Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2009 01:17:07 -0800 (PST)
From: Sean Hoke <sneaker_master@yahoo.com>
Subject: Twilight: A New Night Chapter Two: Secrets and Mysteries
Disclaimer
All character in this story are fake and just a product of the imagination
of the author. The Twilight title story line and characters are all
property of Stephenie Meyer. This is a fan's writing and I hope that
everyone will enjoy it and feel free to email with comments and/or
suggestions.
Chapter Two: Secrets and Mysteries
I awoke and half wished I hadn't, my whole body seamed to cry out in
protest. My head and ankle screamed the loudest. I fought to keep my eyes
open, Xander was there, he looked worried his face was tight it looked like
he was in pain.
"Xander?" I said my voice was harsh and scratchy.
"I am here Jonathan." He responded.
"Are you okay Xander?" I asked. His perfect eyebrows went up in
confusion. "You look like you're in pain." I explained.
"Jonathan, do not worry about me, I just hate to see you in pain." He
said.
"I am okay, it doesn't hurt that much." I lied.
"Jonathan you don't have to be brave, it's okay." Xander said. "I
will get the nurse to give you some more pain killers." He added. Soon
after that I slipped back into unconsciousness.
I awoke with a start, feeling disorientated. A crash of thunder
blasted me out of my thoughts, and I realized it was storming outside. A
flash of lightening illuminated the room and I had to stifle a
scream. Xander was staring at me just as still as a statue, almost glowing
he was so white. We stared unblinking at each other till the light
faded. When the next flash of lightening struck he was up and headed
towards me, I was almost sure I had just hallucinated the whole thing.
"Jonathan are you okay, did the storm wake you up?" Xander said.
"Yeah I guess it did." I said.
"How are you feeling?" Xander asked.
"Fine I guess, I don't feel so great, but the pain doesn't seam to
hurt so much either." I said. The storm continued to rage outside. "Xander
what time is it?" It was so dark but I didn't have a real desire to turn on
the lights.
"Just after midnight, you should try to get some more sleep." Xander
said.
"Not just yet, I don't really feel sleepy yet." I insisted. Xander
reached behind me and flicked on the lights, the room was filled with a
yellowish light coming form behind my head. I looked into his beautiful
face. "Xander can I ask you a question?"
"Well technically you just did." He said with a smile. "But sure ask
away."
"Do you normally wear contacts?"
"No why?"
"Cause you eyes are much darker then normal, usually they are much
lighter." I responded. His eyelids closed and he rubbed them with his
finger tips.
"Must be all the florescent lights and stuff in here." He said
quickly.
"Oh."
"Can I ask you a few questions?" he asked.
"Yeah sure ask away." I responded.
"Okay do you know why my mother had to have a court order for me to
stay here with you?" Xander asked, he seamed angry about it. "After all we
are both adults, you shouldn't need to have foster parents to make
decisions for you." He added.
"Actually, legally, I am not an adult." I replied. "I am still
seventeen, for about five more months" I explained.
"But you are in college."
"I graduated a year earl, mostly to get away form my Aunt and Uncle."
I responded.
"Are they really that awful?" Xander asked.
"No they are just old fashioned and very very strict." I said. "My
turn, how long have you been here with me?" I asked.
"Jonathan I haven't left your side, other then to use the restroom
and stuff, since they brought you down on Saturday. That was four days
ago." He said.
"Four days ago?" I was dumbfounded.
"Well you did have a pretty bad head injury." Xander said.
"What happened?"
"As I was examining your ankle, you suddenly passed out, I wasn't
quick enough to catch you and you smashed your head into some rocks. I was
scared I had killed you."
"You shouldn't feel like that Xander, you can't take the blame for me
clumsiness." I responded.
"I am just glad you are getting better." He said.
"Thanks Xander, it's great to have you as my friend." I responded. My
eyelids were getting heavy and I knew I would soon be asleep again.
"It's okay Jonathan, sleep now." Xander said.
