Author's Note: I just wanted to say a quick thank you for the support I have received with this story, especially two jibassmaster and TVtime for their lovely reviews. I wanted to try something a little different in terms of style with this chapter. I believe that it works nicely as a little break from the style of the other chapters in the story. Maybe it could come across as refreshing, or maybe you'll really not like it. Anyway, I know the style definitely isn't new to the site, hell I have read hundreds of stories in this style, but I have never tried it for myself so there! Basically, I wanted to see how it was to try roping the song in throughout the chapter rather than just in one section. Fingers crossed you'll like it!
I don't want to talk about it to you,
I'm not an open book that you can rifle through,
The cold hard truth that you'll see right to,
I'm just basket case without you.
Sam yawned. He was so tired. It had been a week since Rory had sung in glee club, which meant a week since he had stepped up his diet. He had been living off of rice crackers for the week, having three a day, and filling himself up on water. Each cracker had sixteen calories, and forty-eight calories a day seemed reasonable to him. He was happy with the results. He could see in himself that he was a lot thinner, but there were still those areas of fat that he needed to get rid of. It still pained him to look in the mirror, but in a way, that was good, because it showed him that he needed to continue with his diet. He yawned again. Once this class was over, he was free and could head over to the gym. He was looking forward to lifting some weights – it would all help him in his goal to shed the pounds. This lesson was boring. He wished Rory were here. He would make him laugh and cheer him up. They would have a good time together. Sam had to admit – the more he thought about the boy, the more he liked him. Then the more he liked him; the more he wanted to be with him. But there was always the question about whether he had misunderstood Rory's song. The Irish boy had said he was going to accompany Sam to the gym today so that he wasn't lonely. That was the great thing about his friend. He was always so eager to be there for Sam, so eager to help as best he could. Which is why he deserved better. When the lesson ended, Sam dashed out as quickly as possible, and made his way to the gym where he would meet his friend.
He's not a magic man or a perfect fit
But had a steady hand and I got used to it
And a glass cage heart and invited me in
And now I'm just a basket case without him
Rory was there already. He smiled when he saw Sam come in. They quickly changed, catching up on the other's day. Turned out both had been bored during last period, which wasn't much of a surprise – Sam had English, while Rory had mathematics. Neither boy was a big fan of the subjects, so they could empathize with the other. Rory headed over to the rowing machine, while Sam went for the treadmill. He always warmed up here before he lifted some weights. Ten minutes of silent exercise followed, before Sam decided he needed a sit down. It was unusual. Normally he could manage the whole period in just one big go, but today he felt funny. His head swam as he sat on the bench. Rory looked over, realizing something was wrong. He perched next to his Sam, and looked him over.
"Sam, are you feeling ok? You look a bit sick". Sam nodded smiling. He was just a bit tired. Nothing to worry about. He stood up to get back on the treadmill, but fell back down. Rory caught him just in time. "Maybe we should go get the nurse Sam. You aren't very well. I can see that much." Sam shook him off again, deciding that the last time, he had just been unlucky. He walked a little distance before his legs shook, and he felt himself hit the ground. He blacked out, and he could hear Rory hurrying towards him, asking if he was okay. He could hear the shouts for the nurse, then Rory asking someone to fetch her for him, telling them he couldn't leave the unconscious Sam on the floor alone. The next thing he knew, he was opening his eyes slowly, greeted by several people standing around his bed.
You're begging for the truth
So I'm saying it to you
I've been saving your place
And what good does it do?
Now I'm just a basket case
Now I'm just a basket case
"Rory, he's awake!" That was the first thing that Sam heard. It sounded like his dad, but why was his dad here at school? Sam looked over to see Rory spin around to look at his friend. He had been reading over his math homework while waiting for the blonde to wake up, but now his attention was solely focused on his friend's well-being. Sam sat up, rubbing his head, while Rory filled him in on events. The nurse quickly intervened near the end of the story, claiming she had a couple of questions to ask Sam. She looked the boy in the eyes. Too many times had she dealt with issues like this, and each case tore her apart inside.
