0.28

Nicholas (mhm)

My eyes shifted from the TV to my ringing phone. William's name popped up on the screen, a smile spreading across my face.

William stopped texting me last night around midnight for some odd reason. We were in the middle of a conversation about aliens before he just left me on delivered.

My mom glanced down at it, smirking gently as she paused the movie. It was 8am and we were both up before 7 oddly. I never wake up this early and it's a Saturday too.

Why would William be up and calling so early, though?

I roll my eyes at my mom before I answer the phone, pressing it against my ear. "Good morning, William. Why are you awake?"

"Is this Nicholas?" A fiamilar female voice questioned before adding, "Will's boyfriend?"

I frown, wishing it was his voice instead of the girl's. "Yes... Where's Will? Who is this?"

"Lucille." His sister replied weakly, sniffling. My heart sunk. "Uh, William was taken to the hospital last night... I figured you'd want to know."

My eyes widened at her words as I gripped onto the phone. "What?" I gulp, trying to piece things together. "Why?"

Lucille let out a sigh before replying, "it's a long story. I don't think he'd appreciate if I told you and-"

"Tell me! Please, Lucille!" I begged, letting out a shaky breath. Mom frowns, grabbing my hand, rubbing it in a soothing manner. "What's wrong with him?"

The line was silent for a moment before she I heard her breath heavily. "Rose caught him cutting himself then told my mom. He started freaking out because my parents told him he needed to go to the hospital. It was bad, his arm was covered. Then he passed out."

My words were caught in my throat as I processed her words, each one hitting me like a brick. I felt tears prick in my eyes as I interpreted what had happened.

She adds, "around 4am my mom called and told us the doctors said he was very malnourished... I'm almost to the hospital now, but as far as I know, he's still awake."

Malnourished?

Everything suddenly made sense.

He didn't pass out from only blood loss, but from not eating at all. He never eats, he refuses to eat. He probably has an eating disorder of some sort.

I pursed my lips for a moment before I responding, "thank you for telling me. Send me the hospital address and copy my number from his phone. I'll be there soon."

We spoke for another moment before I hung up, a lump in my throat. I stare down at my phone, shocked at the information I was just told.

My eyes flickered up to my mom's concerned ones, tears beginning to flow down my face. She wrapped her arms around me, allowing me to cry into her.

My boyfriend is hurting. He was hurting and didn't tell me. Why didn't I check in on him more? Why didn't I ask him to uueat more? Why didn't I think about him more?

"Mom," I choked out, gripping onto her blouse. She quietly replies, rocking me in her arms. "We need to go to the hospital, right now."

My mom nods, probably hearing Lucille over the phone. She lead me out the door, grabbing her keys and shoes before shutting it.

I was frantically glancing at the GPS, watching as the mile count decreased but my worry increased. I needed to see him.

Lucille texted me that he was stirring in his sleep, so he was bound to wake up soon. He was asleep for over 8 hours, so I figured he was in a deep sleep from his weak state.

My mom worriedly looked over at me, patting my hand as comfort as she drove over the speed limit.

Once we were in the hospital, I looked around for Lucille, who said she'd meet me in the lobby. I spotted the blonde pacing in front of a few chairs, her head lowered.

"Lucille." I mumble, patting her shoulder. She snaps her head up at me, relief growing on her face.

"Let's go see him." She spoke softly, clearing her throat. Her eyes traveled to my mom and she smiles weakly. "Hi, I'm Lucille, William's sister."

My mom sent her a warm smile, shaking her hand. "I'm Brynn, Nicholas's mom." (Had to look through like 4 chapters for his mom's name...)

After the introduced each other, we headed to an elevator, waiting silently for it to ding and open.

Once we were in the elevator and Lucille pressed a button, there was a sad atmosphere filling the air that was unexplainable. Lucille's breath was unsteady as she stared up at the seconds we had left until we were on the right floor.

I wanted to cry as the opened, the tension growing thicker.

Lucille lead us to a door before she scanned her hospital bracelet, the large doors automatically opening.

"He's in room 14, won't be hard to miss." Lucille informs me, licking her lips. "I'm going to get some coffee, my parents are in there. I told them you were coming."

I nodded, bracing myself to see.

"I'll go with you, dear." My mom says to Lucille, patting her back gently. Lucille thanks her before she walked off towards a glass room with coffee and vending machines.

My hand gripped onto the door knob, exhaling a deep breath before I twisted open the door, instantly frowning at the sadness in the room.

