The Freshman Tease ✓

35. Back Together

Katie

I wake up to the sound of gentle knocking on the door. It opens and Lincoln comes in. He still looks pretty tired. I look at the small white clock on the wall, it's only 8 am. A bit of light streams into the room through the blinds.

"Lincoln? It's still so early," I whisper, "you need rest."

He smiles, "I felt bad about leaving you alone, you should go back to sleep if you're still tired, I'll stay here."

I press and hold a button to tilt the bed upwards so I'm sitting up. "No, it's alright," I say. I wince a bit at the pain from the movement. Everything still hurts, but it's much more bearable than yesterday.

He looks concerned. "Do you need a nurse?"

"No, no I'm fine, the nurse gave me some medication a couple hours ago," I say, giving him a weak smile. I don't want to worry him, it sounds like he's already been through a lot since I was admitted here.

"I brought you some food," he says, holding up a bag, "I've stayed in a hospital before and I know how terrible their food is." I recall him mentioning a tree climbing incident with Jason and Ray when they were six.

He opens the bag and places the container down on my over bed table. It's liege waffles from my favorite waffle place.

I chuckle a bit. "Lincoln, I only have one usable hand," I say, holding up my left arm in a cast, "how do I use the fork and knife."

He turns pink. "Whoops," he says sheepishly, "I didn't think about that."

Lincoln ends up feeding me. He's so sweet and nice.

We hang out for a bit until I build up the courage to ask what I've been wanting to ask since yesterday. "Why didn't you tell me what really happened that night of the party? And how Jason was involved?" I ask quietly.

"Ray and Stephanie told you huh?" he asks, smiling sheepishly.

I nod, "Why didn't you want them to?"

"You had already started hanging out with Jason by the time you were ready to talk. Every time I saw you around him, you seemed so happy," he recalls glumly. "I didn't want to take that away from you. I wanted you to be happy, even if it wasn't with me."

"Oh Lincoln, I'm so sorry," I say, reaching out to take his hand. I can't believe how selfless he is, and I just let him go.

"I'm sorry too, I can't believe I let him manipulate you like that. He's done something similar before to a former friend, Sally. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and assume he had matured since then," he sighs, "but it looks like I was wrong to do that."

"Please don't blame yourself," I whisper, reaching out to hug him.

I've missed his hugs. The feeling of his arms holding me are so comforting and familiar. His warmth and scent make the sinking feeling in my heart go away. I don't even realize I've started crying.

"Hey shh, Katie," he says, wiping away my tears. "Don't cry."

He gives me a reassuring smile that I can't help but smile back at.

"I've missed you," he says, gently touching my hand, "and I was so terrified when I thought I was going to lose you two nights ago."

I give him a wobbly smile. "I'm not going anywhere," I whisper.

"I'm so glad," he says softly before pulling me into a hug again. "I thought I lost my chance to tell you that I...I never stopped loving you."

I start crying again, and bury my face into his shoulder. "I love you too," I manage to say, in between sobs.