Levi Winchester

By the time I was out of the building, Tyler had already passed out in my arms. I should've ignored the coach and followed Tyler like I thought. First thoughts are always the best thoughts. This only happened because I let my feelings get the best of me.

I've never seen him so scared. He was still shaking even though he was unconscious.

"OVER HERE!!!!!" Coach Nichols yelled out to me.

Immediately we were taken into an ambulance. Since Tyler wouldn't let go of my shirt I witnessed them placing the breathing tube in Tyler's nose in the ambulance as they spouted a bunch of medical shit.

"Levi-" I heard him whimper.

"It's ok to fall asleep, baby, I've got you, I'm not leaving." I held him as close as I could. Tyler grabbed two fistfuls of my shirt and held on for dear life. He wouldn't even let go for the doctors as we arrived at the hospital.

"He even clings to you in his sleep, how cute." The nurse cood. "He's like a koala."

I layed in the bed with Tyler as he slept a bit more because I felt I should be there. It was only right that I held him for now. I hope he would be ok after almost dying in a fire like that. He's clung to me like he never had before, and, even though he was just really scared, I couldn't help but enjoy him clinging to me.

"Levi?" He croaked. I lifted my head but he pulled it right back down.

"I'm here, Tyler." I brushed my fingers thru his hair calming him back down. "I'm not leaving."

To say I was worried in the next hour was an understatement. The nurse pried Tyler's grip from me and put him on oxygen very quickly along with an IV.

"He should wake up soon. But other that his exhaustion, he'll be ok." The nurse assured me. "He just needs rest."

"Thank you." I'm glad he'll be awake soon. I sat on the side of his bed finally letting myself relax for the first time. Thankfully, he'll be just fine.

The next four days were absolutely horrible to me mentally.

Tyler hadn't even stirred from his slumber and I was starting to lose my mind. Was he tired or in a coma?! That bitch nurse he'll be awake soon!

Tyler's parents went in and out bringing me food and keeping me updated on what was going on with school. They tried their best to distract me but I couldn't snap out of my funk.

As peaceful as Tyler was, it made me extra stressed out to see him not moving. He looked dead, they had him on multiple tubes and they just kept saying "he'll wake up soon."

I would die at this hospital side, just to make him ok again.

"Ugh..." I heard suddenly. "Fuuuuuuuck...." Tyler had removed the oxygen mask himself and was rubbing his throat.

"Tyler! Your first word is fuck?" I jumped up to pour him a glass of water and rushing to him ignoring the tears falling from my face. "Are you alright? What kind of stupid question- of course you aren't alright!"

"I'm ok," his voice was so hoarse. I poured him more water. "My throats still super sore."

"They took out the breathing tube last night." I informed him nervously.

"Breathing tube?" Tyler looked a bit shocked.

"Yeah," I wiped my tears away and watched him drink some more water. "You weren't waking up so I stayed here."

"How long was I out for?"

"Four days."

"You stayed the entire time?" He asked.

"All four days, yes!"

"So not enough time to grow a beard?" Tyler groaned in annoyance.

I couldn't help but chuckle a little as more tears fell non stop. "You can barely grow pubic hair, Tyler. How will you grow a beard? You're ridiculous!"

"A man can dream," Tyler wiped my tears from my cheeks. "Tell me what happened at the school. Do you know?"

"It was an arson attack. The only suspect being Ms. Yoon. There were a few witnesses who saw her walk into the school with a jerrycan. But the school security guard was the best evidence, she drugged him and he was unable to stop her from turning off the surveillance and fire alarms. She also disabled the sprinkler system. Other than that you just have a sprained knee." I explained. "And a bad concussion and you passed out from the smoke inhalation."

"So no physical activity?"

"Not for a long time!" I finally managed to stop my tears.

"I remembered something, but no one probably knows, Levi." Tyler suddenly said. "Other than the fire."

"What else is there?"

"Someone tried to kill me, Levi. And I was so scared that I was going to die that I just want to say this now! I don't care if everything was just the heat of the moment, Levi." Tyler wheezed grabbing my hands. "I just don't want to be without you anymore. You were all I could think about! Everything went wrong when you weren't around! I want to be with you every minute or the day and night. I want to wake up to you every morning. I want to marry you too and I don't want you to ever leave me! I love you too much to let you go!"

"Tyler, I'm sorry I panicked. I should've said this before but I was being a coward. And I'm sorry for that too."

"Stop saying sorry! I love you so just love me back!" Tyler teared up. "Why do you keep trying to leave me and create distance? What do I have to do to get you to stop?"

"I'd never leave you."

"I don't fucking believe you! Do you know how I felt?! How quickly the happiest I ever felt turned sour!? Did you even care?" Tyler's voice cracked and I poured him more water. "I was going crazy. I talked Liam's ear off to the point that he ignores me half the time."

"I got scared because you looked disgusted. It's not as easy as I make you think it is. I just keep getting told that you're better off without me. And that you deserve someone better."

"By who?"

"Mostly myself," I admitted. "I'm insecure about everything and I feel like I might be a danger to you. Sometimes I think you might be happier with someone who isn't a monster and is more stable. That it would be selfish of me to keep you to myself. Because I want to break you into pieces and lock you away so that no one other than me can have you or see you. You don't know how extreme the feeling gets! I don't actually want to hurt you!"