I awoke the next morning and was still surprised to be in a hospital
bed. I looked around and noticed that I was totally alone; a wave of
sadness overtook me. I stifled the tears that threatened to fall. I had
been so sure that Xander would still be there. The bright sunlight streamed
in form the window. I was left with little to do for most of the
day. Nurses checked on me but Dr. M and Xander never showed up. I feel
asleep, but I don't know if I dreamed or not. I watched the last of the
sunlight fade as twilight reached its shadowy hand into my room. My
melancholy mood was quickly shifting into full on funk. There was a light
knock on the door, I figured it was another nurse come to check on me.
"Come in." I called out.
"Well you are sounding better." My head snapped up so hard I thought
I should have had whiplash. It was Xander.
"Xander?" I said in disbelief.
"Who else did you expect?" He said with a wide smile. I knew I was
smiling stupidly but I couldn't get my face under control.
"Well you haven't been to see me all day." I whined, I wasn't sure if
I was mad or just happy that he had finally shown up.
"Sorry about that Jonathan, I had some personal things that needed
taken care of." He explained. He walked to the head of the bed and rested
his hand on my forehead. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Fine." I said, as a small sigh escaped my lips. Xander's eyes raked
my face to see if anything was wrong. "Your hand is nice and cool, it feels
good. I explained.
"It's gotten a lot colder now that the sun has gone down." He said as
he pulled his hand away. Xander plunked down into the chair by the head of
the bed. "My dad should be in here soon, he is working the late shift
tonight." He added.
"No wonder he hasn't been in to see me." I said.
"Oh poor baby, no one come to visit?" Xander said.
"No, no one." I said sadly.
"Wait your serious? Not even Danny has come to see you?" Xander
sounded pretty surprised.
"I guess no one knows I am here yet. Either that or they don't care."
I said quietly.
"I am sure that isn't the reason. I was sure that Danny would realize
that you haven't come back from hiking."
"Why no one knew where I was." I said.
"WHAT?" Xander was obviously very upset, he took a deep breath. "You
didn't let anyone know where you were going." He added.
"No I didn't think it mattered." I answered.
"What if I hadn't been there, with you?" Xander said. "You could have
died and no one would have known about it." Xander looked like he was about
to explode. "I can't believe you're telling me that absolutely no one knew
you where you were?" He said through gritted teeth.
"What's the big deal? You were there, not where you say you were, but
still there and you saved me." I said, I was pissed both at him, and at
myself for knowing he was right about me, I had acted stupidly.
"And what if I hadn't been there?"
"Then I wouldn't have fallen trying to scream out your name." I
responded smugly.
"Okay so for arguments sake, let's say I was half way up the
cliff..."
"You were." I interrupted.
"Anyway..." Suddenly I was angry, very angry.
"YOU WERE THERE!" I screamed, his face was one of total shock. "AND I
WON'T BE MADE OUT TO BE A LAIR OR CRAZY ANYMORE!"
"Jonathan, no one thinks you are crazy or a liar." Xander said trying
to calm me down.
"That isn't true, you keep trying to tell me something that didn't
happen but I know that it did." I felt myself start to lose it. "I know
what I saw and I know what happened!" I sobbed. Xander placed his cold hand
on either side of my face.
"Okay Jonathan, calm down." He said, I took a deep breath. "No one is
going to believe that is the truth." He said after a very long pause.
"I don't care, I won't tell anyone." I said more calmly. "Please just
so long as I know and you know the truth." I added.
"Okay, just remain calm." Xander said.
"Xander I feel like there is still so much we need to talk about." I
said.
"We have all the time in the World." Xander assured me.
"Still there are a few things I want to say now." I said.
"Hold off on that Jonathan, I think I hear my dad." He said. I
strained my ears but couldn't hear a thing. However not ten seconds later
the door knob clicked and in walked Dr. M.
"How is our patient today?" he said.
"I'm fine, ready to go home." I said.
"Sorry Johnny, but we want to try to get the swelling down a bit more
first. Hopefully you can go home tomorrow." Dr. M said as he checked me
over. "Everything else looks good though, you seam to be healing quiet
well." He added. Dr. M was about to head out the door, a moment I was both
longing for and dreading at the same time. "Oh Alexander before I forget
your mother called and said she needed to speak with you." And he was out
the door.
"I had better call her." Xander said apologetically as he rose and
headed for the door.
"You will come back right? I said worriedly.
