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Aaron was so tired, he didn’t give a damn about rest and even the sleep that people physically need, he studied all week. The new pharmacology professor was very strict and for some reason dissatisfied with their studying program. The last few couples he grumbled about how crap their textbooks are and what nonsense they write in them, and even after he expressed everything he thinks about the author of this textbook and the rector who approved it and even the Department of Education who approved this approach to teaching like this, he did not calm down . On the contrary, he began to scare them, because obviously they could not pass his exam with a good grade. There can be no question of a standings at all. The test is only for those who know the subject perfectly, but how can they know it perfectly if their textbooks are complete shit collected and scattered over the pages. Around this point, everything was repeated again and again. As a result, a few weeks before the exam, Professor Shit, as the students called him, sent them a new study guide marked * important! read before the exam, as the tickets will be based on these materials*.
Aaron thought he was going crazy when he saw this. But when he opened the electronic materials, he laughed out loud, frightening Kevin, who was watching the match. 2000 page 2000! Considering that he had other subjects to study for, exams with matches that Neil and Kevin did not let them forget about, and his personal life in general, this was simply impossible.
One day, Nicky...his cousin, Nicky, showed them the film “Route 60” on one of the movie nights, which he organized to introduce the Foxes without childhood to the classics of movies. Unfortunately for his cousin, Aaron couldn't make it through the entire film. He could never last longer than half an hour, each time steadily falling asleep and dropping his heavy with fatigue head onto Nicky's knees. His cousin was never angry with him or even offended. On the contrary, Nicky has always been understanding about this, knowing how hard Aaron tries at the university. Aaron vaguely remembered the plot of the film: something about a guy with the stupid name Neil, who went with another strange man who grants wishes on a journey in search of a stranger woman from his dreams. Aaron kept falling asleep and waking up, but didn't even try to concentrate on the plot. Instead, he relaxed on Nicky's lap, feeling his gently stroke his head, running his blond hair through his fingers. In addition to this gentle gesture, Aaron remembered one more phrase:
“There is such a theory: the Universe and time are infinite, which means that any event is inevitable, even the impossible.”
Nicky told him it was inevitable, that Aaron would become a great doctor and save lives even if he didn't believe it right now. It's a pity Aaron didn't thank him for his faith and support. He took it for granted, thinking that loving Nicky, always coming to the rescue, would be nearby. He did not notice how the smile gradually turned from sincere to strained, and the laughter became fake. Aaron was too busy with his own life and did not want to pay attention to how the life of his loved one was falling apart a meter away from him.
"Thomas Harvel, Aaron Minyard and Katie Walsh, You're coming in next!"
Professor Shit announced, looking out into the corridor and inviting the next three students to take the exam. On trembling legs, Aaron entered the office and walked up to a large table made of dark wood, on which sheets of paper with tasks lay in neat rows with rare passes for already taken tickets.
"Please come up one by one, turn off your phones, say your name and draw your ticket!"
Aaron froze in place, immediately finding himself in third turn. But he did not pay attention to his disadvantageous position. All Aaron could think about was that he couldn't leave his phone. After...after the call, or rather the ignoring of the dying call from Nicky, Aaron refused to leave it anywhere. And now leaving it here, far from where he could check that there were no calls, seemed impossible. But as they said: any event is possible, especially the impossible?
"Aaron Minyard."
Aaron introduced himself when it was his turn and pulled out a ticket. 18 ticket. He quickly scanned through the questions: anesthetic drugs and their characteristics, cholinomimetic agents, and drug interactions. A relieved smile spread across Aaron's face. Nicky was right, he can handle this.
"Ahem ahem, put your phone on my table, Mr. Minyard."
Aaron hesitated, looking pleadingly at the professor.
"Please, could you make a concession to me and let me keep it..."
"Ha! What unheard of impudence!"
"No no, you misunderstood"
Aaron shook his head, trying to explain himself, but his teacher didn’t want to hear anything.
"I must have it. I'm checking to see if there's a call, so I need my phone nearby."
Aaron begged, squeezing his fingers tighter.
"You're checking? Well, you can check the calls after the exam."
"But !"
"One more word and I will remove you from the exam with a grade of 0. And now I ask you to turn off your phone and put it on my table."
Professor Shit drawled with a kind of sadistic smile, proving the validity of his nickname.
Aaron couldn't fail this exam. With a heavy heart, he turned off the phone, left it on the teacher's desk and left. The hands holding the ticket trembled, and his head was noisy. But Aaron tried to put those thoughts out of his head, just for an hour. What can happen in one hour?
...
Two hours later, a tired but happy Aaron finally left the classroom clutching his report card with an excellent grade. Nicky would be so proud...
With a heavy heart, he turned the phone back on.
"Oh no"
A notification about a missed call from Andrew appeared on the screen that lit up again.
"No no"
Aaron whispered, opening messages with shaking hands and frantically checking them. But there was nothing more than a missed call.
