Thea's knee bounced anxiously as she stared at Josh's sleeping face. The moment she got the call that he was transferred to the hospital, she ordered an Uber. This is too much stress in three days, she thought to herself, dragging a hand through her hair. Joshua didn't look too bad though. A broken nose, and a black eye. What she couldn't see was hidden by the blanket—severe bruising to the ribs. She leaned forward and rested her forehead on the bed. She was tired. From one injured person to the next. She didn't want to see another bandage or gauze for the rest of the week.
She heard a sigh and looked up to see Josh's head turn.
"Joshua? Josh?" Her hand went to his shoulder. He grunted, eyes squeezing shut before reopening and focusing on her. When he doesn't speak, she decides to. "You are an ass."
His lips twitch. "Don't–shit." She watched as his eyes squeeze shut again—probably finally registering the pain.
She points at the button near his hand. "Nurse says to press that if you need pain relief."
He looks at where she's pointing and grabs the button.
"I didn't want you to fight. I told you it's stupid. I always tell you it's stupid."
He let out an exaggerated breath. "Kind of unfair for you to choose this as our topic of conversation knowing I'm forced to listen."
"I'm serious, Josh. That guy could've killed you."
"He wasn't that great a fighter."
"He kicked your ass."
Joshua's shoulders shook from laughter, and then he grimaced. "Don't fucking make me laugh, Thea, it hurts."
"Sorry." She smiled despite her words. "You had me worried."
He looked at her with a pout that eventually morphed into an apologetic smile. "You don't have to worry about me."
"Yeah, I do."
"Who else will, right?" He laughed bitterly and turned his head. She opened her mouth and then closed it, knowing that nothing she'd say would help. "What time is it?"
She pulled her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. "Almost four."
"Did you go to classes today?"
She shook her head.
"Thea, don't start cutting—"
"Look who's talking. It's fine. One day won't kill my average."
"Your dad's gonna know."
"I'll tell him my period came. He usually doesn't know what to say to that besides, oh. Um. Of course. Okay. Just be sure to make up the work you've missed. He's nice and awkward about it."
"I think every guy is. Can you get me some water?"
"Yeah. Be right back."
Thea smiles and stands, walking towards the door. She glanced back on the way out, just to make sure he was okay, before swiftly heading down the hall towards the ice machine and water fountains. She was an innate worrier, especially when it came to Joshua. He liked to shrug it off or make jokes or roll his eyes, but she knew deep down he appreciated knowing someone cared and that someone was looking out for him. Family for the both of them were...complicated. The only uncomplicated thing was them. In truth, they were all they had.
She grabbed a cup and filled it halfway with ice before going to a water fountain and filling it up. She felt her phone vibrate and paused to pull it out of her pocket.
Unknown number.
Frowning, she tapped the screen and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Thea." The smooth baritone of his voice invaded her ear.
"William?"
"Did I just see you walk past?"
Her eyebrows furrowed. "No."
"Yeah. I did. 32."
She looked up and noticed the number on the door next to her. 34. She walked back, towards the direction she came in and stopped in front of room 32. And there William was. His eyes met her gaze and held it.
"Um." She didn't know what to say.
"What're you doing here?"
She fumbled for an answer.
His eyebrow raised. "Bones call you?"
Deciding that was an easier route to go, she slowly nodded.
"You gonna stand there or come in?"
She glanced back down the hall—back where Josh was undoubtedly getting irritated waiting for her to return with his water. But William thought she was here for him. She couldn't just walk away, could she? So she slipped into the room. He eyed the cup of water in her hand.
"That for me?"
"Uh—" she could always get more. She handed it to him. "How did you...get my number?"
"Bones. Pass that straw."
Oh. She'd given it to him on her way out yesterday, just in case. She glanced at the table too far from him and picked up the straw, unwrapping it and handing it over. He shoved it into the cup and took a sip.
"What are you doing here?" She wondered, moving towards the chair next to him. She hesitantly sat down and attempted to get comfortable, but the tension refused to leave her body.
His eyebrows furrow. "I thought you talked to Bones."
"I, uh, did. I just...I was distracted—I forgot what he said."
The look on his face doesn't change. "Started throwing up blood last night. Bones freaked out. Internal hemorrhage, they said."
"Oh, shit." She leaned forward, ready to reach for the blanket and pull them back to inspect his abdomen, before realizing that might be crossing a boundary line. Her fingers twitched in her lap. "That's not good."
