Stairs to Conundrum

First day of November, day after Halloween. Hallie and Christian reflect with their friends about how they ran into eachother again. Christian is really sick from leaving his jacket with Hallie, he comes over to get it and a lot more than he expects happ

 

Stairs to Conundrum

On top of the third story of a very large beachfront mansion, two girls and a very fluffy white Maltese dog, lounged in front of a remote control fireplace drinking white hot chocolate and nibbling on leftover spiced pumpkin cake. Living directly on the beach, one had to be crazy to go outside with how windy and rainy it was.

It was November 1^st, the day after Halloween. Abby and Hallie were curled up on their Pottery Barn velvet Espresso colored sofa underneath a cozy cashmere throw blanket. Both girls were hung over from Halloween night at LAX and were taking a “cure your hangover day.”

 

High heels, devil horns, make up, and purses were strewn all over the designer living room. With last nights craziness all four girls crashed at Hallie’s house drunk as ever, and Kristen and Julia had somehow gotten up early that morning to go to their midterms. Abby and Hallie were done with theirs, and they slept until the afternoon then woke up to reflect on last night’s happenings. And a lot had happened last night.

“So are you going to tell me the deal with this jacket?” Abby asked able to smell the cigarette stench on it even though the thing was laying across the room.

 

Hallie cuddled up to the dog Daphne since Hallie was the only person it would allow come near it. Daphne hated everyone except Hallie, and annoyingly yapped if anyone else came within a yard of her. Kristin was the one who originally bought the dog a year ago, but for some odd reason it only preferred Hallie. She hugged the big white fur ball and sentimentally looked at Christian‘s black trench coat.

 

Last night he had put it around her after that ever so awkward encounter in the alley. She still couldn’t believe the he admitted the horrible things that happened with his uncle, but it explained a lot why he left, and finally she wouldn’t have to blame herself.

 

After Christian rode off on his motorcycle she realized that he‘d left the jacket. When she went back inside the club Abby was the first one to spot her coming in through the side door. Hallie saw David approaching knowing that he was going to ask where she’d been, and there was no way in hell she was going to tell him. Hallie quickly put the jacket on Abby who was half drunk anyway, and told her that if anyone asked, Abby just found it somewhere.

 

Luckily David didn’t ask about the jacket, but he suspiciously asked where she had been the whole time. Especially since he thought he saw Christian earlier.

 

“ I was just out getting some air,” Hallie had said innocently. Well that’s what her original intention was before Christian found her.

 

Daphne rolled over so Hallie could scratch it‘s belly.

 

“If I tell you what happened last night, you won’t tell Kristin or Julia right?” Hallie made Abby swear.

“ No I promise,” Abby said sincerely.

 

“Alright. So…when I went outside I accidentally ran into Christian,” Hallie said finding herself smiling a little bit. “ And it’s a long story…but he lent me his jacket then forgot to take it back. I had to find some place to put it, I didn’t want David to ask anything, especially knowing that they’d probably kill each other.”

“Yeah about that…do you remember when we first got there and we were all looking at that guy who came in with the wolf mask?” Abby said carefully.

 

“Uh huh, that was Christian,” Hallie felt she should have known it was Christian since everyone in the room froze when he came in. He was the only guy she ever knew that had that presence.

 

“Yeah I know it was,” Abby said.

 

“Wait you knew it was him? How did you know?” Hallie asked surprised.

 

“We all knew Hallie. I think David even knew. You were the only one who didn‘t see who he was. And I couldn‘t tell you because David was right there,” Abby explained tying back her long auburn hair into a pony tail.

 

“ That’s why all of you had those weird looks on your faces after he came in. Oh my gosh I wonder if that’s why David was so pissed off…you think?” Hallie chewed on her thumb nail.

 

Abby shook her head and snatched the second to last piece of homemade pumpkin cake off the platter. “I think David thought it was him at first, but remember I told him it was probably just some soap star?”

 

“Oh yeah I do remember that. I definitely owe you one.” Hallie sighed in relief. She lay her head down on the soft armrest of the sofa enjoying the sound of the rain outside. She finally felt like she was at peace with her past, but with first loves it was never that simple.

 

“So first you fainted when you saw him,” Abby teased, “And then he gave you his jacket? What on earth were you two doing out there?”

