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The Pros and Cons of Loving
Part 27
Frank’s POV
“Aiden is in the hospital.” I whimpered, rushing to Gerard who was sitting on the couch and reading.
“What?” he gasped.
“H-he was angry and he got in a fight. The principal found him, unconscious, in the hallway.” Tears filled my eyes as I spoke the words out loud.
“We’re going now, babe.” He said, running to the car.
When I got in the car I began to full out cry. A thousand scenarios were running through my head. It seemed to take us forever to get to the hospital, but when we did I ran into the waiting room while Gerard parked the car. Eric was sitting in the waiting room by the door.
“Eric.” I gasped, sitting by him. “What happened?”
“The teacher sent him out. Aiden had gotten mad because Mr. Barker wouldn’t talk about his grade right then or something… and the principal found him unconscious a hallway down or something. I’m not sure, it didn’t make sense b-but I was worried because he was so bloody…” Eric was twirling his engagement ring around his finger. “H-he’s a bit bruised but its worse t-than it looks. He hit his head and that’s why he was unconscious. The doctor told me they’re just doing tests to make sure he’s okay and that… he is.” He bit his lip and looked at me, then back down at his ring. “They made me leave… I wanted to stay with him, but they made me leave.”
I hugged him close to me, rubbing his back.
“It looked so bad.” His shoulders began to shake. “H-he’s okay but it looked so bad.”
Gerard came in and over to us. I whispered what Eric had told me, rocking him.
“So they won’t let anyone in right now?”
“No. He’ll be done in a few minutes.” Eric said, his voice muffled by my chest.
“He’s out now.” A voice from behind us said.
“Oh God, Aiden.” I jumped up and hugged Aiden. I saw him flinch but overlooked it, knowing he must be freaked out. “Baby, what happened?”
“Let’s go. Home. I’ll tell you at home.” He pleaded.
I took in his face. He had two bruises and one cut. A black eye was already forming I could tell.
“Let me and Gerard talk to your doctor.” I whispered, stepping back. Gerard hugged him close, ruffled his hair, and then he headed over to the doctor. I watched as Eric wrapped his arms around Aiden, kissing him. I saw Aiden unintentionally flinch and my heart broke.
“You scared me.” Eric whispered, obviously not having noticed. “In the ambulance y–you looked dead.”
“I’m sorry. I’m fine, really. I mean, I feel fine… I’m just really hungry.” Aiden whispered back.
I watched Eric help him into his jacket and then he sat Aiden down and went to the vending machine, returning with a small bag of Cheetos. I bit my lip and went to hear what the doctor was saying.
“He’s fine. He may have headaches for a few days but 3 Tylenols will do the trick. We gave him some fluids through an IV to make sure his eating didn’t get messed up. He has a few minor cuts and one of his ribs is bruised, but like I said. Nothing too serious, he’ll just feel some discomfort for a few days.” The doctor was saying.
“Thanks.” Gerard shook the man’s hand and turned to me. “Alright. We can go now.”
Aiden’s POV
“He told me t-that he was sick of m-me and you guys complaining and he hit me. Then he said he was calling security and I told him t-to call you too so y-you’d sue him and he started punching me in the face. I remember him punching m-me really hard in the stomach and then I woke up in the ER with Eric leaning over me and a doctor putting an IV in my arm.” I said shakily.
“Oh god.” Eric reached forward to hug me and I flinched. Both of our eyes widened. “Hey…” he whispered, moving slower towards me. I felt his arms wrap around me and he pulled me onto his lap. I rested my hand on his neck, curling into him and taking in his scent.
“Baby…” Dad began, but trailed off. Daddy had stormed from the room, pulling out his cell phone.
Eric stroked my hair from my face gently so he wouldn’t hurt me. I smiled at him and kissed him gently.
“G-Gerard and I… we’re going to make sure he pays for what he did to you, Aiden.” Dad continued.
I jumped hearing Daddy yelling something into the phone. Eric pulled me closer, whispering how much he loved me. The doorbell rang and Dad got up. He came in seconds later with…
Jesse?
I sat up straight. “Hi.”
“Hey. Are you okay? What happened? There’s rumors that—.”
“Already?” I groaned. I looked at Eric. He was biting his lip and looking down awkwardly. I wondered how weird he would act if he knew Jesse and I had kissed. I knew it meant nothing but I also knew if he ever found out… I would never forget it.
“Yeah… what happened?”
I sighed and looked at him, and then at Dad. Dad looked like it hurt to even think about what had happened to me. I wanted to tell him… something to make him feel better. I didn’t feel better, though. I couldn’t tell Jesse what had happened to me, telling them was bad enough.
Dad seemed to know what I was thinking because he sighed and briefly told Jesse what the principal had done to me and what the doctors had said. He looked even worse as he told the story out loud. He looked like it literally hurt to say it.
“You’re kidding me.” Jesse gasped, his eyes widening.
I shook my head weakly. “He’s not.”
“Oh God… are you okay?” he asked.
“Okay as I can be…. I just… I’m really fucking freaked out and I’m sorry. I just can’t talk right now or I’m going to lose my mind.” I snapped my mouth shut, my hands shaking.
