𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 || 𝙋𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙤 𝙂𝙖𝙫𝙞

Chapter 11

"How do you guys-"

"Let's get him to bed first", Pedri interrupted, holding a staggering Gavi. I quickly rushed to his side and helped him get back to bed.

Pedri rubbed the homemade ice pack on Gavi's burning head, while I sat by on the other side, spreading yet another blanket over his shivering body. "How much longer?", I asked Pedri, who looked like a zombie at this point. By now, It was already 8:23 at night, and the doctor we'd called in the morning, was yet to come; and it was taking a visible toll on Pedri, who needed his sleep to function, In Gavi's words. "He's supposed to be here, I don't know what's taking so long". Gavi had refused to go to the hospital, and had forced me and his best friend to suffer as we watched him slip in and out of consciousness. We'd given him aspirin, which was miraculously found in my medicine cabinet, which hadn't been stocked in months, and according to Google, he was supposed to get better by the next morning.

" Hey Vie?", Pedri whispered. I looked up to see him staring at me with tired yet concerned eyes, "I'm sorry for putting you through this, we just met and everything is already spiraling out of control; we chased your friends away, restricted your public appearances.... you don't deserve this". "It's fine", I replied, blushing a bit at the nickname he'd given me, "I don't mind anything as long as we're friends, you know. I love Mandy and Will, but that doesn't mean they can treat how they did this morning..". My mind wandered back to the morning, the shouts, the anger, the negativity...

Mandy had never been as irrational and angry with me, as she'd been this morning; and she knew it was hurting me, that's exactly why she'd done it. But why? Why had she done that? She had loved me and taken care of me like I'd been of her own blood, since I had decided to stay behind. She had made sure to never hurt me, but now she'd done it. And the curiosity inside me, asking why she'd done that ,was eating away at me.

"I think he's stable for now", Pedri whispered. I looked back at Gavi. He seemed to be a bit calmer than before. "Let's leave him alone for a while, he should be fine by morning". I nodded in agreement before walking out of the room behind Pedri. I took a quick glance at the sleeping Gavi, praying that he would get better, somehow.

"Do you want something to eat?", I asked Pedri as he began to lay down on the sofa. "I'm good, can you just come over here for a second though?". I peered over the kitchen island, still down on my knees in search of my snack stash in the cabinets. I walked over to him, standing over his form, "What is it?", I asked, looking down. "I need you to caress my head for me", He replied, "It helps me de-stress". I nodded before sitting down and placing his head on my lap, slowly caressing it.

" Gavi's not as bad as he seems"

"What?"

This was a strange topic to be talking about, especially at that time, for me. But I agreed with him.

"I know...he's just a...tough nut"

Pedri smiled lightly, closing his eyes.

"He cares a lot about everything and everyone, it's just that he doesn't show it; inside, he's the exact opposite of how he is outside. I wish he'd start getting his act together. He's young, but has so much potential that can be used for glorifying his career, but he doesn't want to listen when we talk about things like that"

"Everyone's  different", I managed to say, unable to think of anything else.

"He needs a lot of love to melt his harsh exterior.."

"What're you getting at?", I asked, confused.

"You like him don't you?", He asked.

"No!"

"Quit lying, I have eyes"

"I don't, I can't"

"Why's that?"

The questions were getting more and more intense.

"Well..."

"I won't make it uncomfortable for you, Vie. You don't have to say it if you don't want to", Pedri said finally, turning his face to my stomach.

I thought for a long while. Pedri was kind, he was understanding, he knew when to stop pushing...he was literally every girl's dream guy; and I felt happy when I was with him. He was the best guy a girl could go after, a literal piece of paradise.

Then why was my heart going back to Gavi?