in between all things

Chapter Twenty-Six

"Ash? Are you awake?"

I groaned as pain exploded throughout my body. I tried to open my eyes but failed, though I knew that it was Drew that was speaking to me. What had happened? What's wrong with me? Also why'd Drew sound so worried? He was usually hella calm.

"Asher?" Drew said again, this time his voice was a mixture of worry and relief.

I groaned again and fought my eyes open. When I got my eyes open I was faced with an overwhelming blurriness that made my eyelids collapse again.

"Mum and dad are here getting coffee. I came as fast as I could. The doctor said you fainted from lack of sleep and food. Why won't you take care of yourself! Ash I thought you were going to die." Drew said angrily. Did he really think I was going to die? I didn't think anyone really cared that much about me anymore.

I groaned again to show Drew that I could hear him. So I fainted? I felt fine up until I had spoken to Drew. Fuck! That reminded me, I was suppose to meet Jace! How long had I been out?

"Jace." I forced out, tiredly. Why was I this tired? I had fainted before and it wasn't anything like this. Was the doctor sure that I fainted?

"Ash! Your awake!" Drew exclaimed, hugging me.

I groaned and attempted to push him off. "Why am I this tired?"

"I don't know. You shouldn't be." Drew said concerned and let me go. I sighed and tried to force my eyes open again, and this time they stayed open.

I looked around the room curiously. I'd stayed in the hospital before when I had gotten my tonsils removed but that was years ago. The only clear feeling I had about hospitals was that they scared me years prior, but now they made me sick. Why was there so much white everywhere?

"How long have I been out?"

Drew sighed and sat on the hospital bed beside me. "You were severely sleep deprived, Ash. You fainted and then you slept for about ten hours!"

I gasped and felt panic rise in me. I had missed seeing Jace! He was going to think that I didn't care. Wait did I? Of course I fucken did and I was going to loose him forever.

"Ash. Your in the hospital and all you can think of is Jace? You an idiot."

"I hate my mouth. It can die."

"Like you almost did?" Drew said sarcastically.

"Okay, 1) When did you learn sarcasm? And 2) I didn't die. Stop saying I did."

"Fine whatever. Do you need anything?" Drew asked getting up from the bed.

"My phone."

Drew nodded and handed me my phone from my bag. I opened my phone and called Jace, quickly before Drew could stop me.

~~~

*Jace's point of view*

"Fucken hell Jace!" Trey yelled from the other side of Rikers' bar. I ignored him and continued to wait for Ash. Strangely, even though I'd treated him badly I knew he'd come. But he wasn't here. Maybe he didn't care. Maybe I'd driven him away. I thought I could make him understand why I had to run. I couldn't stay in a town where I didn't belong.

"Jace I'm leaving. You can find your own way back." Trey huffed in annoyance. I rolled my eyes and sighed. Ash really wasn't coming. I'd ruined what we had, and I knew I'd lost my bestfriend in the process too.

Just as I got up, my phone started to vibrate in my pocket. Who would be calling me at five in the morning? Could it be Ash? I fished my phone out of my pocket and smiled as my thoughts stood correct. Wait, what was I going to say? He would want answers. Was I really to give them though?

"Hello?"

"I'm in the hospital." Ash said simply.

Hospital? "Wait why?"

"Oh look at you, giving a shit." Ash said sarcastically.

"What hospital?"

"My parents are going to be here soon. You can't come. I just called you tell you that... That I didn't not want to come."

"I don't care. I'll get Drew to tell me if you don't." I demanded. I knew I was being horrible, disappearing for months and then coming back into Ash's life so quick but I needed to be there. He was in the hospital for Christ's sake!

Ash groaned through the phone. "If I was in the South Side I wouldn't be in the hospital. Would I?"

That made sense. The only way Ash would be in the hospital in the South Side was if he had been shot or worse and that seemed unlikely. "I'll be up in the North Side soon."

"Jace! Don't -" Ash started saying before I hanged up on him, grabbed Trey by the collar and pulled him towards his car so he could drive me to Ash.

Once we were inside his car, Trey turned to me. "Where are we going?"

"North hospital." I said, as Trey pulled away from Rikers.

"Why?"

"Ash is there."

"Your boyfriend? Jace, you said you weren't gonna go back to anyone in the South. You can't —"

I groaned and leant back in my seat. "Don't tell me that."

Trey shrugged and continued to drive. Was he right?