Second chapter. Woohoo!
Sunil's friends had to force him out of the hospital. He was dead set on staying in the hospital for as long as it took. In the end it was Pepper who got him to leave. She had said that it would do Vinnie no good if Sunil worried himself sick. He reluctantly agreed to go home but he swore that he would be back early in the morning.
Pepper walked with Sunil to the apartment he and Vinnie shared. The walk was one of silence and neither party felt like disrupting in. The rest of the city moved on as it always did, not taking one moment to acknowledge that a few of its residents were in pain. As the night grew dimmer so did Sunil's mood. After half an hour of walking the apartment finally came into view. Sunil and Pepper quietly walked up the steps until they were at number 56.
"Hey Sunil, do you want me to come in and…you know…talk about this whole mess?" Pepper asked with a wary hint to her voice. Sunil sighed and gestured her in.
The inside of the apartment was very small. There was a door that led to a bedroom, another which led to a bathroom, a tiny kitchenette, and a small living room. The place was painted a warm brown and on the wall hung a picture of Vinnie falling on Sunil; a personal present from Minka. Everything about the place was so happy. Everything except the people inside of in at the moment.
Sitting awkwardly on the couch, Pepper began to wonder if she had been wrong to come here. Maybe all Sunil needed was some space. One look at him shaking while trying to pour his tea proved to Pepper that he didn't need space.
"Need some help?" She asked quietly.
Sunil shook his head before joining her on the couch, tea abandoned. He sat there with the same silence that was with them on the walk. Pepper wanted to cheer him up, she just didn't know how. She had always been able to make her friends laugh but she felt that nothing would work right now.
"We had a fight a few nights ago." Sunil suddenly spoke, startling Pepper.
"Why?" It was odd for the two to have a fight. They bickered about pointless things all the time but they never really fought.
"Well we…we were talking about…marriage."
Pepper lifter her eyebrows in shock. She had never thought about them getting married. It made sense in a way that they would be talking about it; they were both only a year away from finishing college, they had known each other for years, and it was clear that they were in love. Marriage seemed right for them. Pepper curiously listened to the rest of Sunil's story.
Yesterday
Vinnie was lying on the couch with Sunil watching a random romantic comedy T.V show. The two were curled up quite comfortably; Vinnie stretched out on top of Sunil who was his personal pillow. Everything was relatively normal for the two. Sunil ran his fingers through Vinnie's-for once-un-gelled hair. On screen there was a couple about to take their vows at the altar. That was the point where Vinnie started to take interest.
"Hey Sunil?"
"Yes Vinnie?"
"Do you ever think we'll be married?" Vinnie asked nervously.
Sunil stuttered, being caught completely off guard. He had never thought about getting married to Vinnie. To be honest he never really thought about their future period, marriage or not. Vinnie was looking at Sunil intently, worrying about how long his boyfriend had to think on the subject.
"We might." Sunil finally said. Vinnie sat up off of Sunil quickly after he said that.
"What do you mean we might be married?" He said huffily.
"I mean that I don't know what's going to happen in the future!"
"Says the so call magician." Vinnie spat out the words angrily.
"At least I do not trip over my own feet every five steps!" Sunil shot back.
From there the argument escalated. Vinnie accused Sunil of being afraid of commitment while Sunil said that Vinnie was being paranoid. After an hour of arguing, the final blow was given.
"Are you ashamed to be with me?!" Vinnie asked violently.
"Yes!" The answer was traced with poison as it left Sunil's tongue.
He automatically shut his mouth, realizing what he had said. Vinnie looked up at him blankly and then walked quietly into the bedroom. Sunil slept on the couch that night. That didn't stop him from hearing Vinnie's almost silent tears.
Present
"I-I didn't mean it! I've just never been as co-comfortable as he. H-he walks down the street holding my hand carelessly a-and I feel so nervous. T-tonight just pr-roves that I had a good reason to. W-when he asked me to pick him up I w-was dreading it, s-so I took my time. A-and look where that got him!" Sunil's words were broken by soft sobs.
"Come on Sunil, this isn't your fault." Pepper comforted.
"Y-yes it is! I wa-was worried about being w-with him. W-what would he say t-to me for being so heartless? H-he nearly died because I-I'm a coward who can't e-even confront someone h-he loves!"
Pepper sat their letting her distraught friend cry on her shoulders. It was getting late and Sunil was still shaky so she decided to stay the night. She went into the kitchenette for a moment to make a phone call.
One ring. Two rings. Three rings.
"Hello?"
Pepper smiled to herself at Russell's consistency. He always answered his phone on the third ring.
"Hey Rusty, I'm going to stay with Sunil till tomorrow, he really needs a friend right now. Think you can survive the night without me?"
"I was about to ask you the same question." Russell said in a skeptical manor.
"Whatever, see you tomorrow."
"Ok. Just try to make the situation better instead of worse."
"You have sooo much faith in me." Pepper remarked sarcastically.
"You know what I mean. Goodnight Pepper."
"Night Rusty." After blowing a kiss into the phone, she hung up.
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