Sunflowers and Tulips

*A/N: Okay, guys. So there is no possible way that I can get two parts out, because the chapter would be ENTIRELY too long for my liking. So, I'm splitting things up into four parts instead of two. Okay? Good. ENJOY.*

Braedon's POV

I saw James hesitate; I always know when he’s nervous because he bites his lips like he was doing, and right now he was so freaking nervous he was practically biting a hole through his bottom lip. “It’s okay,” I said, encouraging him, “Just tell me, Girasole.”

“Well…you’ve missed a couple weeks of school, so at least it hasn’t been a month or something. I haven’t been either and I know you’re probably going to be angry but I just was so worried about you and I’ve been crying and Daniel has been mad at me because I stabbed myself because the cops were being mean and I can’t play football and neither can you because you can’t walk so that sucks….” He said all in one breath, speeding through everything so fast that I could barely understand it. But I did understand one thing…

“I can’t walk!?” I shouted, shocked.

James flinched and nodded his head, his eyes wide in fear as my rage rose. “Yeah. But it’s only for…..uh….”

“A month. You were temporarily paralyzed,” Dad said, stepping into the conversation.

“Basically out of all the shit James spewed out of his mouth, he was trying to say that you’ve missed about two weeks of school and you will miss a lot more since you just woke up.”

I groaned, cursing my bad luck. Honestly? Why is that I’m the one that gets sent to the hospital because I just had to get hit by a goddamned truck. And I’m not even making any fucking sense. Greaaaaattttt. I’ll just leave the talking to James and Daniel from now on, yeah?

James coughed, scooting backwards. “I’m just…gonna go to the bathroom.” He, then, turned around and limped walked to the bathroom.

When the door shut, I turned towards Daniel and asked, “What’s wrong with James?”

“Well…uh…James kind of threw a fit.”

Judging by the way Daniel said ‘threw a fit’, it was a little bit more than a fit. “What do you mean, ‘threw a fit’? Last time he threw a fit, he almost jumped out of a window because he was crying too much to see where he was going.”

Daniel laughed dryly, his forehead creasing in worry a little bit. “Well…uh…he kind of wrecked the waiting room.”

“…How.”

“He kind of threw a lot of chairs around and almost hit a few people. Then when the cops had him, he stabbed himself in the leg and kind of ruptured an artery so now he can’t really do anything until next year.”

All I felt was numbness as Daniel talked. James can’t play anymore? But he’s the quarterback! What will the football guys think? How the hell are we going to survive through this!? The guys will kill us. I can’t play for the season and he can’t do anything for a year; this is just great. But…what about being able to run and hide in the playground like we always do each Sunday? Playing tag around the trailer? Can we not do anything like kiss?

“Why did he do that?”

Daniel started to say something, but was interrupted by James walking (basically limping) out of the bathroom, drying his hands on a paper towel. “Sooooo….” He said, looking between James and I. “I’ll leave you two to it.” With that, he walked out of the room, snickering silently to himself.

Confused and tired, I lazily turned towards Girasole to try and get something out of him.

“So…uh…how are you?”

As soon as I said that sentence, I regretted it. James burst into tears and threw his arms around me, practically getting on the bed and crushing me. “OH MY GOD I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE ALIVE! I THOUGHT I LOST YOU FOREVER. I JUST LOVE YOU SO MUCH!”

“You…what?” I screeched, a high hissing noise coming out of my mouth.

“I…uh…” he stuttered, wringing his hands. Then, he sighed, his shoulders sagging. “I..love you, Braedon.”

I tensed, every muscle in my body freezing. I can’t believe he told me that. I just…he shouldn't have told me that. He messed everything up. I was going to just play it all like nothing happened, but now I couldn’t. James just HAD to make things difficult for me, didn’t he? He knew I wasn’t gay! He knew it! And now he’s proclaiming his love for me IN A HOSPITAL. I just couldn’t do it.

“No…” I whispered, looking him in the eyes.

He stared straight back at me, his eyes wide in shock. “Wh-what?”

“I said no. I don’t love you like that. You’re my best friend, and nothing more. I’m sorry, I really am. But if you’re going to love me like you do, I don’t think we can be friends anymore.” I said, spewing out random shit. When I realized what I said, I slapped my hand over my mouth and looked at him with my eyes as big as saucers. What did I just say?!

Suddenly, I felt a sharp sting on my cheek and I found my head turned sideways. A loud smack sounded in the otherwise silent air and it finally dawned on me that he slapped me. By the time I lifted my head back up, I found myself staring at the retreating figure of James.

What the fuck did I just do to my best friend?