Thorns

556

Simon and Josh stood inside at the front of their school looking out the glass doors. It was raining. They had stayed after school ended because Simon had to finish a test and Josh offered to wait for him.

They were stuck on whether or not they wait for the rain to pass.

"We could just run for it if you want?" Simon suggests, shrugging. He thinks Josh wants to do it.

"No." he declines softly.

"I thought you would like the rain because it's so dark and depressing?" Simon says.

"Well, I just thought you wouldn't like the rain for that very same reason. I didn't want to make you do something you don't like just because I like it." Josh tells him. Simon can feel himself blush because of Josh yet again. He's never seen someone so sinister be so thoughtful.

"That's very sweet of you Joshy but I'm part plant remember? I need the rain." Simon giggles. He grabs Josh's hands, pulling him to the doors. "Let's go now silly!"

"Okay but I hope you really do like the rain because I am taking a leisurely walk to my dorm."

The two enjoyed the raindrops pattering against their faces. It felt refreshing. Although Josh did not appreciate the bulky hoodie he had on. Unlike Simon who wore a thin top, the rain weighed down Josh's.

He grabbed the bottom pulling it up a bit but then putting it back down. He did this a couple more times contemplating if he should take it off. He doesn't want to be weird and suddenly strip.

"Struggling with your hoodie?" Simon nudges. Josh makes a strange whimper of frustration. "You can take it off if you want. I won't mind." Simon smiles before realizing what he just said. "S-Sorry if that sounded weird! I didn't mean like that at all!" he retracts waving his hands.

"I know." Josh grins at him letting Simon know it's okay.

Josh pulls his hoodie over his head. He, however is not wearing a shirt underneath. Rain hits his now bare skin. Simon notices a patch of blackness on the center of Josh's chest. It's the blackest black he has ever seen. The same kind on Josh's hands. The black shade fades the further from the center it is. His skin has been that color since he was born. It signifies that he's dead with no heart or soul. Just an empty void.

"Whoa, what is it?" Simon walks in front of him. His eyes don't break contact with Josh's chest. Josh doesn't reply back. Instead he watches as Simon's hand touches him. The blonde's hand traces Josh's glistening skin from the black to the white skin seamlessly.

Simon's fingers gently make contact where Josh's heart should be. Josh stares, receiving a warm almost light bubbly feeling. He's unwelcoming to this foreign feeling. Josh swats Simon's hand away. Simon instantaneously looks up at Josh. Blue gets lost in red.

"Don't touch me." Josh hisses sternly.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable." The pink tint on Simon's cheeks fades away. Josh quickly puts his hoodie back on. It's not as comfortable now that it's soaking wet.

"Let's go inside and get dry. We don't need to get sick now." Josh places his hand on Simon's back, guiding him forwards.
~
Harry finds himself smiling once again without remembering doing so. Harry just can't seem to stop thinking about Vik. The cinnamon boy keeps floating around in his mind everyday. Especially since he feels he can sense Vik's ghostly presence. This Vik character keeps repeatedly saying he's here - watching.

Harry is willing to believe this because it brings him a feeling of safety. Even if the lead inside of him is slowly killing him, he has something positive to hold onto.

Today his mother and father are supposed to come visit. He hasn't seen them in a few days so he's very excited. Vik is too. He loves to see Harry happy and that the people around him have his back.

Harry watched TV as he waited. It's the middle of the day so it's quite busy around the hospital.

"Harry?"

A doctor peeked his head in before entering.

"I've brought your parents." he smiles and moves to the side. In walks Harry's parents, ecstatic.

"Hi honey! How are you?" his mom chirps. She comes over to hug him.

"Good actually." he replies. Then his dad hugs him.

"He truly has been getting better." The doctor chimes in. "The treatment is working very well."

"Yes and thanks to vik too."

Vik perks up at the mention of his name. He almost feels flustered by Harry's appreciation. The adults just stared at him in confusion.

"Who?" his mother asks.

"Vik." Harry repeats.

"Who's, Vik?"

"He's my guardian." he answers simply. "Kind of like an angel. He's watching over me right now." Vik is over the moon that Harry believes he's real.

"That's nice that you think you have some protector above you but, he's not healing you." Vik hisses at the doctor for saying such a thing. "I'm healing you. The medication is."

"Angels aren't real." the father bluntly says.

"Yeah he is. I see him in my dreams."

The beeping monitor, talking on the TV, announcements over the intercom, rolling wheels from carts all clouded Harry's head.

Couldn't they all just let him be happy?

"Vik inspires me to follow my dreams. With his help I'll get better and become a footballer." Harry get more passionate with every word. "I want to marry someone like Vik one day."

Vik is shocked. And flattered. His cheeks turn crimson.

"Okay, Harry. That's enough." his dad bellows. Harry's eyes sting from nearing tears.

"Maybe it's a side effect from a medication?" his mother whispers to the doctor.

"Perhaps. Being confined in a room all day could also cause, a, very active imagination." The doctor basically called Harry crazy.

Harry refuses to let them crush his dreams. He knows Vik is taking care of him.