It was never effortless to love Aaron Warner. He was a difficult teenage boy who seemed to forget a lot of the time that that was what he was-a teenage boy. He'd always felt that loving or even caring for him would be impossible for all the world to...
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DAYS FLY BY and with each second that passes I grow more anxious about my friends' wellbeing. There's no guarantee that they're alive and that alone frightens me terribly. If they are alive then I'll start praying or whatever. You know, whatever it takes to thank the universe for bringing them back to me.
If they're not alive? I don't even know. I don't want to think about it. Ever.
I feel sick at the thought of not being able to hear Kenji's contagious laugh anymore, or watch Isaac glare at him for forgetting their classic handshake when he walks into a room. Or Juliette's kindness that literally radiates off her when she enters a place. She's so lovely. They're all lovely. And James? He's just a baby—he needs help more than anyone, even if I hate his brother.
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts and I turn my head quickly, stupidly expecting for a short moment that Isaac will walk in and comfort me by telling me he and the others are fine and that I've been worrying myself sick for no reason.
Instead, my hopes are crushed when Warner walks in, wearing only a towel that covers everything but his chest and above. This is his room after all, I don't know why I'm so shocked he's here. He just claimed he'd rather keep me here, where he knows I'm safe than have me wandering around a place I've never been in.
"Oh," I say. "Hi."
Don't stare. I'm definitely blushing.
He freezes. "I'm sorry, I thought you'd be on your walk—"
"No, I didn't want to go today," I tell him as I get off the bed. "Don't worry, I'll go. See you later." We're finally leaving to go and try to find the others at Omega Point—or what used to be Omega Point—today. I'm bursting with excitement and also shitting myself with anxiety.
"Um. . ." Warner shakes his head as if to get rid of all the silly thoughts. Whatever those may be. "Alright."
I pass him, ready to walk out the door when something catches my eye as he goes into his office and I stop in my tracks. His medicine. A frown creases my forehead. I wasn't aware he still needed it but now that I know he clearly does, I want to throw Anderson so hard against concrete ground that his head cracks open and all his brain matter flows out.
Oops. Never meant to get so violent. Actually, I do with Anderson.
"Hey, Warner?" I call out, picking up the small bottle of medicine and making my way into his office.
"Yes?"
When I meet his eyes, he doesn't move. His eyes flicker between mine and the medicine in my hands.
"I didn't know you still needed this," I say to him.
Warner swallows and lifts his chin, probably to appear tougher than he actually is right now. "Why would you?"
