I'm going slightly mad // Hardzello

Chapter 23

The nurse opens the door from the room. As soon as there is enough room, Gwil pushes himself past the nurse.
"Ben, are you alright?" Gwil grabs the side of the bed tightly while he looks at his best friend. The brace from Ben's neck is gone. Which reveals some bruises on his neck. The main bruise is the handprint on the side of his face. It has become a dark shade of red. The edges are a huge contrast with the paleness of Ben's skin.
"I think so. Have you seen Joe? I need to know how Joe is doing." Ben asks. He sounds so desperate that Rami's heart almost breaks. The latter has walked over to the other side of the bed.
"I have seen him when he got carried out of the house. After that, we haven't heard a single thing." Gwil says while he leans closer to looks at the bruise on Ben's cheek.
"What happened?" Rami is the one to speak. Ben opens his mouth to say something but shakes his head immediately after. He closes his eyes but opens them as quickly as they are changed. He shivers when some memories come flooding back.
"Hey, it's okay. You don't need to tell us." As soon as Gwil places his hand on Ben's shoulder the latter flinches away. He whimpers softly. Gwil immediately removes his hand from Ben.

The nurse that had brought them to Ben's room earlier has walked in again.
"Can you two follow me really quick? I need to discuss some things." She points at both Rami and Gwil. 
"We will be right back Ben. Don't worry." Rami gives his friend a reassuring smile before he heads out of the room. The tears that Ben has desperately tried to blink away stream down his face once the others are gone. With the strong pain killers he is given, he can at least deal with his pain. But the fact that he does not know how Joe is doing kills him. He knows that it is all his fault. Which makes everything even worse.

Once he hears the door open once again he turns his head to the other side, facing away from the door. To his luck, no one walks over to that side of the bed.
"They are going to move Joe to this room as soon as Lucy sends a picture of his ID. He left that at the hotel." Ben recognises the voice from Rami. Ben quickly uses his hand to dry his face from the tears. While doing so his arm gets exposed. Ben can hear someone gasping before he feels fingers wrapping around his hand to get a better look.
"My god Ben." Gwil mumbles under his breath. Ben's whole arm is covered in dark red and blue bruises. A specific dark purple one where the handcuff had been fastened too tight around his wrist. Gwil wants to say something but they get interrupted by a knock on the door. Rami and Gwil turn around at the same time. Ben also turns his head now facing the door. Which opens seconds after the knock. A nurse puts the door on a hook so it stays open before grabbing ahold of the bed. Carefully she rolls the bed towards the other side of the room. Another nurse is pushing the other end of the bed. Joe has his head turned to the side. As soon as he sees his three friends a smile cracks on his face. It isn't a real smile, but it's good enough for the others to know that he is alright. The left part of his face completely bruised and looks quite painful in Gwil's opinion. A large bandage is wrapped around his forehead. Possibly to cover up the wound that had formed itself there.
"I think it is best if we leave you two for a few minutes. We will be back in ten or fifteen or something." Rami says before grabbing Gwils wrist to drag him out of the room.

As soon as the nurses secured Joe's bed they leave the room. Ben immediately jumps from his bed. He is wearing some sweatpants and a shirt the nurses gave him. He didn't have a shirt on when he got brought in because his father ripped his off. His pants needed to be cut off for the check-ups they did. Joe smiles as soon as Ben walks over.
"I don't think you are allowed to get out of bed." Joe says.
"I don't care. Nothing stops me from kissing my boyfriend." Joe giggles while Ben places his hand on the not bruised side of Joe's face. As careful as Ben can he leans in to kiss Joe. The kiss is passionate but sweet. Both of them are eager that the other is okay. After a few minutes, Ben pulls away. He keeps his face a few inches away from Joe. Both of them stare in each other's eyes. Ben can feel the butterflies flying through his stomach.   

"I am so sorry. But I am so glad that you are okay." Says Ben softly.
"I am glad you are okay too." Joe does his best to smile.
"How much pain are you in?" Ben moves his head a little so he can see the bruise on Joe's face.
"With the many drugs they have pumped in my body? Not much. What about you?" Joe tilts his head a bit. A habit he has when he waits for someone to answer a question he really wants to know the answer of.
"The painkillers do their work. I am sorry to ask but may I see the bruises?" Ben has grabbed the blanket in his hands but he hasn't moved it yet as he waits for Joe to answer his question. Joe shakes his head.
"No?" Ben asks while he feels his face drop into a frown. Joe shakes his head to emphasis his choice.
"I don't want you to beat yourself up for what happened. You will think that it is your fault and that it should've been you instead of me. And both of them are not true. I have known you longer than today Ben." While talking Joe has pushed Ben's hand from the blanket. The latter still has the frown on his face. 

"It is not your fault Ben, Do you believe me?" Joe grabs Ben's hand. With doing so he moves his arm and shoulder from under the blanket. Joe is oblivious to the skin that just got exposed but it doesn't escape Ben. The latter immediately studies the bruises.
"Oh my god, Joe. That looks bad." Ben let his fingers glide over the bruises before stopping at a huge cut on Joe's shoulder. Before Joe can stop him he moves the blanket to reveal that the cut goes from the outer edge of Joe's shoulder right under his cheekbone to the centre of Joe's chest.
"How did that happen?" Ben let his eyes glide over the cut before bringing his eyes up to meet Joe's.
"I don't know. Probably the metal part of the belt. At the end, I blacked out most of the stuff that was happening. My biggest focus was on keeping you awake." Joe shrugs. He doesn't want Ben to make a deal out of it. Ben wants to move the blanket down even more. Joe grabs ahold of Ben's wrist to push him away.
"I said no Ben." The tone of his voice is ice cold. It sends shivers down Ben's spine. He never has heard Joe talk like this. Joe is always positive and as kind as possible. Ben is almost positive that Joe is hiding something from him. Ther is another reason why he doesn't let Ben see the bruises. Before he can ask a knock is heard on the door. 
"You have fifteen seconds to stop what you are doing before I walk in." The sounds of Rami's voice comes through the door. Ben moves away from the bed just a little. He can't help but let his mind race to search for what he has done that causes Joe's weird behaviour.

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Hi lovies,

For the first time in forever I'm early with uploading! Aren't y'all proud of me? 

Just to make sure. Do you all still like this book? (No matter the answer I will keep uploading chapters. Don't worry). 

Just wondering, what is your favourite kind of ice cream?

Goodbye, 
xx Itsametaphorjoe