Call it Fate, Call it Karma

Bad Karma

He looked so different. I'd never seen him looking so worn out and thin before. He looked to be in the same condition I was -- pale skin with a sickly yellow tinge to it, dark circles under his eyes, and his bones practically protruding through his skin. He just looked unhealthy...so very unhealthy. More unhealthy than I looked. It was pretty frightening.

It'd been too long since I'd seen him last, and I just wasn't sure if I was ready to speak with him. Besides...he probably didn't want to see me.

"I can't do this right now." I said hoarsely. I was trying so hard not to fall to my knees and cry. The person that had made me so miserable for two years was only about fifteen feet away from me.

"But Jade!" Fab whisper-yelled. "We can't pass this up or we might never find him again!"

"He's got a point." said Albert. "This could be our only chance."

Why the hell did he have to show himself at 4:30AM in the waiting room of a hospital when we were all tired and ready to pass out?! What kind of sick coincidence was this?! Is this the strike of bad karma I get for wasting a portion of my life doing nothing beneficial?

"He hasn't seen us yet," I whispered. "Let's just make a break for it and forget we ever saw him."

"No!" They both protested, gripping my arms.

"Guys, I can't!" I started to panic as they began pulling me back into the hospital. "I don't wanna see him! I just bettered myself! He'll ruin me!"

"You do wanna see him and you know it!" said Albert.

"Let me fucking go!" I screeched. My outburst caused Julian to snap his gaze over at the three of us. His eyes widened and he mouthed numerous profanities to himself before jumping up with the T-Shirt still pressed to his arm and trying to make a run for it.

"Jules!" Fab let go of my arm and tackled Julian to the floor right outside of the hospital doors before he could run off into the early hours of the morning. Albert let go of me to assist Fabrizio in their little wrestling match. So much for Albert taking it easy.

"Fuck off!" Julian yelped, struggling to break free from under their bodies. I stood frozen, watching the situation unfold.

"Julian, we fucking missed you, man!" Albert exclaimed, almost looking like he was about to cry. It must've been difficult seeing his best friend of 8 years looking like this after being absent from our lives for a while.

Julian continued to grunt and squirm. "Get the fuck off of me!" he yelped again. I still stood frozen, examining his distressed face which was now soaked with tears. 

"Only if you promise you won't run!" desperately yelled Fab.

"Please!" Julian sobbed. I wondered why he was crying. Was it because he was glad to see us, but chose to hide it? Or because he felt so bad for leaving us without a trace. Or maybe he just wasn't in a good state of mind...I needed to know.

I wasn't sure if he'd forgotten that I was standing a few feet away from the three of them scrambling on the pavement.

"Julian," I breathed out, making them all stop. "...come back to our apartment so we can talk."

He shook his head, tears still streaming down his face.

"Stand him up." I ordered Fab and Albert, who nodded and complied. Julian was too weak from malnourishment to fight back at that point, so he dropped his head down in defeat to stare at his feet when they stood him up. They were all covered in the blood from the mystery wound on his arm at that point.

I stepped over to Julian and placed a finger under his chin, lifting his head up. "You're coming home with us right now, got it?"

He slowly looked up to make eye contact with me. He was shivering and I could just see the pain and suffering in his bloodshot eyes. I could also tell that he was on something. Was it my fault that he ended up like this? I wanted nothing more than to hug him and say that I was sorry a thousand times, but I had to be strong and not cave in so easily like I used to.

"Got it?!" I repeated myself, more harshly the second time. Julian grunted and looked away. "I'll take that a yes. Let's go."