"Axton, I need you to run this to Tim." My boss says as he hands me a huge stack of papers.
I fucking hate this job.
It's draining and all I do is take orders from a fat guy who enjoys making others miserable.
"Sure," I mumble before taking papers.
Last week, Ryan came so we could have lunch and he started flirting with her.
She was super uncomfortable but he didn't even care.
Luckily, Tim is the only reasonable guy at this office so I don't mind going to his office.
He's only a few years older than me but the guy is a fucking executive.
He hates the boss as much as I do.
"Hey man!" He says as soon as I walk into his office.
"Hey!" I laugh.
"What's up?"
"These are for you," I say before dropping the pile on his desk.
"One day I'm hoping you will be dropping food on my desk instead." He says before flipping through the pile.
Suddenly my phone starts ringing and I immediately check to see who it is.
It's the hospital?
What the fuck.
I immediately answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, may I speak to Axton Mitchell?" A woman asks.
"This is him."
"Your brother Xander Mitchell was admitted a couple of minutes ago, he had an extremely high dose of adrenaline in his system." She explains.
Xander? Hospital?
My heart immediately starts to beat faster and I actually have to hang on to the desk for support.
"Is he okay?"
"He's stable but he keeps coming in and out of consciousness and his heartbeat is very low."
"Oh my god. I'll be there soon. Did you try calling my parents?"
"We did, they didn't pick up." She says and I just hang up.
Are you fucking kidding me?!
Their fucking son is in the hospital and neither of them picked up?!
I immediately stormed out of the office so I could grab my things and leave.
"Axton, where the hell do you think you're going?" My boss asks.
"My brother was just admitted to the hospital and I-"
"Does it look like I care? Get back to work!"
"What? Are you kidding?"
"Does it look like I'm kidding?"
"Alright, then I quit." I scoff.
"You- you can't!"
"Watch me!" I yell before walking or should I say running out to my car.
What the fuck did you do Xander?
I quickly called Ryan so she could meet me there.
I don't think I can do this alone.
It takes me forever to find parking but when I do, I immediately park and run inside.
"Xander Mitchell's room?"
"Room 267" She points down the hall.
I start sprinting down the hall taking my tie off in the process.
When I walk in I freeze as I see Xander's pale, lifeless-looking body laying on the hospital bed.
I quickly walk over to him and sit next to him on the bed.
My mind automatically goes back to the night Xander, Alyssa, and I found Asher unconscious leaning against his mother's gravestone.
I remember telling myself that I wouldn't know what to do if I were in Alyssa's position.
And right now, I'm struggling to take in the scene in front of me.
I slowly reach over and grab Xander's hand.
It's cold.
"Hey man...I don't know if you can hear me but I wanted to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fought you last night, I should have just talked to you. I'm sorry that you're hurting and that you felt that drugs and alcohol were the only things you could turn to. I'm sorry for being a shitty brother and for making your childhood a living hell. I'm so fucking sorry." I break down.
I sob.
My brother is on the brink of death and it's all my fucking fault.
"Baby?" I turn my head and watch as Ryan walks in.
She quickly walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me.
I can't get myself to say anything, I just continue crying in her arms.
"I can't do this anymore," I mumble.
"Do what?"
"I can't keep fucking pretending that everything in my life is perfect. I mean for fuck's sake I hate my job, I hate anything that has to do with film, I constantly put other people's happiness before mine, my fucking brother is suffering because I was looking past his clear cry for help, my fucking girlfriend was being abused and I didn't even notice, my fucking parents-"
"Axton! Breathe. Just breathe baby. You're having a panic attack." She says while running her fingers through my hair.
"They called my parents and neither of them picked up! Their fucking son is in the hospital and neither of them picked up!" I yell frustratingly.
"Everything is gonna be okay." She tries to reassure me.
"How do you know?"
"Because I know Xander, he's a fighter. He's gonna get through this." She whispers before placing a small kiss on my forehead.
I just hug her tighter.
"I also know you. You're by far the kindest, most smart, strong, and generous person I have ever met. You're selfless and you're a great brother. I know I've only been living with you guys for a couple of weeks but I've watched your relationship grow from hating each other's guts to taking care of each other when you're drunk. I can promise you that what Xander did is not your fault." She says before grabbing my face and wiping my tears away.
"What did I do to deserve you?" I mumble.
"More like what did I do to deserve you?" She laughs.
"I love you," I whisper.
I watch as her eyes go wide and she pauses for a moment.
"You- you do?"
"Of course I do! I've been in love with you ever since our first kiss."
"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to tell you that." She laughs.
"I love you, Ryan Simmons."
"And I love you too Axton Mitchell." She says before wiping away her own tears.
Suddenly the door opens and Dr.Davis walks in.
"How is he doctor?" I ask.
"He's stable. His coach said he passed out during practice. He also said that Xander's been out of it for weeks now." He explains.
