dr Mickel took Gilbert into a private conference room and eventually got him to reluctantly agree to try out a new medication.
I still don't know why he was so against the idea in the first place, I mean.. Sure medication can be risky, but sometimes it's necessary.

"Okay, do you want to swallow both together or one at a time?" I ask Arnie the next morning.
His hospital bed is equal to a normal queen size, so there's enough room for both of us to share it. I don't think I was leaving anyway last night. Arnie was so distraught it was almost unbearable to watch.
Tears streamed down his face for a good hour, as he told me how he didn't want to make Gilbert or anyone else worry about him, and he didn't want to make them feel sad for him.
It tore my heart into pieces, watching him sob like that. I've seen Arnie upset before, but never like that. I think it was about the medication, mostly. He was worried of disappointing his brother, and not being good enough.
Deep down, he knows that Gilbert loves him anyway, and I'm sure he remembers that. Sometimes when he sets his mind on something, it's hard to convince him otherwise. Like me, I do that way too much.
"Ummm, one at a time please." Arnie answers, staring at the large blue pills in the palm of my pale hand. "Okay." I nod, as he takes one and puts it into his mouth. I hand him a glass of water, and he washes it down in one swallow. He looks at me like he's just eaten a whole raw onion. "Oh, it can't have been that bad, could it?" I say, giggling at the water that's dripping from his lip. He notices I'm amused, and starts to chuckle, rolling his eyes. "Are you laughing at me Janie?" He asks, a cheeky smile on his face. I gasp, putting a hand to my chest. "Who, me? Why that's preposterous!" I say, trying to act serious, but end up bursting into laughter.
After a minute or two, I sit back up properly, and reopen my hand. "Okay, come on, we should probably aim to take them within the same bloomin' year." I say, still in a silly mood. He takes the pill and swallows the rest of the water, opening his mouth after to show me that it's gone.
"Good job!" I say, high-fiving him. "Now, we don't have to do that again until tomorrow."

I go out to find Gilbert once I'm dressed.
It doesn't take me long, I find him sitting in the courtyard.
He has his head in his hands, and his hair is tied up. I hesitate before walking over to him. I'm still in my clothes from two days ago, and I bet I smell, but that's not why I'm second guessing this idea.
I take a deep breath and force myself to put one foot in front of the other.
"Gilbert?" I say in a whisper. He doesn't respond. "Please, talk to me." I plead with him, running a hand through my hair. He looks up at me with bloodshot eyes and a frown. "Come, sit next to me." He sighs, patting the spot beside him.
I do so, sitting on the park bench with him.
"When Arnie was 15, they decided to put him on this medication because he was getting migraines all the time and they didn't know why." Gilbert tells me. I stay silent.
"He was on it for a month, and I think it was one of the worst months in my life." Gilbert shakes his head. I bite my lip. "All of a sudden, he's become this... emotionless human being. Never smiled, only talked when you asked him something, slept all day, didn't eat much." Gilbert explains. "He was wasting away."
"So what happened?" I ask. "He passed out. He hadn't been eating or drinking so his body just shut down. I think the medication was too strong, and he didn't know how to deal with it but he also didn't have the strength to tell my what was happening to him. The doctors took him off it immediately, and he remained stable, for 4 years."
I reach down to hold Gilbert's hand. I can tell this is difficult for him to talk about. "I understand." I say, and he looks up at me. "You do?" He says, with raised eyebrows. "Of course." I nod. "I can't imagine how hard that must have been." I run my hand through my hair.
"But what I do know, is that we all have to work together, for Arnie's sake. We have to compromise, and accept that what's best for him might not feel like the greatest decision short term, but it may save his life, Gilbert." I say, my legs shaking.
He nods. "I just want him to get better." He mutters, in a weary voice.
I put my arms around him and he sinks into my embrace, starting to sob.
I don't say anything, as I rub his back, comfortingly.
Becky appears from round the corner, with a concerned look. "Here, come and talk to him." I say to Becky, who walks over, and sits on the other side of the bench as I stand up.
As I walk away, I look back over my shoulder to see Becky kiss his forehead and I smile to myself, walking through the cafeteria doors.

"I swear, you've got some kind of fucking cheat sheet over here..." Leon says to Ellen back in Arnie's room as they're playing monopoly. "Nah," Ellen replies, "You're just shit." She grins. Leon playfully nudges her and they both laugh.
"1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7." Arnie counts, landing on a red property. "Whose is that?" He asks, pointing to the little green house. "I believe that is minez." Leon says, taking the paper money out of Arnie's hand.

The guys all left after visiting hours ended, and I was allowed to stay, funnily enough.
Dr Mickel said Arnie needs the company, and I almost argued that I need it more.
It's morning now, and I rollover, the sun blaring right in my face.
I cringe, my eyes stinging, and roll back over, remaining under Arnie's arm the whole time.
I hear him sigh and I look up to see he's opened his eyes. I smile up at him. He screws up his face, "Janie, your breath stinks." He mutters.
I snort, "Yeah, good morning to you too." I say, chucking the sheets off my body and standing up, plodding into the bathroom.
"Have you used the shower yet?" I call out once I have closed the door. "Nup." He says back.
I start to undress, peeling off my sweatshirt. I am now deeply regretting falling asleep in my bra, the skin on my back and shoulders feeling red raw.
"Oh, well, I'll check it out." I say to him, as I drop my pyjama shorts down to my ankles.
I look around for a towel, checking the cupboard underneath the sink, and finding nothing.
"Ah, you shitting idiot." I say to myself.
I've already dumped my clothes in the laundry basket, and I'm still wearing both my bra and underwear, so I decide to just bite the bullet and step back into the room to find a towel.

I open the door, and a shiver runs down my spine at the coolness of the room. I can't wait to get under that warm water.
Arnie is searching for a shirt inside the bedside table, and turns around, holding a green one in his hand.
"Sorry, I just had to grab a towel." I say, suddenly feeling a wave of self-consciousness fall over me.
I rush to the cupboard, and throw things to the side, hoping a towel will be in here somewhere.
Suddenly, I feel a warm hand on my bare waist, and turn around to see Arnie standing right behind me.
He slams his lips against mine, bringing me close, and wrapping his arms around me.
I shut the cupboard door with my back.
My hands tangle through his hair, and his bare chest is pressed to mine, and I'm not feeling so cold anymore...
We waddle towards the bed, and I wrap my legs around his waist.
I start to laugh as we both struggle to undo the hook, falling onto the mattress.