Seeing Is Believing, But I Don't Believe What I See
Neil woke to the smell of takeout food.
"Hey sleeping beauty" Ryan said as Neil stretched and sat up.
"What time is it?" Neil muttered.
"3:15 am"
"Damn, what are you doing up?
"I had food delivered."
"Of course you did" Neil said and smiled.
"and I washed and dried our clothes."
"Honey, I thought you fell asleep?"
"I did at first, but then I woke up an you were still sleeping so I made myself useful. Your clothes are on the chair over there." Ryan said pointing to an armchair in the corner. "I'm going to use the restroom, so you will have a few minutes of privacy and get dressed and when I come back we can eat if you are hungry." Neil nodded. He was starving. He loved how even though Ryan had already seen everything there was to see on him and yet he still gave him privacy to get dressed. As soon as Ryan was in the bathroom with the door closed Neil meandered his way to the armchair. Honestly, he didn't care if Ryan saw him getting dressed because he would love to watch Ryan getting dressed and he knew he had to be fair. As soon as he had buttoned his last button on his shirt Ryan crept out of the bathroom. "You done?" he asked. Neil nodded but then he realized that Ryan couldn't hear him nod so he said
"Yes".
"You wanna eat?"
"You really have to ask?" Ryan grinned. They walked back to the bed in silence. Ryan opened the bag of food and handed Neil a burger, fries, and a strawberry milkshake.
"You know me too well." Neil said with a smile. Ryan smiled as he laid down napkins like a tablecloth on the bed. He pulled out a burger, fries, and a chocolate milkshake for himself and placed them on the napkins. He pulled out a large salad before he put the bag on the floor.
"Do you want half of this?" he asked pointing to the salad. Neil made a face and Ryan laughed. "I know I know but it's good for you and I want you to live a long healthy life." Neil made another disgusted face. "Please? For me?" Ryan pleaded.
"Well when you put it like that…" Neil said. Ryan scooped half of the salad out of the container and onto the napkins in front of him and handed the rest of the salad to Neil. "Just so you know I will be making faces with every bite." Neil said.
'I'm looking forward to it." Ryan said. They fell into a comfortable silence as they both stuffed their faces. Neil decided to check his phone and see if anybody needed him. He turned to the nightstand by the bed where he had thrown his phone. As he waited for it to turn on he sucked his milkshake like there was no tomorrow. He wasn't sure if it was because Ryan had gotten him this shake or because he was so hungry but it was quite possibly the best shake he ever had. When his phone turned on he noticed he had a message from his friend Declan. As soon as he opened the message it started playing
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY YO YOU!
I WANT TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOU, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY AND
YOU'RE SPECIAL TOO! SO I BROUGHT SOME GAUBS FROM THE OUTTER
GAUB ZOO THEY HONK AND SQUAK AND SING JUST FOR YOU ..
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"
The message read "I am not sure how late this will get to you with the time differences and all, but I just wanted to say Happy Birthday !" Neil almost fell off the bed. He had completely lost track of the days. It was his birthday today…although it hardly mattered given the circumstances.
"Neil…it's your birthday" Ryan asked.
"I guess it is, but given where we are and why I don't think it really matters."
"Of course it matters! Ryan said hopping off the bed and walking over to Neil's side. Neil slid over so he could make room for Ryan, but Ryan sat right behind Neil and wrapped his arms around him, luckily most of the food was already gone. Ryan took Neil's phone and shake from him. Neil protested he wanted the rest of that shake. "Bear with me for a second okay?" Neil nodded. "Okay the few times I have practiced this song have been with my guitar, but since I don't have that on me you are going to have to deal with me singing without any help okay? This song doesn't even begin to describe how important you are to me, but then again what song really could? I love you Neil Byrne and this one is for you." He said pulling Neil back so he was practically laying on Ryan. Ryan sighed and prayed that he would remember the words and not mess up. Ryan started to sing
"Don't worry about that extra line
That's creeping up upon your face
It's just a part of nature's way
To say you've grown a little more
Trees have rings and thicker branches
Kids shoes get a little tighter
Every year we're getting closer to who we're gonna be
It's time to celebrate the story of how you've come to be
Happy birthday my friend
Here's to all the years we've shared together
All the fun we've had
You're such a blessing
Such a joy in my life
May the good Lord bless you
And may all your dreams come true
So light a candle on your cake
For every smile you've helped create
For every heart and every soul
You've known to grow a little more
A few more pounds, a little more grey
Don't count the years just count the way
It takes a little time to go from water into wine
Don't ever lose the wonder of the child within your eyes
Happy birthday my friend
Here's to all the years we've shared together
All the fun we've had
It's such a blessing
Such a joy in my life
May the good Lord bless you
And may all your dreams come true" Ryan was worried that Neil had fallen asleep when he was done because he was so quiet, but when he looked at his face his eyes were wide open glistening with unshed tears. "Was it really that bad?" Ryan asked only half joking.
