A Surreptitious Relationship

:A Surreptitious Relationship: Chapter Forty-One

Nothing was more awkward than having five people sitting in a cramped hospital room with no one talking. Aaron was staring moodily at the wall like he always did when it was more than just myself and Chris visiting, Chris was reading an Alternate Press magazine, Lance was texting on his phone, and Casey was making funny faces at Jeremy, who was making them back, and they were both trying not to laugh. Meanwhile I was bored out of my mind, trying to think of something to start off a conversation.

“So is today the day you’re going to visit Shawn?” Aaron asked, breaking the silence in the hospital room.

            Immediately four gazes snapped to me, all looking surprised. Taken aback by the sudden focus shift, I just took turns staring dumbly back at each person, opening and closing my mouth without being able to form any words. When my gaze landed on Chris, I could finally speak. “Why do you look so shocked?” I demanded.

            “Just because,” he responded with a grin.

            Jeremy sat straight up in his chair, his eyes wide.  “Whoa, wait, why are you two going to see Shawn? Isn’t that a stupid idea? Is this Holly’s idea?”

            “Hey!” I protested.

            Lance snorted. “It sounds like one. You want to go visit the man who tried to kill you and your teacher?” he questioned, staring skeptically at me.

            “It’s not—”

            “Did you have to whine and complain to get Chris to let you go?” Jeremy inquired, an amused smirk appearing on his face. “Or did you convince him some other way…?”

            “I didn’t—”

            Casey gasped. “Did you threaten to break up—”

            Smiling, Jeremy quickly slapped a hand to her face. “No, she didn’t threaten to break up that jigsaw puzzle that took him two years to put together.”

            “It took you that long to put together a puzzle?” Aaron asked, giving Chris a pitying look.

            He scowled, but didn’t deny it, causing Aaron to laugh. I rolled my eyes. “I’ll have you all know, Chris was the one who decided we should go visit Shawn.”

            “Mr. Heywood did?”

            “Heywood did?”

            “Chris did?”

            “He did?”

            I glowered at everyone in the room. “Come on! Not all choices I make are stupid! Some friends you guys are!”

            Casey laughed, shaking her head. “I’m just giving you a hard time.”

            “No, not all choices you make are stupid, but this one definitely is. What are you thinking?” Lance demanded, crossing his arms. “And you too!” he added, his gaze switching to Chris. “What are you thinking, going along with it?”

            Chris sighed. “I just want to know what Shawn’s thinking and what he wants. He’s gone after enough of my students. Aaron doesn’t need to be another victim.”

            “And it’s not like he can do any harm to us while we’re there,” I added, frowning. “It’s not a stupid idea. If it was Chris wouldn’t agree to it.”