Hot For Nerd ✓

20 | time

RAINE

*

I'm by his side in an instant. I drop my books and rush over to him, sinking to my knees in alarm. His skin is pale- almost the same shade as Primrose. His eyes are fluttering, open close open close open close. 

"Arrow," I place a shaking hand on his shoulder, and he groans in response. "Oh my god, Arrow. We need to get you to the hospital." 

His eyes fly open, before shutting once again. "Raine," he murmurs, and my heart splits right in two. "No. Just take me home." 

I growl, pulling his backpack off his shoulders and slinging it over my shoulder, along with the weight of my own backpack. "Are you kidding me? We need to go." 

"Raine," Arrow presses more firmly. "This has happened before. Just take me home." 

Sighing, I struggle to pull him up. "Fine. Can you walk?" 

I help him stand to his feet, but he sways unceremoniously on his legs, whooshing in and out of consciousness. As quickly as I can, I drag him to my car.

Throwing our bags in the backseat, I climb into the driver's seat and turn the heater on. "Are you okay?" I ask, backing out of the parking lot. "Are you cold? Do you want me to turn the seat warmer's on?"

He chuckles, but it's so strained that I wince. "I missed you." 

A blush blooms against my skin, heating me up. I don't answer, taking a sharp left turn into Arrow's apartment parking lot. I zoom out of the front seat, leaving the bags in the car, and swing the passenger car door open. I help him straggle to his apartment, where he crashes on to the bed. 

I scan the place, but it wasn't like how I remembered- the windows were shut, and the slats were closed so tightly not even a trace of light could be detected. 

He sits up in bed, and I glare at him. "Why are you getting up?" 

Arrow winces, rubbing his temple. Right now, I get a good look at him, and his skin is pale, lost of the normal caramel-bronze tone. He has dark bags under his eyes, which indicates that he hasn't been sleeping much- just like me. 

"Arrow," I say, my voice much more gentle. "What do you mean that this has happened before?" 

He gazes at me, his eyes darkening. "It happens when I don't get enough sleep. I haven't slept since that night." Arrow looks at me pointedly and I know exactly what he's talking about. "By the looks of it, you haven't either."

I pause, chewing on my bottom lip. He flips over the white covers next to him and pats the vacant space with his hand. "Come here." 

My eyes widen, and I struggle to find an answer. Because I want to say yes so badly, but I know that I can't. Not until we cleared up the air between us. "You," I whisper, my throat dry. "You know that I can't."

"Raine," he says softly, his voice gravelly and deep. "We'll figure out everything tomorrow. Just let me... be with you." 

I take a deep breath and shakily walk over to the other side of the bed. His eyes never leave me as I slide under. His maple scent is everywhere, and when my head hits the pillow, I immediately feel drowsy. 

Hesitantly, I shift to my side, so that I'm facing Arrow. He stares back at me, his brown eyes dark from the lack of light. I bring my thumb up to his face and brush it right over his cheekbones where the dark circles are. "Are you feeling better?" I ask quietly.  

He shrugs, sighing. "Better now that you're here." It's silent for a while, and my eyes are just starting to close. 

I feel a warm, corded arm wrap around my waist and pull me in. My eyes fly open, and all I can see is the soft fabric of Arrow's grey crewneck. I flit my gaze up higher, where I can almost barely make out the tattoo inked against his collarbone. I press my face against his chest firmly, closing my mind at everything we'd have to talk about later.