The Heart of It All (HeartSick Series Book 1)

by Weston Mitchel

  At first, they agreed to send a text, whenever they would disappear letting us know they would be in situ and where. That lasted only one day, when they were too in situ to bother to place a text and Mia and Austin walked in to the fridge scene from 9 ½ weeks. Although it more closely resembled the one from Hot Shots.

  Either way they obviously couldn’t be bothered by taking the time to get the phone out, and tap the screen at most ten times to send a text. So the next iteration of the stay-away-system came as simple as one could get. It consisted of one movement, just a flick of the wrist really.

  They would leave a broom by the doorway from now on, and as they shut the door behind them, either Brian or Ashley was to lean the broom against the door knob across the gap between jamb and door.

  If Austin or Mia saw a broom scurrying across the ground or heard the broom clatter to it as they pushed open the door this would give them the sign of nookie-in-progress. Of course, this meant that Austin had to go by a broom for his place.

  If they were at the girl’s dorm room then they would just shut the door and turn around destined for Austin’s apartment. However if they were already at the apartment and were to see a broom canter to the floor, they would walk with eyes rammed shut, to Austin’s room in a blind shuffle. This lead to Austin rearranging some of the furniture in the apartment on the second day of this system being in use, paving himself a clear runway to his room.

  For a while, somewhere around the third week of the quartet being clustered into two distinct pairs, Austin had begun to let a little doubt creep into his mind about his and Mia’s. Not about his feelings for her, no, those never wavered in the slightest. In fact just the opposite occurred, his feelings grew stronger and more pronounced, not just day by day but with every meeting, and every text or time spent talking on the phone, so pretty much all the time. If they weren’t in each other’s presence, they were communicating in one fashion or another.

  No, Austin’s doubts grew from watching his friend’s relationship. Seeing the other two constantly sucking face or in some sort of physical embrace at all times almost, left him feeling somewhat inadequate in a way. Maybe inadequate doesn’t do him justice, he just felt like maybe their own relationship didn’t stack up, so to speak, next to Brian and Ashley’s.

  Austin knew it wasn’t a competition, nor should it be, but if it was he felt his romance with Mia may have been on the losing side, at least when it came down to the amount of sex each couple was having. Hell, a jackrabbit would have a tough time keeping up with Brian and Ashley.

  Deep down he knew his relationship was stronger with Mia, than any other relationship he had ever had in the past, this wasn’t too many but that was beside the point. It was a bond stronger than he had imagined he could experience at this time in his life.

  This was no high school kind of infatuation that evaporated minutes after the summer sun hit the pavement. So why does, or better yet, how does seeing another couple forever being locked to the other’s lips or hips have such an effect on a guy?

  Austin wasn’t sure. Part of it probably had something to with the fact that men can’t just appreciate what they have, but are constantly comparing their lives with other men. They are always trying to see who would be the victor from everything like fighting, wealth, speed, and especially sex.

  He didn’t think this was the only reason. However, before he was able to spend too much time thinking on the reason, the doubt disappeared as fast as it crept in. Right out the window just like Brian and Ashley’s relationship.

  As furious and fiery as it had begun, their romance had extinguished in much the same way. Around the end of the third week, their passion towards each other quickly turned to animosity, and little tiffs turned into full blown War.

  The only thing to keep the sides at peace was a secession of the union. No speaking the other’s name in the presence of either of them. The Détente put its own strain on Austin and Mia’s relationship the first few days, both of them trying not to take a side while simultaneously being forced to do just that.

  Once they got the rules figured out on how to appease the rogue nations, the frustration simmered down and life was able to resume its normalcy once again. The quartet was now a triplet, or rather a duet with an extra hang-a-long clinging to their every move. The person playing the part of the grade A fifth wheel, or third wheel if you’d like, would just rotate on a daily basis from Brian to Ashley, back to Brian and so it went for about a week and a half.

