Fix You ~Completed~

Act Thirty-Three

"Hey. I was surprised when you texted me so late in the evening. I didn't know if I'd hear from you for a while."

Of course, Eddie was waiting for me in front of the café, dressed in a comfortable looking sweater and jeans tighter than I'd ever have the confidence to pull off. How precious, how sweet, how normal he looked threw me off after the day I'd had. Anything normal would have dizzied me.

"I just needed to see you. Ale wasn't answering the phone and I didn't wanna call you at first because I was worried I'd be bugging you, but... but I just had to..." I was cut off by Eddie taking my face in his hands. His eyes scanned my face, unable to go without noticing the obvious signs of abuse that were printed all over me like the headline of the Campus Chronicle. I didn't even care enough to try and hide it. There was no reason for me to hide anymore. "Eddie, I know you said to leave the minute he raised his fist-"

"And you didn't do it. Jesus, Clem." His embrace was warm. His hands were on my back and he was kissing my head.

Stop fucking confusing me! All of you just need to stop fucking with me!

I took a fistful of his shirt and rubbed it against the side of my face. As terrible as it sounded, I hoped Eddie would miss me. I hoped he would miss me a little more than Gale would. "It's all gonna be alright," I promised, relaxing into his grip. If I let him, I knew he'd never let go of me. "Eddie, I know what I need to do and I'm gonna do it. Everyone will be okay."

"Wait, you're leaving him?" Eddie gasped in disbelief. Did he really need to sound as though I'd just told him I was secretly one of the lizard people behind the JFK assassination?

"Something like that," I promised, bringing my head off his chest. I quickly went and fixed his shirt, making it look clean and presentable. Not a wrinkle in sight. "You look really nice tonight."

"Clemmy, are you okay? You're acting odd," Eddie pointed out, cupping my face again. "Kyla didn't give you anything, did he? Are you... you're not drunk or high or anything like that?"

I shook my head, realizing I probably was scaring him. It was hard for me not to feel so peaceful, though. For once in my fucking life, the whole world felt even. I wasn't scared anymore because I knew I didn't have to do this anymore. That was the only time I ever knew I'd truly be okay.

"Ed," I sighed, shaking my head. "I am sober. I just feel good right now."

"You're being honest?"

I cocked my head to the side, giving him a smile that I hoped told him everything I wanted of him. "Of course, Eddie."

It took him a few seconds to decide whether or not to push it. "Alright, Clemmy. Wanna go get something to eat or something? It's a little late for dinner, but I couldn't eat because of work. There's a burger place around here that's pretty decent."

It didn't take a search of my pockets for me to know, "I don't have any money." Kyla refused to give me a single cent after what I pulled on New Year's.

"Let me buy then," he insisted, tipping an invisible hat. "We can hit the drive-up and chill in my car like we did for breakfast that one day."

That worked for me. I wanted to be alone with him. I wanted to talk to him with no screens, no lies. For once, I was going to be completely transparent with my friend.

I giggled, agreeing without another thought. Eddie took my hand and twirled around me to cause my laughter to grow. As I stepped away, he reached out to link our arms together. "Ed!" I squealed in pain, shoving him away abruptly. "That's my bad arm!"

"Your what?" he responded cluelessly.

"That's t-the arm..." I trailed off, staring blankly down at my swollen limb. It was oddly discolored that morning and said discoloring spread a lot farther than a normal bruise would. Of course it had occurred to me it was probably broken, but that's not too serious. Right? It could go untreated and fix itself. "Nothing, Eddie. Sorry. It's just sort of sore."

It wasn't worth it to argue when he yanked my sleeve up to access the damage. "Yep, you're going to the hospital," he announced, his voice thick with twelve different emotions.

"No. It's a waste of money," I argued. Why rack up bills for a dead man? "Eddie, I am fine. It's just a little bruise!"

"That asshole broke your arm, Clem! How can you call that a little bruise?" He was running his fingers through his curly hair, completely hopeless, and ignored the little shrug I sent him. "God, Clemmy. We're going to the hospital right now."

I stepped back when he went in to take my hand. "I want to spend time with you! I don't wanna be in the stupid hospital! I want to be with you and only you right now, Eddie. Please, just give me that!"

"We can spend time together afterwards, when you come back to Ale and I's apartment. Because that is where you'll be staying from now on, alright? You are coming home with me," he informed me, acting as if my exclamation meant nothing to him. If anything, he looked more annoyed than anything. Instead of being happy or flattered or even a little flustered, he just waved my comments off.

I was going to the hospital.