Suddenly I see someone running down the hall towards me. Clare?
"Eli, come with me, we have to go. Fitz has a knife," she yelled and tried to pull my arm.
I shook her off and replied "I'm not going to fall for his head games."
"No, Eli, he has a knife. Please, let's go," she begged.
I saw the fear in her eyes and knew that this was serious. I pushed myself up off the lockers and started going with her when someone else came down the hall.
"Hey emo boy, get away from my date," Fitz yelled at me.
As the light from a nearby bathroom shined into the hall, I saw something reflect the light in his hand. A knife.
"Fitz, get away from us," Clare whispered with tears in her eyes.
Fitz was only about two feet away now, so I pushed Clare to the other side of the hall and said "go back to the gym, Edwards."
I couldn't hide my fear anymore once he was standing right in front of me. I backed away to the closed doors behind me, but they were locked.
"Fitz, I'm so sorry about everything. Really," I said quietly, practically begging for my life.
He smiled. "I'm not stupid, Eli. I know you don't mean it," Fitz practically laughed in my face.
I backed up and was against the lockers. I was going to try and make a break for it, but he was angling in a way so I couldn't go anywhere.
"Don't do this, Fitz, please," I begged.
"Leave him alone!" Clare shouted and tried to run over to me, but Fitz pushed her away.
"Leave us alone, bitch!" Fitz yelled in response. "Go Clare," I told her seriously as I felt my eyes fill with tears.
Clare was sobbing now. I could see it as much as I could hear her whimpering.
I couldn't control myself anymore, I just started peeing, I was too scared to even notice until my pants were soaked.
Fitz looked down and laughed, then with a smile he pulled his arm back, then launched the knife at my stomach full force.
I tried to get away, but only made it so he missed my abdomen and got the inside of my left elbow.
I distantly head Clare scream and Fitz laugh, but the pain was just too much.
I felt more sharp pain and I began to fall as Fitz started to pull the knife out of my arm but dragged it down also.
I heard him laugh again, and then stomp down the hall from me.
Clare ran over and sat on the ground next to me.
I felt her peel off my jacket and then carefully rip off my black long sleeved button down shirt, so I was just wearing a plain white t shirt.
I opened my eyes to slits and watched her take off her sweater and then tie it around my cut.
I let out a small whimper of pain as she pulled the sleeves tightly, causing the knot she had tied to almost completely cut off my circulation.
"Can you hear me?" she whispered in my ear.
I nodded slightly and felt her hot tears fall onto my face.
"I love you, Clare," I whispered back, causing her to shake with sobs.
"I love you, too, Eli," she said and then got up.
"I'm going to go get someone," she told me and then began to run.
As she was about to turn the corner, she turned back to look at me, and then ran again, away from me.
I closed my eyes again and drifted into a deep sleep.
I woke up sometime later.
I felt really drowsy, but could feel someone holding my right hand.
I was lying on my back, and I could tell that I was wearing something else.
I opened my eyes wide and was in a hospital room, and the thing I was wearing was a hospital gown. I looked to my right and saw none other than Clare Edwards holding my hand.
Her eyes were puffy and red, so I could tell she had been crying a lot.
"Hey sleepy head," she said happily when she saw me looking at her.
More tears began to stream down her face, but I was guessing these were happy ones.
"Your parents are getting some coffee and I'm supposed to call the nurse when you wake up," she said as she pressed a red button on a remote.
I smiled at her and tried to move so I was laying on my right side, but any movement of my left arm shot an unbearable pain throughout it.
"Don't move," Clare told me when she saw my face.
Just then the nurse walked in.
"Good morning, sweetheart," she said sweetly as she walked over to my right arm where I had an IV attached to my wrist.
Clare moved out of the way as she skillfully took the current wire out of the wrist attachment and shot something into my vane.
"For the pain," she explained and then attached a new IV bag and said "this is just fluids. We gave you some blood earlier, but you didn't need much thanks to your girlfriend tying up for arm. She really saved you."
I looked over at Clare and said "thanks, girlfriend."
Clare smiled and blushed as the nurse left, then Then my parents walked in.
"OH MY GOD MY BABY YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" my mom yelled and ran over to me.