 

“Nothing!” Hallie threw a plush black pillow at her friend disturbing Daphne who had fallen asleep. “We just talked a little bit.”

 

She relayed the story to Abby about how they didn’t know who each other were until Hallie unveiled her hood and he took off his mask.

 

“Wow, what are the chances? And also that you were dressed as Little Red Riding Hood and he was the big bad wolf,” Abby remarked at the story. She noticed Hallie gazing at Christian’s jacket.

 

“Hey Hal, I know David is your boyfriend, but you can tell me if you have something going on with this guy Christian.”

 

“ No there’s nothing going on,” Hallie replied quickly. “It’s not like I cheated on David or something,”

“ I know but you just look like your…glowing or something,” Abby observed.

 

Hallie didn’t answer and instead sipped on her hot white chocolate. It was true she’d been happier since last night, but isn’t that what long island iced teas did? Washed your troubles away? She knew it was more than that making her “glow” as Abby put it . It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to see him again. Maybe she was happy that she had a piece of him left with her. She just hoped he had another jacket, it was too cold to be going around with out one.

.....................

 

“Bless you,” Derek said to Christian for the thousandth time that day. Ever since he got up that morning Christian had been sneezing and coughing non-stop all day, but he wouldn’t admit to himself that he was sick.

 

Last night he’d done six different drug deals and made over four grand. But during business, around three in the morning, it started raining and Christian couldn’t find his only jacket anywhere. Then he remembered where it was. He had given it to Hallie Harris earlier that evening in the alley way at LAX, and now he was paying for it after being out in the rain in just a shirt and jeans.

 

“God damnit Derek shut the hell up down there!” Derek’s old cranky neighbor yelled from the second story. The thin walls made it easy to hear all sorts of sounds coming through the small apartment units. He’d heard loud sneezing all morning and afternoon and was easily annoyed as it was.

 

“Why don’t you shut the f**k up!” Christian roared in a hoarse but deep intimidating voice.

There was no reply after the neighbor found out he wasn’t talking to Derek but to Christian, who he’d seen outside the building several times before.

 

Christian sunk down on the floor and leaned his head back against the wall. He felt terrible, and would have bought another jacket, but he was in debt to people for much more than the four grand he made last night. He had to pay it back soon or suffer the consequences.

 

“You look like s**t,” Derek stated.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Why don’t you get yourself some medicine or something?” Derek asked.

 

“Give me that,” Christian wearily pointed to the bottle of Jack Daniels sitting on top of the kitchen counter.

 

“That’s not going to help you, stupid a*s,” Derek replied.

 

“Hand it to me!” Christian said through his teeth.

 

Derek obediently tossed the bottle over to his best friend. Jack Daniels was Christian’s drink of choice, and he was convinced that it could cure anything, even a cold. Or at least he wouldn’t feel anything anymore.

“ You better be ready for tonight,” Derek warned. “Without you we’re fucked.”

 

“Yeah I know,” Christian took a swig of the booze and closed his eyes. He was never one to be giddy and bouncing off the walls, but Derek noticed something wasn‘t right.

 

“What’s wrong with you man? You’ve been really off the past couple days.”

Christian groaned at him.

 

“I’m sorry if I’ve been a dick,” Christian apologized. “A lot‘s happened.”

 

“Yeah no s**t,” Derek pointed at Christian’s deep cut on his arm. During a swap last night Christian had a run in with one of the junky’s buying stuff. The crazy drugged up customer had slashed Christian’s arm with a small pocket knife. That was the only way someone attacked Christian, was if they were high. But once the addict got what they wanted Christian got his money and told himself that it was just part of the job description.

 

“No I’m not talking about that,” Christian rolled down his sleeve to cover the gash on his arm. He looked out the tiny window of the apartment. “ I saw Hallie last night.”

 

“Hallie….” Derek racked his brain thinking of the many girl Christian would bring over. Not that he ever really saw them more than once. “ Oh wait is that the girl that you always draw?”

 

Christian nodded. He had drawn literally hundreds of elaborate portraits, sketches, and still life’s of Hallie Harris. There were so many of them all over the place it was no secret to Derek. “ Where did you see her?”

