Lies 1-50

I opened my eyes and sat straight up. "Noah! Where's Noah?"

My voice was unfamiliar and rough like it had come from a man. My tongue was dry so I swallowed a few times and wet my fingers with the water next to my bed and then rubbed my tongue. I knew that if I gulped down the water I'd just cough up spit balls.

"Where's Noah?" The words weren't so hard to form then.

"Shhhh, calm down. He's right over there behind that curtain. That thing that you just did with your tongue was nasty as hell."

I looked over at Skinner with narrowed eyes. "Shut up. I just want Noah."

I swallowed again and he said, "Well you don't want to see him that way. Your face is as yellow as my hair. Plus your eyes are all puffy. You've been out for months."

I noticed how bad I smelled at that instant. "What? Months?"

Levi walked in the room carrying a styrofoam cup of soda in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. "Don't tell her lies Skinner. I'm glad to see you're awake Char, I was so worried about you. You've only been out for a week."

"Only a week?" I looked down at the IV in my arm and ripped it out violently. No one bothered to ask about it and I pulled my limp legs out of the bed and dragged myself over to where Noah slept. I ran my fingers over where his foot was reattached and casted. I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, sort of like hunger but not exactly that. It tasted like guilt in the back of my dry mouth.

"The doctor's say he'll need some physical therapy, but he should be fine. They got his tendons all reattached and everything, but he'll have a weak leg for the rest of his life." Levi said.

"This is all my fault. If I wouldn't have been such a worthless piece of shit, none of this would have ever happened."

"Charlotte, it's not your fault. It's Alex's fault. I'm gonna go all vampire and suck the life out of him on him on Wednesday, it's his court hearing. That guy who talked to you before you blacked out... He's the main witness."

"It is my fault. He'll never be able to look at me the same way again."

I put my face on his leg and let huge tears of disappointment in myself coat his thin blanket. The pain of my face on the hard surface and electrifying.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Noah's voice was suddenly in my ears. I could feel him sit up and as he did he put his fingers in my hair. "Honey, look at me."

I shook my head no and suddenly felt very self conscious about my yellow skin.

"Come on." His voice was soothing.

I turned my head toward him and he said with a smile, "Now that's not so bad, is it?"

I stood up on wobbly legs and put my arms around his neck. "Oh Noah! This is all my fault!"

"No it's not. Don't worry about it hun."

"How can I not worry about it? You had your entire foot chopped off because of me. I'm so, so incredibly sorry."

"Don't be sorry."

He put his fingers in my hair again and inhaled deeply. "Mmmm you smell really good."

"Oh ha ha. Very clever."

"No, I'm not kidding. It must have been that sponge bath I requested they give you."

"What?" My shock overruled my sadness and I pulled back from him.

"I know you don't like to be dirty, so I requested they give you a sponge bath."

"What? Was I naked? In front of who?"

"Don't worry, it was a female nurse. And I watched." He raised his eyebrows suggestively and grinned. "It was hot."

I started laughing and looked down. I still had my old clothes on, I knew they hadn't bathed me. I slapped him playfully.

"A bath wouldn't be so bad." I said.

"I know. I'd like to get out of this smelly gown. It doesn't even cover my back up."

"I could help you with that." I said and raised my eyebrows quickly a few times.

He smiled again and pulled me into a hug.

"Oh GOD, Get a FREAKING ROOM!" Levi said with Skinner when Noah and I kissed.

"We're in a hospital room... If you'd like to step out for a few minutes, it doesn't take us long." Noah said to annoy them. It worked.

"I'm glad to see you're awake Char. I'll be leaving now." Levi waved and walked out of the door after giving Noah the evil eyes.

"Yeah, what he said." Skinner replied and did the two finger 'I'm Watching You' with a smirk.

I started rubbing my face because it hurt like pins were stabbing it from all directions.

"Does it hurt?" Noah asked.

"Not so much..." I lied through my teeth.

He put his fingers to my cheek and I winced involuntarily. "Liar," he whispered with a grin.

"You always see right through me." I said with a fake mad voice.

"But that's why you love me."

"Exactly."

His thumb moved up and down on my face for a few minutes until I grew tired and my eyes closed.

"Tired already?"

He scooted over as much as possible and patted the spot next to him. I laid down and he reached over for my hand. His thumb made the same strokes on my hand that they did on my face and soon I forgot about the accident. I forgot about the pain. I forgot about everything except for Noah, lying right there next to me, playing with my fingers.

And I slept.