Chapter 4 – Present:

It’s surprising how quickly your friends find out about stuff. It’s been two weeks since the accident. Two weeks Mitch has been in a coma. My head was resting on his chest as I stared blankly at the wall beyond his feet, everyone else in chairs, around us. The entire pack had come down to keep me company, and Ryan was here too. Kaila wasn’t, she was busy. I’ve barely managed to post 3 videos in the last two weeks, not including the update video. It was quiet, silent besides the beeping that’s found a place in my heart by now. I didn’t need it, but it felt good to hear nonetheless. I could hear Mitch’s heart beating in time with the monitor, and despite the fact I wish I could sit here all day and listen to it, I pulled away again, returning to my upright position.

“I can’t believe this is real…” Preston muttered, his fingers intertwined and his chin resting on top of them, his elbows propped on his knees.

“I know…” Vikk replied, leaning back as he crossed his arms.

“At least he’s alive.” Rob stated, smiling sadly.

“Yeah, and the doctors did say he’d wake up… most likely.” Lachlan determined, smiling as well.

“What if he doesn’t…?” The room once more went silent. They all gave me sad looks, but I left my gaze on Mitch, not removing it. “What if they’re wrong?”

“He’ll be fine Jerome, let’s not think about that. Mitch is always fine.” Rob assured.

“He was cutting and losing weight and none of us noticed. How is that fine?” I snapped, running a hand through my hair. The room was once more silent. “… I’m sorry. It’s my fault he’s in here, I’m just stressed.” They all nodded, understanding. “Uh… I’m ready when you guys are…”

“Do you want to play some games? We don’t even have to record, we can just play.” Ryan suggested. I shrugged.

“Sure, why not…” I mumbled, standing along with the rest of them. I looked once more to Mitch, and before leaving, I leaned over his body, once more fixing his hair, seeing as the doctors messed it up when they changed his bandages. I pulled away after that. “Bye…” I whispered, leaving. We all went to our cars, getting in and driving back to the house, and once we got there, everyone went inside and we all got our computers set up. I was in my room while pretty much everyone else was spread out around the house. Connecting on a Skype call, we all got onto the Nexus and started playing random games. They’d be laughing, arguing, and battling each other, talking in general while I remained quiet in the background, never really trying.

I hadn’t won a single game so far, not that I cared. The point was that it isn’t helping.

“Jerome, dude, did you just die again?” Lachlan questioned.

“Sorry…” I muttered, respawning. We were currently playing SWAT, one of the currently new games on the server. I was one of the first to die in the elimination round from my lack of enthusiasm and hadn’t gotten a single kill streak so far.

“Nah, dude, you’re fine.” Preston assured me. Mitch and I played this before… The game ended, the other team winning as we spawned back in the main area.

“Ok, what do we play next?” Ryan asked.

“I’m hungry, actually.” Vikk announced.

“We can take a break, you guys up for pizza?” We all agreed, logging off of Minecraft. I maybe my way downstairs, being met with a swarm of friends that all began to hug me for no reason at all. It was comforting though, so all I did was close my eyes and lean on whoever was to my left.

“Hey, what do you guys want on your pizza?” Lachlan asked.

“I don’t really care.” Vikk insisted. I opened my eyes to catch everyone else nodding along.

“Let’s not do any toppings…” I requested. “Just plain pizza, if you guys don’t mind.”

“All right, give me a minute.” Lachlan declared, dialing a number and walking off. We all gathered in the living room, sitting down on the couches and armchairs, Preston taking the remote and turning on the TV.

“What shall we watch…?” He questioned, scrolling through the guide.

“We could watch Netflix.” Rob suggested.

“Yeah, let’s do that.” Preston answered as he smiled. “… How do I do that?” I chuckled, picking up another remote and turning on Netflix. He signed in as Mitch and I, seeing as we shared one account now that we lived together, and started scrolling through random selections, until stopping upon Futurama. “What’d you say guys?” Preston teased, playing it anyway.

“Wow, such a classic Preston, how’d you know?!” Ryan sarcastically responded, Lachlan jumping into the seat next to me.

“What?” Lachlan asked, confused. Futurama started playing, causing Lachlan to laugh. I rolled my eyes, smiling. We watched random episodes here and there, and even I started to laugh at some of the stupid stuff the characters did. When the pizza got here, Lachlan paid for it, grabbing some paper plates from the kitchen and serving us all the blank, cheesy slices. The pizza sat on the coffee table between us all, all of us laughing as we consumed the entire thing before the night had ended.

“Hey, thanks for coming you guys. It really helps.” I announced, placing my empty plate inside the greasy, now empty box where a pizza once sat.

“Well when we saw the video we had to come!” Vikk insisted, finishing off his last slice as well.

“Jerome, you simply don’t understand how traumatizing something like a car crash is, especially when you have to deal with the results alone. It’s not like we’d just leave you here to sulk.” Rob exclaimed.

“He would’ve had Kaila and me.” Ryan determined with a shrug. “BUT, I guess we just aren’t good enough to satisfy the bac.” I laughed.

“Thanks, guys.” I mumbled, stretching.

“How long do you have to wear the cast?” Lachlan questioned, everyone looking to my leg.

“Oh, not log actually.” I looked down to the black cast as well. “The doctor said it’ll come off around 2 weeks from now at the least, considering I’ve had it on for 2 weeks now.” He also said Mitch should be awake by then...

“Has anyone else just realized how blank Jerome’s cast is?” Lachlan asked. They all grinned. I smiled, rolling my eyes again.

“I have some sharpies in my office.” They took off up the stairs in a record timing, returning quickly with Vikk as their leader, the one who got the silver sharpie first. I place my foot on the coffee table, holding it there as, one by one, they all signed my cast. I put my leg back down afterwards. “Alright, with that over with, shall we do something else?”

“Want to try recording? I mean, you’re in a better mood now, so.” Preston suggested. I nodded.

“Sure, I haven’t posted a video in a while.” I stood, grabbing my crutches and making my way towards my room.

“Hey, Jerome.” I looked over my shoulder, pausing to take the sharpie from Ryan’s outstretched hand.

“Thanks.” I got to my office, sitting down at my computer and getting comfortable, putting the sharpie back in its place and getting onto Skype. I was called by Lachlan a few minutes later, everyone on the call.

“Alright, what shall we record?” Preston asked.

“We could record some… Minecraft.” Ryan teased. I snickered.

“Let’s play SWAT or something.” I suggested, getting onto the Nexus. A thought struck my mind. Grabbing the silver sharpie again, I popped the cap off, reaching down and writing neatly on my foot in big letters: Mitch. I smiled. That’s better.