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Beep... beep... beep

I can feel myself slowly coming back to, the room gets brighter. I slowly open my eyes "mom he's waking up!" I hear Liv's voice. My eyes are wide open now but everything is blurred

My mom stands on one side of the bed and Liv on the other "hi honey" my mom runs her hand against my face

I open my mouth to say something but the words hurt coming out "hospital?" I manage out with force and a lot of coughing

"Oh honey don't try to talk the doctor says your throat is swollen"

"What happened?" The words barely make it out of my mouth

"Do you remember anything?" Liv asks and I shake my head no "there was a fire at school and you ran in it to try and save Jax"

It's slowly coming back to me "where is Jax?"

"He's a few rooms down, there were a lot of people caught in the fire Mitch"

"Are they ok?"

"Fine but Mitch you should know that you and Jax were the only two still asleep, and now you're awake"

"What about him?"

She shrugs "I don't know"

"Go check!" I wish I wasn't this weak I want to be there with him right now

"Ok" she leaves

"You should really stop talking Mitch."

The doctor walks in "you're awake! That's good" she picks up the clipboard from the bed and flips through it "so I already told mom what was going on but I'll tell you too, you're ok nothing was infected so that's good. You just have some bruises and you did get a little burn on your leg but that'll heal right up." She continues to flip through the clip board "ok using few words can you tell me how your vision is"

"Blurry"

"Yeah it'll be like that for awhile 2-3 days tops. You have to be very cautious not to talk the next few days because your throat is very swollen from all the coughing and smoke, but that'll heal. I've given mom all your prescriptions so that's all set, just take it easy for the next few days try not to drive and you'll be as good as new"

"Thanks doctor"

"My pleasure, mom can I talk to you?"

"Sure" she turns to me "I'll be right back" they walk out leaving me alone.

Few minutes later Liv walks back in followed by Summer "hey" she smiles as they stand around my bed

"What's up?" I reply

"God you sound horrible" they laugh and I try to but it's all painful coughs "take it easy Mitch"

After coughing I ask "how's Jax?"

Liv and Summer quickly glance at each other then turn to me "Mitch..." Liv starts

"He's not doing good" Summer answers for Liv "doctor said that because he was in the fire longer it affected him more"

"When will he wake up?"

"They don't know"

"This is all my fault"

"No it's not!" Summer says

"If I had gotten to him sooner or not let him leave the courtyard at all he'd be awake" he's not ok and it's my fault

"If you didn't get him out of there he would've been dead. You saved his life Mitch."

"Ok sweetie your father is on his way to pick us up, doctor says you're free to go but you have a check up next week. Hi Summer how are you feeling?" My mom turns to her

"I'm ok I was already out when it all started"

"That's good. Alright here are your clothes we'll step out so you can change and we'll head home" she hands me the clothes and I don't take them from her "do you need my help?"

"No, I want to stay"

"Mitchell I just spoke to the doctor and she said you're clear to go, and I don't think you can choose to stay that's not how hospitals work"

"Fine I'll change but I'm staying with Jax"

"Jax?" She says his name as if it were a question "why?"

"I'm not leaving him mom"

"Mitch I'll stay with him" Summer adds

"I don't care I'm not leaving."

•—•

"How are you feeling?" My mom walks into my room as I put my shirt on

"I'm fine"

"Your voice is back to normal"

"Yeah so is my vision" it's been a week, schools out for 2 weeks, everyone is doing better except for Jax. He still isn't awake and every time I go visit him I never know what to say so I just end up sitting there babbling like an idiot

"Where are you going?" she asks as I sit on my bed to put my shoes on

"to see Jax"

"Again? Mitch you just got back for seeing him this morning you spent the whole night there, you need rest"

"I've rested for two days mom I'm fine"

"At least let me drive you"

"I can drive myself"

"Mitchell seriously you need to take it easy"

"mom look at me" I grab her shoulders "I'm fine ok? I don't feel weak anymore, I can see just fine and I'm capable of driving"

"ok" I kiss her on the cheek "but you call me if something is wrong!"

"I will" I walk out leaving her in my room.

After the drive I walk in the hospital to Jax's room, getting there I look in the window to find his mom sitting at his bed crying. Not wanting to bother her I turn to walk away, I'll just wait in my car till she leaves. As I'm walking away "Mitchell?" I hear her voice behind me "you're Mitchell I remember you"

I turn back to face her "yes I'm Mitchell"

Running towards me she wraps her arms around my neck hugging me tight "thank you so much for saving my son" she cries

"Oh you're welcome"

She let's go "Summer told me how brave you were running back in there to save him, thank you so much. It's nice to know that Jax has people that care about him"

"I do care about him"

"Thank you"

"You're welcome"

"Do you want to go sit with him for a bit? I have to go pick up a few things"

"Sure."

We walk back in the room "I'll be back in a few" grabbing her stuff "the doctor says talking to him helps" she leaves

Sitting in the chair next to his bed I watch his lifeless body lay there. I wish he'd just wake up, I don't know what to say to make him wake up.

"This is weird right?" I figure that's a good place to start "I doubt if the crap I have to say helps but I'll keep trying. I remember on my birthday you said I didn't care about anything and I guess I've been thinking about that a lot lately, not to try and figure out what I cared about but I just thought a lot about who I am and the way I'm so closed off with everybody. I should really stop that huh?" I pause but no response "I care about a lot of things you know I may not show it but I do, I care about my family, my car, butternut, Summer, you..."

"I think about you a lot Jax, you've become a big part of my life and maybe if I just let you in we wouldn't fight so much, that's what you want right? Me to trust you more. I don't know what I was thinking running back into the school, actually I wasn't thinking. I just didn't see you anywhere and pieced it together that you were in there, I just don't think I could live with myself if something happened to you. I don't know if I'm allowed to miss you as much as I do..."

"Hey" I look over to see Summer standing at the door

Moving back in my chair "how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that Jax is one lucky guy" she walks in shutting the door "I was standing out there when the firefighters pulled you guys out, Jax was carried out but you walked out on your own two feet you may not remember it but I do. You were coughing barely breathing and the only thing you could say was, I tried I tried to help him and then  you passed out"

"I don't remember that"

"That's not the point dumbass! I spent weeks hating my best friend for having feelings for you, why?! I don't know, but when I look at you guys it makes so much sense, we never had what you guys have. You have to tell him how you feel Mitch, he deserves to know" she walks out and I turn to Jax

He deserves to know getting out of the chair I lean over his body moving towards his ear and whisper "I'm in love with you Jax Wenson"

I move away and his eyes open.

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