"Of course I will." He responded. I relaxed as he slipped out the
door. I guess I feel asleep.
I awoke to the gently sound of rain trickling down the glass of the
window. I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep. I looked around and was
surprised to see that Xander was sprawled across the mini sofa in the
corner of the room. I felt bad thinking about how uncomfortable that must
be; he should be at home with his family not trapped here keeping me
company. A small sigh escaped my lips, Xander stirred in a heartbeat.
"What's wrong? Are you in pain Jonathan?" He asked
"No Xander I am fine." I said.
"Something is wrong; tell me what you are thinking about." He asked.
"I was thinking about how you should be at home, not cooped up with
me in this hospital room." I responded.
"I choose to be here Jonathan; I wouldn't want to be anywhere else
when you are hurting." He said honestly. "Besides it's already morning." He
added with that wonderful crooked smile I loved.
"Really? Wow I must have been more tired then I thought." I said.
"You should get up; Dad came in earlier and said you could go home if
you like. However I was thinking you are probably starving and I thought we
could get some breakfast." Xander said.
"Breakfast does sound good, but I hate hospital food." I said.
"Not here silly, I was thinking we could stop somewhere before I get
you back to dorms." Xander said with a little laugh.
"Oh well in that case it sounds good to me." I responded.
"Why don't I give you some privacy to change and I will call Dad and
let him know you are ready." Xander said as he rose and walked out the
room. I got up out the bed favoring my good leg, I was a little light
headed form having been in bed for so long but felt okay after the first
wave of dizziness passed. I struggled to get into my cloths. Giving up on
being able to put on my socks and shoes, I wasn't too sure how I was going
to get around campus on this ankle; I hoped that Dr. M had some crutches I
could use or something. Xander knocked on the door a few minutes later; he
helped by putting on my sneaker and sock onto my good leg. Then he handed
me some crutches so I could get around, course before I had a chance to use
them, the nurse came in with a wheelchair and insisted that I leave the
hospital on that. Xander laughed at the look of indignation on my face as I
was pushed though the building. Finally we were outside. I was stunned it
was a lot colder then I had expected it to be.
"You okay Jonathan?" Xander asked.
"It's colder then I expected and I don't have my jacket." I responded
as I wrapped my arms around my chest. Xander immediately pulled his own
leather jacket off and laid it down on my shoulders. I pulled it around and
stuck my hands into it backwards.
Xander ran off to get his car quickly meet me back at the entrance
of the hospital. His car just like him was way too beautiful, a baby blue
Mustang GT, with white leather interior. It was absolutely gorgeous. Xander
jumped out and helped me into the car, then looped around and jumped nimbly
into the driver's side and took off like a bullet. I had never seen some
one drive so fast in a hospital parking lot in my life, and quickly found
out it wasn't just in the parking lot he drove fast, Xander wove his way in
and out of traffic like a madman.
"Xander please slow down, I don't want to have to go back to the
hospital so soon after having left it." I shouted. Xander laughed aloud.
"Have no fear Jonathan; you are perfectly safe. As safe as you can be
with me." He said with a small smile. I took a deep breath.
"Xander I think we need to talk some more." I said. "Can we go
somewhere quiet for breakfast?" I added.
"Your not going to be tossing yourself off a cliff are you after
this? I don't have any hiking plans so if I have to save you again let me
know." He said with a huge grin.
"No I don't plan to try to kill myself anymore this week." I replied
sticking my tongue out at him.
"Oh good, in that case I suppose we could go somewhere and talk."
Xander replied.
"We could go to Java Chillers; you know that place by the campus." I
suggested thinking how it was close to the dorms. I was worried, and I
couldn't be sure how he would react to the things I wanted to tell him. The
way Xander drove we were at Java Chillers in not time at all. It was early,
but there were a few already there. I knew it wouldn't stay like that for
long, as it was a popular college hang out.
Xander walked right in and up to the hostess station, the hostess
looked up and froze. I knew the feeling; she was being mesmerized by
Xander's good looks. "A table for two, please." He said. She cast a glance
my way and quickly looked away, guess I wasn't looking my best right
then. She led the way into the restaurant and led us over to the most
crowded spot. "Maybe a booth or something a little more private?" Xander
said smoothly. She seamed to scowl but quickly pulled it into a smile and
led us to a more secluded spot.
