chapter 4

I didn't go around Brady much anymore, like Cham wanted. I'd see him and walk in the opposite direction. It had been three months since what happened between me and Cham. I really did love Cham; it was just that I didn't love him as I once had.

Our relationship had really gone through some rough patches and I honestly didn't think I could ever feel the same way about him. I wasn't sure if I wanted to love him again. "Cham?" I called loudly. He wasn't home when I got in from work. I could relax for a little while.

I started to clean up around the apartment when I heard Jeff's voice. Jeff was a workout buddy of Cham's. I didn't like Jeff. His attitude was even worse than Cham's.

"Just give me your keys," Jeff said.

"*** off, I can do it myself."

"I was nice enough to give you a ride to the hospital and you're gonna talk to me like that?" Hospital? I went to open the door myself when it opened into my face.

"Ow!" I yelped. I immediately went to massage the afflicted area.

"Eli, sup?" Jeff asked.

"Hi Jeff," I said. I saw that Cham had a cast on his right leg. I looked at his face to gauge how he was feeling. He looked sad. I hated when he was anything but angry, because a lot of the times if he wasn't, it was very easy for me to see the good in him. "I can help him from here Jeff."

"That's alright Eli; I'll hang around a bit." Please no. Cham was bad alone, but with Jeff he was insufferable.

"Jeff, it's cool," Cham said.

"You sure man?" Jeff was almost as muscled as Cham was but not nearly as intelligent. Jeff modeled for the same fitness chain as Cham did but not as frequently.

"Yeah, I am."

"K." Thank goodness. Jeff walked out and I closed the door.

"Is your face alright?" Cham asked.

"Huh?" He was talking about when I got hit with the door. I realized that after I answered him. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. What happened to your leg?" He hobbled into the living room and crashed onto the couch.

"Weight accident," he grumbled. "My leg is broken in three places." He was pretty upset.

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything."

"How long do you have to wear that?" I sat next to him.

"Five months, no gym." Five months of him around me constantly. I could hear him yelling at me now. I wouldn't be able to take it. I'd have to leave in the middle of the night and never come back.

At least that's what I thought. It had been two days of Cham lazing around the house and, strangest thing, he ate a whole box of cookies. Cookies that I made. I told him they were for him to feel better and he ate them. No fighting or yelling. I had to test Cham's newfound sweet tooth. I wondered if he'd eat even more sweets.

"Oh, hey Brady," I said. My arms were filled with bags as I entered the elevator. I felt my face redden and I felt so bad thinking about what happened between us.

"Uh, hi Eli," he said.

"How...how have you been?" It'd also been three months since we stopped hanging out.

"Good...good..." He coughed lightly. "How've you been?"

"I'm good too. Cham broke his leg so I've been taking care of him."

"Oh, that's too bad."

"Actually, no. I like getting to be around him again." We got to my floor. "Bye Brady. I'll see you around." I stepped out of the elevator. The doors closed with just enough time for me to hear him say goodbye.

When I got in Cham asked me to make him something to eat. I thought Cham of all people would be concerned with all that he had been eating. Especially since he had always been so worried about getting fat. I, however, did not care if he did put on a few pounds over the five months he'd be lounging around with nothing to do but eat.