71 The most normal Boy Next Door

Mark

"The sun's coming up," Jamie said, walking to the windows and closing the shutters. He did it so that the light wouldn't wake LJ up before he was ready. I looked at his peaceful, black and blue face and wanted to beat him up all over again.

Our phones buzzed. We simultaneously took our phones out to look at the text from Ned.

Ned A.: [Nobody can go anywhere in public today, nor appear on social media, nothing. Barnes is furious about Biff, they said the poor kid needs stitches and maybe plastic surgery. Don't even go to the store to buy shit, stay home and starve. You will be fined each time there's any news about any of you today, is that clear?]

"Oh look," Jamie said, wryly. "We're grounded." I frowned as he started typing.

Jamie: [LJ broke his hand, is PYD grounded, too?]

Burt: [I'm supposed to drive to the hospital right now.]

Ned: [Don't you fucking dare.]

Jamie: [What about Steve?]

Ned: [We're on it. Stay the fuck home.]

I looked up at Jamie, who was frowning at his phone. "So, I guess we're eating hospital food today," I said.

"Fuck that," Jamie snorted. "I have to shoot my reality show." He started typing again.

Jamie: [Fine me all you want, but if I don't show up at The Amazing Show today, people are gonna think it's either because of Chas or Biff and you were the one who said to act normally.]

"Your balls are as huge as watermelons," I smirked.

"No, just apples, maybe," Jamie replied. He looked at his watch. "I'll do the shoot and be back before he even wakes up. Will you be okay?"

"Excuse me, you're talking to the most level-headed, unproblematic Boy Next Door," I scoffed. "Drive safe."

"Not driving, people recognize my car," he shook his head, waving his phone at me, which was open to a booking app. We saluted each other before he left the room.

As soon as he was gone, and all I could do was stare at LJ's sleeping, semi-pulverized face, I realized that he had taken his phone with him. Of course, he did. Now, I have nothing that connects me to the outside world. This must be what the end of the world feels like.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. I looked at my phone and was pleasantly surprised.

Tiffany: [Hey handsome, how are you holding up?]

She said I was handsome.

~[Still okay. Are you with Missy?]

Tiffany: [Kate and I are on our way to Steve's house. The others have shoots. I heard you guys have to watch over LJ, is he okay?]

~[There's no cure for stupidity, unfortunately, but he'll live. I'll try to pass by tonight. She really refuses to leave the house?]

Tiffany: [I'll text you if by some miracle she decides to go home. Thank you for looking after her yesterday, Marky.]

~[It's my honor.]

I stared at the last text I sent and felt like an ass. My honor? Who says that? I was wondering if I could delete that message or would she still see it on her side when...

Tiffany: [And thank you for reminding me that guys like you still exist in this world.]

Guys like me. You _are_ talking to the most well-adjusted, down-to-earth Boy Next Door, after all. I smiled at her last text and read it again.

"Mark?"

I looked up. LJ was slowly waking up and realizing his head was full of bricks.

"Hey, kid, how are you feeling?" I got up and walked over to the bed.

"Like I walked into a tank," he winced. Since he had bruises on his mouth, it should be really painful to even talk.

"You look like how you feel," I assured him, pouring him a glass of water.

"You should see the other guy," he tried to quip and winced again. He took the glass of water and slowly sipped. "Where is everybody?"

"We're under house arrest," I said, taking out the ointment to apply on his face as his wounds were cracking open. "Because of what you did last night, we're all supposed to lie low and not attract attention. Except Jamie, he has to shoot Amazing."

"Steve's okay, then?"

"The fuck anyone knows where Steve is," I muttered. I scolded him. "And stop talking. All your wounds are open again."

"I need a morning after pill," LJ insisted on talking.

"No, you don't," I was getting annoyed. "That's for getting pregnant."

LJ obediently didn't say anything. Instead he nodded. My heart stopped.

"Who's it for, J?"

"The girlfriend of the guy who did this to me," he tried to give me a rockstar then shut his eyes tight in pain. I stared at him, watched him double over. I stopped feeling sorry for him. I buzzed the nurse, wondering how hard would it be to get this jerk checked for crabs or an STD.