...
He picked his phone and called Aldo, who answered almost immediately.
"What?" came the angry groan through the phone, which would have made him smile in any other moment.
Aldo had waited for Dan's call, so when it was just the snake, he had to make it quick so the line was free.
"It's about Dan, um, we're in the hospital -" Jared began to tell but was cut off by Aldo ending the call.
He sighed at the response, but knowing Aldo he was already on his way and talking would have just wasted valuable time.
So when that was done, he opened the door from which the doctor had just come and stepped in.
There were few others in the room with same needs of treatment, but fortunately sleeping or drugged like Dan because Jared had an inner battle with his emotions as he sat down on the chair near Dan's bed.
He couldn't help feeling that painful, cold sight was his fault. Of course everything wasn't caused by him, but he certainly had made things worse. Knowingly.
He had been a coward, letting his past make him act like this. Dan wasn't a coward doing that, it was different with him. But he had a choice and let his issues, although deep and relevant but which he sold short, move him.
Yes, he had blurted out he liked Dan to him and only hoped he wouldn't remember that when he woke up. He wouldn't lie to Dan, but he didn't want to admit it because he had to deny these wrong feelings from even himself.
When he had apologised to Dan after he had been out and lost, and from the next morning on terrible towards him, it wasn't an excuse but he was afraid.
That night, he had had a dream which grew his feelings towards Dan too much, which he couldn't handle. The dream had brought him painful memories, where he had had similar feelings towards another boy that didn't end up well when they were carried out and strengthened, and he wasn't going to go through that again.
The only thing he knew to do, was turn against Dan and have a girlfriend. He had always been straight in front of people, and he needed to stay that way. He wouldn't ever again be anything else in secrecy, either.
He had never actually dated anyone except for that one, but was famous in school with girls for one night stands and tries for relationships but they had never worked for longer than a month the most.
Having to deny his wrong, sick feelings for Dan as he now saw them, he had asked Ze for a date, who he knew liked him. He wasn't using Ze, he seriously wanted this to work and he liked her as well.
But now he couldn't turn his back on Dan, who had gone through too much already. Enough is enough, this had to stop. He hoped being with Ze will help him forget again his disordered thing for Dan.
Soon he's normal again and free to be friends and help Dan like he wanted to, without it hurting him at the same time.
He took a look at Dan, who looked like sleeping peacefully. He looked so small and fragile, obviously underweight.
Jared had no idea how everything lately had affected Dan, he hadn't thought his actions would cause this.
But then again, he hadn't thought. Aldo was more than right, he had been a snake.
Dan was still a little pale and the bandages in his wrists made Jared's inside twist in real physical pain, but he was reportedly getting better and looked so too.
Just now even thinking about him, made Jared feel strongly like wanting and needing to protect him from any more harm or negative things.
He was still surprised of the conversation with Dan earlier. Dan hadn't been himself talking like that and talking so much, being in some sort of shock, but he wished he would talk to him again.
Read the full chapter in www.patreon.com/xelaneleh (link in my bio)