Yeah, this is why I never introduce anyone to my parents.
She practically pushed Clare out of the way and hugged the right side of my body.
My dad followed her and held her hand.
"I have to go to the bathroom," Clare excused herself and then walked out.
"How you feeling, son?" my dad asked.
"I've been better," I joked.
My mom started crying, like that loud, choking for air, animal noises cry.
She leaned into my dad and got snot all over his jacket, but just kept crying.
"What time is it?" I asked my dad.
"About one in the morning," he replied.
"Woah, you guys have work in like six hours," I said.
"Yeah. Why was your dance on a Thursday again?"
"Last day before break, dad. You guys should go home and get some sleep."
"You gonna be okay?" "Clare's here, I'll be fine."
"Yeah, who is she again?"
"My girlfriend, dad, I've told you about her several times."
"Right. Well, we'll come back tomorrow night, or well, tonight, I guess. They want to keep you for a few days, I think."
"Okay, see you later."
They began to leave, and my mom turned and waved. I waved back with my right hand, only making her cry more.
I rolled my eyes as soon as they were gone and then in walked Clare.
"I am so so sorry about them," I apologized as she took her place next to me again and grabbed my hand.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, but they're awful," she said and I laughed.
"Now you see why I had the sound blocking head phones."
"I wish I had them with me when you were sleeping."
"Oh God, what did my mom say."
"Let's just say she doesn't like me very much."
"She hates anyone girl who even looks at me since Julia. I used to be... different. I became a lot darker once Julia died."
"Yeah, she showed me pictures."
"Oh my God I'm going to kill her."
"Relax, they weren't awful."
"Are you wearing my jacket, Blue Eyes?"
"Yeah, it was cold."
"It looks good on you."
"Thanks."
"So, were you here when they changed me into my gown?"
"Yeah," she replied as her cheeks turned bright red.
"Edwards, did you watch them change me? You know I know I'm not wearing anything under this gown, right?"
She blushed even more and nodded.
"Well, then, did you like what you saw?"
"Eli!"
"What? It's a simple yes or no question," I said with a smirk.
"I'm not answering that question."
"Well then, I'll take that as a yes."
"Adam's been calling your phone all night. You should call him back," she said and pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket and handed it to me.
"If you say so, boss," I said sarcastically and dialed Adam's number. He picked up after one ring.
"ELI?" he yelled into the phone.
"Woah, dude, I was stabbed, I didn't go deaf," I joked.
"Oh man, I am so glad you're okay!" he said loudly still.
"Relax, I'm fine, just a little sore."
"I would be there, but my mom won't let mt out of the house."
"Don't worry about it. Clare's here."
"Then I'm glad I'm not. You two would be sitting there, staring into each other's eyes, saying how much you love one another, and I would just be sitting there. Alone."
"Not exactly."
"Okay, well as soon as I wake up I'm coming over there with all my comics. Clare can go home and change and I can be on Eli watch."
"Eli watch? I'm not in a mental hospital, Adam."
"Yeah, but you would be lonely without anyone there!"
"Yeah, I guess you're right ; plus, I really want to read some comics."
"Whatever, Eli. I'll see you in the morning."
"Well technically it is morning."
"Get some sleep, smart ass. And to think I thought we might lose that sarcasm of yours."
"Don't you worry, Adam, I'm not going anywhere."
"Bye," he said and hung up.
I handed my phone back to Clare and she put it on the table next to her chair.
"Clare, do you remember what I said back there, in the hallway?" I asked her shyly.
"What do you mean?" she asked naively.
"We both told each other something. Do you remember that?" I wondered hopefully.
"Of course I remember, Eli."
"Well I want you to know I meant it. I do love you, Clare."
"And I love you too, Eli," she said and started crying again.
"Come here," I told her.
She leaned in to hug me, but I caught her by surprise when I pressed my lips up against hers. I felt her tears stream onto my face. I reached my right hand around into her hair as she held my neck. I licked her bottom lip back and forth sweetly, but she quickly ambushed my tongue with hers.
When the kiss was done, she rested her head on my shoulder and said "I don't know what I would have done without you."
"Don't worry, Edwards. I will never leave you," I promised her, meaning it more than anything I had ever said before.