“Well damn…” Jesse said. “It’s okay… I just… wow. I hope you feel better, okay?”
“Thanks…” I said quietly, squeezing Eric’s hand because he was now just staring at the floor, looking uncomfortable.
“I guess I’ll go. I just wanted to see what had happened. I hope you feel better.” Jesse smiled.
“Thanks, Jesse. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Not at school.” Dad interrupted.
Jesse nodded. “Feel better… bye.”
Everyone, bar Eric, said bye quietly. After the door closed behind Jesse I turned to Eric. “I’m gonna go lie down for a while. I’m feeling tired and shitty.”
“Alright.” He hugged me to him, kissing my cheek. “Call me if you need anything and I’ll be right up.”
I nodded, kissed him, and headed upstairs.
Eric’s POV
I came quietly into Aiden’s bedroom and found him fast asleep lying on top of the covers.
I ran my fingers through my wet hair and lay on the bed next to him. He curled into me, nuzzling my neck.
“Hi.” I whispered wrapping my arms around his thin frame.
“Hmm.” He smiled, sitting up.
I smiled back. “Did I wake you?”
He nodded, rubbing his eyes.
“You are so beautiful.” I whispered, staring at him. His dark hair and that way it contrasted with his pale skin. His blue eyes that actually looked alive again. He was gaining weight now and his cheeks had even gotten a little fuller, making him look absolutely adorable.
He blushed slightly and looked down, then back up at my shyly.
I leaned over, pressing my lips to his. This was the boy I was going to marry. He and I would be together forever. I felt his lips pressing back against mine gently before he pulled away.
When I pulled away I noticed he was cringing.
“What’s wrong?” I asked worriedly.
“Nothing, its just… my side.” He moaned, pushing himself up. He lifted his shirt to reveal a gash.
“I’m sorry. I was laying on you.” I whispered, touching the skin by his gash. “Baby, do you need anything on it?”
“No, it’s okay. It just hurts like hell.” He laid back down.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Honestly, I feel… well, I don’t feel good. But I’m alive.”
That Night
Frank’s POV
I almost can’t stand it. I feel so bad for Aiden, I don’t know what to say or do. Anytime I come near him he flinches. Anytime I talk to him, he doesn’t answer or barely answers.
Eric’s about to become a nervous wreck. He’s in the living room because he can’t take Aiden being so goddamn silent. Aiden laughs, he talks… he doesn’t sit, traumatized, and stare into space.
I’ll be honest. I’m confused by it… well, not confused. I understand why he’s acting how he is.
Just… with us? We’re family… not his principal, not some stranger.
I made him some soup and headed up to his room. He was sitting up in bed and I took in his appearance. He looked pale and sickly again, exhausted. He had a black eye and a cut on his cheek. He had filled out a bit more now that he was eating, but he still looked pretty skinny.
“Hey, babe?” I asked, blinking.
He jumped and looked up at me. “Yeah?” he asked.
“How do you feel?”
He shrugged, then winced. “Not good… kinda anxious.”
I sighed and headed towards him. When I was within arms distance he flinched.
“Oh, Aiden…” I sighed, slowly sitting next to him. “I’m sorry all of this is happening to you again. I… I wish I could make it all go away. I wish you could live without all of this bad shit.” I reached up my hand and saw him cringe. I pushed his bangs behind his ear and sighed.
“You guys said it would get better… I’m fucking in pain and I can’t eat and I’m scared. It isn’t getting better and I want to be left alone.”
I sighed, ruffled his hair, and nodded. “I’ll check on you in a bit, alright? Try to eat this.”
Aiden nodded, but both of us knew he wouldn’t be eating anything.
Gerard’s POV
I felt terrible. Seeing Aiden curled on his bed, cut up and bruised… it was awful. What was worse was knowing someone I trusted did this. A school official. His principal. Apparently it was because Frank and I were gay and complained too much.
“He isn’t going to eat tonight. I doubt he’s got the energy too anyway.” Frankie sighed, sitting next to me on the couch. “Someone needs to… keep an eye on him. He has to eat tomorrow. Has to.”
“I know… I don’t know what to do, Frank… I’ll go up to the school tomorrow but… he’s traumatized.”
“He’ll be better tomorrow or the next day.” Frank assured me.
I sighed and went upstairs, peeking into Aiden’s room. He was so… not like himself. I began to wonder if he was fucking doomed to hospitals and pain.
I sighed again, it was all I ever did really. He looked up at me and his eyes widened.
“Hey, hon. I was just coming to say I loved you and I hope you feel better.”
He nodded and reached for a hug.
I went over to his bed and kneeled down, carefully wrapping my arms round him.
“Tomorrow I’m going to take care of him, alright?”
“Are you gonna kill him?” Aiden looked at me with big eyes.
“Did they drug you too, kid?” I asked, putting his hair down.
“I don’t know, I was out of it half the time.” He shrugged. “If you wanna kill him, though, I’ll completely understand.”
I laughed quietly. “I would honey… I’d do anything to protect you, you know that?”
He nodded. “I know, Daddy. Goodnight. I love you.”