Heart Flutters; [afi]

[11]

"I was afraid. Of getting hurt in other ways. To be truthful, I still am." His thumb stroked her cheek. "I would never hurt you." "I don't think you can promise me that." She squeezed his bruised fingers. "But it makes things a bit more equal, to know that I can hurt you, too." His gaze fell to her lips. He said simply, without any trace of irony, "You are killing me."

-Tessa Dare, One Dance with a Duke

February 13th, 2013 | Age 19

Ashton's fiddling with the IV in his left hand when I come bursting through the cloth curtain of his room. He jumps in his bed and yells out a "Jesus!" before realizing that its just me. I mean, who else would barge into his room and grab him like it's the last time they'll ever see him? My arms wrap around his torso fully and I embrace him into the best hug I can possibly muster. I can feel him holding his breath in surprise but then he responds, wraps his arms around me, and kisses my forehead roughly.

"You scared me!" He exclaims with a silly grin, his lips moving against my forehead. I'm just so happy to see he's alright, living and breathing. The last few hours have been terrible, nobody had even informed me of what's going on with him. I kiss him hard and pull away slightly, sitting on the bed next to him just as Calum, Luke, Michael, and Ashton's mom enter his make-shift hospital room.

"I was so worried about you, Ash. What happened? Are you going to be okay? Don't leave me, alright? I'm sorry, I'm just so so so happy to see you're alright!" My words come out in a big rush and he laughs, pulling me against his chest. My arm gets tangled in his IV line but he expertly loops it around me and rests his arms across my shoulders.

"I'm fine guys, just had some fainting spells s'all," He says simply. Ash looks so tired, his hazel eyes still sparkling above the dark blue bags underneath his eyes. "Doc says that I have a few more tests and then I'll be out of here."

"Fainting spells mean that you need an IV line?" I ask nervously and gently prod at the needle sticking into my boyfriend's vein. Ashton's arms are perfectly sculpted and the IV line shatters this image with its awkward pink color, jammed into his bulging hand vein.

"They think dehydration, it's nothing," He fumbles with his bedsheet for a moment. "Just some fluids to get my hydrated, the tests are just to be sure."

I eye him suspiciously but luckily for me, Luke steps in.

"We were worried about you, can't have a band without a drummer," Luke teases and cracks a grin at Ashton.

"Lexi was literally losing her mind, I thought she was going to go on a man-hunt or something for you," Michael butts in, nudging my leg with his foot. I scowl at him and he false surrenders.

"We get it, you're all in love and whatnot," Luke bugs and Michael pretends to swoon.

"Glad to see you're alright, lad," Calum nods at Ash, his expression blank. Ash nods at him, but a small grin forms on his lips in acceptance.

"Thanks Calum, means a lot to hear you say that," Ash murmurs, his hand firmly around my waist. I shift a little bit closer to him, beyond happy to be able to hear his voice.

"Yeah, whatever," Calum shrugs and jams his hands into his pockets awkwardly. Harry and Lauren finally come back from the cafeteria.

"Lexi!" They shout and squeal, running toward me. I'm tackled with hugs and giggles as I'm quickly whisked away from Ashton. He laughs and then proceeds to fake pout.

"Seriously guys? I just see my girlfriend after a full day of not getting to and you sneak her away from me?" He questions jokingly and Lauren sticks her tongue out at him.