  Not even this could last forever, though, and just as their passionate affair was short lived so too would be their separation. 11 days after their battle at The Union, they ran into each other, unknowingly to Austin and Mia somewhere, and kablooey, they were a couple again. Sucking face and feeling each other out, and up, trying to put the pieces back together.

  That is until a week later when Brian, in an attempt to show his laissez-faire about the seriousness of their coupling, let his gaze linger on another woman’s frontal area as she walked by their booth at Clucker’s for 1.5 seconds too long. So would begin another period of separation, followed by another chance encounter and hooking back up, until any other small inconspicuous thing came blossoming to the forefront of their minds and they would be off again. Right now they were on the fourth off cycle of the relationship.

  This was supposed to mean sequestration, and Brian had “dibs” on the party tonight. Ashley and Mia both knew this through the peace negotiations held via Austin and Mia’s texts. So the fact that Ashley was now sauntering out in full Victoria Secret Angel garb, white lacy lingerie and a pair of opaque, sequined wings pinned to her bra strap, made this a bigger problem than it had any right to be.

  Luckily, Brian had started a job as a sandwich artist at Potbelly Sandwich Shop right between their apartment and the University, and at this very moment was running a tad late as well. Brain was supposed to be meeting “the couple” at the costume party.

  If he had been here at this moment, Austin was sure a pitiful argument would ensue right here on the quad that would either lead to the ashes of those close enough to watch the goings on, or people covering their eyes in embarrassment for what they were about to see. Very rarely was there another setting to this couple, only one extreme or the other.

  Austin bit his tongue, remembering the fact that not only did he not want to argue, but he didn’t want to argue over other people’s crap.

  Austin did the smart thing, put one elbow out for Mia, and his other one out for Ashley. Once both of the girls had his arms in their grip, he lead them down the sidewalk thinking to himself, this should be interesting.

  Delta Phi Drama

  Up until now Austin could only envision frat parties in his head, a montage running through his mind of clipped together scenes from movies like Animal House, Old School and Neighbors. Ashley and Mia, of course, had been invited to parties on an almost hourly basis it seemed, but Mia would decline with a practiced grace as to not be labeled stuck up. Ashley wasn’t as quite as practiced at the art of a subtle let down, but considering she only went places if Mia was in tow, she would nod and agree with whatever Mia would say.

  Austin never got invited, anywhere. Unless it was by proxy through one of the others in the quartet. So this was to be his first honest to God frat party, and it was a costume one at that. The epitome of any party movie scene. Too bad he never got the chance to really enjoy it.

  Austin didn’t too much like the thought of blindsiding his buddy about the magical appearance of Ashley alongside them. So as they were about halfway to the Frat House he noticed the girls were in deep discussion over some sort of drama concerning one of Ashley’s cousins in Boston. Austin slowed his pace a bit, and let them gain a few feet of distance ahead of himself and fired a warning shot across Brian’s bow.

  8:45 pm Austin: Heads up! Ash is tagging along…

  8:45 pm Brian : Ugh grrrrrrrrrrr!! Thx

  Austin slid his phone back into the pocket it came from and quickened hi
s pace to a half jog catching up with cuter version of Amy and the Angel.

  Within minutes after shooting the text to Brian, they had arrived at the night’s destination. The sprawling wraparound front porch with thick columns holding up the roof, and big white wooden Greek letters hanging from the gable above was just as Austin had pictured it. The bass thumping already in his bones as he climbed the steps of the porch gave him a taste of what he was about to enter, a cacophony of much needed debauchery.

  The door was still open from a few party goers that went through seconds before so the motley crew walked right in. It wasn’t quite the picture of decadence as he had been imagining on the walk over. There were people dancing and drinking and smoking, a few beer bongs and a beer pong game going, sure. The entire house wasn’t jumping up and down rhythmically, no one pouring tequila over a group of girls with mouths tossed back, no one on the roof about to jump off proclaiming they were the lizard king.

