Falling Hard || The Music Freaks || Lander

Chapter Four: Falling In Love

"You've been here for three hours. Just staring out the window and holding his hand," said Hailey. "Surely that was enough time."

Zander looked down. Three hours wasn't nearly enough time. He wanted to stay here until the sky turned dark and the stars came out. He'd wait here for eternities - just for Luke to wake up.

But waiting for ages wouldn't help, would it? It wouldn't do anything different, no matter how long he patiently waited.

"He's so cold," he whispered. "It's like he's already..."

"Just barely," said Hailey quietly. "His heart's still beating."

"I don't want to leave him," said Zander. "Especially not like this. I don't want to ever be apart from him."

A moment of silence passed.

"When are you going to start looking for it?" Hailey asked out of the blue. Zander looked up.

"What?"

"Oh... right," Zander had almost forgotten. "Well, I didn't directly say I would, did I? I said maybe."

"Uh-huh," said Hailey.

"Besides, the rose probably won't appear for me," he said. "The rose only comes for those who need it the most, right? Those who are facing a life and death situation. I'm not facing any of those..."

"I swear on the Mother of Abs -" Hailey sighed. "How can you be so stupid? You ARE in great need! Luke's life is on the line - of course the rose would appear for you!"

"The rose would only appear for Luke!" Zander argued. "It's his life that's in danger, not mine!"

Hailey leaned against the wall. "But you care, don't you?" She asked. "You care so much about Luke's life - the rose would know that. Because it's just as much of a danger to you as it is to Luke."

"But..." Zander still couldn't wrap his mind around the situation. "But why? Why do I think that way? Wouldn't someone like Luke's mother or some sort of close relative want to find it? How come it's me that wants to find it so badly?"

At this point, he seemed to be rather talking to himself than to be talking to Hailey.

"I dunno, Zander, those are some questions you should ask yourself," Hailey tilted her head. "Maybe if you look deep in your heart... you can find an answer."

"I... still don't know what you mean," said Zander. Hailey rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'll cut to the point," she said. "You're in love with Luke. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he liked you back. It's so obvious, and yet you don't know it."

"What?!" Zander shouted. "What do you mean it's been obvious? Since when have there been signs?"

"Oh, I think you know," grinned Hailey. "You're falling in love, Zander. Hard."

She suddenly looked at the clock. "Gee, mom's right. If we don't go soon I'll miss my singing lessons," she opened the door and looked over her shoulder. "You coming?"

"Yeah... I just need time to think," muttered Zander.

Hailey nodded and closed the door behind her. He looked down at his shoes.

Was Hailey right? Well, surely she had to be. It was the perfect explanation for all these emotions mixed up inside him. Had it really been that obvious?

After all this time... I always thought of Luke as a close friend. But I guess he was something more...

And Hailey had something about Luke liking him back. Was it true? That day he fell... he was about to tell Zander something important. What if...

He looked at the cold hand in both of his, remembering how it had touched his throat that day. That tree down the road... It was full of so many memories. If Luke did live, he'd lose them all. But if he died instead... Zander wasn't sure which one was more painful.

What an amazing place... With that gorgeous sunset and view... Too bad it held such a painful reminder of what had happened. Strange how something so sweet could be cursed with one simple fall...

He snapped his head up. The Legend of the White Rose. The poem Hailey had recited..

The place is both beautiful and sweet, but has been ruined by the sound of sirens.

Could the rose be hidden in...

Zander stood up. If anything could help save Luke, it was that rose. Maybe it was just a legend, but something was tugging at him to go. The White Rose surely had to appear for him. Now was a time he was in danger - the person he loved the most was about to die. He just had to find it.

And he knew just where to start.