"Then be selfish and stop deciding how I feel without me," Tyler said. "I don't want someone better! I want you! Now stop being a bitch about it! If you want to be with me then stay! If you're going to keep making excuses and pitying yourself then leave now and don't ever look at or say anything to me again. This is your only chance to accept the offer!"

I quickly got into bed next to Tyler and held him tightly. "I'll stop being that way, I promise." In the silence I heard his heart beat race. "Are you ok? Your heart is beating fast."

"It always does when we're like this," Tyler snuggled even closer. "Can we just run away together and leave all this crap behind? I'll pay for it."

I smiled. Picturing us in a house far away, alone and happy. I would be picture perfect. To be able to just take Tyler far away from this mess he was dragged into. "We can run as far away as you please."

"Did Ms. Yoon try to kill me? I know there was no video cameras on....but was it her? I think it was her." Tyler said. "if it wasn't her then what if they come try to find me, Levi? What if it wasn't a random attack? Was this planned? They're going to follow me!  Will I be able to get away next time-"

"Tyler! No one will come that close to you again." I tried to calm his shakes. "I promise."

"What about you, you were in the building too. I didn't see Miss Yoon."

"She really was there!"

"I believe you, babe. She's in prison now and she'll never get to you again." I told him.

"What if they come after you?"

"I'm completely fine." I nuzzled him to calm him down a bit and for the time being, it seemed to work. Should I call your nurse to see when we can get you up and moving? Maybe you get some more oxygen to be safe?" I asked.

"I want to leave the hospital." Tyler declared.

"I'll see if I can take you home."

"Not home, I'm sick of just going home, I need fresh air." Tyler said. "I want to leave the hospital now."

"But the doctor said you needed rest and monitoring."

"I rested for four fucking days and they monitored it. I think I got enough rest. Call the nurse."

It was for the best, ever since the incident, reporters showed up looking to interview students. The last thing I wanted was for Tyler to be broadcasted while he was being hunted.

I called the nurse who called the doctor. Tyler was issued a crutch for his healing knee and, despite doctors protests, we were allowed to leave.

"Hey! You're the kids from the school right?! The last two out?" A man called out.

"The police told you what you need to know. Stop harassing minors in the street," I snapped. "Creep."

"Wait we can work something out," the reporter grabbed Tyler's arm. "I can pay you guys for your time!"

"Fucking pervert!" In that moment I kicked him back onto the ground with all the force I could. I knew what he meant but I wanted to remind him of his place. These people had no sense of shame. "I'll take you home, babe." I wrapped my jacket around Tyler and left my arm around him as we walked.

"Levi, I lied earlier, I'm not ok." Tyler shook. "I've been deceived, chased by a knife, and all that was over in an instant. But everything is so vivid still. I-I can still hear footsteps. I feel like someone's coming to get me again! Every time I panic, I just freeze up. If I become strong like you, do you think I'll ever be able to face those kinds of people without getting scared? How do I-"

"I was scared too, we just respond to fear differently based on our own experiences. I'm used to fighting my way out of a tough situation, but I'll protect you and I'll teach you." I pulled Tyler close into a hug. "Just like you helped me, I'll help you."

"I'll be clinging to you this time."

"I don't mind that at all. By the way, are roses in season? Or are those fake? Those are pretty." I pointed to a flower patch beside the hospital,

"Grandma told me you can't produce blue roses since blue pigments can't be naturally grown. So florist dyed white roses. Because of this they created a negative meaning behind them. But through some effort it became a plant that could be grown naturally without coloring, but it was really rare, so the meaning changed." Tyler said.

"What's it mean now?"

"Miracles and Fated Love...or some lame shit like that." Tyler explained. Fated love is absolutely correct. This was a sign to mend things on my end. "I found it interesting when I heard it. I'm not a fan of flowers but I thought this was-"

"Tyler, let me do this correct and say this so we have no more misunderstandings. Yes I made a spur of the moment decision, but that was me being cowardly not the proposal." I thought my feelings weren't real and I was brainwashed. I probably won't have a happy ending like the blue roses, but I'm not giving up. I gave my word that I wouldn't.

"Let's not talk about that now. Levi, it's-"

"I thought It was wrong of me to love you, but I was really wrong. I don't know why it's so hard for me to accept that you love me back. I wasn't wrong, so I'm deciding to be selfish with you. If it weren't for you I don't think I would ever feel these emotions. You are the only one who ever made me feel anything." I looked at Tyler who didn't look disgusted this time. I took his right hand. Tyler gasped when I dropped to one knee. "Will you marry me?"

"Levi," Tyler started to cry. "You asshole! How dare you make me cry in public? I just woke up! I look like shit and I'm on damn crutches! Y-yes! Yes! Yes!"

I lifted Tyler up like a princess. "I'm going to carry my future wife home!"

Tyler popped the biggest smile I've ever seen. I was almost blown away. I've never seen him look so happy before. It was beautiful. "Then carry me home, husband!" He threw his arms around me.