"God please please"
Aaron felt his heart speed up and his lungs constrict as he tried to breathe. Panicking, he pressed Andrew's number and called back. But there was nothing except beeps. Andrew, like him, did not let go of the phone. Why did he call? What if something happened to him? What if something happened to Andrew while Aaron was slacking off on the exam.
"Come on, Andrew, pick up the damn phone. Please don't do this to me...:
One, three, five calls and nothing.
Aaron kept calling first Andrew and then Neil, panicking more and more every minute. Not feeling tired, he ran to the dorm, praying that Andrew would be okay. Horrible thoughts of a possible outcome flashed through his head. Before his eyes there were bloody pictures of the dead Andrew. And a voice rang in his ears: “Time of death.”
"No no. Pick up the phone! Please, I can’t... I can’t..."
When he finally burst inside their room, Andrew, alive and looking quite healthy, lay cuddled with Neil on the living room couch. “Alive,” Aaron thought with relief, freezing in the doorway.
The sudden relief turned to overwhelming rage as Aaron realized that his twin was, in fact, okay. He quickly approached the sofa and threw the phone straight at Andrew with all his strength.
"You! Son of a bitch!!"
"What the...?"
Neil screamed, dodging to the side of the object flying at him, while Andrew silently turned to the source of the noise. He frowned, noticing his brother's red eyes and shaking hands.
"What happened?"
He immediately demanded and Aaron, unable to contain his hysterical laughter, laughed in his face while tears finally flowed from his eyes.
"What happened?! What happened! You didn't pick up your phone!!"
Neil immediately stopped swearing under his breath and fell silent, frozen in place, while Andrew suddenly understood what Aaron was talking about. He pulled away from Neil's embrace and slowly stood up, walking towards his panting brother.
"I...I called you back! You didn't... didn't pick up the phone!!"
"My phone died and I put it on charge."
Andrew explained slowly, as if speaking to a madman, pointing to the corner of the room where his phone lay charging.
"You called, but I didn’t pick up!"
Aaron didn't sleep for several days. He was terribly tired and his nerves were fraying from the fear he had experienced. Aaron looked at Andrew, but saw dead Nicky in a pool of his own blood.
"I didn’t answer again!! I didn't answer!!"
He screamed, clutching his shirt on his chest and feeling how with every breath the air in his lungs was becoming less and less. He knew that he shouldn’t speed up, he knew what hyperventilation could lead to. But he was so tired, so his breathing became critically short and Aaron felt like he was suffocating.
"No no, breathe!"
Aaron felt Andrew guide him to the floor and help him lean his back against the sofa.
"Breathe, Aaron!"
He ordered in a firm voice, but all Aaron could do was shaking his head.
"I...c..can..n..no..t"
"Close your mouth and pinch one nostril with your finger, come on."
Andrew himself puts Aaron's shaking fingers against his face and pinches one of his nostrils, making it harder to breathe quickly and gradually slowing him down.
"Like this. Inhale and exhale."
Andrew places Aaron's other hand on his chest, right next to his heart. He deliberately takes a deep breath and exhales, showing Aaron the pace.
:Again. In. Out."
Aaron didn't know if he was repeating the rhythm after Andrew, all he could focus on was someone else's heartbeat under his palm. Andrew's heartbeat. His living brother.
"Well done..."
Andrew whispered quietly, allowing him to lower his hand and breathe normally. When the first shock of seeing his brother wore off, Aaron felt incredible grief.
"I was so scared..."
Aaron squeezed out and began to cry. He didn't cry hysterically out loud like when Nicky died. His tears were quiet and mournful.
"I'm sorry."
Andrew whispered quietly, but Aaron just shook his head, trying unsuccessfully to pull himself together.
"I did it again, I promised to always answer the calls."
"It is not your fault. I should have left a message."
Andrew admitted, pursing his lips and softly wiping the trails of tears from his brother's cheeks.
"After Nicky..."
Andrew swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat and pursed his lips, catching his breath.
"After Nicky, I also promised myself to become better. I promised to take better care of you."
"I miss him."
Aaron whispered and felt Andrew's hands tighten around his face. He closed his eyes and exhaled.
"Me too."
Andrew did not open his eyes and Aaron could see his usual mask disappear, revealing a view of the wounded man. Tears streamed down Andrew's face and now Aaron was anxiously wiping them from his cheeks. Just like Andrew, Aaron gently grabbed his face and pulled him towards him, connecting their foreheads.
"We can do something for him. Something that will make him smile for real."
"What is this?"
Andrew asked quietly, still without opening his eyes.
"We can become a family. A real family, just like Nicky wanted."
A barely noticeable smile touched Andrew's lips and he looked at his brother, meeting the same light brown color as his own.
"We will."
"Good. And don't ever do that again to me."
"Never."
Andrew promised and Aaron allowed himself a small smile. Andrew didn't tell him anything, but it looked exactly like Nicky's one when he was still really smiling. Andrew promised himself that at least he would keep this one.