"They said I pulled through surgery without any complications, but they'd be monitoring me closely."
"Where's Bones?"
"Had some business to handle. He'll be back later."
"Well, what about family?"
"Take the water," he said. "I'd hand it over, but it hurts to move."
She took it without a word, waiting for him to answer her question.
"I don't have family," he finally says, eyes drifting shut.
She leaned back, not knowing what to say. He didn't seem to care much, either. She watched his chest rise and fall, before looking back at his face. William really was attractive. Angular face, full lips, strong jaw. His hair, normally swept back neatly, fell over his forehead. It was too bad he had such a terrible reputation at Devenir. She was well aware of thing kind of things he was known for—bullying being right on the top. Three students in this year alone transferred out due to William's relentless cruelty.
She couldn't understand it. He has everything. Money, looks, and a promising future. Why make people suffer? She shook her head. Whatever the reason, it wasn't good enough. No one should make others feel worthless. And that's what he did.
Stripped people of their worth. Reduced them to nothing.
"I should go," she said, standing. She paused, expecting him to respond, but he didn't. He was fast asleep.
She exited the room just as quietly as she'd entered and went back to the ice machine to get what she came for. Water, for Joshua.
When she finally entered the room, he was scowling and muttering under his breath.
"The hell took so long?" He asked. "I was starting to think you ditched me."
"The ice machine on this floor is broken," she lied. "I had to go upstairs, and then got lost on my way back. Sorry about that."
She handed him the cup. He rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. Now I'm hungry. Think we could get away with ordering pizza?"
Four days later, Joshua returned to campus like he'd never left. He was still sporting some major bruises but didn't seem to mind them too much.
He'd walked into our second period class, an easygoing smile on his face. He shot Professor Oakland a wide grin and started moving towards his usual seat in the back.
"Joshua Pierce," Oakland sighed. Josh stopped and glanced back. Oakland crooks a finger, beckoning him over.
As Joshua and the professor talk in the front, Thea scribbled in the back of her notebook. That is, until someone pssted at her and pulled her focus. She turned and eyed Hunter whose eyebrows were knitted together. He mouthed something to her, but she couldn't understand. Rolling his eyes, he eased out of his seat and swiftly moved towards hers, crouching down so Professor Oakland couldn't see him.
"You didn't tell me he was coming back today." Hunter ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Joshua. "What the fuck happened to him?"
She chewed her lip. "He's okay now."
"He's limping. And look at his face!"
"Hunter," she murmured, inclining her head towards him. "Not now, okay? Can we do this later?"
The look on his face said it all. She felt bad. She could see he was worried for Josh, but she didn't want to get in any more trouble. She really couldn't get into any more trouble. Hunter nodded and slipped back into his seat without alerting the professor of what he'd been doing. Finally, the professor told Josh to go to his seat. Josh winked at Thea on his say to the back and she rolled her eyes.
He was gonna fuck up again, she knew it.
Class dragged on for what felt like hours to Thea, and when the bell finally rung, she was one of the first out the door. She had economics next, and that was another fifty minutes of torture. She just wanted to get it over with.
"What the fuck happened to you?" She froze in her footsteps. Nooo. Oh, great. She turned back in time to see Joshua heading her way and Hunter following. Now she saw what hunter meant. There was a slight limp in Joshua's walk, probably due to the bruised ribs. Hunter reached for him, hand brushing his arm but Joshua was quick to spin around.
"Don't touch me."
"Do you fucking see your face? You went back, didn't you?"
"Shut the—"
"Hey!" Thea snapped, fed up. They looked at her. "Look around. This isn't the time or the place. Hunter, go to class. Joshua, go to fucking class."
"Don't worry about me, Thea."
"Well, I do! Can't help it. If you get expelled for bullshit—"
"I just want to talk," Hunter interrupted her. He turned to Joshua and took a deep breath. "Think we can do that?"
There was a long pause on Josh's part. After an agonizingly slow five seconds, Josh finally nods.
"Fine."
"After class," Thea cut in. Let's go Joshua."
"Can't I just get this over with?"
"It's cool," Hunter says, backing away. "She's right. I'll see you after class."
They share a long look, and for a minute Thea wished she wasn't there to witness it. How could they have gotten to this point?
"Yeah," Josh muttered, turning away and closing the distance between him and Thea. Then be brushes past her. "Come on. Let's get me to class."