Broken, Flawed & Living (Discontinued)

Chapter Twenty-Two

But one question stood out. I wondered about the origin of her disease Andrew was sparse on about. "How'd she get sick?" My voice was a soft little whisper in the air because I was a bit hesitant asking it. For all I knew, he could've not liked talking about his past or his cousin in great detail.

The winter blaze almost hid his stuttering breath, but after a moment in the cold air, he spoke up. "We were kids when it happened. Something struck her so suddenly and she was a perfect, healthy little girl and we didn't know what to do," he explained. Soft-spoken. But I heard every word. "The doctors were clueless and could only preserve her life until one day, she got better. She could walk and move and do all the things she dreamed of doing, even though she missed having the high school experience."

I watched how his face conveyed different levels of emotions – most of the same kind. A lot of it I was taken back by because I couldn't really empathize with him. And it seemed like he never really talked about her as much with anyone else. Not even Dante who seemed to be close with him. So why with me?

"My dad taught her everything school would've got wrong and I helped until it happened again randomly and ever since, she's been like this. Basically lying on her deathbed and it scares me so fucking much because I don't know what to do if I lost the last of my family..." Pain struck his eyes hard now, and no doubt his body all over by how the language of it shifted. Yet he kept walking, keeping his head high and played with a smile – a real, genuine one. "I'm just glad I can still be with her for the time being."

Well, now I know, very sparsely, of what happened to his family.

Another funny thing. Everyone I ever known had a life different than mine, not in the least close to perfect and healthy. Leone being a cop himself, Chris' confidence in his sexuality, Levy becoming a personal trainer, Thomas overcoming midlife crises and Tori being above the pity and crude remarks from her so called peers – being expressive as always. You'd never know with these people because you'd never see the marks that scarred them. They wouldn't show you unless you knew them because they knew all too well Society would only judge off the cover you presented them rather than read the pages of your mind.

Everything couldn't and can't be held at face value.

Society kills me so damn much. I'd never understand them as a whole. Then there was Andrew who lost his family one by one, supposedly, and Ariel was his last her in America. Who knows where the distant relatives lived.

The rest our journey filled our ears to the empty streets until we reached the foot of the hospital. Upon entering I was taken back by the Christmas themed so very present and staggering amounts of families and couples and a few others alone in waiting chairs filling the space. I waited behind as Andrew went up to the reception desk and checked in. He took a bit longer because I guessed he also signed me in as well.

Once he finished up, he led me down the hall and through an elevator onwards up. We reached the third floor and I followed behind. So many people filled the hospital on this day, but it was lucky the ones in need of savior had loved ones at their side. But sad how most hadn't. Some would throw shades of pity while others embraced them with empathy.

Breaking me out of thought, Andrew said something. At first I wasn't quite sure what he said till it registered a second time before I replied. "Hey, can I ask something?" Looking at him, I nodded. "What if Leone takes Thomas? Like, what if Thomas feels something for him again? Because, I don't know, this is kinda stupid but I just feel like... you're not gonna find another guy like him. You've had two tries before..."

Hesitance slipped in as I breathed. 'Cause honestly, he may had been right. I had two tries and failed at them both but with Thomas, he if he went with Leone or any other guy... "That's fine." I might've not been the guy Thomas deserved and... I think I would be fine that.