The Amazing Technicolor Love

Trouble in Paradise #7

Peyton's POV

"Peyton." Did Jack really just say my name? I lifted my head off his chest and looked up. When I looked up, I was looking back into those beautiful brown eyes. "Jack," I gasped. I felt myself start to cry again, but they were finally happy tears as the realization set in. "Oh my god, Jack," I sobbed while flinging my arms around his neck and burying my head into him. "Jack, I'm so sorry, I should've never left you, I'm so sorry, I love you," I rambled on and on while still crying. The happiness overwhelmed my body. Jack wrapped his arms around my back. I was sure he was confused but he didn't reject my sudden show of affection for him. He shushed me. "Shhh, Peyton. It's okay, I'm right here." He tried to comfort me but he could barely speak. I pulled myself together and pulled away from him. "Oh god, it's really you," I said in awe, sitting back and looking at him. "I have to get your parents," I quickly said while getting off the bed and opening the door. My mom and his parents were sitting in the hallway. "He woke up!" I almost shrieked. Everyone's faces dropped and Katherine started crying. She ran past me, into the room. Once she saw Jack, awake, in bed, she started crying even more. Both of his parents swarmed him, hugging him and crying. The nurses and doctor eventually came in to see what all the commotion was about. Jack had remained pretty quiet and confused. "Hi Jack, how are you feeling?" Dr. Roberts asked him while standing next to his bed. "Confused," Jack answered. Dr. Roberts chuckled. "I would imagine you are very confused. Don't be scared or alarmed but you were in a coma for close to a month." Dr. Roberts informed Jack. "A month?" Jack asked in shock. Dr. Roberts nodded. "Can you tell me anything you remember from before?" He questioned Jack. Jack paused for a moment and looked around. "I was with Johnson, we were driving in LA." Jack said after a little bit of thought. "Good, good. Can you tell me anything from before that?" Dr. Roberts continued. "We were at a studio in LA recording music." Jack answered easily. Dr. Roberts continued asking Jack simple questions, checking that he still had his memory. After about 10 minutes, Dr. Roberts turned to Jack's parents. "Everything looks good. Jack didn't lose any of his memory and all his vitals are good. He's breathing normally on his own and his ribs are just bruised now. His shoulder and ribs should be fine in the next week or so." Everyone sighed in relief. "If I could just have you two come down to the nurses desk with me to sign some papers." Dr. Roberts told Mr. and Mrs. Gilinsky. "We'll be right back, sweetheart," Katherine told Jack while kissing his forehead. He nodded and smiled. My mom turned to me then. "I'll be in the waiting room if you need me," she told me and I gave her a hug. Finally everyone left, leaving Jack and I alone. I sat down on the bed and looked at him. "Dr. Roberts said you didn't lose any of your memory, so that means you remember me being a total bitch to you?" I asked him shyly. He chuckled. "Yeah, I haven't forgotten that." He said while picking my hand up and playing with my fingers. He was completely awake now and could finally talk after drinking some water. "I'm so sorry about that Jack. I was getting ready to call you and tell you how big of an idiot I was for ever giving up on us but Johnson called me and told me about the accident and...I-I could barely live with myself, Jack. I almost lost you, you know? And I-" Jack cut me off. "Peyton, stop. It's in the past, don't beat yourself up about it." Jack told me gently. I played with my thumbs and looked down at my lap. "I wrote you a letter, you know, in case you didn't wake up, I wanted to write an apology so maybe I wouldn't feel so guilty." I told Jack softly. "Read it to me," he said. I faced him. "No just read it on your own." I told him. "No, I want to listen to you." He smirked. I gave in because there was no way to say no to your boyfriend who almost just died but somehow miraculously lived. I leaned over and picked up the envelope off the table. I sat cross legged on the bed and faced Jack. He smiled at me while rubbing his fingers gently across my legs. I cleared my throat and started reading.

"Dear Jack,

It's late and all I can think is how badly I miss you. I miss your laugh, your eyes, the way you wrap your arms around my waist, the sound of your voice when you just wake up in the morning, but most of all I just miss you. I miss being with you and knowing you're alive and safe. It's odd, wondering if I'll ever talk to you again. It's something I never thought I would ever wonder. Yet here I am, alone in my dorm room beating myself up because I pushed you away and it may be for good. They always say, you hurt the ones you love most. I keep telling myself that's why I hurt you, because you're the person I love most in my life. It doesn't make me feel any better though. I can't stand that I let us go for such a stupid reason. I should've supported you in your decision to go on tour and pursue your career rather than go to college. But for some reason, you choosing touring over college felt like you choosing your career over me. It sounds stupid when I write it and that's because it was stupid. I realize now, you weren't giving up on us, I just wish I would've realized that earlier. For what it's worth, I support you in every single thing you do. I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished at such a young age. Jack, please wake up, love. Wake up so we can have a future together. I'll stand by you through thick and thin, good times and bad times, happiness and sadness. But if our last time speaking is going to be our fight when I hung up on you and told you to never call me again, just know that was me being irrational. And that even though I told you never to call, everytime my phone rang, I was secretly praying it was you. Just know, that if this is truly the end for us and you never open those beautiful eyes again, that I loved you and still do love you. I'll love you forever and I'll love you for always Jack Gilinsky. You are the most talented, loving, funny, kind-hearted, young man I know and it is an honor to call you the love of my life. Wherever you end up, I hope you find happiness and peace.

Love always,

Peyton."

By the end of reading my letter, I was in tears. "I'm so sorry, Jack." I mumbled through my tears as I folded the paper back up. "Peyton come here." Jack motioned for me to lay down next to him. He wrapped his arm around me and I curled into his chest. "I'm here now. I woke up, that's all that matters. I'm always going to be here, I promise babe. Everything is okay now, I forgive you, okay?" I nodded against his chest and sniffled. "I love you so much Peyton and having you by my side is all I ever need in life. I had to wake up because there was no way I could leave you." Jack kissed the top of my head.

Jack's POV

Having Peyton curled up against my chest felt like home. I had missed her so much that finally having her here didn't feel like real life. We laid together in silence. I took in her smell and the feel of her little body against mine. Watching Peyton be so broken hearted over me while reading her letter made me feel terrible but I knew now that I was never ever letting her get away again. I ran my fingers up and down her arm. The moment was peaceful and I felt like everything was going to be alright.