  He had been to more exciting parties during graduation week back home in Luckwell. They say never meet your heroes because they usually tend to disappoint, not living up to the exceptionally high standards you set for them before you even truly knew them.

  The same could be said with any other imagined entity yet to be materialized. The real world version of life compared to the lofty expectations of our dreams, often will disappoint as easy and effortlessly as an asshole actor unwilling to snap a selfie, with your sad sack of a face squished next to his. Although, that sure as hell didn’t mean there wasn’t fun to be had by anyone who was willing to search it out.

  After calling dibs to take on the winner of the beer pong game and leaving the girls standing by the table as he went to fetch them all drinks, he caught a glimpse of another couple at the drinks table through the throng of moving bodies.

  A small, slender kid with the Beatle’s famous mop top of bangs, a tight plaid long sleeved shirt tucked in to a pair of even tighter hip hugging jeans was ladling a scoop of pink punch into a red solo cup.

  The hand holding the cup belonged to an even shorter buxom blonde, with long flowing curls, glasses, a tight pale blue sweater cut low in front and a pink poodle skirt poofed out above the knees, Howie and Bernadette from the Big Bang Theory. Austin had briefly thought of going as them instead of Sheldon and Amy, but he didn’t have the hair, and hated the itch that a cheap wig would instill on his noggin and more importantly hated how skinny jeans left no room for the boys to breathe.

  The crowd that parted for a few seconds long enough to see his costumed counterparts, now reassembled into the mangled mesh of ironic disguises, normal occupations turned sexy and clever pop culture references. The crowd parted again, as if it had been choreographed to highlight the couple gyrating and pulsating against each other in the center of the room. The man part of this grinding duo was tall, and lumbering in a set of dark blue coveralls with a smattering of red paint flicked over it haphazardly to insinuate blood, wearing a hockey mask with big, thick dreadlocks poking out of the side.

  Austin was the one who had used an old paintbrush they found in an alley to flick the red paint onto the coveralls, and sprayed a watered down version of it over the mask so that Brian could look just like Jason Voorhees was fresh off slashing a young nubile teen. Brian was the one now letting the sexy nurse try to cure what was ailing him with a big dose of twerking.

  Just as Austin was sending out a prayer that Brian was smart enough to keep his mask on, Brian reached up and lifted the trademark of umpteen slasher films off of his face to wipe away the sweat barreling down his brow.

  Well, hopefully Ashley is entertained behind me not to notice-

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me Brian!” is what Austin, and everybody in the general vicinity, heard as he was shoved out of the way by the plucky and wily angel.

  The half-naked nurse was either smart enough to realize what was about to happen, or had been in this position a time or two beforehand. When she noticed that the tall monstrous serial killer she had been grabbing on and being grabbed on by was the target of the soon to be tirade she skedaddled hastily as if she had heard a sexy doctor yell out “I need 10 ccs of lube stat.” She was not about to stick around letting herself become the subject of the angel’s ire.

  “What? What do you care, we’re on a break, remember slutty angel?” Brian shouted out loud for all to hear, taking no responsibility as usual for his side of the argument. Austin watched with jaw agape thinking if that line didn’t work for Ross in the show “Friends”, you don’t stand a chance bud, and I would have left out the slutty part if I were you.

  “Slutty?” She said after making her way forcefully across the room to Brian so that now she was close enough to smack him. So that’s just what she did, a nice, sneakily fast wallop right along his cheek that reverberated a flat thwack that had a tinny sort of echo in this wooden clad den.

  I’m definitely glad I’m not you right now, that’s for sure.

  The slap could be heard over the booming Axel Rose singing out Paradise City. The music didn’t screech to a stop like it would have in a movie, but all action did cease so that everyone could keep their eyes peeled and glued to the play staged before them.

  Everyone except for Mia that is. She had been feeling rundown a lot lately, more so than usual. The walk over to the frat house had taken more out of her than it should have, even in her condition. She hadn’t wanted to scare Austin, or Ashley for that matter, knowing both of them would have canceled the plans altogether again. They would have sentenced her to bed rest like they had several times over the last couple months.

