The Jock, The Nerd and The Geek

26

Alia tensed, her head bowing as she said softly, "I'm sorry, I—"

"Who the fuck are you to talk to her like that?" Alex cut in, the venom in her voice clear for everyone in the room to hear. It wasn't like her usual tone she used with him. It was clear... That the fact he was in this room disgusted her in ways nobody could understand.

Paris being in that category.

Marcos could hear the shock, and pain, in the male's voice as he stared at her. His words, for the first time since he knew him, sounding broken. "What? Why— Why are you talking to me like that?"

"I mean, you fucking barge into my room like a wild animal, shouting at my girlfriend—"

"What?" Marcos was the one asking this, his heart squeezing again. Girlfriend? Her and Alia Hooper? He knew— He knew they were friends, once, but he never saw them talk after that. They never— He knew that Alex wasn't dating someone else. She would have told him. She wouldn't have hidden this from him.

"Is this a prank, Alex?" God, this was hurting. His chest was hurting too much. "I get it. You're upset with Paris and I. That's fine. But calling her your girlfriend. Infront of us like that. That's— That's not fair."

"Fair?" Alex stared at him, then at Paris and Alia, her eyebrows furrowing again. "But— Isn't she my—"

Suddenly, she let out a pained gasp, her hand going to her head as she held it, her teeth biting hard down on her lower lip as she fought back a scream, the monitor beside her suddenly beeping loudly.

A nurse suddenly rushed in now, her voice impatient and annoyed as she snapped at them, "Everyone. Out."

Marcos was already standing, though his eyes never left her, his body moving on its own as he reached the door now. Alia was about to leave as well but Alex told her not to, her hand intertwining with Alia's.

An action that made Marcos nearly trip over himself if Paris hadn't held him. The male's hand shook as he did so, though his face now held an empty look, his jaws clenching till they reached the hallway again.

Marcos wasn't sure how long they stood there, his eyes staring through the shutters of her room, watching as the Doctor injected her with something, Alex's head burying itself into Alia's body, his head repeating words over and over again.

I'm the one supposed to be there. Me. Not Her. Me.

His head turned to the side now, his eyes glassy and nose red as he saw Hezekiah and Alexander Parker walking to them. Alexander looked tired, but angry at something, his usually playful carefree look gone, and Hezekiah...

There was a grim look on his face as he walked to them, supporting his good leg with his walking stick, pausing when he was close enough, his eyes going to Alex in the room, his lips pressing themselves tightly together before he turned to Marcos, his words coming out thick and clogged up. "Are you the one that brought her here?"

Marcos nodded, his throat bobbing as he tried to swallow, Hezekiah nodding back as well "Thank you," Then to Paris. "And you too."

"What's—" Breathe, Marcos. Breathe. One word at a time. "What's wrong? Is— Is she alright?"