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The light was bright and the pain was intense.
For a moment I thought I was dead, but then I realized if that was the case everything wouldn’t hurt so bad.
I slowly blinked my eyes open and the room came into focus.
A hospital.
Why was I in a hospital?
What happened?
Why couldn’t I remember?
“Oh thank God!” My mom cried and crashed into my arms.
I winced and she immediately let go, apologizing profusely. “Oh, Rachael, I thought we’d lost you.”
“Wh-what happened?” I tried to get my voice to work, but it came out all crackly sounding. By some miracle she understood. She appeared reluctant to say anything, but at my insistence she finally told me. With each word that left her mouth I retreated farther and farther into myself.
***
I gasped, coughing up water. Even once the water left my lungs I kept coughing. I knew people surrounded me but I was too embarrassed to look at them for the moment.
I slowed my breathing and tried to take steady breaths.
“Are you okay?” A warm hand landed on my shoulder.
I turned to look at Cade. He was soaked and water dripped from his shaggy hair onto my shoulder.
“Are you okay?” He asked again.
I nodded. “D-did y-you?” I stuttered, still trying to catch my breath. “Did you jump in after me?”
“Thea said you couldn’t swim,” he shrugged, “so of course I jumped in after you. A bit too late though. You’d already sucked down a lot of water. I had to give you mouth to mouth.”
Mouth to what? Oh hell no. You had to be freaking kidding me. I’d been unconscious for my first kiss with Cade? Not that I wanted to kiss him, but it was still completely unfair and embarrassing. And all these people had been a witness to this. Great. I’d be the laughing stock of the whole college before I even had my first class.
Cade seemed to sense my embarrassment.
“Back up everyone,” he warned with a voice that brooked no argument, “you’re crowding her.”
After a pause everyone backed away, except for Thea. I found myself thankful that she was still crouched by my side. I didn’t know what to make of this new feeling of fondness towards my roommate. Thea had this calming quality to her and an overall sweetness that made it impossible not to like her. I wasn’t looking for a friend, but something told me Thea wasn’t going to stand for that.
Cade grabbed the back of my neck, his hand warm against my chilled skin, and slowly lifted my head. “Are you okay?” He asked for a third time since I’d never answered him.
I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’m okay.” I was still struggling to catch my breath, but I was otherwise unharmed. Thanks to Cade. Great, now I was indebted to him.
He wrapped his muscular arms around my shoulders and helped me up. My legs were shaky. I think I was still stunned from the events that had transpired.
“I have some spare clothes in my Jeep,” he explained, guiding me towards the gate with Thea on my heels. “I don’t expect you to stay, but I don’t want you going back to your dorm soaking.”
It really surprised me that Cade seemed to have such a caring heart. I’d always assumed jocks were selfish cocky assholes. Not this guy.
He led me over to a black Jeep Wrangler. It was jacked up on large wheels with no top on. “Hold her,” he commanded Thea.
She grabbed ahold of my arm and steadied me. I kept shivering.
Cade reached into the backseat of his Jeep and pulled out a red duffel bag. He shuffled through it and pulled out a heather gray shirt. “I have some shorts in there if you want those too.”
