Miserable at Best (Sequel to Our Never Ending Melody) (NateWantsToBattle)

Chapter 25

BRETT

6:00 in the morning.

The time, I've forced myself to wake up at. The time in which I'm so used to waking up at.

The time that Nathan Smith has been getting up at since he's been home.

Ever since I found out he was sick, I've been getting up early with him, just so he'd have company. Though, something tells me today is going to be a difficult day in the life of Nate Smith. He really sound okay this morning.

It was 5:30, when I first woke up.

I woke to the sound of Nate throwing up. Anyone else who hears that, would be disgusted, but me? I feel bad for him. Nate's in his mid 20's and is fighting himself every day and night, to live his life, even though his life has been numbered as of a week ago.

I'm surprised no one heard him this morning. This morning was one of the worst out of the few that's he's been throwing up.

I walk into the Kitchen with Bijou on my shoulder, to find a motionless Nate sitting on a bar stool at the island. His head was rested on an empty plate. He's still, and I feared he had choked or something.

"Nate?" I ask quietly, setting my cat down.

He snorted quietly lifted his head, blinking uncertain of where he was. "What?" He asked with another quiet snort. "I'm okay?" He sounded unsure of his whereabouts, and I felt as if he'd freak out.

"Are you okay?" I ask him quietly.

"Brett.." He muttered. "What time is it?"

"6:10."

I heard him groan madly, pulling out the prescription bottle he was given the other day. He remained silent, before he choked on the pill.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask him actually concerned.

"Yeah." He cough, looking at his phone. "Just choked. Happens all the time. I've managed to choke on spit."

With a sigh, I look at him, then realized what time it is.

"Hey, why isn't Briar awake?" I ask.

"We changed her feeding schedule, so she wouldn't get up at six anymore. Morgan was up at 5:00 feeding her, so she shouldn't be up until eight." Nate told me.

"Why you guys change her schedule?"

"Cause I can't actually feed her. I don't have that ability." Nate told me. "And Morgan isn't really get any sleep, cause Briar keeps waking up at crazy hours."

"Is she fussy?"

"I don't know." He answered. "I'm usually asleep when she gets up.. Unless Morgan wakes me up."

He blinked again, taking a sip of his water.

"You want a coffee?" I ask him.

"I can make it." He answered, getting up from the counter, only to quickly grab the counter for balance. His strength didn't last long, as his arms and legs gave out and he hit the floor, sitting there on the wooden floor, clueless as ever.

"Yeah.." I say to him. "I'll make it for you." I tell him, as he sat on the floor looking down aimlessly.

After a moment of silence, I kneel down to the ground, setting his coffee on the floor in front of him.

"Thanks," he sighed, still staring at the floor.

He was silent once more. "I really am useless, aren't I?" He suddenly started, finishing with a question.

"What?" I sit on the floor with him, as his hair covered his dark eyes. "Nate, you're not useless! Why would you even think that?"

"Cause!" He sniffed, struggling to breath. "I couldn't even stand up a second ago! I fell almost instantly... If I can't barely keep my strength up, by just standing, then how am I going to convince Morgan that I'm fine?"

He thought for a moment then sighed. "Maybe you should --"

"-- I'm fine!" He suddenly snapped, turning his head sharply, his stubbornness returning to him.

"But you just --"

"I said I was fine! He almost snarled.

I lean back, not wanting to provoke him more.

"Sorry." I mumble, as he quietly drank his coffee.

He turned to me after a moment of silence. "Brett, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap.. I just.. Well, I don't know what came over me.

"Then don't apologize." I answer him, gently hitting his shoulder. "You clearly didn't mean it."

He turned to me with a sigh, before looking at the time.

"Don't get mad at me for saying this, Brett." He started, his voice barely audible. "... But, I really hate myself."