Christian sighed, “Well first I saw her at this Halloween Carnival,”

 

“Oh when you took my car up to Folsom to look at that piece of s**t apartment for rent?” Derek asked.

“Yeah. When I saw her she took one look at me and fainted,” Christian laughed arrogantly.

 

“She fainted?” Derek said rolling his eyes. He figured it wasn’t the first time some girl fainted looking at Christian.

 

“I guess cause it had been so long since we’d seen each other. I was pretty surprised too.” Christian said growing more serious.

 

“Later that night I accidentally bumped into her, she was all dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood, looked fine as hell. Anyway I gave her my jacket and forgot to take it back,” Christian relayed.

 

“ Oh so that’s why your sick,” Derek nodded. But he knew Christian better than that, and could tell something other than sickness was plaguing him. “ Did anything happen?”

 

Christian shook his head. “ She’s just dating this prick now,” he said referring to his long time enemy David.

 

“ And your jealous,” Derek chuckled.

 

“No!” Christian tried to yell with his sore throat. “ I don’t get f*****g jealous.”

 

But Derek just continued to laugh at him. “ You’ve been drawing pictures of that b***h ever since I’ve known you. I think you got a thing for her.”

 

“Yeah right. I don’t even know her anymore,” Christian disagreed.

 

“Well maybe you should get to know her again. It would be your first time actually getting to know a girl.” Derek pointed out.

 

“Yeah but I already slept with her,” Christian joked, even though that was true.

 

“ Oh man…I give up on you,” Derek laughed shaking his head. “I’m going to go roll us a fat joint so we’re good to go for tonight.”

 

“Okay,” Christian waved his hand at him to go away. He thought about what Derek said. Get to know her again? Her boyfriend would love that. Aside from wanting to piss off David, Christian wondered if it was a good idea for Hallie to see him. She was always so upset at the sight of him, but he knew she had reason to be. In addition he wasn’t sure he could face her after the things he’d told her last night about his uncle molesting him when he was a kid. The only other person that knew about that was Derek, and it wasn’t a subject Christian was exactly proud of.

 

He blew warm air onto his cold hands, almost able to see his breath in the freezing apartment. Then he looked at one of the many drawings he had of her.

 

What would be the harm in getting to know her again? They could be friends right? He wasn’t so sure about that. Especially since she’d gotten even more attractive over the years. Maybe he’d just show up at her house. He didn’t have her phone number so it wasn’t like he could call first. That’s what he’d do, he’d just go to her house. What was the big deal?

 

“If anything I’m just going to get the jacket back,” Christian told himself.

Be careful sweetheart, that might not be all your getting.

…..

 

Hallie was basically using her pure-bred Maltese dog as a pillow while her and Abby watched “Cruel Intentions” for the thirty thousandth time. Watching Ryan Philipe’s a*s just never got old. Right during the pool scene both girls jumped when the door bell rang, and chimed up to the third floor where they were.

It was getting dark and they weren’t expecting anyone. If Kristin or Julia wanted to come in they had a key. Who the hell was outside in the rain?

 

Both girls looked at each other in utter confusion. “I’ll get it,” Hallie got up from her comfortable position on the sofa and made her way downstairs. She hoped it wasn’t someone too important, especially since she was in her Juicy Couture hoody and Abercrombie and Fitch flannel pajama pants.

 

The doorbell rang again. It couldn’t have been fun standing outside on the rainy beach.

 

“ I’m coming!” Hallie yelled and rushed down the staircase in her Ugg boots. She flung open the door to see Christian soaking wet.

 

“Oh my gosh, Christian! What are you doing here?” Hallie said in wonder.

 

“Can I come in?” his turquoise eyes squinted through the pounding rain.

 

“Yes of course. You’re drenched,” Hallie said pulling his trembling hand inside.

 

“I’m sorry,” he apologized for dripping all over the floor. Hallie couldn’t care less.

 

“You must be freezing,” Hallie tilted her head realizing that she was checking him out. She tried to divert her eyes from noticing the way his shirt was clinging to the contours of his muscular body.

 

“No I’m not cold at all,” Christian frowned trying not to shiver. He tried to hold it in but harsh coughs escaped from his chest.

 

“Yeah I can see your so tough,” Hallie couldn’t help but giggle.

