Group Therapy

59 - For What It's Worth.

"Like a telescope
I will pull you so close
’Til no space lies in between."

Venus ~ Sleeping At Last.

° ° ° °

I wake up to the sound of someone moving around and the sun light shining through the window, that's when l realize that the protective metal covers aren't there anymore.

It doesn't make much sense but it's kind of relieving to know that's it's all over for now.

I rub my eyes and turn sit up to look for where the noise is coming from.

I find ryder sitting on his bed with dripping wet hair and only his boxers on wrapping up his wound.

I'm not going to lie, he looks smoking hot.

Now is probably not the right time to think so but you sort of can't help the thoughts that your mind randomly chooses to make you have at the worst possible times.

He looks up at me and l immediately feel insecure, l probably look like shit right now.

"Oh, good morning." he mumbles, looking up at me without moving his head with a bandage roll clutched between his teeth.

I suddenly don't know how to react, he just got shot last night and almost died because of me. How do you reply to that?

I could apologize but l don't want to apologize too much because l know that l do so for pretty much everything and l know that it could get annoying, besides that, when somebody almost gets you killed and puts you in extreme and agonizing pain for a long time sorry doesn't really mean anything.

"Hey, you there?" he says, the bandage still dangling loosely from his mouth.

"Yeah I um... Are you okay?" I reply.

"Yeah, thanks by the way."

"Thanks? For what?" I ask.

"Yesterday."

"You're either joking or being sarcastic, right?" I ask in disbelief.

"Uh no?"

"Then what are you thanking me for?"

I'm well aware that he doesn't like to show the fact that he has feelings too but I'm genuinely confused, what is he thanking me for?

"Have you lost your memory or..?" he gives me a questioning look, taking the bandage roll out of his mouth and cutting off a small piece.

"No, but what are you thanking me for?"

"Jesus christ laynie you're clueless. I'm thanking you for saving my life." he sticks the small piece on his wrapped wound to secure the non-stick bandage before placing the roll on his nightstand.

I let out a chuckle of disbelief "Your life almost ended because of me."

"And who the fuck told you that?"

"You got shot in the process of trying to protect me."

"It's not your fault that you have the information, besides, were you the one who pulled the trigger? No. But were you the one who stopped me from bleeding out? Yes. So you saved my life." he explains, lowering his voice at that last part.

"So I didn't almost kill you?" l ask, processing what he just said.

"No."

I take a moment to think about what he said, it's partly my fault, l shouldn't have let him go out there but he doesn't need to know that, l know it gets annoying when you're trying to convince someone of something and they're still not convinced so I'll just pretend that l am so l don't annoy him any further.