Jesus Christ.
"What did he take?" Ryan asks.
"We found a pretty high amount of adrenaline in his system. These pills are meant to be taken 2 a day but Xander must have taken 3 times that amount."
"Will he be okay?"
"He'll be fine, he just has to take things slowly once he's up. Which means no more football."
"No more football?!"
Fuck.
"Yes, is that a problem?"
"Yes! Xander has scholarships lined up for him for football and now he's gonna lose them all!" I groan.
Way to add the fucking cherry on top of this situation.
"I'm sorry Axton but for him to stay safe, he'll have to stay off the field." Dr.Davis says before walking out.
"Xander's gonna be fucking pissed."
"I know, but all that matters right now is that he's okay," Ryan says.
We both continue sitting in the room as we wait for Xander to wake up.
"Where is my son?!" I hear a voice boom down the hall.
An all too familiar voice.
"Wait in here," I tell Ryan as I walk out of the room.
"Xavier, look!" My mom says as she points to me.
They both quickly walk over to me and try to enter Xander's room but I don't let them.
"We need to fucking talk," I say.
"Later." My dad says.
"No, now!" I yell.
They both look at each other before backing away from the door.
"What?" My dad sighs.
"Where the fuck have you been?! You guys haven't been home in over a month!"
"We were working on our movie and then we decided to take a vacation." My mom says as if it's no big deal.
"That's not how things fucking work! What if I was still in Connecticut? WOULD YOU HAVE LEFT XANDER ALONE FOR OVER A MONTH?!"
"We've done it before." My dad shrugs.
"You two are the worst fucking parents ever," I mutter.
"Oh like you know anything about parenting."
"I've been taking care of Xander for the past two months and I've been more of a fucking parent to him than both of you combined!"
"Well, we're here now." My mom says.
"Well, we don't want you here! All you're gonna do is get mad at Xander for doing what he did, get mad at me for not watching him, and then leave again. Am I wrong?"
They stay quiet.
"I fucking hate film production! And I quit my fucking job!" I blurt.
"What did you just say?"
"You fucking heard me! I hate film production and the only fucking reason I decided to study it was to impress you guys but nothing ever impresses you! I want to fucking travel the world, not be stuck behind a camera all day. And if it means that I'll have to neglect my kids like you two have been doing then count me out."
"You're making a big mistake." My dad mutters.
"No, I don't think I am. I mean you and mom do what you do because you love it so why would Xander and I do the same if we don't love it."
"Because it makes you money! What the fuck is traveling and playing sports gonna do?"
"If it makes them happy honey then just let it go." My mom says suddenly causing both my dad and me to look at her in shock.
"Are you serious right now?" He asks.
"Honey, I don't want to lose our sons due to your stubbornness. I love my sons and if they want to travel and play sports then so be it." She smiles at me and I smile back.
"How will they make a living?"
"Honey they're 18 and 21, they're old enough to figure it out and if they get lost on the way, we'll be there to help them." She says to him.
"I'm disappointed in you." My dad spits.
"You always are," I mutter.
My dad scoffs before storming out of the hospital leaving my mom and me in the hallway.
"How is he honey?" My mom asks.
"Do you wanna go in?" I ask.
She nods before I open the door for her.
Ryan looks up from her phone and my mom walks over to where Xander is.
"Oh Ryan, what are you doing here? Are you a friend of Xanders?" My mom asks.
Ryan looks at me for a second and I nod.
"Actually, Axton called me." She says.
"Oh. OH, are you two-"
"Dating? Yes. Mom, Ryan is my girlfriend." I explain before taking a seat next to Ryan.
"Huh? I knew something was going on between you two." My mom laughs.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, during the dinner, you came back to your seat with some lipstick on the side of your lip and Ryan came to the table a few minutes later. I put two and two together." She laughs.
Oh.
"You two make a cute couple." My mom says.
"Thank you, Mrs.Mitchell," Ryan says.
"Call me Adrianna sweetheart." My mom smiles.
My mom continues sitting with Xander and talks to the doctor while Ryan and I sit on the couch and talk.
We told my mom about Ryan living with us.
We tell her everything and luckily she's supportive.
She was actually glad that I told Ryan to move in.
"I told them...everything," I say.
"I know, I heard. I think the whole hospital did." She laughs.
"Shit, we were that loud?"
"Yep but I'm proud of you." She says before leaning her head on my shoulder.
"Also..." She hesitates.
"What's wrong?"
"I may or may not have called Arya." She whispers.
"Ryan-"
"I know I know! But I wasn't sure if Xander was gonna be 100% okay so I wanted to let her know in case something happened to him. She loves him." She says.
"I'm just not sure if Arya is what Xander needs right now."
"I think she's exactly what he needs."
I hope you're right.
----------Author's Note----------
Poor Axton finally cracked.
Oh and another "I love you"
Finally something good!
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
-Pradabagg
Word Count: 1928