 

“ I am tough,” Christian growled through sniffling and coughing.

 

“Fine alright you are tough,” Hallie tucked in her lip to keep from laughing.

 

Christian looked up to see Abby peering over the staircase.

 

“ Abby….you were….the ladybug right?” he asked remembering her from the Halloween Carnival and last night.

 

If Abby wasn’t such a loyal friend she would have been charmed that he even knew her name. Ok so maybe she was just a little bit.

 

“Right,” Abby said surprised at his presence. “ Are you okay down there? From that cough you sound like you are coming down with pneumonia.”

 

Hallie became alarmed hearing this since Abby was studying to become a nurse, she probably knew what she was talking about.

 

“No I don’t get sick,” Christian said while drops of water spilled from his neck down his shoulders.

 

“Why don’t you come upstairs for a little bit?” Hallie suggested, completely forgetting to ask why he was there in the first place.

 

“David isn’t here right?” he asked.

 

“No it’s just me and Hal, we’re watching a movie. Come on up,” Abby beckoned.

 

Christian wanted to inform them he couldn’t stay long, and just needed to get his jacket and leave, but he’d ridden his motorcycle all the way in the rain, and not having the option of going back to a warm house like this one, he decided to stay a little longer.

 

Christian climbed the familiar three flights of stairs. He always hated the long walk up when he’d come visit in the summer so many years ago. He felt light-headed not sure if he was going to make it.

 

He finally got to the top and looked around the room. When he took Hallie home after she fainted yesterday, he pretty much only stayed in the bedroom by her side and hadn’t seen how the rest of the house was now. It was a lot different than he remembered. Messier, but much cozier than before. It looked like Hallie redecorated the whole place. He thought it was stylish and unique just like her. Before it had been pretty tacky, more her mom’s taste.

 

“You can sit down you know,” Hallie said.

 

“I’m all wet I don’t want to ruin your couch or anything,” Christian replied.

 

Hallie got up taking the long cashmere blanket with her. Even though she was basically dressed in pajama’s she somehow felt sexy and confident.

 

Without saying a word she wrapped the blanket around Christian’s broad shoulders and began drying him off thoroughly. She rubbed the blanket against his hair, his arms, and his chest. All the meanwhile Christian didn’t take his piercing eyes off of Hallie.

 

Once she was done drying him off she looked up and was taken aback by his intense stare. The cashmere blanket dropped to the ground and she didn’t even notice that the material was completely destroyed by the rain water.

 

“There. You should be pretty dry now,” Hallie mumbled and sat back down on the couch. Christian was about to join her and Abby when Hallie exclaimed, “ No wait! Don’t sit down Daphne will bite you!”

The dog looked up curiously at Christian.

 

“That thing?” Christian snickered at the creature who was probably smaller than his foot.

“Yeah it bites everybody,” Hallie explained.

 

“Everybody except her,” Abby pointed at her friend. She stared at the ex-couple engrossed. Cruel Intentions was not nearly as exciting watching the tension between Christian and Hallie.

 

“ Don’t worry it won’t bite me.” He began petting the little dog and sat down next to it.

“ How do you know? It almost chomped David’s finger off last week,” Hallie said regretting that she mentioned David since Christian would probably get mad. But surprisingly he didn’t, and continued stroke the dog’s long fur.

 

“I have a thing with dogs. They all like me for some reason,” Christian said, and it seemed to be true. Daphne never looked calmer in her life and simply lay her head down on Christian’s lap.

 

“How cute is he?” Abby whispered into Hallie’s ear.

 

Hallie smiled as he pet the dog. She could tell he was desperately trying to hide he was sick. He really was pretty damn cute.

 

Christian looked at the coffee table in front of him where the spiced pumpkin cake and white hot chocolate sat.

 

Hallie saw him eyeing it. “ Do you want some?” she offered. It wasn’t like he’d ever ask. As vile as he tried to make himself out to be, he was very polite whether or not he knew it.

 

Both Abby and Hallie laughed when Christian’s eyes grew big after realizing he’d been caught looking at the food. He looked like a guilty little kid that had done something terribly wrong.

 

“Go ahead,” Abby nodded.

 

 

“But it’s the last piece,” Christian said considerately.

