Part 44

Third Person POV

Josh had been waiting for about half an hour before a nurse walked into the waiting room.

"Is there a Josh out here?" she asked.

Josh stood up from where he was sitting. "That's me," he said.

"Your friend is awake, follow me and I'll take you to him," the nurse said, allowing Josh to follow her down the hall.

"Is he okay?" Josh asked. "When did he wake up?"

"As far as we know, your friend is okay," the nurse said as they walked. "As for him waking up, he just woke up half an hour ago. However, we didn't let you see each other until your friend got checked out."

"I'm the only one who's allowed to that," Josh mumbled.

"What?" the nurse asked.

"Nothing," Josh said. "By Justen being checked out, you mean like a check-up, right?"

"Of course," the nurse said, stopping at a closed door. "Your friend, Justen, is right inside."

"Thank you," Josh said.

The nurse nodded before she walked away. Josh looked at the door and sighed before knocking on it.

"Come in," Josh heard Justen's dad say.

Josh opened the door and saw Justen laying in the hospital bed and Justen's dad sitting in a chair next to the bed.

"Justen?" Josh asked, looking at his weak friend.

"Josh?"Justen asked weakly.

"Are you okay?" Josh asked, taking a step towards Justen.

"I've been worse," Justen chuckled.

"That's a joke, right?" Justen's dad asked.

"Of course it is, dad," Justen said, rolling his eyes.

"He's just worried about you," Josh said.

"Come here," Justen finally said. "I can't stand you being so far away."

Josh smiled and walked over to Justen.

"There we go," Justen said, taking Josh's hand in his.

"I'm going to leave you two alone for a while," Justen's dad said. "I might get some food or something. If you need anything, press the button that says help."

"Anything else I should know?" Josh asked, half-joking.

"Justen absolutely can not leave his bed," Justen's dad said.

"Okay," Josh said.

Justen's dad nodded before leaving the boys alone.

"Now I get to do this," Josh said, kissing Justen.

Justen kissed back until Josh pulled away and lightly smacked Justen's face.

"What was that for?" Justen asked.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Josh asked.

"Oh, that's what that was for," Justen said.

"Listen, I know we've had this conversation before but what the hell, Justen?" Josh asked. "I told you that you could talk to me. Your dad even said you could talk to him. So why the hell did you do what you did?"

"Because I couldn't take it anymore!" Justen said. "Living sucks, okay? You make it better but when you and I aren't together these negative thoughts consume me and I can't stop them."

"What negative thoughts?" Josh asked.

"Thoughts that I can't explain," Justen said. "But a majority of them involve me losing you."

"You won't lose me," Josh said.

"But I always get so scared," Justen said.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Josh said. "I'm not going to leave you."

Justen stayed silent.

"But, if you keep doing what you're doing, I'm going to lose you," Josh said. "And I can't lose you as much as you can't lose me."

Tears brimmed Justen's eyes.

"I'm telling you this because I love you," Josh said. "So please stop hurting yourself."

"Okay, I will," Justen said. "For you."

"Thank you," Josh said, giving Justen a hug.

Justen hugged Josh back and almost burst into tears.

"Go ahead, let it out," Josh said, rubbing Justen's back.

Justen couldn't hold back anymore and he cried.

"Thank you," Justen cried. "Thank you so much."