lonely || sidemen || completed

/remote/

/tobi/

'Tobi!' Vik's voice was loud over the crowd, and when I turned, his gleaming eyes met mine.

'Hey, Vik.' I said with a small smile.

'What you up to?' he asked cheerfully, stepping into stride beside me. His arms swung happily at his sides; the boy who was once so quiet, and so timid, was now radiating... joy.

'Nothing. I'm... I'm just gonna go and meet my mum.' I replied, the lie so hard to force out when Vik looked so trusting.

'Cool. You want some company on the way?'

'No!' I replied quickly, my voice sounding so harsh and discordant in contrast to Vik's tone.

He didn't reply, just looked at me, his eyes flashing with concern. 'Is everything okay?'

'Yeah, man. Just a bit tired. I gotta run, I'm late to meet my dad. Catch you later, yeah?'

I darted off back into the crowd, but before I managed to disappear, I heard Vik's last question.

'I thought you were meeting your mum?'

-

I was outside the hospital door when I stopped to look up at the signs.

Accident & Emergency > 011
Orthopaedic Ward > 089
Paediatric Ward > 112
Trauma Ward > 054

I nodded up at the number, almost as though we were friends by now. It seemed like I'd been there enough to make friends with a bloody number.

I sighed, my eyes and my hand gripping the railing beside me as I trusted in the foundation to keep me standing; the blood was rushing around my head.

Honestly, I hated hospitals- but I made a promise to Charlie. I had to be there.

I was just about to go in, when I heard him.

'Tobi?'

~~