  She would tell them both to stop worrying and pretend to schedule an appointment the next day, then pretend to go to that appointment that was always conveniently scheduled during the others’ class times. This would leave her an excuse to not allow them to come with her and also giving herself the excuse to miss a class or two so she could rest up and regain her strength.

  Besides, there was no need for her to go to the Doctor. She already knew what was wrong with her and had known now for close to four years. What she didn’t know, was how to tell any of them.

  She hadn’t expected to fall in love with anyone, knowing her prognosis, she thought it would be selfish of her to do so. She tried not to, even begged herself not to at times, but she didn’t really have a choice, this time around her heart didn’t listen. Her heart knew what it wanted, just not what it needed.

  Mia constantly beat herself up over the situation, almost mentally breaking down just as hard as she was physically, more so especially on the days she would spend in bed, lying about going to the doctor earlier that day. She would tell Austin stories of just being dehydrated, or exhausted. Lies that she couldn’t keep repeating over and over again expecting anyone to believe her the more she used them. It was for his own good she told herself. Lying to yourself is sometimes just as easy to do, and just as hard at the same time.

  She knew it would hurt him if he found out she was lying, but she also knew what would hurt him more, so she vowed to stay strong, for him if not just for herself. Not let him any closer than they already were, she would make it through tonight and tell him soon. Keeping this from her love was killing her as quickly as her own body was.

  Austin had made his way back to her, walking backwards slowly, until he rested right beside her and put his arm around her waist. She was grateful for him being here with her now if only so she could rest some of her weight into his side taking some off of her feet. But that wasn’t the only reason, she just loved being near him.

  “You catchin’ this, babe?” Austin said while his fingers caressed her waist where his hand rested, nudging his chin in the direction of the scene they’ve almost grown accustomed to.

  “Austin, I think we should go,” Mia said pleading more than stating.

  Several beads of sweat erupted at her hairline, one started to fall leaving a tiny trail of wetness behind it. Austin was focused on Jason Voorhees with his blood splattere
d hockey mask pushed up over his brow arguing with a newly wingless Angel.

  Where the hell did the wings go, we’ve been here like 4 minutes, Austin pondered, watching on with his head tilted like a confused dog. So he didn’t see the shade of pale that Mia’s face had inherited. Straightening his head but still not taking his eyes off the spectacle he finally answered back.

  “Babe, come on, don’t let these turds ruin our night,” he whined, pleading in return. “They will be fine in a-“

  “I couldn’t give less of a shit about whether Brian and Ashley are fighting or hooking up, Austin,” She exclaimed over the blaring guitar riff blasting out of the 6 foot tall speaker a few feet from where they stood now. The shouting alone seemed to zap what little she had left in her energy stores. Her knees weren’t as straight and sturdy as they were just moments before and she felt a chill breakout over her body, running the length of her spine.

  Realizing that her sudden exhaustion coupled with the action of her having to shout louder than she wanted to made her words have a caustic edge that she didn’t intend. She pulled his hand down making Austin lean in to put his ear next to her mouth. “I just don’t feel right, I need to-“

  Before she could tell Austin what exactly it was that she needed, she fainted.

  Austin had his ear a few inches away from her lips so he hadn’t been able to see in time that she was falling. He had felt her fingers stiffen suddenly then go limp in his hand and was able to think quick enough to realize what was happening. Fortunately, she had fallen towards him, her nose sliding down his neck making it possible to catch her, awkwardly but gently, cradling the back of her head just before it was to hit the hardwood flooring underneath them.

  More of the Good Doctor

  Dr. Greer began working on the next batch of tests before the solid metal door had fully closed on Austin’s behind. Earlier that day, in preparation for this moment to arrive she had Isabelle set out and make ready the first couple of steps for the planned procedure.