"That wasn't really all that fair." I said.
"What?"
"You kind of blinded her; she would have done just about anything for
you." I said.
"What are you going on about Jonathan?" Xander said.
"You have this way of dazzling people. I guess you don't see it, but
I do." I said with a small laugh.
"I dazzle people?"
"Yeah you do, I don't think you do it on purpose or anything, it's
just kind of funny to watch sometimes." I responded. Our waitress appeared
and asked us our drink orders. I got a caramel macchiato, and Xander only
ordered water. She must have been warned by the hostess, as she only had
eyes for Xander. I tried not to take it all that personally, after all I
only had eyes for him too.
"I just can't believe that, have I ever dazzled you?" He asked with a
sly smile.
"Yeah you get me every now and then. Don't you ever wonder why you
get your way so often, that doesn't happen with everyone." I responded.
"Really? It seams to happen to my family a lot." He said.
"Well of course, you are all so gorgeous." I said, about a second
went past and then I felt the heat on my face. I looked down at the table
as the waitress brought out our drinks.
"Can I get you guys anything to eat?" She said, again she seamed
totally focused on Xander, I wanted to punch out her lights.
"Jonathan do you want something to eat?" Xander deferred to me.
"Just a small stack of pancakes." I said.
"I am fine with the water." Xander said. The waitress walked off in a
huff. I suppressed a giggle but a smirk still found its way to my
face. "What?"
"She was totally blinded by you again." I said. He just rolled his
beautiful eyes at me.
"So getting back to you thinking that I am gorgeous." He said with a
sly wink.
"Yes Xander I guess I do find you kind of gorgeous." I said, he
smiled that killer smile at me. "In fact that is part of what I wanted to
talk to you about." I added.
"My being gorgeous is something you want to talk about?" Xander asked
with a little laugh.
"It's more then just that, it's a lot of thing." I said. "I know you
are keeping a secret form me." I said.
"No, I ..."
"Please Xander." I interrupted "Spare me the lies, you promised we
would talk about the truth." I said. He closed his open mouth. "As I said
you are keeping something form me." I added. "And you know what, that is
okay. The truth of it is that we really haven't known each other long. I do
hope that one day you will be able to feel like you can share anything with
me." I added. "As a sign of good faith I am going to share a secret with
you about myself." I said. Just then the waitress returned with my pancakes
and some syrup.
"Sure you don't need something Sugar?" She asked Xander.
"No I am fine, thank you." Xander said, as she walked away he
remembered that I was there. "Go on." Xander said encouragingly.
"Well you see, I have never actually said this out laud." I said. I
sucked in a deep breath. "I am gay!" I said in a whoosh. Xander froze; he
didn't even seam to be breathing. I felt like crying, this wasn't how I
expected things to be at all. I took another deep breath, I moved to stand
up. "I am sorry Xander." I said as I got up. Suddenly his right hand
clamped down on my wrist. I barely registered the coolness of his hand
though the jacked as the pain sunk in. "OW! Xander let go!" I cried out. I
pulled with everything I had but I couldn't break his steel lock. "Xander!
Alex! Alexander! You're hurting me." It came out as a pained whisper, but
he reacted like I was shouting at me. He instantly dropped his hand form
me. I fell back into the chair and pushed up the jacket and examined my
wrist. It was very red and hurt but I don't think he had broken
anything. Cautiously I looked into his face.
"Jonathan I am so sorry." He said, his voice was just above a
whisper. I could clearly see the pain in his eyes.
"Don't worry about it Alexander." I said. I reached for my wallet and
realized it must still be in my bag in the car. "Look if you will just let
me get my bag out of your car. I will pay my half of the meal." Though the
truth of it was neither of us had touched a thing. I stood up again.
"Please don't go." Xander said quietly. Once more I was compelled by
his presence to obey. I sat back down. "Jonathan I can't possibly expect
you to forgive me for hurting you." He said, some how I was sure he meant
both the physical and mental pain. "I don't think anything bad about what
you said, I was just surprised. When you went to leave all I could think
about was how I didn't want you to go." He said. "I didn't even realize I
was holding on so tight." He said. I knew he was beating himself up about
hurting me.
