After a short while we got to the hospital. Jack was better, just a bit disorientated. I was sure he would be fine once the alcohol was out of his system, which I hoped would be soon. I let go of Jack’s hand and he looked at me in confusion. He had obviously been so out of it earlier he hadn’t seen me on the floor. I needed to be seen too. I promised I’d come find him and followed a nurse down the hallway. I was right, I needed stitches.

The pain was excruciating. I hated showing weakness, but it was too much to bear. Tears brimmed over and once they started, they didn’t stop. After what seemed like hours, I noticed someone in the corner of my foggy eyes. Jack was stood in the doorway. He looked horrified, his eyes full of guilt. He walked over, kneeling beside me. He held my hand and gently brushed the hair from my face. He looked so much better now he was cleaned up.

“I am so sorry”

“This isn’t your fault; you didn’t ask to be beaten up.” I spoke through gritted teeth; the stitches were still making me wince.

“But if i…”

“Do you think we could talk about this later maybe?” I interrupted; it was hard enough concentrating on not turning into an emotional wreck right now.

“We sure can, sorry.” I could tell by the look on his face he was going to torture himself about this. I placed my hand on his cheek.

“It looks worse than it is, promise” He smiled at me weakly. I had a lot of convincing to do, but i didn’t care. It meant I had to stay with him a while longer, something I was strangely happy about.

The nurse finished up, wrapping my stitched wound in a bandage and left me and Jack alone. I shuffled along the bed and gestured for Jack to lie down next to me. He looked how I felt, exhausted.
Minutes went by and no words passed between us. I wanted to ask why he had been so drunk when I found him, but I didn’t want to put my foot in something he didn’t want to uncover. Jack broke the silence.

“What are you thinking about?” He didn’t move his gaze from the ceiling tiles. I lied.

“How I’m going to turn this into a bestselling record.” I replied with a slight smile. His head snapped round.

“You write?” He said with the first proper smile I’d seen since we met. I couldn’t help smile a little in return. He was so infectious.

“Only a little.” I said, turning to face him. I instantly regretted bringing up.

“Well I guess that’s something I’ve got to look forward to hearing”. Not a chance I thought to myself, nothing I had ever written was any good. I swiftly changed the subject.

“What are you thinking about?” He returned his gaze to the ceiling and thought about my question before he answered, saying something much deeper than I was expecting.

“I was thinking, wondering about what made you stop and help me. I mean, anything could of happened to you and it would have been so much easier for you to just turn around and leave me. Not that I wanna think about what would of happened if you had” I hadn’t really thought about it until he had brought it up. I had no idea either; it wasn’t like me at all. I couldn’t have an argument with someone without tearing up.

“Well, you wouldn’t of got hurt, something I will never forgive myself for” He lowered his eyes, refusing to look at me still.

“Shh now, there’s nothing to forgive” I rested my head on his shoulder, realising how heavy my eyelids were. I felt Jack shifting my head as he pulled his arm around me just as my eyes closed.