It's A Blessing & A Curse (Fuenciado) ✅

{Chapter Twenty-Two}

Jaime's POV~

It's been almost three weeks that he's been in here and the doctors said that he's getting better so he's expected to be discharged in the next couple of days. I have rarely left his side since Vic was admitted. There's some days where he'll ask Tony and Mike to forcefully take me out since I don't want to leave but he understands why. 

That brings us to today. 

I sat beside him, like usual, as he talked about random things. There was just something about the way his voice sounded that mesmerized me. I found myself being enticed by every little noise that came from his mouth. I hung off of every word and giggle. 

"But I don't know, it scares me sometimes," he said. He was talking about his passion for music which I could totally relate to. 

"I can see that. I mean, when I play and I create something beautiful, I scare myself because never in a million years did I think that I had the ability to make that. And then there are times when music is my everything and I'll do anything for it which is pretty scary," I added, making him laugh. Oh god, that laugh. It was breathy and soft but it made me smile whenever I heard it. A few days ago, Vic told me that he liked my smile, and I remember that I became a tomato that day. He teased me about it and then continued ranting about how his younger brother would always be unfair when they were children. 

I'm sure he didn't think much of it but to me, it was everything.

"Exactly! But I don't know where I'd be without it. I used to do everything with it. I'd fall asleep with music in the background, I'd wake up with the guitar filling the room, I would sing in the shower, dance my ass off to the drums when I would clean. I couldn't imagine my life without it," he said, "But since Oli, I've had to live without it." 

The smile on his face had almost completely disappeared and my heart shattered for probably the millionth time since I've known the kid. I wish I could say I've seen him happier more times than I've seen him sad but that'd be lying.

"What kind of music do you listen to?" I asked, keeping up with the subject of music. His head perked up and the smile was back, smaller but it was back.

"I'm more into, I guess, rock? Pop punk? I don't really know," he laughed. "What about you?"

I hid my face in my hands, "About the same kind of things."

Things went quiet after that and Vic cleared his throat, ending the almost uncomfortable silence, "So are we just going to ignore everything?"

I quirked an eyebrow at him, confused, "What do you mean?"

He lifted his left arm and showed me the underside of his forearm before grabbing my left arm and aligning them together. "Identical."

"It's kind of hard not to think about."

"You know what this means, right?" He asked. I felt as though that had double meaning. He could either have meant if I was aware that we were soulmates or if we would never have a chance because... because of Oli.

"No, Vic. What does it mean?"

Vic sighed and rested his head against the pillow behind him, eyes closed and fists balled up by his sides. "It means that the entire time we've known each other, I've known the person I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. It also means that you know about all the markings on my body," he whimpered. I remember when it first started, too. I woke up and noticed I had a handprint on my cheek. Nobody had touched me the day before, or at least not that I was aware of. A bruise on the right side of my stomach was evident the next day and a week later, more and more appeared. It wasn't until I came here that I realized what it was and by then it was already too far into the abuse.

"I do. I know where he'd hit you and how bad the bruises were because I would wake up with them." I glanced down at my arm, noting the scratch marks and turning my attention to Vic's where the scratches were visible as well. "How long have you known? That we were... ya know," I asked. Surely he must've noticed before now since I never made any attempt to cover the markings on my face.

He shrugged, "I thought it was a coincidence, honestly. But it was the time when we went to the music store with Mike and Tony. I saw the bruise on your neck and cheek and they were the same as the ones I'd seen on myself earlier that morning so it all just kind of clicked."

He's known this entire time. I've been oblivious this entire time. He did so well at hiding them but I guess since I've been through it, I know what it looks like. I still don't know what Vic is going to do about Oli, though.

"Do you think Mike or Tony have noticed?" I asked instead.

"Probably. But they haven't said anything to me and I'm assuming they haven't said anything to you either."

I shook my head as my reply. "No, they haven't. I'm kind of glad they haven't in all honesty."

Vic tilted his head and quirked his eyebrow. "Really? Why's that?"

A sigh left my lips and I moved around in my seat so I was leaning against it. My leg was resting on top of the other in a crossed form, "Maybe because you're in the hospital? Because you're in here 'cause your boyfriend decided to beat the shit out of you? I mean, wouldn't that be awkward for you?" I asked but he didn't answer. He averted his gaze and looked at the wall in front of him. "Vic?"

"What now? I'm in the hospital but what now? Where am I supposed to go? He was the love of my life and my heart hurts when I think about my life without him. He hit me and maybe that's wrong, sure, but it doesn't stop me from loving him. I really want to stop loving him and be happy with my real soulmate but... What now?" he asked and looked at me again.

"You don't have to worry about any of that. Just focus on getting better so you can leave and start fresh. Oli doesn't matter and I shouldn't either. Right now, I'm just a friend. Don't think of me as your soulmate because that adds pressure for the both of us and you really don't need that, okay?" I replied, "Just focus on you."

He gave me a small, sympathetic smile and nod before turning away and staring out the window.

What was going to happen now?

》♡♡♡♡《

{All of your support made me really happy and I think you guys deserve a surprise update just for the heck of it ♡ but this also means it's getting closer to the end!! Brace yourselves!}

7/23/17