"I…" Neil didn't know what to say. There was a lump in his throat that was preventing him from even attempting to form a sentence. Even though he was already practically on top of Ryan he had the need to be closer to him, it was so strong he turned around in Ryan's lap and wrapped him in the tightest hug ever with his face buried in Ryan's shoulder he let the tears flow freely.
"Neil? Are you crying?" Ryan asked.
"No" Neil muttered. "No I am not crying, I am not getting tears and snot on your nice clean shirt because I am not that sensitive even though that was quite possibly the sweetest song I have ever heard and your voice is sweeter than a Hershey bar dipped in Peanut Butter swimming in a strawberry milkshake"
"Neil, baby, I love you but you are babbling." Neil lifted his head from Ryan's shoulder and sniffed. "Aw baby come here" Ryan said pulling Neil back into a hug. "Here" Ryan said giving Neil back his milkshake. "Speaking of milkshakes I believe you wanted this back." Neil gratefully accepted the shake with trembling hands. He was glad to have something to concentrate on other than how much Ryan's song meant to him. He had just taken a huge gulp when Ryan said "I can't believe I forgot your birthday." Neil swallowed.
"You didn't forget it just snuck up on us. I forgot about it too. I mean when I opened the message I nearly fell of the bed."
"Neil, darlin', you are the most important thing in my life and no matter what else is going on in my life nothing, and I mean nothing should distract me from that. I messed up and I am sorry."
"Ryan the best birthday present you can give me besides that song is to forgive yourself. Can you do that for me?"
"Well if you endured the salad for me, I think I can try and do this for you." Neil grinned and took a giant gulp of his milkshake. He felt like such a little kid and he loved it.
Keith found himself missing Damian the second he walked out of his room. He missed the comfort of being himself around him. The thought of what would happen when this was all over and he went back to Celtic Thunder scared him. He wandered like a zombie to the cafeteria in search of Emmet. It didn't take long to find him. He was surrounded by girls. Keith grinned in spite of himself. Emmet really knew how to charm the girls.
" "scuse me ladies" Keith said leaning in to talk to Emmet. "You ready to go?" Emmet nodded and glanced around at the girls. Keith followed his gaze around the table and he realized there would have been a time in his life when he would have stolen the spotlight from Emmet and had these girls drooling over him. But now he just had no desire to and he wasn't sure if he would ever want that kind of shallow attention again.
"Well ladies I am sorry to leave you but I have a mission to complete." Emmet said standing up. The girls looked so sad. Emmet didn't seem to notice. Keith just sighed and followed Emmet out of the cafeteria. "How are we getting' to this…place? I mean we don't have a car or the faintest idea where it is." Keith stopped. He hadn't thought of that.
"Taxi?" he asked.
"Money?" Emmet countered.
"In my sock." Keith whispered. "Luckily the sicko that attacked me didn't bother with them."
"I have some on me as well. Speaking of…you need shoes." Keith blinked; he hadn't realized he was in his socks the whole time. "And we both probably need different clothes we have been in these same ones for a while..." Keith nodded. He was so glad Emmet was the rational one. They turned a corner and ran smack into Dr. Vanderbuilt.
"Jee Doc. You are everywhere!" Keith exclaimed struggling to regain his balance after running into him.
"You are STILL here? Aren't you going after Cameron?" Keith sighed.
"Eventually, we were just discussing the practical things like how we are going to get there and where exactly there is."
"I see. Well I am actually glad you are still here because I forgot to give you something before you left." Dr. Vanderbuilt said handing Keith about 15 syringes grouped together with a rubber band. "Pain killers…now if anyone asks you did not get those from me." Keith nodded. He was so grateful that Damian had gotten a nice doctor or this could be really awkward. "and I have something else for you, but I can't give it to you here, come into this room for a second would ya?" Keith nodded wondering what could be more secretive than drugs.
