When He Showed Up

Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Jess’s POV:

I was in a sea of blackness, slowly drifting downward towards the unknown.  I was too exhausted to panic.  It would hurt too much.  I was perfectly content to let myself drown in this dark, emotionless place.  It was peaceful, a far cry from what my life had been as of late.  I welcomed its embrace.  But as soon as I had accepted my fate, a sound made its way to my muted, sensitive ears.

“Jess?”

The sound was perfect, crystalline, deep and comforting.  I saw it like a drop in the ocean, could see the ripples on the black surface far above.  Something inside my pained, tortured body and consciousness whispered for me to find its source.  Slowly, agonizingly, I forced my mind to paddle to the surface, where the droplet was already fading.  I feared that I had lost my way and was momentarily disoriented until the noise came again.

“Jessica Coben.”

The droplet was bigger this time, and I could see the swells it gave off.  With my last ounce of mental strength, I gave a final downstroke and broke the surface of the black sea, opening my unwilling eyes to harsh reality once again...

...and found a pair of gentle, slanted eyes the color of melted chocolate staring back into mine.  I smiled slowly, painfully, telling myself that the owner of those eyes must be trustworthy.  Anyone with eyes that beautiful couldn’t be all bad, could they?

Then I looked further and discovered that those eyes belonged to someone familiar.

It was...

...it was...

...BRIE.

He was leaning over me, concern and a trace of something else in his perfect eyes.  I saw him smile softly as he realized I was awake.   In that moment, he was vulnerable, he was more handsome than anyone I'd ever seen, and he was my anchor.  His fake bad-boy demeanor was nowhere to be found as we looked into each other’s eyes like we were on a cheap sitcom.  I allowed a small giggle to escape my split, bloody lips before falling asleep to the motionless black sea once more.

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Brie's POV

“Jess?” I whispered softly, wishing to see those Pacific-blue eyes look into mine. Gosh, Brie, two measly days and you’ve already fallen in love. What are you?  Some desperate freak?

No, I insisted defensively.  There’s something different about her. This love...has a different feeling: more deep, more personal.  I just needed something to show me that. I  guess this is it.  Thanks, fate.

I decided to try and wake her again.  “Jessica Coben,” I said, a bit louder this time.

I scanned her bruised face, looking for a movement, any movement, when suddenly, a soft groan escaped her swollen lips.  I could feel my eyes widen as I leaned over her, examining her eyelids. As I watched, they slowly fluttered open.  I felt my stomach getting nervous, but I quickly suppressed this crazy feeling.  Looking into her azure eyes, I finally understood why I felt so crazy in love with her.  Her eyes whispered her heart, if you looked close enough.

When she saw the crazy look I must’ve been giving her, she let a small, slightly hysterical giggle escape her fragile body.  I wished that I could tell her, tell that I loved her, and kiss away all her pain, all her sorrows.  But as soon as I looked back, she was fast asleep.  I smirked, took her hand softly, and held it for what seemed like a perfect eternity.

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