A/N – Sorry this took so long! I've been meaning to sit down and write the next chapter but I had so many other things going on. I promise I'll try to never let it be this long again. Again, if you like Harry Potter, read If I Don't, it's by a friend of mine and it's really good!! Thanks to Kim and Jenn! Please review!!
Ephram slowly walked into the hospital room.
"Hey," Colin replied, trying to sit up.
"No!" Ephram exclaimed, "Really, don't hurt yourself, you don't have to sit up."
Colin managed a smile and rested back down on the pillow "Alright then, if you insist."
As Ephram nervously sat down beside him, there was an awkward silence.
"I guess you're wondering why I asked to see you?" Colin asked.
Ephram laughed out loud, "Yeah, that question did cross my mind."
"Well, Amy's been here every day and I know that this has been really hard on her. When I asked if you were here she said that you were, and that you and Bright had been supporting her." Colin paused, "And she's probably trying to be strong, but I wanted to ask you how she's really taking it, is she alright?"
Ephram pondered how to answer this. He knew that she was not 'alright'. In fact, Amy was far from 'alright'; she was the opposite of 'alright'! But she wouldn't really want him to tell Colin this, it would completely ruin motive to keep being strong.
"Oh yeah," Ephram lied, "She's okay. I mean, she's really worried about you, but she's alright. Amy's taking it really well."
Colin looked relieved, but a little disappointed. Ephram felt horrible lying, but there were no other options in his mind. It was also awful to be talking to Colin at all, considering Ephram's feelings for Colin's girlfriend, which Colin probably knew about.
"I'm glad, thanks for helping her through this, Ephram." Colin said, breaking through Ephram's thoughts.
"No problem," Ephram replied quickly.
"I know she appreciates you, you've been a really good friend to her." Colin continued, smiling.
Ephram was screaming inside, what was Colin trying to do to him? He was making him feel so guilty, he could hardly breathe. Suddenly, he had to get it out in the open.
"You know what, Colin? I have to tell you something," Ephram started, not knowing exactly what he was going to say but needing to get it all off his chest.
"What?" Colin asked, looking confused.
Ephram took a deep breath and continued.
"I'm in love with Amy. I have been ever since I laid eyes on her, ever since I came to Everwood. And I'm sorry, man." Colin's face was full of anger and before he could say anything Ephram kept explaining. "I told her how I felt but she didn't want to hear any of it, the only guy she wanted was you. But she still wanted me as a friend. So here I am, being the best friend I could be. Believe me, Colin, if I could get over her, I would, but I can't. She's a part of me and I can't change that or the way I feel."
Ephram stopped, amazed at himself and his courage. He glanced at Colin, who was still looking angry but not as much as before. He had softened a little bit but still wasn't saying anything. It felt so much better to get all of that off his chest.
"Why do you love her?" Colin asked quietly, staring at Ephram.
The bluntness of the question startled Ephram.
"Excuse me?" Ephram asked.
"I said, why do you love her?" Colin repeated, a little more loudly.
"I don't know," Ephram replied, then stopped to actually think about it, "The way her smile lights up her whole face, the way her hair smells when I hug her, her laugh that makes me feel all warm inside, her beautiful eyes that captivate me, the fact I can talk to her so easily…just, her."
Ephram smiled as he said this, remembering memories of her, but his eyes went wide as he realized he had said all of that out loud. Colin wasn't saying anything, but looked deep in thought.
"Anyway, I'm gonna go," Ephram said, getting up and walking around Colin's bed to the door, "Bye."
There was a moment's pause and then Colin responded, "Bye."
"It's been fun." Ephram muttered as he left the hospital room, closing the door behind him.
He walked back to the waiting room, trying to think about what to do. He had just confessed everything there was to know about his love for Amy…to Colin.
Smart move, man, Ephram thought. If he didn't already hate me, he does now.
Ephram got to the waiting room to find Amy asleep on Bright's shoulder. He smiled as Bright gently shook Amy awake. She woke up, looking confused, but looked around and recognizing where she was she seemed more at ease. She looked at Ephram and smiled, getting up.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, rubbing her eyes, "What did Colin want?"
"Oh, he just wanted to say hi. Nothing important." Ephram replied, inwardly groaning at the lie.
"Okay. I'll go say goodnight to him then." Amy said, heading for the doorway.
Ephram's face must have looked panicked, because Bright suddenly asked, "Is everything okay, Ephram?"
Amy turned around quickly and studied him for a moment.
"Oh yeah, I'm great." Ephram answered nervously, "Don't worry."
Amy smiled at him for a second and then left the waiting room, heading down the hallway.
"Bright!" Ephram exclaimed, "I screwed up majorly!"
Bright groaned, "I knew something was up. What'd you do?"
"Well, Colin wanted to know how Amy was. I told her she was fine and then before I knew it I was telling him that I loved her!" Ephram explained, dropping into a chair and putting his head in his hands.
"Dude! What the hell did you do that for?!" Bright asked, shaking his head.
"I don't know! And then he wanted to know why I loved her…" Ephram trailed off, remembering.
"Don't tell me you actually listed the reasons?" Bright demanded, sighing, "Ephram…"
"I know! And now Amy's talking to him and he's probably going to tell her. Oh my God, I can't believe I did this." Ephram moaned.
"Neither can I…well, all you can do now is hope for the best." Bright replied, "And wait for her to come back."
Ephram nodded and the two boys waited in silence.
* * *
"Hey there," Amy exclaimed, going into Colin's room.
He was lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"You alright?" she asked, sitting down beside him.
"Why do you love me?" Colin asked, not turning to look at her.
"What?" Amy asked, taken aback by his question.
"Why do you love me?" he repeated, his voice without emotion.
"What kind of question is that?" Amy exclaimed
"Just answer the question." he whispered.
There was silence as Amy contemplated how to answer the question.
"I don't know," she replied, honestly.
Colin took a deep breath in and sighed.
"That's because you don't." he replied softly.
A/N – Muahahahahaha! Cliffhanger!!! I'll have the next chapter up really soon, I won't wait too long, don't worry!
