A Twist of Fate SERIES (Pentatonix)

(16) Rose Gold

( MITCH )

I'm downstairs in the kitchen, leaning up against the counter as I wait for the pancakes to be done in the microwave, when I hear Scott frantically yelling my name and nearly falling down the stairs.

"Oh my God, Mitch." He rounds the corner, in the same clothes as yesterday, breathing heavily and looking like he just suffered a heart attack. "Don't do that to me." He envelopes me in his arms, and I slightly hesitate before hugging back.

"Sorry, I didn't know that I wasn't allowed to come downstairs in my own house to make my own breakfast," I mumble into his shoulder, feeling his racing heart against my chest.

Scott laughs lightly, then pulls away. "No, it's not that, it's just—" The microwave goes off, making him jump, and a hand flies to his heart. "My God."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, okay, I think you need to go take some Xanax and chill the fuck out," I say, opening the microwave.

He leans against the counter, visibly still shaken up, but laughing breathlessly. "Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Do you have any?"

"Nope," I reply, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, and then going over to retire myself to the couch. "I have some at my apartment, but not here. C'mere and sit down." I pat the cushion next to me. "Am I gonna be playing doctor now?"

Scott grabs a water bottle from the fridge for himself, and then comes into the living room and sinks down beside me on the couch. "No, I'm good. Sorry." I watch him carefully as he takes a long sip of water. "How are you feeling?"

I shrug, having a bite of a pancake. "I was up most of the night, to be honest. It was three in the morning when I finally came down here, because I had spiked a high-ass fever, and slept naked on the couch." I look down to try and hide the blush that I know is crawling up my cheeks. "But my mom told me to put some clothes on, and she drugged me up before leaving for work at, like, seven."

Scott nods, but I still don't look up at him; I hope he doesn't make some suggestive comment. If it were six years ago, they would be flying left and right—from the both of us. Now, we just sit in silence, and I'm sweating my ass off again. Just shows how much all of this time apart has changed us.

After I eat two of the four pancakes I had microwaved, I put on more Spongebob, and lie down on the couch, Scott sitting at my feet. It's not supposed to be an uncomfortable silence, but that's what I perceive it as. My mind is spinning. What am I supposed to be doing? Does he think this is as awkward as I do? Will he get bored of me and leave? I feel like absolute shit, but should I pretend I'm not, so that we can actually do something? Why is he even here in the first place?

"Don't you..." My voice catches, so I clear my throat, and then look over at him. "Don't you have to work today? It's Friday, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Scott answers quietly, and then he moves his head to meet my eyes. "But I called out sick so I could take care of you."

I roll my eyes, turning back to the TV, sure my cheeks are flushed. It never used to be this awkward between us. "I'm fine, you know. I'm a grown man, I can care for myself."

Scott inhales sharply, but he quickly covers it up with a cough. I'm about to ask him what the matter is when he instead says, "Yeah, I know, but I just worry."

A few minutes later, I'm sweating so much that I can feel my pulse throbbing in every single pressure point in my body. I groan, barely being able to push myself up off the couch, because I'm just that weak right now. I squeeze my eyes shut.

"You okay?" Scott asks, his voice laced with concern. I want to tell him 'no, I'm fine' again, but if he hadn't bought it the last couple of times, he's definitely not going to now.