"Sam, after you fainted, we brought you here, where I took your blood sugar levels. They're low. Not just low, but very low. I need to know what you have eaten in the last two days". Sam licked his lip. What did he do? Did he pretend that he had been eating lots? He knew that if he told them what he had eaten, they would claim he had an eating disorder, which he definitely did not have. He needed to lose that weight, which was why he had been pretending to eat before his parents came home from work. At least they couldn't deny he had been eating. All they could say was that they weren't sure. He looked at the nurse.
"I've had some chicken, some potatoes. That was last night's meal. This morning I had toast, and then for lunch I had some of the fish". The nurse looked uneasy. She wasn't sure whether to believe him. Everything in her screamed that he was lying, but there was a small part of her that wanted to believe what he said, that was telling her that there were other possibilities for why he might have a low blood sugar level. He might have been overexerting himself in the gym. Too much exercise maybe. The more she saw the confident gleam of the boy's eyes, the more she was inclined to believe him. His parents weren't convinced, but they gave him the benefit of the doubt. He had never had any issues with talking over his problems with them in the past, why would he avoid discussing something like an eating disorder? There was only one set of eyes left in the room to convince, and when Sam looked into them, he knew that Rory didn't believe him. He knew that Rory knew. He just hoped that the boy would stay quiet for now. Luckily, he did.
I don't say much and it'll stay that way,
You got a steel train touch and I'm just a track you lay,
So I'll stay right here underneath you,
I'm just a basket case and that's what we do.
There were three knocks on his bedroom door. Sam looked up from his English book, and proceeded to open the door. Rory stood there, glowering at his friend. Sam backed away, letting him in. Rory sat down on the bed.
"Sam, we need to talk. You lied to the nurse today, and I know because you were with me at lunch, and you didn't eat anything. I didn't think of it at the time, but when you said that, I thought back and realized. What's more, the longer I though, the more I realized that I haven't actually seen you eat all week. Not at lunch time anyway. I need you to talk to me Sam. I need to understand what's going on. Why did you lie to the nurse? Why aren't you eating?" Sam gulped. He had expected this, but he wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't planned to talk about it this soon anyway. Did he open up and tell Rory? What should he do? He didn't know what was the right thing to do. "Sam, I know you might not want to talk about it, but we need to, because you might have a problem, and if you do, I just wouldn't be able to cope with knowing that I had stood by and let it happen. We can sort it out together. I love you Sam, and I just can't bear to see anything happen to you." Sam was stunned. There it was. Confirmation that Rory had feelings for him. That was what he wanted to hear.
You're begging for the truth
So I'm saying it to you
I've been saving your place
And what good does it do?
Now I'm just a basket case
A tear fell from Sam's eye. He needed to tell Rory. He opened up, recounting how he had felt about himself, what he had been doing. The more Rory heard, the more he felt ashamed. He should have noticed earlier. He should have been able to help. Sam meant everything to him, but he couldn't notice when something was wrong? What kind of friend was he? Sam seated himself next to him on the bed, staring forward into space. He started humming a song to himself before looking over at Rory, and starting to sing the lyrics through his tears. The Irish boy listened closely, hanging off every word that the blond sang.
Won't somebody come on in and tug at my seams?
Oh, send your armies in of robbers and thieves,
To steal the state I'm in I don't want it anymore.
When the song finished, Rory leaned into Sam, and placed his lips on the older boy's. Emotion surged through them, and as they broke it off for air, Rory looked into Sam's eyes. "We're going to get through this Sam, I promise. You're perfect, you don't need to change. You can't fix perfection". He leaned back into Sam, who now had one lone tear running down his cheek. Rory wiped it off with his thumb before placing his mouth back onto Sam's.
Only a little more left to go now. I hope you liked this chapter, and will continue to read on. Please review if you like what you have read (or if you didn't)! The song used in this chapter was "Basket Case" by Sara Bareilles.
