Heaven comes to he who waits

Untitled Part 10

After their many attempts to get Curt to respond, Ian and Manny decided to just sit down and wait for Roland. It wasn't too long until Roland was rushing up the stairs. He ran into Curt's bedroom and Manny could only point to the bathroom. Roland turned the corner and looked in. Sure enough, Curt was there, in a trance-like state. Staring right through him 

"Have you tried tapping him?" Roland asked, but carefully walked into the bathroom 

"We've tried practically everything" Ian sighed, and he got up and followed Roland in. Manny stayed where he was 

"There's got to be something we can do. What do you think's wrong with him?" Ian looked over Roland's shoulder down at Curt 

When Roland took another step forward, Curt started to tap his finger. Ian looked down at Curt's hand, and elbowed Roland to get him to look too

"I think he knows you're here" Ian whispered to Roland, and Roland looked at him for a moment, and then looked back at Curt 

"I know we've had a few problems lately, but," Roland sat outside of the bathtub, directly in front of Curt "I'm here. I always will be" 

Ian decided to sit down with him, and watched Curt for a while. Still, nothing happened 

Roland sighed and looked at Ian. They both shook their heads. If they couldn't get Curt to respond soon, they'd have to call an ambulance

Roland reached his hand out to move a piece of hair out of Curt's face. And then Curt flinched and his eyes widened a little more and he looked terrified. Roland quickly drew his hand back 

"Curt?" Ian leaned forward, trying to see if Curt had somehow snapped out of whatever he was in 

"Don't touch me" Curt managed to whisper, almost choking on his own words. His voice cracked, and immediately, Manny was in the bathroom with the rest of them. He towered over them all, the only one standing 

"Hey what's wrong" Manny knelt down, behind Roland and Ian 

Curt's lip started to quiver, but he still stared off into space. What could've happened that had been so bad? 

"Did you drink too much or something again?" Ian asked, trying to find out what exactly was wrong with his friend 

Curt slowly shook his head. Manny and Ian looked at each other, then Manny and Roland shared a look. They were going to have to ask questions 

"What's wrong?" Roland asked, and for a while, Curt didn't say anything. Then his eyes started to well up in his eyes and he sniffled softly 

Nobody had seen Curt cry in almost 6 years. They all looked at each other, not knowing what to do. But this was one of the most serious situations either of them had been in. Curt wouldn't cry over nothing. 

"Curt, just tell us what happened" Manny impatiently waited for Curt's response. The sooner they knew what was wrong, the sooner they could help him. 

"I-" Curt began and gasped slightly from trying to hold back tears. "I thought I locked everything" Curt tried his best to explain 

"Did someone break in?" Ian jumped to the first thing that popped into his head

Curt somewhat nodded 

"Did they take anything?" Manny asked to follow up on the conversation 

Curt shook his head 

"So someone broke in," Roland piped in "but didn't take anything?" 

Curt nodded. He still stared off in the distance, not being able to look at any of them 

"So what happened? They left?" Ian was confused. Why would someone break in and not take or do anything?

"Did they hurt you?" Manny asked, and adjusted himself on the floor. His knees were starting to hurt from kneeling on the ground 

Curt's facial expression changed. It was like his entire face just dropped. He stared down at the tile of the bathtub he was sitting in 

Roland's eyebrow raised "Was it a guy?" 

Curt was able to nod

"Did he do anything to you?" Manny tilted his head when he asked. A tight not started to form in his stomach 

Curt's eyes started to get glassy with tears again and he allowed himself to cry now. He shut his eyes and breathed hard 

Ian and Roland were the first to piece it together. They both looked directly at each other, then both looked behind at Manny. Once he saw them look at him with those looks, he knew too 

"No" Manny whispered and shook his head slowly, keeping eye contact with Ian 

"Curt, we're going to get you help" Ian spoke softly, and turned back around to look at him 

Curt wiped at his eyes "No, you can't say anything. Don't do anything. Just forget it. He didn't mean it" 

Manny scooted a little closer. "He? You know him?" 

"He was drunk. So was I" Curt spoke lowly, and went back to staring at nothing 

"And? You think we're going to just let this go?" Roland turned his head so he could look directly at Curt 

"Please" Curt managed to get out, before he leaned his head back on the bathtub wall 

Manny didn't want to believe what he was hearing. There was no way. No, this couldn't have happened. Not to Curt. He sat there and finally let his head drop and he put his hands on his face, covering himself up 

"Please go. I want to be alone. And please don't tell anyone" Curt closed his eyes, and moved his head a little so it wasn't in an odd position on the tile wall behind him 

They stayed for a long time, thinking of what to do. Roland wanted to call the police, Ian wanted to find out who the guy was, and Manny wanted to stay and help Curt. There was so much to do, but Curt didn't want the help and didn't want any of them to stick around 

Knowing that Curt didn't want them there, Ian was the first to stand up. Then Manny. Roland refused to get up. Ian pulled Manny out of the bathroom reluctantly. They were the only ones who left. Where were they supposed to go now? 

"I'm not leaving you. Ever" Roland said, so Curt would know that if he needed anyone for anything, Roland would be right there 

And he would be. No matter what he wanted or needed, Roland would do it. Roland wanted to protect him, keep him safe. He wanted Curt to know that he always had him. That he could count on him.