Michael clears his throat. I had forgotten about Michael. We immediately break apart, Will jumping to his feet to get away from me. His neck, as well as the front of his white shirt, are drenched in blood. God, we’re a mess. I stare perplexed at him as he pants, but rather than commenting, I look over to Michael.

“Yeah, sorry guys, didn’t mean to kill the mood or anything, but Luka really needs a doctor.” he says, sitting back on his heels. “I patched him up as best I could with a shirt and some saline, but I think, I think, Luka got shot. Bullets can be nasty little guys. We need to go. Now.”

I decided to completely ignore the fact that I just made out with Will and instead say, “Can you guys help me up? I don’t think I can walk on my own.” Will ducks his head, stooping down to grab my arm. Michael takes my other arm, and together they pull me up. Positioned in between them, I limp towards the red pickup truck parked across the street. I groan, the pain suddenly crashing back.

“It’ll kick in, give it time.” Michael says.

Gritting my teeth, I say, “Mike, any vital organs messed up? Is this fixable?” I’m panting now, the pain is so bad. I don’t know what Mikey had done to stop the pain before, or maybe it was just looking at Will made me forget, but whatever it was, it wore off. It feels like I’m on fire, burning from the inside out.

Michael answers quickly. “No, you’ll be fine, the bullet went right between your liver and heart, so I don’t think it actually hit anything. We were pretty lucky with that. The bullet went straight through and out, so the doctors won’t need to worry about removing anything.” Michael has a lot of medical experience, as his training had been mainly focused on medicine, while Will and I had revolved more around weapons and fighting technique. I nod my head, but I don’t respond. I’m getting light headed.

Finally we make it to the parking lot in front of the abandoned gas station, the blinking “sorry, we’re closed” sign washing all our faces in a red glow.

They haul me to the truck, gently laying me down in the backseat. The pain recedes a great amount, and I suddenly don’t feel like I’m about to pass out. Michael climbs into the driver's seat, and Will climbs into the passenger seat. He still hasn’t looked at me. Michael notices that Will isn’t sitting in the back seat with me and says, “Will, maybe you should sit back with Luka. You know, so he isn’t jostled around as much and lose more blood.” I can’t see Will’s face in the shadows, but I do see him glance back at me. My stare meets his own, and I’m jolted by the look in his eyes. There’s fear -- genuine fear -- that shines in his brown eyes. Not fear of my possible death, though that does add to it -- no, it was the fear that he would find repulsion in my returning stare. That I had changed my mind in the few minutes since we had kissed, and had decided that I do not feel the same way he does towards me.

Instead of showing him any of the things he expects to see in my gaze, I grin at him, nodding slightly to encourage him. To show him that I do, in actuality, like him. “Come on, Will. I won’t bite.” I snap my teeth together playfully. He chuckles, the look of fear slowly melting into something happier, and climbs into the back with me.

There is really only room in the back seat for two to sit comfortably, and I am a 6’1 seventeen year old laying down across all three seats. I have to pull my legs up and rest them against the door just to have my back flat. I raise my head to make room for Will to sit; when he’s comfortable, I lower my head into his lap. He doesn't seem to mind, and my eyes quickly find his. “Hi,” I breathe. By now we are speeding along the road, Michael silent up front. Will grins back at me, eyelashes fluttering. “Hi.”

I feel content, and my eyes slowly drift shut. Whatever Mikey did helped, as the pain in my abdomen is bearable.

“You’re a good kisser,” I mumble quietly, slowly drifting into sleep. I don’t hear his whispered response, though I do feel his hands suddenly in my hair, gently combing through my black locks. I smile, liking the sensation of his hands in my hair. The world goes dark, and I fall into a dreamless sleep.