An Angel's Tears

Waking Up

I woke up in a brightly lit, white room. I know it sounds really cliché, but I didn't know where I was or what had happened. I heard beeping and realized I was in a bed.

Suddenly, in a sudden burst of realization. I remembered getting beat up at school, but I couldn't remember how bad. I remember the voice that spoke to me, pleading with me to stay awake before I had passed out. So I was in a hospital. Reese was asleep next to me in a chair.

I tried to lift my arm, but I felt really weak. I guessed that it had to do with the pain medicine I was getting through the IV hooked up to the machine next to my bed. It took a little effort, but finally I shook his shoulder, trying to wake him. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "You're alive." He whispered.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"...I didn't know how bad they hurt you."

"I can't remember much," I whispered.

"Well that's probably a good thing because you looked like you were in a lot of pain," he said it to be positive, but I could tell it hurt him to think about it.

After a pause Reese said "I'm glad they didn't kill you...and I'm glad you're awake."

"Me too...." I hesitated. "How long was I out?"

"A day and a half."

"Where are my parents?"

"They went to the Cafeteria to get something to eat. They let me convince them that I could watch over you. ...Why do you ask? Did you want to see them? Because I cou-"

"No, no, it's fine, I just wondered where they were and whether or not they cared enough to come and see me." I interrupted.

"You must be exhausted." Reese said after I yawned. "Maybe you should sleep," He suggested.

"Kay," I said sleepily.

Reese smiled.

As I was dozing off, I realized who that mysterious voice belonged to. Reese was the one talking to me at the school.

...But, wait, that can't be right. I remember the voice talking to me while I was unconscious. They said that they loved me.

But Reese couldn't love me. It sounded like his voice, but I must have been hallucinating. I must have been dreaming. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. I let out a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Reese asked, "Are you in pain?"

"No, I'm fine, I just...." Could I tell him?

"What, tell me please?" His eyes were pleading.

I took a deep breath. "I thought I heard you talking to me at the school," I started with that.

"Yeah, I beat up the guys and I was trying to wake you up. When you passed out, I called 911, rode here in the ambulance with you, and used your cell phone to call your parents."

"Oh..."

"You sound like something's bothering you."

"You'd think I was crazy...."

"Try me."

"I thought I heard you, while I was unconscious, you said...I thought you said...."

"What?"

"...I thought you said you loved me..." I blushed.

He looked down at his hands. When he looked back up at me he gave me a small smile. "So you did hear that..."

"Don't feel bad...I...." Why was I having so much trouble talking today?

"You what?" he asked.

"I love you too." I whispered. "I've loved you all along." So I'd finally said it, I had finally admitted that I had a crush on him.

"I've loved you since the first day I saw you," he said simply. And it all suddenly made sense, why he stared at me, why he sometimes trailed off in the middle of a sentence, why he didn't really like the word 'friend'. It was so clear now, he'd loved me all this time. "...So where does this leave us then?" He asked after a slight hesitation.

"That depends, where do you want it to leave us?"

"Hmmm, let's see...." He was teasing me.

"Oh come on, don't keep me waiting."

"Alli, will you be my girlfriend?"

"I would be glad to." I smiled at him.

He just smiled and leaned in to kiss my forehead. I reached over and grabbed his hand. And that's how I fell asleep: him humming a lullaby to me and stroking my hand. Before I fell asleep I heard the song come to life and the angelic voice started to sing to me, it was a song I've heard once before, Secondhand Serenade- Our Time.

"Long road

Of premature decisions

Leaving me cold

With only good intentions

But it's you, who

Takes my pain away

You know it's you, who

Keeps me wide awake

You know it's you

It's you

This is our time to runaway

It's our time we don't have to stay here

Cause all the things that I never knew that I wanted

Are here with you

This is our time, forget the past

It's our time we could make it last

Cause all the things that I never knew that I wanted

Are here with you."

And then I fell asleep contently, knowing that someone was actually there for once in my life.