Timothy slowly opened his eyes as the sirens drew closer.
"Hey!" I said, tears in my eyes. "You're okay! You're gonna be fine!"
Timothy frowned. His eyes darted all over the place. He tried to sit up.
"No, don't!" I held him down. "Just wait a moment longer. You're gonna be okay."
He blinked a few times in confusion and closed his eyes again.
✪
They just finished doing some tests. The doctor said he has broken ribs and a TBI, a concussion basically.
I can't believe they did this to him. I'm gonna kill them. I'm not gonna let them get away with this.
I knew they didn't like him. Maybe even genuinely hated him but to go this far.. In my eyes this was attempted murder. He could've died there all alone in the snow if I hadn't shown up.
..And if I hadn't said those things to him this wouldn't have happened at all. We would've gone home together and he would've been safe.
This was my fault too.
I'm right after Joe going into T's hospital room. Timothy was on bed rest. They want to keep him there for at least a week to observe him but they said his ribs could heal on their own at home. They said he was going to be confused for a while and that he may have memory problems. But that it wasn't supposed to be severe.
Not severe? They gave him a concussion. They broke his ribs, how is that not severe?
Dahlia went back home to get some of Timothy's things. I told Joe that three guys from school had done this. He wants to press charges. That's the least. If it was up to me.. They'd be joining Timothy in the hospital real soon.
Timothy looked a little tired but other than that he looked normal. You'd never know how hurt he was by looking at him.
"Hey, kid." Joe said, stroking Timothy's hair. "Did the doctor tell you? There was an accident. But you're all okay now." He said gently.
"You're gonna be fine."
T looked around the room. His eyes lingered on me for a moment. Then he looked at his dad again.
"Where's Charlie?" T asked.
My heart sank down to my feet. Why the hell would he want to see Charlie?
"Huh? Charlie? Timmy, Charlie isn't here.."
Timothy frowned confused as if Charlie wasn't supposed to be on the other side of the world right now.
"Why not?" He asked.
What the fuck was going on?!
Joe gave me a confused look. He looked just as worried and shocked as me.
"What?" I mumbled.
The door opened with a loud bang and like a whirlwind Charlie burst into the room. He looked devastated and worried.
"Oh God, you're okay!" He ran up to T's bed, throwing his motorcycle helmet aside. He wrapped his arms around Timothy. "I'm so sorry I left." He began to cry. "I missed you so much! I'm sorry!"
Timothy looked confused for a moment but relieved.
"It's okay.." He stroked Charlie's messy hair.
"I'm never leaving again. I promise." Charlie kissed Timothy on the lips. Like they were his to kiss.
Anger coursed through my veins and I stepped forward to yank him away. How did he think he could just burst in here and take him back like that?!
Joe stopped me. "Not now." He said softly, staring at Timothy with concern in his eyes.
✪
Joe, Charlie and I had gone to the cafeteria for some coffee. Timothy was sleeping. Though every hour someone had to wake him.
"What the hell happened to him?!" Charlie screamed. "Who the fuck did this!" He glared at me as if I would ever do that.
"What are you insinuating?! Do you really think I would do this to him?! Where the hell did you even come from!" I yelled.
Dahlia came in, a big bag in hand. Her eyes were bloodshot and she too looked tired. "I got some clothes and some pictures and stuff. Maybe he'll like that." She looked up at Charlie. "Oh." she said surprised.
"Sweetie, this is-"
"Charlie." Dahlia interrupted Joe.
Wait, she knew him?
"He came to the house. I told him Tim was here and he rushed right over.. apparently. He didn't even let me finish." Dahlia grabbed a coffee for herself.
So that's how he knew Timothy was here. Of fucking course.
"Why aren't you in Australia?" Joe asked. He sounded exhausted.
"Didn't work out." Charlie shrugged. "I'm still trying to figure out what he's doing here, though. Since he probably fucking did this to him!" Charlie pointed at me with his helmet.
"How many times do I have to tell you! I didn't do this!"
"Then who did!" Charlie demanded.
I stared at the floor in shame. My friends did.
"Dave, Taylor and Nick." I muttered.
Charlie began to laugh. "Of fucking course! You let your little friends do the dirty work for you!"
I punched him hard. And I was so ready for more but Joe pulled me back.
"This again?" Charlie snared. "What? Do you wanna show off how great you are at beating people up? No need, Tim's in the hospital to prove it."
