I Need You

I heard Zeke apologize and I longed to tell him I forgave him. It wasn't his fault I got in the accident, it was my own. I hadn't paid attention, and I had hit the truck. Raine had only made me angry and I have had enough time to think it over and forgive him for it.

Immediately I noticed a stabbing pain in my neck. That must have been where Raine had been laying his head. Raine, oh how I longed to see his face again. I've heard him singing and reading to me everyday, but I want to see him. I want to touch him, to hold him all day.

As the veil disappeared more and more the pain got worse, and more excruciating.

"Ow." I groaned. Wait, I heard it! I really said 'ow', if only I could open my eyes!

"Hale?" I heard Raine call eagerly. "Hale are you awake?"

Yes! I'm am! I can hear you! If only I could see you! I shouted in my head, but no words came out.

Zeke shouted something about me waking up but I ignored it. I had to see Raine! I had to tell Zeke everything was okay with us! I had to hug my mom, to hold her and tell her I'll never leave her! I want to tell them sorry for making them feeling like this.

I wanted to. Open. My. Eyes. I gasped and my body arched upwards as my eyes finally opened. And I could feel! I could feel my limbs again, and I could control them! I winced as the bright light hurt my eyes, and I searched the room for Raine. When I found him I smiled.

"Hi." I smiled and said lamely at him. I could finally see him! I had forgotten his beauty!

"Hale!" He screamed and his face lit up. "Oh my god you're awake!" He flung his arms around me and I prepared myself for a stab of pain. But it never came, there was only a dull throbbing. I wrapped my arms around his waste and sucked in a huge breath. He smelled so good!

"I love you so much." I whispered to him. I felt his muscles stiffen, and his tears began to soak my shirt. "What?" I frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I'd never hear you say that again!" He weeped. "And I'm still not sure if this is a dream or not!"

"It's not a dream I swear!" My frowned deepen. "Please believe me."

"I do, I do!" He was still sobbing. "I just missed you so much." He squeezed harder and I sucked in a breath.

"That's still a little sore." I said through my teeth.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." He said and jumped away from me. He settled for awkwardly patting my shoulder instead. I looked over at Zeke. He had his head down and we was looking at his fingers.

"I forgive you." I whispered. He looked up hopefully.

"Really?" I saw a smile threatening on the edge of his lips.

"Yeah, I head your whole apology, and I decided the crash wasn't your fault. It was my own... I was reading instead of paying attention..." I trailed of and winced. I couldn't tell Raine I read his note and got in the crash it would hurt him so bad.

"What were you reading?" Raine asked nervously.

"Your note... The one you wrote when we got our cars. I had just found it, and I loved it." I smiled at him. "It was so beautiful, and I'm sorry I didn't find it earlier."

"So the crash was my fault?" Tears built up on the rim of his eyes.

"No, it was mine. I shouldn't have been driving, I had too much on my mind. I'm sorry I had to put you through that." I grabbed his hand. "I won't leave you this time."

All of a sudden there was flashing all around me. I covered my eyes."What is this?"

"Hale you're awake! Great, we'd like to ask you a few questions." The reporter said. Not these people again. I heard how persistent they were with Raine, even though he was on the edge of tears.

"No." I said and glared at all of them. "I just woke up and I am spending this time with my close friends. So get the fuck out of my room." They looked disappointed and walked out of the room.

"Way to go Hale." My mom cheered half-heartedly and gave me a hug.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I heard everything!" I frowned. "I never wanted to put you through all of that!"

"Oh it's fine."

"Now Hale, we just need to check you out, to see if you can leave and then you can go." He smiled. I nodded.



"How long was I out?" I asked about half an hour later, we were in the car.

"About two months." Raine frowned. "I got all the work the high school sent to you done, but I didn't understand the work Harvard gave you." I squeezed his hand.

"Thanks!" I pressed a shy kiss on his lips. It sent butterflies off in my stomach. Lately it's been hard getting used to his touch again. Even when he's just holding my hand, butterflies erupt in my stomach and blush rises into my cheeks. He just laughs at me every time that happens.

"You're so silly." He giggled and smiled at me.

"I can't help it, I haven't gotten my daily allowance of Raine in two whole months, and it seems to have made me soft and squishy." I wrinkled my nose and leaned over to him to kiss him again. This time I pushed my seat belt away and crawled slowly over top of him.

It was a very innocent kiss, full of so many emotions. When we pulled away from each other I smiled at him and laid my on his shoulder.

"Can I just stay like this forever?" I sighed happily.

"Of course." Raine said lovingly.