"It's okay Xander, everyone makes mistakes." I said quickly.
"No it's not okay, I will never forgive myself for hurting you, I
have tried so hard to keep you safe and here I am the one to hurt you."
Xander said.
"Xander snap out of it." I said. He looked into my eyes. "I forgive
you, so don't dwell on it." I added.
"Your right, I suppose we should get over that." He said. "It just
took me by surprise, I still feel very protective of you." Xander added.
"You might change your mind when you here the rest of it." I said
skeptically.
"I doubt it, but go on." He said.
"I like you, a lot." I said.
"I like you too." Xander said, he seamed to find this amusing.
"No Xander I mean that I really like you. I think I might even be in
love with you." I said quickly.
"Oh." That was all he said. I felt like dying. I wanted the ground to
open up right there and swallow me whole. I jumped up grabbing my crutches
and as quickly as I could I got outside. I glanced at Xander's car and
wondered about my bag, deciding after a second to two to forgo it. I
hobbled away as quickly as I could. Fast as I tried to be, Xander was
infinitely quicker. I blinked and there he was, I hadn't even made it out
the parking lot. "You can't leave, especially after saying something like
that and just walk away." Xander said.
"Please just leave me alone. I will never bother you again." I said.
"Jonathan I don't want you to leave me alone. I don't think of you as
a bother." Xander said.
"What?" My brain didn't want to function.
"I don't care that you are gay or even that you think you love
me. What I do mind is you trying to hurt yourself and you walking way. We
can't solve any problems if one of us isn't here to talk about it." Xander
said seriously I thought about what he said and realized he was right, I
let out a sigh.
"You are right Xander, and I am sorry for running away, it was just
you reacted exactly like I expected you would." I said.
"Jonathan I care about you a great deal, that is why I am so very
protective about you." He said. "Besides being gay isn't that big a deal, I
am gay too by the way." He added.
"Really? You're gay too?" I finally felt like there was a light at
the end of the tunnel.
"I wouldn't lie to you about something that is clearly so serious to
you." Xander said.
"Thank you, and again I am sorry for running out on you." I said.
"As you said before `Everyone makes mistakes'" Xander said. "Now do
you want to go back into the restaurant and eat, or just head back to the
dorms?" He asked. I paused for a moment and discovered that my appetite had
vanished and the pains in my head and ankle were coming back.
"I think that I would rather just head home, and take some more pain
killers." I said. Xander quickly helped me into his car and after a quick
run in to pay for the food he was back and we were once more speeding down
the road at a million miles an hour. I started to over head Xander had the
heater up on full, I also realized I still had his jacket on, I didn't know
what cologne he wore but the smell was intoxicating. I never wanted to take
the jacket off. "Xander it's too hot in here. I think I am melting." I said
with a hit of a smile. As I reached to turn the heater off, Xander did the
same and our hands bumped into each other. His hands were still like
ice. He quickly jerked them away.
Time seamed to pass differently when Xander was driving or maybe it
was just that I was so petrified. He dodged in and out of traffic with an
ease that would have made Mario Andretti proud. In just under ten minutes
we were parked in front of my dorm building, Xander dashed out over to my
side of the car and helped me out. He grabbed my bad and we headed
inside. We took the elevator to the top floor I lead Xander down the hall
to my room.
"Wow, top floor and a single room? How did you manage that?" Xander
commented as we walked into my room.
"It was part of my scholarship bonus, and one of the major reasons
for coming to UNH." I responded.
"Then I think I should send several thank you cards to the
scholarship committee for getting you here." Xander said with a laugh. I
laughed a little with him but the pains in my ankle and head was getting
worse. "Here let me get you some water, so you can take some more pain
killers." He said. He had me all quickly sorted out resting in my bed, I
looked up at him he was sitting in the only chair, the one form my desk.
"I am going to figure out your secret Xander, just wait and see." I
said.
"I have no doubt you will." He said seriously. I knew what I had to
do I thought about all I knew but my thoughts were getting fuzzy from the
pain medication. Soon I slipped into the darkness of unconsciousness.