Nighttime fell and Pete and Andy returned with vegan takeouts. The doctor told us that Y/N would be ravenous, but it'd be best if she eats healthy foods to help her body in recovery.
We kept the room dark. The lights from the city lights softly illuminated inside the room.
Joe sat by Y/N's hospital bed, so he could sleep beside her. I somehow felt a pang of jealousy at the proximity of Joe to Y/N. I should be the one in his place, but who am I anyway? I'm just one of her boys.
The night at the Jack Rabbit Slim's flashed in my head. I loved when we danced. I'd do it again with her if I could.
I'd go back to the night if I could and actually speak to her. Heck maybe even flirt with her and ask her out.
But the dance meant something. I felt it; that organic pull of our gravity against each other. I saw it in her glazed eyes. I heard it in the way she spoke to me. She wants me just as much as I want her.
I want to hear her tell me that she wants me. I want to empty her sadness and fill her up with this love that I've been dying to spend on her.
I smiled as I settled my eyes on the sillhouette of Y/N flat on the bed, sleeping. She's my best friend and she's the best girl to me. I love her at her worst and I love her at her best. I don't care about her demons. Mine seem to get along with hers pretty well, with the way they play her in my mind at some times that I'm alone in a dark room.
The shape of her mouth, like, a cute bow; its plumpness teasing me to bite on it.
I inhaled sharply as I felt my body temperature go up.
"You okay, Patrick?" Pete asked in a low voice.
"Y-yeah I am." I responded, my voice raspy from not talking for quite a while.
"Thinkin' about her?"
I chuckled. "Uh-huh."
I felt Pete gently punch me on the arm. "You sneaky, bastard."
Andy stood up to grab himself a food and a drink. I couldn't tell what, since it's dark.
"Want some food?" Andy asked quietly.
"Sure." I answered, standing up and walking towards the small table where the foods are put.
"We got burritos, noodles, some pastries, and bunch of chocolate peanut bar." Andy chuckled.
"I'll just have a burrito."
I heard the sound of a metal wrap as Andy grabbed a roll of burrito and handed it to me. I gladly took it and muttered a thanks.
"Chocolate peanut bars, huh." I spoke, chuckling.
"Everything's a hundred percent vegan. Trust me, I was there the whole time." Andy said.
"I'm also havin' my share with those bars, of course." Pete answered, chuckling.
I took a bite of my burrito and was satisfied at how good it tasted. I sighed. "I hope she wakes up soon."
"Let her get the rest that she needs." Andy answered.
"Yeah, good point." Pete agreed.
🌹🌹🌹🌹
Pete and I were the only ones left awake. Andy chose to sleep on the mini couch just across Y/N's bed.
I'm still sitting on the same chair and I've already devoured three burritos.
"Is it bad that I'm more anxious about the album? If we're still going to make it to the deadline?" Pete asked in a low voice that only the two of us can hear.
I couldn't help but give him a look of disdain, which of course he wouldn't see because it's dark. "Pete, Y/N just got shot."
"I know, but maybe we should cut her off from the production team."
"What? You're being ridiculous right now. Do you even hear yourself talking?"
"Patrick, I'm scared, okay? We were just literally a wrong step away from losing her."
I paused. Pete had a point. Had we not begged Y/N to get involved with us in the creation of our seventh album, it wouldn't have to reach this point.
"So we're pulling her out?"
"Maybe."
"It's going to be a long dialogue with her."
Pete chuckled. "We might actually finish the album in the process of arguing with her."
I chuckled at the thought of what Pete said.
"You had a good night with her?" Pete asked.
"Yeah. I wish it's like that all the time."
Pete scoffed. "Then drop the act, man. Stop bein' such a baby bitch around her."
"I just can't do that, okay?"
"That's such a high school move. Dude, none of us here are growin' younger. You want her and I'm sure as hell she wants you too. I've seen the way she was lookin' at you and the way she interacted with you the whole damn time." He chuckled. "The way she danced with you, the way her gaze was holding yours..." He trailed off. "Man..."
"Wow that's quite a graphic report of an observation." I low-key teased, chuckling.
"Yeah," I could hear the smile on his lips. "It's just that...I hate watching the time run out while both of you do nothin'. Someone's gotta move."
I nodded, taking Pete's word by heart.
"But what's gonna happen if we kick her out?" I asked, referring back to our first topic.
"Continue working on the album until we're finished?"
"I don't know, Pete."
"Of course. You know you want to keep her around, but playing her around your fingers wouldn't keep her for a long time. Do something, Patrick."
I sighed. "When will I know if it's too late?"
"When all that's left to do is loving her from a distance through your sad and longing stares." Pete answered and it felt like a slash on my chest.
I already hate that possibility, but it's another bitter pill that I'm quite ready to swallow.
