"Hey Hot Head," I greeted.
"Hey yourself Muscle Head," Warren greeted me back in jest.
"Fire Starter."
"Tinkerbell with an attitude."
"Pyromaniac."
"Momma's Boy."
"Flame breath."
"Weak! How's it going Flying Pansy?" Warren asked me looking over his ever-present book.
"Pretty good Flaming Queen. And yourself?" I joked back with a smile.
"Not too good. In fact, life kinda sucks at the moment," Warren growled looking at me with those beautiful eyes of his.
Beautiful eyes? When did I start thinking Warren had pretty eyes? I snapped back into focus when I realized that I hadn't answered him.
"Oh…um…why is that?" I asked as he looked at me in confusion.
"You let me die," he said regarding me sadly as he vanished from sight.
"No! Warren! Come back! I'm sorry! Come back!"
End Dream Sequence:
"Warren!" I gasped aloud as I sat up quickly from the bed I was lying in.
"Will? Will wake up," someone said as they shook me gently.
Gasping I became more aware of where I was. I was still in Warren's room in the special hospital for Supers. It was Layla that was beside me looking at me in concern. We were alone except for the quiet figure on the other bed.
"Layla," I said shakily, "Where did everybody go?"
"They had to go home," she said regarding me with solemn eyes, "That must have been quite a dream."
Something in her voice didn't sound right to me. We hadn't been best friends since first grade to not know how to read one another.
"What's wrong?" I asked hurriedly, "Is Warren…"
"Warren is fine for the moment," Layla interrupted, "There has been no changes for good or bad."
"Then what is wrong?" I asked confused as I stood from the bed.
"Since when do you think that Warren's eyes are beautiful?" she snapped.
"What?" I gasped dropping back down numbly on the bed.
"I think you heard me."
"I…um…how?" I stammered in confusion.
"You talked in
your sleep. Now answer me," Layla said sitting on the bedside
beside me.
"It was just a dream," I said firmly, "Strange
thing happen in dreams. It doesn't mean anything."
"Well I think it does Will," Layla protested, "I think you are beginning to care for Warren as more than just a friend."
"Layla you know I love you. You are my girlfriend," I defended, "I would never cheat on you!"
"I know that you would never cheat on me on purpose and you know that I love you too," Layla said with conviction in her voice as she turned my head to look her in the eyes, "And I love you enough to know that there is more going on with you than you think. I can't lie to you and say that I don't want to keep you with me, but if you love Warren you need to be with the one you love and I love you enough to let go if I have to."
"I don't love Warren like that," I again protested, "He is one of my best friends and like a brother. Yeah a brother! I love him like my brother!"
"The lad doth protest too much, methinks," Layla said sadly.
"No. Your wrong Layla," I said weakly looking away.
"I think you need to figure this out," Layla said, "You need to let me know so I can know what direction to move on in my life."
"Layla…" I began before she placed a finger to my lips.
"I hope you chose me, but it is okay if you chose Warren. I will not tell you I won't be hurt, but I will always be one of your best friends no matter what and I know the others will agree with me. Follow your heart Will."
With that Layla left me alone with Warren. I was shell-shocked. How could she think that I was in love with Warren? I stood and walked over and gazed down at my other best friend. He was beautiful. Anybody would have to admit that he was a truly good-looking young man, but that doesn't mean that they were in love with him. Right? I reached out and gently moved a lock of hair off of Warren's face. Hesitantly I brushed my thumb against his cheek. There is no way that I could love my "brother." Layla had to be wrong.
"So why are you imagining what life would be like without him? Why do you want to know what it would be like to hold him?" a small voice asked in the back of my mind.
"I have no idea," I said aloud as I resumed holding Warren's hand and keeping a watch over him.
To be continued…
Review please and flames will be used to roast marshmallows. I LOVE roasted marshmallows.