 

“Just eat it!” Hallie got up and grabbed the piece of cake and stuffed it into his mouth.

 

“Mmmm,” Christian said with his mouth full. He hadn’t tasted food so good for a long time.

Hallie still had some crumbled in her hand.

 

“Give me that,” Christian mischievously seized it away from her.

 

Hallie giggled and both girls stared at him in awe. It was as if he hadn’t eaten anything in months.

“This is so good. Where did you get this stuff?” He asked eating every last crumb.

 

“Actually I made it,” Hallie informed Christian proudly. “I made that white hot chocolate too,” she said pointing at the mugs.

 

“What? You actually cook now?” he said with skepticism. “ I don’t remember that.”

“Well, a lot of things have changed since you knew me.”

 

He thought it was cool that Hallie learned to cook, especially since he knew she grew up being waited on by a gourmet chef. Christian smiled admiringly. It was a strange feeling to smile, it wasn’t something he did much.

 

Hallie took in how handsome he looked and wondered if this was finally the last time she would see him. She still had no clue why he came over, but for now, as she looked upon his boyish smile that brought back an array of memories, she hoped this wouldn’t be the last she saw of Christian Mullens.

 

“Hey I’m going downstairs to work off that alcohol from last night,” Abby got up sensing that maybe these two needed to be alone. Before Hallie could say anything Abby went on her way to the indoor gym and was gone.

 

Apart from Christian’s coughing, the two, plus Daphne sat in awkward silence for a while listening to the rain striking the roof and giving each other swift glances.

 

“Uh…Can I get you anything else?” Hallie said at last.

 

“No,” Christian got up and made his way for the fireplace mantle. He picked up a framed photo of David and Hallie of when they’d gone skiing almost a year ago and studied it.

 

“So you and David huh?” he sniffed and looked at her intently.

 

“Yep. Almost a year now,” Hallie answered.

 

“Hmm,” Christian furrowed his arched eyebrows.

 

What was he jealous or something? “Are you dating anyone?” she wanted to know.

 

“I don’t have time for that,” Christian replied coldly. The light of the fire reflected off his moist face. When he put the photo back on the mantle Hallie noticed part of his sleeve had a thin line of fresh blood on it.

“Oh no….Christian are you alright?” she walked over to him and pointed at his arm.

 

He hadn’t even noticed he was bleeding. He rolled up his sleeve and Hallie gasped at the sight of the wound.

 

“It’s nothing really,” he said apathetically.

 

“How did you get it?”

 

He looked at the photo of David and Hallie. “From skiing,” he joked.

 

“You didn’t get it from skiing. Come on,” Hallie rolled her eyes and gently took Christian’s hand leading him to the bathroom.

 

He sat on top of the granite bathroom counter while he waited for Hallie to fetch bandages out of the cabinet.

 

“You really don’t have to do this,” Christian was about to place his hand on Hallie’s back but decided against it. He retracted his hand and formed it into a fist to keep from shaking.

 

Hallie turned around and placed gauze and some rubbing alcohol next to him. “We should really apply pressure to it first.” She took the hand towel off of the rack and snuggly wrapped it around his forearm.

 

“There. Lets just wait a minute for the bleeding to stop,” Hallie said still holding the towel tightly around his arm. She eyed the tattoo on his bicep. She could only partially see it since his shirt covered the rest.

 

“You were always an expert at first aid. I think you owe me thanks for that,” Christian chuckled.

 

Hallie wasn’t amused and Christian was sorry he’d said it, but joking about his past was the only way he knew how to deal with it.

 

Hallie remembered all the late nights he would sneak into her room when they were little. He was usually a blood-stained mess from what his uncle would do to him. As children they rarely acknowledged it since it was something beyond their understanding. Hallie would find the little first aid kit that she kept under her bed especially for him. Her bedroom served as a little hospital. She’d become very adept caring for all the different injuries he came in with.

 

For Christian the agony of the abuse subsided knowing Hallie would later care for him. Throughout those many nights, without knowing it, Christian had fallen in love with her, and she was permanently sealed in his heart as his angel.

 

Watching her bandage his arm brought back recollections of those times. He couldn’t exactly say his childhood was good, but when he thought of the kindness Hallie showed him, he felt like he‘d been the luckiest kid on earth.