Cameron sat on his pathetic excuse for a bed and stared at the wall. He had no idea what time it was, but if it was before breakfast it had to be early. He hadn't slept very well. There were too many questions running through his head, most of them regarding his future. When he thought about Damian he felt sick. He knew that Damian must have said something to someone to send him here, but he wasn't mad as much as he was disgusted with himself for scaring Damian so much he felt he had to turn him in because he knew Damian wouldn't have turned him in unless he had to.
"or so you think"
"Koro…I wish I could say nice to hear from you, but I'd be lying."
"Hey, as soon as you start making the right decisions I will leave you alone! I bet that little weasel just wanted you out of the way so he could play tonsil hockey with that bimbo blonde surfer."
"OR maybe he did it because 'I' poisoned him and argued with 'myself' all the time!"
"well you really shouldn't have done that."
"ME?" Cameron shrieked glancing at Tod's bed to make sure he didn't disturb him. That's when he realized that Tod wasn't there. When he stopped to think about it he realized he hadn't seen Tod since dinner last night.
"Even the crazies run from you."
"Shut up!" Cameron said springing from his bed and nearly falling on his face. He stumbled to the door, the strait jacket cutting deeper into his arms with every step. His heart was racing. Where was Tod? Was he okay? Maybe he got released? He wasn't surprised to find a guard standing outside the door.
"Where do you think you are going?" he said.
"Please sir, I just want to know where my roommate Tod is." Cameron said practically in tears. Normally he would not have cared this much about anyone except Keith or Damian, but being in this place, scared out of his mind, and fighting with himself he was more vulnerable than normal.
"Cameron! I'm right here." Tod said coming down the hallway. Cameron should have been relieved, but something about Tod seemed off. As he got closer Cameron noticed Tod had a black eye.
"What are you doing out of your room?" the guard boomed.
"I was in the hospital wing. Dinner made me sick last night. I guess that's what I get for trusting the mystery meatloaf. My nurse just cleared me to go back to my room now." Cameron really wanted to believe him, but he was still skeptical.
"Both of yu back in your room now!" the guard roared. Tod jogged the last few steps to where Cameron stood in the doorway.
"C'mon Cam. Let me back in the room." Tod said giving Cameron a weird look. Cameron just stood there frozen in the doorway.
"Not until you tell me what really happened."
"C'mon Cam you could barely choke down the mystery meatloaf, you know how nasty it was."
"We all ate it though and as far as I know nobody else got 'sick'. Are you ready to tell me the truth yet?"
"What can I say? I'm a sensitive boy." Tod said getting angry now.
"Let's say I believe that. Where'd you get the black eye from?" Cameron could feel Koro taking over. Tod got a blank look on his face for a split second then he gave Cameron the meanest glare Cameron had ever seen.
"What does it matter to you?" he snarled. Cameron knew he was no longer talking to Tod.
"You're my friend and I'm concerned for you." Tod laughed and evil laugh. Cameron shuttered.
" How nice for you. Are you going to move or do I have to move you?"
"That's it, I'm stepping in." Koro said. Cameron didn't have time to respond.
"Answer me you pathetic little worm!"
" I would love to see you try!"
"Shouldn't we do something?" said a guard that had come to investigate the commotion to the one standing by the door.
"Not yet I haven't seen a good fight in months." He said with an evil sneer. "Plus if one of them dies it's less work for us."
"I guess." The other guard said. "Is there any way we could be blamed for this?"
"Hell no" They laughed, sat back, and watched the fight progress.
"I said I would LOVE to see you try!" Tod walked closer to Cameron. Cameron expected him to punch him, but instead he reached behind Cameron and unhooked his strait jacket. As Cameron slid out of it Tod said
"This has to be fair." Just before Tod's fist connected with Cameron's face Cameron felt his arms shoot out and push Tod as hard as he could. Tod looked surprised and stumbled back a few steps trying to regain his balance, but he failed and fell backwards on his butt. Before anybody could react Tod was back on his feet and pouncing on Cameron. They crashed through the doorway and into their room. Cameron's head missed his bed by a hair. "Maybe I should just let him beat the shit out of me." He thought.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: THE SONG THAT PLAYS WHEN NEIL OPENS HIS MESSAGE IS CALLED DISNEY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG AND THE SONG RYAN SINGS TO NEIL IS JUST CALLED THE BIRTHDAY SONG BY CORINNE MAY.