Playing Rough

Chapter VI

Chapter VI ─ A Glimpse Into the Past

[ M I C H A E L   G R I F F I N ]

It had been about an hour since Bryan spontaneously collapsed to the tile floor in the locker room. My mind was still stuck in an elongated moment of shock, trying to make sense of the situation.

I had argued that we should take him to the emergency room immediately but after protests from Kyle, supposedly knowing Bryan's behavioural patterns, we settled for the school's infirmary. I was not satisfied with that call, to say the least, Bryan could have been seriously injured or ill and we wouldn't have known.

A surge of emotions rushed through me as I sat next to the infirmary bed keeping watch on Bryan in this late afternoon, a part of me yearned to be on the field with the rest of the guys, but I couldn't force myself to let someone else keep an eye on Bryan.

I don't know what sort of protective rage came over me when I saw my former best friend plummet to the floor. My mind felt numb, my breath was shaky, adrenaline rapidly coursing through my veins as my body trembled, yet I was still the first one by his side.

I learned that I was still protective of Bryan today and I didn't exactly know how I felt about that yet. I surprised myself when I practically hissed at the coach when he told me to join the guys on the field and that I shouldn't watch over my ex-best-friend. For some reason, I felt inclined to stay by Bryan's side, even now, an hour later after the incident.

The man laid on the laminated bed of the infirmary, he looked so peaceful without his signature scowl resting on his face. It almost made unwanted memories from our childhood attempt resurface, but I pushed them back and focused on the figure before me.

I had to admit, looking after Bryan Clay was sort of soothing, the tension that normally rested between of us was gone, eradicated by the peaceful sound of our breathing. Just being like this fueled my hope for us, maybe we'd be able to rebuild what we once had, the friendship that practically made my life whole. 

Bryan was once my world, but nowadays, he was just an unnecessarily angry shell of the person I once knew inside and out.

I focused my gaze back on his features, blatantly turning into Edward Cullen for a moment, but refusing to acknowledge it. God, these years must have done a toll on him, I still couldn't fathom just how drastically he had changed over the years - it was honestly overwhelming.

Was my cheery Bry still in there? Or had he already been swallowed whole by the abyss?