"You're so cute you make me sick!" Zeke said pretending to puke. He looked back and smiled at us. I'm glad he isn't angry with me, and that he seems to be enjoying life again.

"Hey!" I said feigning defensiveness. "I haven't gotten to see my love's face in two months! I deserve this." I looked at him and stuck my tongue out at him. My mom pulled into the campus parking lot and we got out. I gave her one last squeeze.

"I love you so much mom." I whispered. "Sorry for scaring you."

"Oh it's fine." She her voice broke and she had tears in her eyes. "I'm just glad you're here now." She placed a sloppy kiss on my cheek. "Come one soon, okay? And call!"

"I will." I smiled reassuringly at her, and she got in her car and left.

"Come on." Raine smiled. "Let's get you to the dorm." I nodded and with my true love's hand in mine I walked to my dorm.

When we opened the door a whole bunch of people yelled:

"Surprise!" I jumped, but didn't scream. The dorm was littered with faces I didn't know, but there were some familiar ones.

"We through you a 'waking up' party!" Rory said dragging Luca with him.

"Thanks, but who are all of these people?" I chuckled.

"Well some of them were in your classes, others saw your story in the paper and just showed up because they heard about it... Then there's a few kids who just arrived at school here and needed something fun to do!" Rory smiled. "Now come on! It's time for the party to start!"

I smiled again, and allowed my self to be pulled into the mass of bodies. I held Raine's hand, and enjoyed life with a new prospective.


Zeke's POV

I grabbed a beer and disappeared into my room. I don't really like parties, I don't seem to have good luck at them. So sat in my room and cracked open the beer. I wasn't brooding or anything, I was relaxed. For the first time in months I felt care free. No one hated me, there was no competition for love, and I could just relax.

I sighed and closed my eyes listening to the thumping of the bass through the walls. I feel so happy for Raine and Hale, they really are the perfect match. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by my door creaking open.

"Hello?" Someone called tentatively. It sounded like a guy.

"Hi." I answered easily and sat up. I felt my eyes slightly open when I caught sight of him. He was beautiful! he had dark brown almost black hair that fell perfectly around his face and seemed to make his bright blue eyes shine even more than they already did. And his body! He was wearing a white shirt so I could see the faint outline of his abs, and his black skinny jeans left nothing to imagination. But what really caught my attention was his eyes.

"Um.. I'm Connor Matthews." He smiled nervously and ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm Zeke, Zeke Hall." I smiled at him. "Are you new here?"

"Uh, yeah. I just got here a few days ago. And I read Raine and Hale's story in the paper. Most of them are blaming you for the accident." He said.

"Yeah, Hale and I had a fight. We were both in a relationship with Raine, and we both thought Raine loved us better. Then I suggested Raine may have loved me more, and that Hale couldn't control his feelings... I've regretted it ever since." I frowned and looked down at my hands.

"I'm really sorry." Connor said and sat next to me. "Did... Did they forgive you?"

"Yeah, I apologized with all of my hear and Raine forgave me, and Hale apparently heard it, and wanted to tell me something so he woke up." I shrugged.

"Oh. That's cool." He smiled at me. "I'm really glad they aren't mad at you. Um, so.. You probably get asked this a lot, but your accent is extremely sexy and I just wanted to know if you were British." I chuckled.

"Yeah I am. I moved here because... I was sort of an outcast over there, and I wanted a new start in America."

"Why were you an outcast?" I wanted to ask him if this was a game of twenty questions, but it was just so easy to talk to him.

"Well I'm about as straight as a rainbow," I made an arch with my hands. "And they weren't to tolerant of that..."

"Really?" He asked hopefully. Then his face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, I mean that's too bad." I chuckled.

"You're really cute." The phrase slipped out of my mouth. Once I realize what I did I slapped my hand over my mouth and gave a muffled apology. I felt hear rush to my cheeks and I couldn't meet his eyes.

"That's okay, I sort of think your cute too." He looked down and blushed as well. He grabbed the pen beside my nightstand and the note pad and scribbled down 10 digits.

"You should... call me some time." He handed the slip to me and looked up shyly.

"I definitely will, Connor Matthews." I smiled at him.

"Could... I...uh." He cleared his throat. "Maybe hang out with you here for a while. The music is really loud and all the people are scary."

"Of course!" I said to excitedly, then I looked down at my hands and blushed. He giggled, then we laid back on my bed together and watched TV. It was pure bliss, he was so easy to talk to, and I felt like I could bare my soul to him. It was new to me but it was nice, and contributed even more so to my relaxed mood.