17

"Isn't she going to wake up?" A voice asked, sounding annoyed and concerned at the same time, somehow. It was a bit muffled, like I had water in my ears, but I could still hear it. "She's supposed to wake up at any minute. Not this-" My eyes fluttered open, and I sat up slowly, rubbing one of my eyes as if that would make the circles disappear. I could see that I was in a cot, with an IV stuck in my arm, and a blanket covering me from my waist down. The room had bright, white walls that looked gray in the moonlight, and the same went for the floor. As for who was sitting next to me, I saw Connor on one side, and someone who I assumed was the nurse on the other. I turned to look at Connor. "What-" "Long story short, villains attacked, you made a plan to stop them, and it would've worked if that one bastard hadn't grabbed you and used his power." Everything came back to me in a rush. The fight, the way his fire and my skeletons had surrounded the villains, the way one had broke free and grabbed me, how Connor had melted half of his face. How the villain had used his power on me, sending me to the depths of my mind. How I had made it back by pushing myself through the memory of the present. How I'd gone into a seizure after coming out. Then I registered that Connor was pissed and annoyed and worried still. "Wait-I remember it now." "At least your brain isn't messed up." Connor muttered, gripping onto the side of my cot. For some reason, I acted in impulse, and placed my hands over his. "Hey, it's ok. I'm awake, I'm safe. I'll be able to move-" I took one of my hands away gently and pulled the sheets up. Thankfully, I hadn't been changed into a hospital gown. But my ankle was wrapped in a white cast, and from the looks of it, a few people had signed it already. I could Elizabeth's name under what she wrote, Ms. Violets above what she wrote, and Connor's, also below what he had written. "With the help of crutches." He finished, staring at my ankle. "This wasn't the villains fault. This happened while I was rescuing a dummy." Connor looked over at the nurse. "Can we have a minute alone?" She nodded, and went out the room, closing the door behind her. Connor turned to me, his gray-green eyes staring at me with anger and...guilt? But what would he have to be guilty for? Nothing was his fault. At all. "I'm not trying to get all mushy on you here, but I have to say this." He paused, taking a deep breath before diving back in. "When you vanished through the floor, because the villain used his power, I was pissed and full of panic, but I don't know why. To be honest, I actually almost killed the guy, but managed to restrain myself. Then, when you came back, I was more relieved and worried. But you went into a seizure, and Ms. Violet said to call the nurse there, but I panicked, and said there was no time to wait for her. I'm the one who picked you up and brought you here. Then I saw your ankle, and I don't know why, but I just-" "Don't say you blamed yourself, or that it was your fault, or any other shit like that." I interrupted, giving him my death glare without meaning to. "Don't feel guilty. You can feel pissed, angry, worried, concerned-anything but guilty. Nothing was your fucking fault. Open your eyes and realize that." He squeezed both of my hands, and I expected myself to tense up, but I relaxed a little more instead. He gave a small chuckle. "Damn. Alright, then, I won't say any of that, or any shit like it." I smirked, and then we both laughed, but went silent a few minutes later. "Well, I've got to get some rest." Connor said, leaning back in his chair, and still holding one of my hands. I nodded, and he dozed off after some time, but I couldn't sleep. My mind kept me up, throwing out questions. So, knowing he wouldn't answer, I opened Levi's number, about to text him-but noticed he had texted me a few times. Morning! One read, and I smiled. How was your day? Is the new school neat? What's up with you and Connor? What's Connor like? Do you like him? Is he hot, or cute? I shook my head, and took a picture of Connor sleeping, then sent it to Levi. He's not a bad guy, and I wouldn't say he's ugly, exactly. But he is super protective, for some reason. And, no ,I don't like him. After that, I sat my phone down, and stared out the window until morning came.