 

Hallie finished bandaging Christian’s arm and took the bloody towel to the sink to rinse it off.

“Thank you,” Christian said appreciatively. He felt like he was saying thank you for all the years she had taken care of him too.

 

“You don’t have to thank me.”

 

After Hallie washed most of the blood out of the towel she wrung it out so it was damp. She walked over to where he was sitting on the counter and placed it on his forehead.

 

“When I bandaged your arm it felt so warm. I think you have a fever,” Hallie said tenderly. She brushed the cold cloth across his face.

 

Christian closed his eyes. As much as he hated admitting it to himself, it felt good being taken care of. He’d come to get his jacket back, but realized maybe he came out of old habit, to have someone care for him. To have her care for him. Lord knew that the last time anyone tended to him that way was back when he was with her.

 

Christian opened his eyes when he felt the touch of the soft towel had gone away. In place was something gentler.

 

“You are still really warm but I think that helped,” Hallie said. She couldn’t take her hand off his forehead. Feeling his skin again after so many years made her want to explode. She pushed back a lock of dark gold hair out of his eyes and tightened her hand around his jaw line.

 

Without thinking she pulled his extraordinary face into hers, and kissed him with six years of pain, longing, attraction, and love. It felt like it was their first kiss and they both savored it as if it was their last.

They kissed over and over. To him kissing her was like the cool water that soothed his scorching fever. Refreshing, much too refreshing to think rationally about stopping. Although after several emotion-filled kisses both had to catch their breath to take in what just happened. Hallie still held Christian’s face tightly with her small hands. Then she wrapped her arms around his immense upper body. She had wanted to hug him just as much as she wanted to kiss him.

 

Christian thought he had to have been hallucinating. Was he really hugging and making out with Hallie Harris again? He placed both hands around the small of her back and pulled her in tighter. Her little body felt so good against his. It was the mix of reliving a great childhood memory and doing what he was meant to do in his adult life, love her.

 

Barely loosening her embrace around him she leaned her head and kissed his neck, his cheeks, his entire face. Emotion once again took over her.

 

“I missed you so much,” she confessed as several tears fell down her cheeks.

 

“I didn’t think you’d even want to talk to me again after I told you what my Uncle did,” Christian said astonished.

 

“I will never think of you differently ,” Hallie promised dabbing her runny nose with her sleeve. “I can’t believe that happened to you though.” Hallie wanted to kiss him again but couldn’t stop herself from crying. Crying from thinking about how long he’d been away and how awful it must have been for Christian living with such a monster. She no longer felt like Christian had left her all those years ago, but that the issues he had with his Uncle were to blame.

 

She sat on the floor and cried harder than the both times she had seen him before. Christian got up off the counter and sat with her. She looked up at him all red and splotchy, but he took both of her hands and looked upon her like she was a goddess.

 

“I’m alright now,” Christian whispered . He wasn’t sure if he was only trying to convince Hallie of that.

Holding Christian’s hands felt undeniably good, but it finally entered her mind that she wasn’t holding David’s hands, her boyfriends hands. And she hadn’t kissed her boyfriends lips, she just kissed Christian’s. Everything entered her mind about how wrong this was. She had never cheated on anyone before and she couldn’t believe herself. She quickly pulled her hands back from Christian and stood up.

 

Christian looked up at her perplexed.

 

What had she done? While crying she tried to think as level headed as possible.

 

“I shouldn’t have done that,” Hallie said firmly through tears.

 

Christian couldn’t believe how fast she went from affectionate to regretful.

 

All Hallie could think of was how bad of a girlfriend she was to David, what a s**t she was.

“Why did you come here in the first place?” Hallie asked accusingly. She still had no idea. Why had he come all the way in the rain? To veer her from David just because Christian hated him?

 

“I came because I needed to get my jacket back,” Christian replied.

 

“Oh right! Why didn’t you just say that before then?” Hallie yelled at him.

 

Christian had no answer and just bit his lip.

 

“I know you don’t like David!” Hallie shrieked.

 

“I guess I can say the same for you,” Christian snarled. “ You are the one that kissed me.”

Hallie took a deep breath stunned by what he said.

