Cross My Heart [2]

18.) Hospitals

When I read the numbers on the doors, I could tell I was getting close because I passed a room with the number 150 on it. Just three doors farther down was 156. I tore open the door and my eyes landed on Jackson who was sitting up in the hospital bed watching the news program.

When he heard the door opening, his eyes travelled over to me and before he could say anything, I hurled myself into his arms and sobbed. I cried harder than I’d cried in a long time as I hugged him tightly. My body was shaking badly from both the sobs and the flood of emotions I was just put through.

“Holly, I can’t breathe.” He chuckled after a short moment.

“I don’t give a damn.” I cried, hugging him tighter. “I was so scared. They wouldn’t tell me anything and I was just so scared.”

“Well, I’m okay. See?” He tried prying me off of him, but I wasn’t having any of it. I continued my shaky cries into his hospital gown until I was all cried out and then finally pried myself off of him.

“What’s wrong? Like, why are you in here?” I asked him. “You’re okay, right?”

He smiled at me as I sat down on the edge of his bed. “Yes, I’m fine.”

I wiped the last of my tears from my face as I calmed down. My limbs were still shaking out of their sockets, but I was washed over with relief.

“Just a concussion and a twisted ankle. But I’m taking the meds and shit, they’re just keeping me here for the day to make sure I’m fine- with is a load of bull, but whatever.”

“What the hell happened?” I demanded.

“Some jerk ran a red light and t-boned us.” Jackson muttered. “What’s up with Ryder?”

“I don’t know, surgery on his shoulder is what I heard. He’s fine, though.”

Jackson nodded. “Oh man, Dad is going to freak.” He groaned in realization.

“Yeah, you’re all over the news. I’ll call him though, don’t worry about it.” I said.

“Thanks.” He sighed. “Hey, did you work things out with Kale?”

I smiled and nodded. “Yeah, we’re back together.”

He grinned. “Good because hearing you two whine all the time is not fun. I knew the Paris thing would work though, I gotta give the kid some credit.”

“Yeah, it was amazing. I’ll go get your girlfriend because I bet she’s really worried about you and I’ll go tell everyone that you’re okay because everyone’s worried sick about you.”

“Girlfriend?” Jackson asked in confusion.

“Oh, Kale told me all about you and Jenna, so you can’t play dumb with me mister.” I grinned at him.

He groaned, throwing his head back into the pillows with frustration. “I’m going to kill the kid. Nothing is happening between me and Jenna.”

“Ah, not yet. You obviously like her. She obviously likes you. I obviously want you to be happy. So I’ll make it work.”

“Don’t you dare.” He warned with a warning glare directed at me.

“Oh, I dare.” I grinned a him innocently. I looked up at the TV and saw that it was about Jackson and Ryder and this car crash. The news man talked about how the hospital isn’t releasing any information and it also showed a huge- and I mean huge- crowd of teen girls outside the hospital with tears running down their faces as if they knew the two boys personally and holding signs like “Get better, Ryder!” or “We love you, Jackson!”