Hidden by Secrets

Chapter 4

Jason's POV
13 WEEKS EARLIER

My head throbbed in pain. I slowly opened my eyes and found Haley sleeping in a chair at the end of the bed. She stirred at the sound of the machine beside me.
Wait? MACHINE?

The beeping heightened causing her to jerk awake. She rushed over to me.

"Jason calm down you're at the hospital." Her grip tightened, forcing me to slowly leave my frantic state. My eyes scanned the room. A sharp pain shot through my neck as I turned. I hissed in pain.

"Shh, don't move too much. Jason look at me," I responded to her command. "You were in a car accident." Memories of the night before rushed around my head. My brain tried to piece together everything that had happened. I remembered there being a second person as the car cruised down the road.

"Is anyone..... dead?" I managed, my throat dry.

"No thank goodness, but your friend Josh is hurt pretty badly." She spoke quietly, avoiding eye contact.

"How badly?" I awaited the probably horrible answer.

"A bar impaled the drivers seat. The doctors say his chance of walking again is very slim, but not impossible. He's going to need a lot of physiotherapy in order to help him." A lump caught in my throat at the thought of my best friend laying there, letting go of all of his future plans. Haley noticed and hugged herself close to me.

"Jace, I'm just so glad you're okay. When Paige called me saying she found your car my mind jumped to the worst." I was still numb, but my mind focused on Paige's name. Haley clutched my blanket and I comforted my little sister.

"Paige found us?" I finally asked, breaking the silence. Haley sniffed.

"Yeah, you guys must have been at the same party." My mind raced back, trying to place Paige at the scene. "Your body was half out of the car. Paige pulled you out and used her jacket to try and stop the bleeding. The paramedics arrived before she could help Josh." Haley added. My brain managed to think up Paige and her holding my limp body.
"Jason, stay with me okay don't fall asleep. The paramedics will be here soon. I need to ring Haley. Shh it's going to be fine."

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a creaking sound by the door. Paige stood there, her dress stained with blood and a little smile on her face.

"You're awake." She whispered, her voice sounding hoarse.

"Seems like it." I added making her smile grow. Haley stood up and leaned on the wall beside my bed.

"I'm going to go and get some coffee, you guys want some?" Paige and myself nodded. Haley exited the room, grabbing her purse as she did. I waited until I heard the sound of her sneakers padding against the marble floor to fade before I tried to get up. Paige looked alarmed. I pushed the covers back and jumped out of the bed. Bad move. A sharp pain shot up my ankle and Paige rushed over to me.

"Hey take it easy, you sprained it." My hands gripped her shoulders for support as I tried to quickly erase the pain. I fixed my posture and made eye contact with her.

"I guess I should thank you." I said silently.

"You just did." She added and I loosened my grip. I smiled at her witt.

"I'm just glad you're okay. Without you Haley and I wouldn't be able to blame you for half the stuff we do."

"Is that all you use me for? I'm hurt." I placed a hand on my chest for emphasis. Paige giggled slightly. We both smiled and I found myself once again entranced by her gaze.

"Sorry about your clothes."

"Eh," she shrugged her shoulders, "I'll get new ones." I realised I had never been this close to her.

"Why did you help me first." I asked.

"You mean more to me." Paige added. I felt a wave of thoughts rush through me. Paige. My sisters best friend. A girl that I had known forever. I wanted to kiss her. My close encounter with death wiped all regrets. I leaned down and placed my lips on hers. She didn't pull away and my hands went to her waist. She gripped my shoulders, digging in her nails and kissed me back. I tangled one hand in her hair and she did the same. I felt the heat rise between us.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Paige broke the kiss and we turned to face the devil in disguise. James McKenzie.