The Way Things Go

Chapter Four

When I finally woke up I was no longer in the small cot at the school, but in my bed at home. I slowly sat up and winced, grabbing at my head. The pain was unbearable and at first I couldn't remember why. Then it hit me...

I FELL OUT OF THE TREE! 

But I didn't hit the ground... 

XANDER!

He caught me... but how he wasn't there. Was he? He must have been. I remember him catching me and bringing me to the nurse. But what happened after that? All I remember is the nurse telling me I have a concussion and falling asleep on the cot in her office. How did I get home? To my own bed? 

Just as I was going to get up and out of bed to head to the kitchen to get some water and medicine, Xander walked into my room with all of that plus an ice pack. After he set that down at my desk he went back and closed the door before returning to sit in the chair at my desk and closing his eyes. He didn't even notice I was awake until I cleared my throat. Once I did his eyes shot open wide and he jumped back out of the chair and ran to my side. Why is he acting like this? He isn't even my friend and we don't even like each other. 

"Jo, oh my god. You're awake!" he yells a little to loud.

"Ow," I say grabbing my head again while looking at Xander. Slowly his eyes turn to worry as a I grab my head. Why is he worried?

"Shit. I'm sorry I didn't mean to be so loud. Here," he says as he walks back to the desk and grabs what he brought with them before handing them to me. Taking them from him as fast as I could I down the asprin and the whole glass of water.

"Thanks," I mumble to him before handing it back to him and laying back down in my bed.

"No problem," he mutters under his breath before coming to sit on the edge of the bed. 

"How did I get here?"

"I carried you out about twenty minutes before school let out so it would still be quite enough for you to stay sleeping. Then I drove us here in your car and carried you back up to bed. It's already almost four you slept for a long time." 

"Oh," I say slightly shocked, "thank you again. You didn't need to stay though. I would have been okay. I can handle myself."

"I know but I wanted to," he mumbles looking at me with a small smile and warm eyes causing me to blush and turn my head. As soon as I did that though he took my chin, once again, gently in his large hands like he did this morning turning me to face him and look into his eyes once more deepen my blush.

"You don't need to turn away when you blush. You are so beautiful when you do there is no need to hid it. Especially not from me, Jo."

That only made it worse as I felt a warm feeling surge through my whole body and by cheeks burn only meaning that they are red now no longer pink like before. This is a side of Xander I have never seen before and I have known him for a while now. Not sure of what to do, I just give him a small smile causing him the develop an even bigger smile and brighter eyes as he continued to stare into mine before he looks away this time. His smile fading.

"Xander?" I ask him softly bringing him back.

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry. I need to go and get some food."

"Oh okay. Come on, I know where to go."

"Where are we going?"

"I know a place that will be perfect trust me."

Did I trust him? I guess it is the least I can do after he saved me today.

"Okay, let's go. Just let me grab my wallet," I state as I slowly start to get up. 

Standing up was a bad idea because as soon as I did I felt a wave of dizziness pass through me causing me to lose my balance, but Xander steady me and picked me up before I could even begin to fall. What is it with him saving me from myself? Things have been really weird since I found that first note yesterday on my car. Then the one from today. WAIT! Where is my bag?

"Xander, wait where is my bag?" I ask him, "the one I had at lunch?" 

"It's at your desk," he replied. Slowing getting out of his arms I went to the bag and dug through it until I found what I was looking for. The paper airplane.

"What's that?" he asked me.

"Oh, its nothing just a paper airplane," I told him but my blush gave me away as he grab the paper airplane out of hands.

"Tesoro?" he questioned, "What does that mean?"

"It's Italian and that's all I'm telling you."

"Okay, oh and you won't be needing your wallet either. Come on clumsy let's go," he said and then picked me back up again before carrying me down the stairs and to my car where he placed me in the passengers seat and then he went around to the drivers side and got in.

"Um, why are you driving? This is my car."

"I'm aware, but you don't know where we are going and it's not best for you to be driving right now. At least not for a few days until your head gets better."

"Ugh, that's right. Okay so where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he said with a wink.

I rolled by eyes and laughed at him before laying my head back and relaxing as he drove us to wherever we were headed. 

Along the way he turned the radio onto the same station that he had on this morning only this time it was turned way down low and he was humming along to the songs one after another. Surprisingly to me, I never wanted him to stop. The way he sounded humming was gentle and nice. He was so melodic that it brought a soft smile to my lips. For the rest of the drive I just listened to him hum along to the songs relaxing more and more with every song that was played. 

It wasn't until a song I believe is called "You Make it Easy," by Jason Aldean started playing that he started to sing instead of hum. His voice was angelic and I didn't know what to think I turned to face him as I opened my eyes. 

"What?" he asked me once he noticed that I was staring at him with my mouth open.

"You have an amazing voice Xander," I told him in awe. Now he was the one blushing.

"Come on Jo, no I don't," he answered shyly.

"No really. You really do. Keep singing."

"No you're watching me now I can't. You make me nervous."

"I what?" I asked him in shock as we pulled up to a huge house before he stopped the car.

"Okay we're here," he said changing the subject and sprinting out the car to my side to grab me out as well and opening my door. 

"No you don't get to change the subject!"

"Just drop it please?" he begged me with questioning eyes reaching out for my hand. Sighing I looked up and gave him my hand.

"Okay, I will for now, but I'm going to bring it up again at some point," I told him. He nodded and lifted my up into his arms while carrying me to the huge house.

"Where are we?" I asked him.

"My house."

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Okay guys, tell me honestly what you are thinking? I just finished this chapter and would like to know. Worth reading? Good? Bad? 

What do you think about Xander? Do you think Jo will remember what happened in the nurses office? If so, when? What do you think Charlie is going to think with the way his best friend is suddenly treating his cousin that he hates? Will Xander be the same around her when he is around his friends when he is with her alone? Let me know! Give me some good feedback!

-Juliann