"Say that again?!" I stepped forward and so did Charlie. Joe held us both apart.
"Stop! This is useless! We're not gonna fight!" Joe pushed me away from Charlie.
"Obviously Josh didn't do this. Stop blaming him. If it wasn't for him Timothy might have frozen to death. We can't say the same about you." Joe snapped.
Charlie looked down sad and ashamed.
Joe took a deep breath. Dahlia wrapped her arm around him. That seemed to calm him down a bit.
"Obviously Timmy is confused at the moment. I don't think he remembers that you left. We're not gonna trigger him and we're not gonna cause any more confusion. He has to heal on his own."
"Do you think he even remembers me?" Dahlia asked softly. She covered her mouth.
"Maybe not yet. But he will." Joe caressed Dahlia's arm.
"Until then we wait." Joe looked at Charlie and me sternly.
"Fine by me. Breaking up with him was the dumbest thing I've ever done." He said sadly.
I balled my hands into fists. This was so messed up. No one knew. That Timothy and I were so much more than just friends and that seeing him with Charlie was my worst nightmare.
But then I realized.. It wasn't. My worst nightmare were the moments I held him and thought he wasn't going to open his eyes again. If this was what I had to endure for him to recover than so be it.
"Okay." I agreed.
✪
It was the day after. Joe had spent the entire night with Timothy. His memories seemed to be scattered. He remembered some recent things but mostly things from the past. From when Charlie was still his boyfriend. He remembered me but not Dahlia.
Now I thought I'd finally get some alone time with him. But of course not.
"Look what I got you." Charlie smiled. He clung to T's bed like a leech. It was torture. Seeing them act like a couple when really Timothy was mine.
I leaned against the wall and watched them.
Charlie showed Timothy the flowers from behind his back.
"Wow!" T said surprised. "They're so lovely."
They were red and black roses. Fucking shoot me.
"I thought you'd like them. Remember when it was me in the hospital and you were cheering me up?" Charlie grinned.
Timothy smiled at the memory. "I do." He laughed.
Why was he smiling at him like that? Did he seriously forget his feelings too? Or maybe he still had feelings for him.. Just like I'd worried.
"He fell from my window once." T told me, finally paying attention to me.
"Your window?"
"He was trying to be romantic but he.. broke his foot."
Charlie laughed. And soon they kissed.
I stared at the ground and tried not to cry.
"You should get some water. I want them to last." T smiled.
"Okay. Be right back." Charlie kissed Timothy's nose and left the room.
I tried to act as normal as I could.
"You okay? You look like you're in pain." Timothy asked.
Right on the nose as always.
"You're the one in the hospital and you're asking if I'm in pain?" I sighed. "Doesn't get more Timothy than that."
"Well, my head's killing me and everything's fuzzy in there.. and my whole body hurts.. but other than that I'm fine." T said sarcastically. I couldn't exactly laugh.
"You on the other hand look someone's chewing on your heart."
Ding ding ding. Right again.
I stared at the ground.
"Is it because of me?" T asked gently.
"Do you remember that I found you?" I asked.
T shook his head.
"Do you remember how you even got here? Anything at all?"
Timothy frowned. He shook his head again.
I wanted to kick something. I couldn't take this much longer.
"Was it bad?" T asked softly.
I saw him in my arms again. My face got hot and soon a tear streamed down my cheek.
"Crap!" I turned away.
"Wow, I've never seen you cry before.."
"You have." I said.
Fuck, I wasn't supposed to say that either.
"Oh."
I faced him again.
T reached out his hand.
I took it. I felt relieved for a moment. At least I could hold him for one moment, knowing he was mine.
"I'm sorry." T said.
"For what?"
"Making you cry."
I scoffed. He was too good.
"Don't apologize." I ran my hand through his hair.
I wanted to touch his face and to kiss his cheek. But that would probably freak him out.
T looked slightly confused. He blinked a few times. And then he just stared at me like he was trying to remember something.
"Alright, got some water! Got some cakes!" Charlie burst back in. I took a few steps back.
Timothy still looked at me for a while longer. Then he focused on Fangs again.
"I brought your favorite movies, albums and some games too." Charlie put the vase with roses next to T's bed.
"He's not allowed to do any of that. Brain rest and all." I said, looking out the window for a moment.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Fine. Then we'll just talk."
Timothy agreed but he seemed not totally there. He was too busy brooding.