 

“Well I didn’t mean to okay! It was a mistake. I’ll get you your jacket and then you leave.” Hallie said decidedly and walked out to the living room. She picked up the jacket and handed it to Christian. She wasn’t going to fall for his puppy-like sorrowful expression, which soon turned livid one. He snatched the jacket and stormed downstairs. Hallie didn’t watch to see him go and flopped down on the sofa in exhaustion.

 

Abby slowly stepped in the room with an uneasy look on her face. She had obviously heard some of what happened and saw that Hallie was still crying. Hallie was so absorbed with crying that she didn’t hear the noise from downstairs.

 

“Honey I think he’s still here,” Abby said softly.

 

Why the f**k was he still here? Hallie looked up from her tears and listened. It sounded like he was coughing but she couldn’t make out the sound.

 

“Do you want me to go talk to him?” Abby offered.

 

“Yes, thank you,” Hallie said appreciatively. She didn’t have anymore energy left to deal with him.

Abby had barely left when Hallie heard her scream from downstairs.

 

“Hallie come here quick!” she cried.

 

Hallie raced downstairs, but halfway on the second flight Christian was on the floor hunched over. Both girls ran down to him and were horrified to see that he had blood all around his mouth.

 

“I’m….fine,” Christian was coughing like mad.

 

“ You’re not fine!” Hallie crouched beside him.

 

“I’m calling 911,” Abby declared and went to find her cell phone.

 

“Please don’t,” Christian begged. His eyes watered from all the fits of coughing.

 

“But you need to go to the hospital!” Abby paused on the staircase.

 

“No, it’s happened to me before I’ll be ok,” Christian said weakly. He stood himself up and tried to go down the stairs again. Both girls looked at him like he was crazy. He dizzily toppled over and had to grab onto the railing for support.

 

“You are not driving home like that,” Abby proclaimed.

 

Hallie felt so guilty for yelling at him now.

 

“Fine I won’t call if you come back up and lay down,” Abby said. She knew Hallie didn’t want to see him anymore but all that would have to wait, this seemed like an emergency.

 

Christian turned back around and swallowed his pride as Abby and Hallie both helped him back upstairs. He used the wall to help him get back up and Abby walked behind him making sure he wouldn’t fall. They made it to the second floor and went into the closest bedroom which happened to be Abby‘s.

 

“I’m so sorry,” Hallie apologized her voice filled with worry. Christian slowly lay himself down and tried to wipe his nose and mouth to keep from bleeding on the bed.

 

“Don’t call 911 okay?” Christian’s eyes started rolling to the back of his head.

 

“What is happening to you?” Hallie screamed.

 

“Can I please have some water?” Christian asked faintly.

 

Both girls rushed out as Abby got a bottle of water and Hallie went back to get the cold towel she was using before.

 

They both returned and saw that he’d fallen fast asleep. At first they panicked that he could be dead, but from his soft snoring it just seemed like he hadn’t slept in a very long time. Abby set the water on the dresser and Hallie pulled up a chair next to where Christian slept. She wiped away the blood from his mouth and nose with the towel.

 

“He has a really bad fever,” Hallie whispered to Abby still crying. She unfolded a blanket laying at the end of the bed and spread it across him.

 

Abby took her hand and led Hallie out of the room. “Come on, he just needs to sleep, and so do you.”

“Alright,” Hallie agreed tiredly. Reluctantly she left his side and shut the door.

She wasn’t sure how she was going to sleep knowing that her childhood sweetheart was in pain.

 

Author's Note

Very very long for a chapter i know lol. I really like it though, I was trying to make a good bridge for them to possibly rekindle their romance again.

Reviews

[Spat Queen]

In my opinion, this is a flawless rendition of young love in modern times. Extroardinarily engaging.

[Rosary]

I love it! it doesnt matter how long it was it entertained me every step of the way and kept me at the edge of my seat i cant wait to read more of christian and hailie theres is true romance. you are a very talented writer and i cant wait to see more of your work

[Belle Morte]

I love it. It was a little long, but it's good. There some places where the paragraphs aren't spaced right but it's still easy to read. I can't wait to read more about these two. Great job! Keep it up.

[thecoolone52]

i liked it... i think you accomplished what you were trying to do in your authors note...... i feel like a girly man for reading all these... but you do a good job to capture my attention... good luck on your next chapter........... tubular write