Bex

Chapter 31:

I was running through a field of flowers. The white lace of my dress floated around my bare feet. I welcomed the warmth of the golden sun on my face. I was laughing as I kept running. I turned my head back to try and catch a glimpse of the person who was chasing me.

  "Catch me if you can!" I yelled, laughing.

  I didn't know who I was running from, but I was determined to win our game of tag. Violets and dandelions and lavender whipped past me, kissing my skin. I saw a huge willow tree up ahead; I was determined to reach the tree, but I felt hands encircle my waist, lifting me into the air. I squealed, kicking my feet helplessly in the air.

"I got you." A silky voice whispered in my ear, sending pleasant shivers down my spine. "What's my prize?"

  "Hmm?" I turned around in my captors embrace and looped my arms around his neck "How about this?"

  I leaned in and kissed him softly, teasingly. I pulled away, and he sighed. He tried leaning in again, but I jerked back... but I must have jerked back too hard, too quickly, because next thing I knew were both laying in the flowers laughing. I smiled at him after our fit of laughter. He caught me staring and smiled back. I rolled over so I was on top of him. I caressed his neck and gave him another kiss. I pulled away, laughing softly.

"I love you, Axel West."

"I love you too." He said dreamily, smiling like a goofball.

"Where are we?" I asked, curiously looking around. I had never seen this place before.

"In your subconscious." My forehead crinkled with confusion, but he quickly explained. "This is a dream."

I groaned, resting my head on his chest. "I wish this was real. I don't want to wake up."

"I know, baby." He played with my hair. "I know. But you have to."

I sighed, taking in the scent of him that clung to his white cotton T-shirt. I hugged my arms around him tighter, listening to the beat of his heart. I knew deep down it wasn't real- he wasn't real- but I didn't want to let go.

Soon the blue sky turned black. The purple and yellow and white flowers turned black. I tried to call out to Axel, to hug him tighter to me, but he was gone. Everything was gone. Everything was coming down in pieces all around me until all I saw was black.

******
The first thing I thought when I opened my eyes was, light. I had found the light. But it wasn't the light from the golden sun in my dreams. It was a fluorescent light that made me squint and cringe away from it. My vision was going in and out of focus as I turned my head to figure out where I was. I was in a small room with minimal decorations or furniture.

  When my eyes adjusted, I saw that I was lying on a bed with several tubes in my arms. I groggily tried to pull them out of my wrist, but someone's hands reached out to stop me.

  "Woah, woah! I know you're probably confused, but you have to leave these in." I raised my eyes to meet hazel ones.

  "Ben?" I croaked, my throat felt like sandpaper. "Where am I?"

  "You're in the hospital. You passed out."

  "What?" I looked down at myself to see me in a paper white gown with little blue polka dots on it.

  My head felt fuzzy, and my body felt like it was as heavy as lead. I closed my eyes to only get flashes of what I last remembered: a party, a pig, Axel kissing Candy, me kissing Ben, cold coffee, and Ben's scared eyes. The pieces were there, but it was hard to put them together or to make sense of them.