William's mom was sitting on a small couch in the corner, staring at her son with tears in her eyes. His dad was beside her, sadness evident on his face.

His mom's blue eyes flickered up to me and she forced a smile, "it's good to see you,  Nicholas. Take a seat, he should be waking up soon."

I obliged, sitting in a plastic chair near the couch. I gasped at the sight of my boyfriend.

The white sheets only brought out how the yellowish tint to his sickly pale skin, defining the darkness under his eyes. Tubes were attached to his nose, his breath heavy.

Machines were around the bed, needles in his right hand and arm. A thick roll of bandages were on his left arm, redness leaking through it.

William's cheek bones were hallow and his lips were cracked and a pale shade. He still looked beautiful, but he looked awful at the same time.

The large blanket over him couldn't hide the stick figured hiding underneath it. I didn't notice how thin he's gotten in the past week and I felt horrible about it.

"Are your parents here?" William's mom asked in a gentle tone.

I clear my throat, "my mom is with Lucille, getting coffee and probably talking."

"I'll join them." She says while standing with her husband. I felt relieved that she was giving me some time alone. "I hope he'll wake up soon."

She rubs my shoulder for a moment before the couple left, leaving me with their sick son.

"Oh, baby boy." The words were rushed out from all the emotions. I scooted the chair closer to his bed, grabbing his cold, boney hand. "Why would someone so beautiful do this to theirself?"

I pressed my lips against his hand, wishing it was warm instead of frozen. His fingers wiggled a bit in my hand as he let out a hum, squirming in the bed.

"Will?" Squeezing gently onto his hand, I was as William shifted, a small grunt leaving his leave.

His eyelids fluttered open, squinting at the brightness in the room. His orbs scanned the full room as he blinked confusingly a few times.

He looked down at his bandaged arm before his eyes shifted to our hands. I rub his knuckles, waiting for his eyes to connect with mine.

When they did, I couldn't feel any happier but also sadder at the same time. His eyes were filled with different emotion, none of which were postive.

"I'm so happy you're awake." I tell him as he hugged my hand close to him. He only hums and nods. "William, we need to talk about all this."

He frowns, "I know what you're going to say." He sat up in the bed, ripping the tubes away from his nose. "You're going to say I'm too much to handle and I'm a freak. Then you're going to break up with me."

My eyes widened and I quickly shook my head at his assumption. "No, of course not." He face softened and he let out a sigh of relief. "Why would you hurt yourself like this? Starve yourself? You are absolutely perfect the way you are... Why, Will, why?"

He bit his cracked lips before mumbling something that I didn't hear.

"Speak up."

William sucks in a breath, "I fucking hate myself, Nicholas! I'm so fucking ugly and fat and worthless and-"

My face hardened at his words and I slapped my hand over his mouth. It was like salt on an open wound hearing him speak to himself like that.

"Stop." I growl, removing my hand from his mouth. "You are not ugly, or fat, or worthless in any way, shape,or form."

"You're just saying that because you have to." He grumbled as he looks down at his lap.

I wanted to just jam the truth into his brain. "Why would I waste my breath, William, hm? Do you really think I would lie? You are so adorable. You're deadly thin, though. And you are worth more than gold itself."

William's body stiffens for a moment before relaxing as he only nodded, grabbing my other hand, hugging both of them to his chest.

"I'm so lucky to have you." He whispers to me. "You don't even have to be here. You should be enjoying your spring break."

I shake my head, "I would rather be here with you then anywhere else in the world." My words always shocked me. I've never been a cheesy, lovey guy, but William brought out a side of me that I didn't even know existed. "You're going to be okay, Will. I'm here for you and I just want you to get better."

He sniffs, kissing my hands. I watch as tears roll down his face. "I wish you could hold me, but you can't with all these needles and machines."

I wish I could hold him too. I wish I could just keep him in my arms and take all his pain and self-hate away. He deserves to be the happiest boy alive.

"I do too." I agreed, leaning over to kiss his head.

"I think I need help, Nick." William tells me with a frown. "I feel so broken and awful."

"Don't worry, I'm here." I kiss his lips softly before whispering;

"And I will try to fix you."

My eyes are sweating, anyone elses?

The reason he said "I will try to fix you" is because William said he felt broken so... I've had to delete a lot of comments hating on the last statement...

Hope you likes this chapter, my plans are slowly going to come together in the next few chapters.

~Whoops