Love Makes Me (Hunter Hayes fanfic) *Currently Editing*

Chapter 38

Lexi's POV:

I lie on my bed, groaning as Kristy sets down a wash cloth covered pack of peas on my foot. 

"Does that hurt?" She asks, looking back up at me. 

"Not much, I can just feel the coldness through the cast." 

"Daaanngg.." Rolling my lips inward, I look towards where Dillon is leaning against the wall, eyes downward. He's thinking hard on something. 

"Thanks again for staying with me tonight," I say as I bring my eyes back to Kristy. "Are you sure it's no trouble? I mean Dillon does live next door so.." 

"It's honestly no problem. Besides, I'll be getting my cast off of my arm in the morning so covering your shifts for a couple of weeks will be no problem." She smiles warmly at me. "& Dillon will be here to help you during the days." We both look back to him, where he's nodding with a small smile. 

"We'll get the assholes who did this to you," he says sternly. I notice that his eyes start to turn toward Kristy, making my eyebrows furrow. "No matter what their reason is, they're going down." 

"Right..." I trail off awkwardly. "I'm just kinda worried that the guys will come here. Maybe we should go to your place, Kristy." Her eyes bulge, & looking over to Dillon, I see that his face mirrors hers, add in a little horror. "What's wrong?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

"It would just be easier to stay here," Dillon says instantly, sounding rushed. "With your crutches & all, it would take too long, ya know?" 

"I guess I see your point there." He smiles, a look of relief all over him as his tense shoulders fall back down. I roll my eyes as I turn my head, which is sitting comfortingly on my soft but firm pillow. My eyes land on the framed picture of Hunter & I when we were about six. He's sitting there on his bed beaming with the guitar Robert Duvall gave him resting in his lap. I'm sitting criss crossed beside him, watching him adoringly. 

"I have to call Hunter," I say, turning my gaze to my friends. 

"Guess I'll be out here so I don't hear lovey dovey crap," Dillon says teasingly as he makes his way out the door, giving me one last smile. 

"I'll give you guys privacy," Kristy says as she follows behind him, after handing me her cell phone to call from. Once she closes the door behind her as I thank her, I take a deep breath. 

A couple of rings later, he picks up. 

"Hello?" 

"Ello love," I greet, smirking a little as I do so. 

"Lexi!" Hunter cries. "How was the hospital? Are you ok?" 

"It's just a sprang ankle," I say, dismissing it with a wave of my hand, although he can't see it. "I'll be off work for a couple weeks, & gotta stay off my feet for a while." 

"Do they have any leads yet?" He asks eagerly, making me chuckle. 

"It hasn't even been a couple of hours yet, it could take them a little longer." 

"Right... I just can't believe someone took you, just like that. What- what if they take you again? What if you don't get away?" His voice cracks towards the end, & I shut my eyes so tears don't start. I open my mouth to tell him that it'll be alright, but no words come out. For a moment, all I can hear is his steady breathing. 

I wish I could reach out & feel his heart beating through his chest under my hand. 

"Then it is what it is," I finally say, rather quietly. But I know he still heard me. He heard me loud & clear. 

He heard that there isn't much we can do if I get taken again. Not much he can do. 

It's quiet again, neither of us daring to make a sound. 

"Unless we fake breakup," he suggests, making my eyebrows rise. 

"Fake breakup?" 

"Yeah. I don't know how they know about us, but wherever you go, act like you've just been in this terrible breakup." 

"That may work." 

"Whatever keeps you safe, I'll do it." 

"I love you." 

"I love you too, Storm Warning. Now you should get to sleep." 

"I gueeessss," I groan, stretching the word for emphasis. His chuckle brings my heart soaring.

Dillon's POV:

Kristy sits on the far end of the coach, keeping her distance from me. I watch through the corner of my eye as she crosses her arms over her chest, looking nowhere but straight ahead with her distant blue eyed gaze. 

"Do you ever just think about leaving Miami?" I ask out of the blue, even surprising myself. She doesn't make any response for a moment, just staring out ahead. 

"All the time," she whispers, bowing her head a little. My eyes transfix on a couple of strands that fall over her face. 

"How come you stay & endure him?" 

"I endure him," she says as her eyes pierce mine. "because I've been given the hope to stay." 

Both of our heads turn as we hear a loud noise from behind us. Rolling my eyes, a laugh escapes my lips as I watch Lexi hobble out of her room with her loud crutches. She blinks, looking at us innocently. 

"What? I got hungry..." I snort at her. 

I have a feeling that she's going to be quite too stubborn to sit in bed the next few days.