My Rebel Angel (Editing)

News Of The World

After night had struck, the rest of his friends had to go home. Rose had to rest for work tomorrow, so she hugged goodbye to her best friend, Mal. 

Mortimer had decided to stay a long time for his brother. That must be what the big bag was for. 

"Don't you have work, Morty?" Mallory asked his brother as he leaned against the bed's headboard, gently examining the bouquet then returning it to the side table.

"I can work on my laptop, Mal", he replied as he took control of the remote, sitting cross legs on the long seat. He switched channel into channel, until he saw something he thought was interesting. 

Don asked, pouring water into a plastic cup."What do you do?"

"None of your business,” the tall man answered, adjusting his black glasses. He didn't even bother looking at the blonde man as he spoke. 

Mallory talked to Don to fill the awkward silence. 

"How about you, Don?" 

"I excused myself from work. My friend took a shift for me." 

Don sat on the edge of Mallory's bed. He glanced at Mortimer, then whispered to the patient. "I need more time for you to know me better." 

"What about your fractures? They look painful too." 

"Don't worry, Mal. I have fantastic metabolism," Don bragged with a chuckle. "Worry about yourself instead."

The tall man glanced at them, resting his pen on his slightly square chin.

"You two seem to be close."

"Yes, we are musically collaborating,” Don answered. 

Mortimer commented dryly, "Is that what they call it these days?"

"Not really. I'm the first I guess," Don jested.

Mortimer finally looked at Don and planted his legs on the floor. "In all people, why with my brother?" 

Mallory glared piercingly at his brother.

"Don't take this in the wrong way, Mal." Mortimer responded to Mallory as he pocketed his stylus pen in his chest pocket, "You two are quite different from each other." 

"Is that so?" Don asked after drinking observantly from his plastic cup.

"Relatively speaking, I saw you perform before in a restaurant. You sing ballads, am I right?"

"Mostly, I do."

"I have to admit, you are very dignified and I esteem you for your well-received acts. You have great potential to be acclaimed for your professional skills and fluency when you sang some foreign songs. The lyrics you have written are deeply profound." 

"Thank you, I am flattered" Don smiled and nodded humbly.  He didn't expect Mortimer to be aware of his musical performances. It didn't even seemed that Mortimer was anyway interested in music when they met before.

"Yet, you do know that Mal here is explicit, vulgar, and undignified, specifically unseemly, when it comes to his performance and songs?" 

"Excuse me?" Mallory shook his head and leaned to his brother angrily, then winced as he hurt his injuries from sudden movements. 

Mortimer raised his head up and threw more candid yet caustic words. 

"I am just saying, Mallory. Don wears suits do show his professionalism, you wear whatever you buy at Hot Topic's women compartment to appeal to a certain niche group."

"I don't buy clothes at Hot Topic!"

"Guys---" Don attempted to interject, but Mallory yelled again abruptly.

"Was it because of the band, Mortimer? You're still angry with Collin?"

"D-don't change the topic," Mortimer stuttered.

"You are angry with one of our bandmates because he rejected you, and now you're directing your anger on me and the band?"

"I wasn't angry when he rejected me!" Mortimer suddenly shouted, making Don jump in his seat.

"Then what? Why did you left the band? Why did you left me and your friends?"

"Collin left me to die! He ran away when I was being beaten up!" Mortimer exploded, his veins coming out from his forehead. Mallory became mute from the revelation.

After a few seconds of painful silence, the door opened. A nurse appeared and  scolded them firmly, "Please be quiet! The patient's in the other room is trying to sleep."

"Uh, sorry about that." Don said as he glanced at the two brothers, "We will stop immediately. Right?"

"...Yes," Mallory softly said. The nurse nodded her head before leaving and closing the door.

Mortimer covered his mouth with his clenched fist and whimpered, "I need fresh air."

"Morti, I am so sorry. Please, Wait..." Mallory begged while Mortimer hurriedly walked out of the room. He tried to get out of his bed until Don held him back.

"Mallory, he will come back. Don't worry about it," Don consoled. Mallory then stared at the door with worried eyes.