America's Sweetheart

nine | i had him by halftime

"Hey, Mister Jason?"

"Yes?"

I look up to Jason, who I have gotten to know since this tour started.

"Where's Colt?"

"I'll go get him for you, EL," he nods and walks out the door.

A few minutes later, Colton walks in with guilt plaguing his handsome features. I furrow my eyebrows at him as he sits in the chair next to me. He finally looks up to meet my eyes as tears start to fill his.

"Colt," my almost completely unused voice cracks out.

I offer him my hand and he envelops it with both of his, leaning onto the bed. He lies his head on the edge of the bed and sighs.

I clear my throat and say, "Colt, thank you."

"For what?" He raises his head in question

"You saved me, Colt. If you wouldn't have shown up when you did, he could have gone farther."

"No, Emma Lou. I should have been there with you. I took you to your bed to let you sleep, but I left. I could have called Tim and Jason, and told them to get rid of it. If I wouldn't have left, you wouldn't be here right now, Emma Lou."

"Colt you sav-"

"If I would have stayed in your bus you would not be in here. If I would have ran faster maybe he wouldn't have gotten as far as he did. If I had listened to my gut, you wouldn't be hurt right now. If I would ha-"

Colton cut me off and had started ranting while pacing the length of the hospital bed. I grab his hand and pull him down to me, kissing him. My hands are resting on his jaw and on the back of his neck. He groans and pushes into the bed beside me, obviously resisting from touching me. I lean away and let myself recline on the pillow, taking Colton's hand.

*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>*>

Colton left about an hour ago to get ready for sound check. Tim told me I can still travel with the tour, but I'm not allowed to perform. By now, the attack is public knowledge and my phone is blowing up with Instagram DMs, Facebooks posts, Snapchat adds and messages, texts, emails, and Tweets from celebrities and fans. I check out of the hospital and Tim hands me the duffel bag of clothes Britt left before they had to go back to Alabama.

I open the duffel and find some dark grey leggings, my university sweatshirt, and my moccasins. I put on the underwear and sports bra that are placed under the clothes before getting dressed. I pull my hair into a lazy ponytail and slip my shoes on. I slowly walk over to Tim, giving him the bag back.

Walking out of the hospital, paparazzi are flashing their stupid cameras at me, news reporters are shoving microphones in my face, and Jaxon and Perry are pushing everyone out of my way. Samson opens my door quickly and I get in, Tim right behind me. Fists are pounding on the window as Samson peels out of the hospital drive, Jaxon and Perry tailing us.

When we get back to the arena, I go to find Colton. I hear his voice coming from the speakers and I smile, walk in there and sit where he can't see me. He's wrapping up one of his songs.

"Now every time the leaves start fallin' down, I get to thinkin' 'bout," he sings, his eyes closed and emotion flowing out of him.

"You had a sixteen home team jersey on, singin' every word to the fight song, had your airplane bottles from your purse out, had a country mile smile every first down," he smiles like he is remembering a fond memory

"Last thing on my mind was the football. Watchin' you girl like 'it's gonna be a good fall.' You would've thought that post-game kiss would've made me wanna make you mine, but you had me by halftime," he sings, a mixture of regret and elatedness taking him over