I'd Give Up Forever To Touch You

Chapter 10

"ALEX! REGGIE!" I shouted for them, trying really hard to keep myself together. "Jules! PLEASE!" I accidentally shouted at her, Reg and Alex materialized nearby as Julie stirred in the bed. Julie blinked slowly at me as Alex and Reg saw the blood on my hand and took in the rest of the scene, rushing to either side of the bed.

"My head is killing me. Why are you screaming?" Julie groaned as she sat up in the bed, cupping the side of her head in her palm. I fell to my knees beside the bed, holding on to the edge, trying hard to get myself to calm down. "Jesus, Jules.." Exhaling the breath I was holding. "Alex, grab some gauze and stuff for her head." My pounding heart made my voice shake, or maybe it was just shaking from the fear. 

I rest my forehead on the edge of Julie's bed, slowing my breath. "I'm gonna get some water and more pain meds for your head Jules." Reg said, a soft whoosh, leaving us alone together. "Luke, it's okay." Jules still sounded a little groggy, I lifted my head up to her, looking over her face, soft with sleep but slowly filling with worry. 

"I thought you were dying." Was all I managed out, not really knowing what else to say. Jules lifted a hand, brushing her fingers across my cheek, wiping a tear apparently. Now I noticed the warm streaks down my cheeks, wiping them away myself with the inside of my wrist. My heart wouldn't stop doing backflips in my chest, even as Julie sat up on her elbows, looking at me. 

"Luke, come here." She patted the bed next to her, gesturing me towards her. "I'm fine, Jules." She rolled her eyes at me. "Just lay down for a second, you're gonna put yourself into a panic attack." She patted the bed next to her again, slightly harder, I followed her command, crawling into the bed next to Julie. I tried to lay my head down on to the pillow but Jules pulled me towards her, making me lean over, I had to scoot down or we'd knock heads, my head ending up on her shoulder. Julie's hand hesitated for a moment over my skin, tickling against the hair on my arm. Leading my arm to wrap around her waist, moving my head onto her chest. 

I could hear Julie's heart, pumping against my ear, her chest rising and falling with her breath, she's okay. "I'm okay." She said, as if she read my mind. Taking a breath in through my nose, my senses flooded with the smell of Julie, her flowery shampoo, the vanilla moisturizer I knew she loved. I was tempted to close my eyes and sink into the moment, but Alex walked in with his hands full of gauze and pain meds.

Alex hesitated in the doorway, Julie and I stilled at the sight of him, the three of us just frozen like deer in headlights. Finally, Alex moved, setting the handfuls of stuff down on Julie's desk before walking very quickly back out of the room. We both relaxed again, one of Julie's arms around me, ghosting fingers down my arm across her waist. I couldn't stay there, I knew I needed to wrap Julie's head again, give her the pills for her pain. Pulling away from her felt like I was leaving my skin behind, I felt cold when I walked to the desk to grab the stuff and returned to Julie's side. 

Julie sat up more on the bed, turning her head towards me to give me a good angle at the gash, a stray curl falling forwards against her temple. Slowly and carefully, I cleaned, dressed and wrapped Julie's head. I could feel her eyes watching me, following my motions. Could feel her breath against my neck, soft little puffs ghosting across my skin. When I secured the wrap around her head, careful not to get it caught up in Julie's tight curls, my fingers grazed against her cheek. 

"Jules...I can't keep doing this." My fingers lingered on her cheek, Julie's eye darting, searching mine. "I like you Jules, a lot. I'm not just saying that or whatever." An anxious chuckle worked it's way out of me, my hand dropped away from Julie's face to scratch at the back of my neck. "I know how I've acted doesn't seem like it. I'm sorry, for earlier. I just... I needed to say it. Stuff keeps coming up, I keep messing everything up and-and I haven't been able to say it."