When Luke speaks, his tone is hurried.
And deadly serious.
"Cole, you need to get out of your house now."
"What are you talking about?"
"Now, Cole. Get your parents and get out of there."
###
Colina Turner's content with being an atheist, but she ne...
My other friends were overjoyed to see me, even though I was weak and pale from lack of sunlight, sleeping almost constantly in a hospital bed, and already done with being in said hospital bed. However, before Ashton called to let them know I was okay, she shared the rest of the story with me.
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"Yeah, it was Luke. He carried you out, and on top of that, you weren't burned to a crisp. Neither was he. You were still weak and exhausted, though, so he got you to the hospital. Your parents love the guy now, apparently. He refuses to tell me how he knew you were in trouble, and why he was there even before I was. Believe me, I've tried to get it out of him. He refuses to budge." "Wow." Ashton swallows hard. "There's one more thing." "What's that?" "Today is October twelfth." "I've been in a coma for TWO MONTHS?" "Yeah, kind of." Ashton says quietly, wincing. "Are you fucki-" "Don't finish that. You know, I think I'm just going to call the others and tell them you're okay." "I hate you." "I know." She pulls out her phone and leaves the room. I sigh. I don't really hate her, but I'm still trying to process that I've been asleep for two months. It felt like minutes. I didn't know. Ashton walks back in. "They're on their way." I lean back and close my eyes. "Fun." "Do you remember anything?" "No," I lie instantly. "I don't." I feel kind of bad for not telling her, but I don't want to tell anyone about the red man yet.
Then something hits me. My eyes fly open.
"I'm seventeen."
I laugh, a crazy laugh that sounds like something insane and desperate. "I spent my seventeenth birthday in a fucking coma." "Cole, please-" "Don't 'Cole, please' me, Ash. I'm seventeen now, and I didn't even get to celebrate it. I was in a coma, for crying out loud!" "I know," Ashton says, looking down at her lap. "I know."
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Nevah was the first one to join Ash in my room. She smiled, but it wasn't a real one. "Hey, Cole." "Hi." "You-" "Really look like shit, I know." She sets down the small bouquet she was carrying on the bedside next to me. "Yeah."
"How's school?" She sighs. "It's horrible. Math is hard as ever, maybe even harder than normal, Choir is kicking my butt, and English is no fun." "How are the others?" "Not great. Everyone at school was terrified. Remember back in sophomore year, when Ethan-" I wince, nearly crying at only the mention of his name. "Um, never mind. Point is, the school reacted in the same way." I laugh weakly. "Didn't know I was so popular."
