The End Is Only the Beginning

17. Aaron

17. Aaron

It had been barely a minute since Aaron had text me, informing me that he was in the hospital, so casually like it didn't matter.

I stood in the corridor with my phone in hand, and Aaron's number on the screen.

My thumb hovered over the 'call' button but worry got the better of me and I quickly pressed it.

Aaron answered after three call tones, but the wait seemed to last forever. "Aaron?" I spoke, probably too eagerly, the moment he answered.

Aaron groaned on the other end of the line but didn't answer. "It's Caleb, Aaron," I told him as if it was going to make him talk. It didn't. "I'm worried about you," I continued, ignoring my natural instinct to hold back, to stay quiet.

"Caleb?" he finally spoke, his voice painfully hoarse.

"Yeah Aaron, it's me," I answered. Somehow I sounded completely clam while I felt the complete opposite.

Aaron fell silent again for a couple of seconds. "Caleb?" he spoke again, questioning.

I ran a hand over my face in an attempt to ease my frustration. "It's Caleb," I repeated. "Aaron, why are you in the hospital?" He had disappeared for almost an entire week only to reappear at 3 o'clock in the morning by text, and in the hospital. And now he sounded completely out of it... I had every right to be worried.

"The hospital?" Aaron repeated, again sounding like he was asking a question.

"Yes Aaron, the hospital. Why are you there?" I prompted.

Aaron fell silent again, the only sound coming from him was that of loud breathing. "I drank too much," he announced at once, and out of nowhere.

"What?"

"Alcohol poisoning," he stated, his words still slurred. "W-who even knew th-that was a real thing? I sure as hell didn't."

Finally, the anger that I should have felt from the very start of this call kicked in. Aaron hadn't been at school because he had been getting drunk. Instead of breaking up with Lindy in person, he been drinking enough booze to make him sick.

"Why?"

"It felt good."

"And you couldn't have told anyone where you were while on this four-day bender?" I questioned, trying to remain calm.

" I n-needed to be alone," Aaron replied.

I exhaled harshly. "Everyone's been worried about you," I told him.

"This isn't about everyone else, this is about me," Aaron stated, his speech still slurred yet more certain than it had been before.

"Look, if you've just called to try to make me feel guilty, don't," Aaron said. "I feel bad enough as it is, and I don't need anyone's help with that. G-goodnight Caleb."

"Aaron wait-." He hung up.

That hadn't been my reason for calling, I just wanted answers. Aaron hung up, and I was left alone with my thoughts again. Unlike when I fell to sleep, my mind was louder, and more insistent, than it had been before.

I stared at my phone until the screen turned black, and then, with the phone in my fist, I walked back into the apartment.

-

After the phone call it had taken me hours to drift off. I didn't recall falling to sleep, but if felt like my alarm began to blare barely minutes later.

In a dazed state I managed to get myself ready for school, but I had to pick up a cup of overpriced Starbucks coffee before even thinking about making it through the day.