Fighter | l.h.

6

It was 12 when I finally decided to get up to go back to the hospital. I told my mom not to give Luke a lunch because I'd bring it for him. I put on a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt. I put my glasses on and put my hair up in a pony tail.

To Luke Hemmings

Hey, I'm on my way over. Hope you aren't that hungry.

After I sent the message, I made my way to our garage and got into my moms car that she used when she didn't work. She normally would carpool with her co workers because they all lived somewhat close to us.

I put the keys in the ignition and started the car, making sure I had my backpack with all my stuff for school in it, I pulled out of the garage and went down the street. I took my wallet out of my purse and laid it in the middle consul so I could have it if I needed it. I pulled into the Wendys drive-through and ordered a Baconator for Luke and a Chicken Asiago for myself and two sodas. I pulled around and got the food before heading off to the hospital. I signed myself into the visitor log book before heading upstairs.

Once I was up on the floor, I found my mom at the nurses station talking away like she normally does.

"Hi mom. I got you a milkshake," I said once I got her full attention.

"Oh thanks darling. Did you get any sleep?" I shook my head yes so she knew I at least tried sleeping. "Are you here to see Luke?" I nodded. "He has another visitor right now."

"Okay, so I can't go and see him?"

"No, I didn't say that. All I said was that he has a visitor." I simply rolled my eyes at my mother and walked down the hallway to where his room was.

"Come in," I heard him say. I opened the door slowly, putting my head in. He was sitting up with a bandage wrapped around his torso and a bruise on his cheek. A guy with black hair sat with his back to me and I didn't say anything. "Christine?"

"Yeah. I...I uh brought lunch and homework?" I said laughing slightly as I held up the food. He nodded to his friend, letting him get up and leave. His friend got up, and he was tall, but not as tall as Luke. He had some very nice cheek bones and prominent arm muscles.

"Wow, you look different," he said as I sat next to him by the bed.

"Is that a compliment?" I asked chuckling slightly as I handed him his food.

"No, I mean yes. Like, I mean you just look tired and-" I put a French fry in his mouth.

"I get it Luke. I look different. I normally don't wear my contacts on the weekend," I said taking a bite of my sandwich.

"I'm not saying you look bad," he mumbled before eating his own sandwich. "Thank you by the way."

"For the lunch? Don't mention it. I know what they would've fed you instead of this."

He shook his head. "No, I mean thank you for...for finding me last night after that incident I had." He gave a small nod before taking a drink of the soda I gave him.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did happen last night?" I pulled my legs under me and leaned against the hospital bed. He twirled the blanket around his fingers before pulling away.

"A long story for another time. Can we work on that Chemistry extra credit I had?"

I nodded before pulling out a folder. "By the way, I still want to see you box," I said as I handed him a pencil. "I think you'd be a good one after I saw you throw those punches at that guy last night."

"You saw that?" He said, propping himself up on the pillows.

"How else do you think I saved you?" He looked at me thoughtfully before giving me a quick smile and looking down at his paper.

********

"Did I do this one right Christine?" He asked, thrusting his Calculus problems in my face as I was typing up a speech for Debate.

"Give me a second god," I said taking the paper from him and scanning it over. "No."

"What do you mean no?! I've spent twenty minutes on this one!"

"Just fix your coefficient and you'll be fine you dumbo," I said as I began my fifth paragraph.

"I'm not a dumbo," he mumbled before violently erasing his mistake. After a minute, he showed me the fixed problem. "Is this one at least right?"

"Now it's right," I said putting a happy face next to the number. "Look, I graded it for you." He smiled at me before taking it back and doing the next problem.

"I like this. You and I sitting here doing homework," he said as he showed me the problem he just completed.

"And you like getting answers right," I said as I wrote another happy face next to the problem. "So, where did you used to go to school?" I asked as I finished my speech and turned off my computer.

"Some little school up further north. I highly doubt you would've heard of it," he said before opening up an English book.

"Oh," was all I could manage. He probably didn't want to talk about it, he probably wasn't even up for me to be there with him. But, all of the words that my friends told me about him went through my head and, and well maybe he was putting up with me because he did like me. But I can't like him, I can't love someone after Teddy and I don't want to.

"I'm all done," he said putting the book in his lap. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, I mean what can we do since you're in a hospital bed and I can walk?" I said sort of jokingly.

"Watch a movie, eat food, make out I don't know." He gave me a very serious look after saying 'make out' and I felt my heart stop for a second.

"Did you just say make out?!" I stood up and looked at him funny.

"Shit, I guess I did." He ran his hand through his hair and looked down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that. Really, I didn't it was stupid I-"

"Look, Luke. You seem like an amazing person and all, but if you want to...to like date me I don't know if I can come through on that side."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you ever lost someone you loved?" He shook his head no. "I can't talk about this, alright? I...I'll see you when you come back to school." I quickly grabbed all my stuff and shoved it in my bag, grabbing my phone and car keys before heading towards the door.

"Christine wait!" He said calling after me. I turned around and saw him leaning over out of the bed, clearly in pain. I rushed to his side and pushed him back onto the bed so he wouldn't injure himself further. "I'm sorry if I offended you. Just please don't leave because of me. I like having you around."

"I wish I could stay, but visiting hours are over. And my mom got in trouble for letting me stay here last night," I said as I resituated him on the pillows. "I'll call you, alright? I promise." I moved away from him, his hand sliding down my arm and tightening on my wrist. I slipped away from him and picked up my bag. "Bye," I said walking out the door. As I left, I thought I heard him say 'I love you.'

But then again, it was only a thought.