BH

Burning Hearts: Twelve

Twelve

Sapphire

Waking up in the hospital, surrounded by white, is a lot scarier than it sounds. I tried to move, but only succeeded in twitching my hand. Then I faintly heard Tash, and managed to open my eyes. The moment I realized where I was, I tried to ask questions, but my tongue was so dry it felt like toast in my mouth, but I managed to stutter out some questions. My Mother and Tash hugged me way too tight, but it was still comforting, although I had no idea what had happened. My mother spent the next ten minutes after I awoke cooing over me and being motherly, before Eric strode in the room, his face pale. Sensing it was a private conversation Eric and I needed to have, my mother and Tash left.

"What the hell?" I tried to yell at Eric, only succeeding in saying 'The he-' and breaking into a coughing fit. He came and sat on my hospital bed beside me and placed a finger to his lips, saying quietly, 'Shhh', but that only made me madder. I pointed at the glass of water on my bed-side table and after he passed it to me, I took a sip and let the cool liquid soothe my throat. When I was finally able to speak again, I turned to face Eric.

"What-the-hell!" I yelled, very dramatically, and continued, without letting him get a word in, "If you didn't like me, then you shouldn't have asked me out, okay? We are over, if we even started, you jerk! Go cry on Raie's shoulder, got it? Because there is no longer anything between us! You are such a-" I was cut off by Eric.

"What are you talking about? I like you. A lot, and Raie and I are only friends. Please, just tell me, what happened?" He said this with his gorgeous eyes open like a puppy's, but I wasn't falling for it again. As much as I just wanted to collapse in a heap in his arms, I was not going to.

He confused me sometimes.

"Leave, just leave," I said, quietly, trying to contain my anger. I was pointing at the door, though my eyes were still on him.

Then he did the last thing I expected, but the best thing he could have done at that moment. Eric leaned in, wrapping his arms around me in a warm embrace, and put his lips to mine. I'd never been kissed before. I know, you'd think a sixteen year old girl would have been kissed before, but no, this was, I guess you could say, my first kiss. At first, I was unsure how to respond, but when his lips, warm and luscious, met with mine, I slowly figured it out for myself. Practically melting beneath him, I tried to clear my head, knowing I needed to be strong. But I was so exhausted, I let him kiss me. Then, reluctantly, I pulled away, and just looked at him. It didn't make sense.

"Why did you ask me out? Was it because Raie said to?" I said quietly, not able to look him in the eyes.

"No, of course not. Raie did tell me to but I already planned to, I was just too afraid you would say no, so I waited to find out if you felt the same as I did, and Raie helped me to see that you did. I really like you Sapphy! You are the nicest, sassiest, most dramatic girl I have ever met. You make me feel like a better person. That’s why I asked you out. I would be so heartbroken if things were over. Are they?" He said his last questions with a little, nervous smile on his face.

I sighed in relief and hugged him, then said "We're not over, and I’m really sorry I over thought things. I guess ten years of drama will do that to you".

Eric pecked my cheek then got up, saying he had to go, but first, he pulled out a single orchid, my favourite flower, from his jacket, and got down on one knee and handed it to me, then kissed my hand, got up and pretended to fly away. It made me laugh, and I smiled to myself, then smelled the orchid and put it down next to me. That was when I saw my phone it was buzzing on the table across from me. I tried to get up to get it, but I couldn't move my legs yet, so I lay back down and went to sleep, letting the inviting darkness pull me in.