All the Ways to Tell You

A Gentle Hug And A Painful Laugh

      Corrie's eyes slowly opened. "What happened?" Is what she tried to say. But because of the oxygen on her mouth is sounded like "psh swoosh wha shh." She tried to sit up, and immediately regretted that decision. A wave of pain jolted up her side and she fell back with a grunt. Someone rushed to her side, but she couldn't see through the pain which made her vision spotty. "Woah woah, careful." Said the person at her side. It was Grey.

Corrie grabbed at her face and took off the mask which was hindering her speaking. She could breath fine without it. Her vision cleared a little, but her eyelids were heavy and she wanted to sleep, but instead she gingerly tried to sit up, slowly propping herself up with her arms. She grimaced at the pain, but sat up. Corrie looked around, a bit confused. "W-where-how-what happened? Why am I here?" She asked weakly. Grey sat at the chair beside her hospital bed. "What do you remember?" He asked gently. Corrie scrunched her face up as she thought. "Well...we were at lunch...then-then that guy came with a gun...and-OH GOD is Emily ok??!" She yelled. Grey put a gentle hand on her arm, "It's ok! She's fine! You-you jumped in front of her and got-got shot..." He said, looking down and fiddling with the hem of his bloody shirt...wait what?! "Grey!! How'd your shirt get like that?! Are you ok?" She asked, grabbing his shirt to inspect the big blood stains. He jumped at the sudden grabbing of his shirt. "Uh yeah, I'm fine! You-I was...I got some of your blood on me..." He said, (leaving out the part that he was holding her in his arms and whispering "I love you") "Oh...heh sorry..." He looked confused. "For what?"
"That's one of your favorite shirts..." She was surprised to hear him laugh. "Dude! Its fine! You got shot and you're worried about my shirt being stained?!" He laughed some more. Corrie laughed too, but when she did she grabbed her side and stomach in pain, making her laugh a bit more, making her in more pain. "Haha! Ow! Ha, Ow!" She stopped laughing and so did Grey. He smiled kindly at her. God I want to kiss him... "Grey?"
"Yeah?"
"...Can I have a hug?"

He smiled and nodded, gently and carefully giving her a hug, so as not to hurt her side. He wrapped his arms lightly around her and she hugged him back. She rested her face on his shoulder and closed her eyes, inhaling his familiar and comforting scent. They pulled apart and she immediately missed his warmth, but she didn't hug him again.

      "So...how did they let you in? Don't they only let in family or something?" Is he blushing a little bit? She tilted her head, watching his face turn a little red, and his eyes grow wide for a moment. "Oh! Yeah-I-I Uh...I kinda maybe lied?" He said, his voice cracking. He instantly put his hands over his mouth when his voice cracked, and Corrie held back a chuckle to avoid hurting her side. "Wow, you rebel. So what'd you tell them? That you were my brother or a cousin or something?"
"I-uh-yeah, something like that." She didn't know what that meant but she didn't ask any more questions. She was just happy he was there with her.

      "Is anyone else here?" She asked, wondering if her friends had come to see her. Grey nodded. "Yeah, Ella rode with you in the ambulance and her and Emily are waiting outside in the waiting room. Your parents are on their way back to town I think." Corrie nodded. "C-can they come in?" He shook his head sadly. "No, I'm sorry. Not yet...but..." his eyes flashed mischievously. "We don't have to follow the rules..." He knelt to the door and peered our.

      Once he determined there was no one there, he gestured a "come here" with his hand, and soon, in crept Ella and Emily.

      "Gurl! Are you ok?!" Asked Ella, running up to the bedside. Corrie smiled weakly. "Yeah. Shot, but ok." She laughed a little but saw a tear go down Ella's face. "I'm sorry...You're gonna be fine though." Corrie smiled. "What are you sorry for? You didn't shoot me." Ella chuckled slightly. "Yeah I guess not." She suddenly turned dead serious. "But if I ever see that criminally insane jerk again I swear to God he's gonna die slowly and painfully."