Adriana P.O.V.

My mouth felt like a desert and my throat felt like sandpaper when I swallowed and tried to talk. There was a persistent throbbing in the left side of my chest. I sat up slightly and winced as a sharp ache shot through my torso. I turned my head slightly and saw an IV hooked up to my right arm. I turned to the left and jumped at what I saw.

Jake was sitting by my bed and he looked horrible. His hair was tussled and ratted and he had such deep dark bags under his closed eyes. When was the last time he slept? Concern for him wracked me and I croaked out softly,

"Jake...?"

His eyes popped open and his electric blue eyes were slightly duller than usual. He swallowed nervously and concern filled me again so I asked,

"Are you ok?"

I leaned over to him and lifted up his shirt and scanned his chest. He didn't look hurt. I let his shirt fall and I checked his arms and head. He looked alright. He suddenly snapped with such anger I shrunk away from him,

"Am I ok?! Last time I checked I wasn't the one shot!"

I flinched and his face gentled as he shoved me back into the bed. He adjusted my pillow and fixed my blanket. I watched him incredulously as he tended to me. Was he always this sweet?

When he was finished he ran his fingers through his hair and sat down in the chair again. There was a brief silence before I asked timidly,

"Can you tell me what is going on...?"

Jake nodded and held up a finger. He got up went to the little nightstand with a vase of fake dusty flowers on it. How homey.

"Here."

A CD and a tub of ice-cream? I read the note on the top out loud,

"Heard your health has been kinda ROCKY lately. You have some HEAVY METAL in your life too (Haha get it metal? Bullet? What? Too soon?) I hope you enjoy this when you aren't admiring Jake's muscles and yes, I know you will cause I would too! >.

I blushed at the last part and saw Jake turn a little red too. I coughed uncomfortably and sat down Madison's gift. I wound my fingers together and placed them on my lap and peered at Jake expectantly.

Jake looked off into the distance as if collecting his thoughts before turning to me,

"What do you think happened?"

I frowned and tried recollect my scrambled memories.

"I remember feeling like you were in danger, like a sixth sense kinda thing. Then all I remember is pain and then nothing."

I turned and looked at him pleadingly. Everything felt so overwhelming and confusing.

To my surprise, Jake reached over and grabbed my hand in his. He felt slightly feverish and hot against my hand but it was comforting. He gave a reassuring squeeze and took a deep breath.

"Just let me explain everything, no interrupting."

I nodded and waited for him to speak.

"There was a company called Stample. They produced the same goods as us, which is computers and technology. They were a small business so my mother gradually made them go bankrupt. They officially closed and went bankrupt last week."

"It is believed the old owner of Stample was bitter at us and hired a hit-man to kill me."

I opened my mouth to interject. Hit-men were real? They were illegal! Jake quickly placed a finger on my lips, effectively cutting me off.

"Hush let me finish. Now, somehow you intercepted the bullet and saved me. A guardian angel was protecting you Bookworm cause if the bullet was moved two millimeters it would have ruptured your heart."

I felt the blood drain down to my feet. I nearly died? Someone nearly killed me over a grudge? A stupid business nearly killed me?

I sank further into the pillow me, shock making the room spin around me. Jake continued to speak,

"They have the sniper in custody. Do not worry, they will find who is responsible for all this. And they successfully removed the bullet in surgery. We payed extra for plastic surgery so there will be no scarring."

I looked down at me and saw I was only wearing a thin white bra and panties. I shrunk further into the sheets in an attempt to shield myself.

Jake looked at me awkwardly. I guess that was all there was to the story. Suddenly, he leaned over and snapped my bra strap. I squeaked and shrank away from him.

"Ow what the hell Jake?"

He chuckled and smirked so attractively my lucky-death-defying heart swooned,

"Sorry Ri, you just looked so gloomy."

I raised an eyebrow,

"Ri?"

He raised an eyebrow too and mimicked me except he had a little smile on,

"Ya get it? Adana."

I snorted and lightly smacked his shoulder,

"Dumbass I get it but why? Most people just call me Ana."

"Thats the thing. That makes me special."

He sounded so proud I just giggled and fought to keep a blush off my cheeks. I really needed to stop giggling. I blamed it on the drugs.

Then another memory popped up. I tilted my head slightly,

"Why were you angry before that?"

Instantly Jake's entire demeanor changed and he looked nervous and stiff. When he spoke it sounded robotic and emotionless,

"Ah of course you want to know what happened."

I nodded and squeezed his hand lightly.

Jake smiled sadly and said in a pirate accent,

"Lemme tell ya my tale of wo."

I giggled yet again,

"The Lego Movie!"

Jake rolled his eyes and gave me a funny look. I zipped my lips and threw away the key, giggling. He rolled his eyes again and clasp my hand between his hands. I noticed he was slightly quivering. He swallowed deeply before beginning.

~~~~~~~~~

"Do you remember who I was in sophomore year?"

I blinked in surprise. Of course I did, I had listened the girls giggling about him and I peeked at him over my book in the library. Blushing at the thought of telling him this, I just nodded.

"Then you know I was kinda mess. I had piercings and gages and every bad boy thing you could think of."

"It all started with my mother, as it usually does. The older I got, the harder on me she was. When I got into high school she was unbearable. Me being the rebellious soldier I am, I tried to be the opposite of what she wanted me to be. She wanted me to look crisp and formal so I looked like a slob and got piercings. She wanted me to get good grades so I failed every class. The list is endless Ri. In the end, I was the epitome of horrible not-ideal son."

His strong voice slightly quavered and I looked at him in worry. I knew all this of course. There was no missing the red tipped black hair and black gages as he walked into school one day in tenth grade.

"My mother still pushed me to change and I could not take it any more. I ran away to Los Angeles with a distant cousin named Ajax. He was like me just worse, if possible. He introduced me to drugs, girls, and alcohol. My mother never bothered to fetch me all though I know she was keeping tabs on me."

Jake paused and swallowed hard. He looked me nervously in the eye and his blue eyes were shining with distress.

"Promise me Ri, that you will listen to me and not run away from me."

I nodded but he shook his head,

"No you need to say it. You need to promise."

I smiled softly and wrapped my pinky around his,

"There was never a need to make me promise."

Jake looked relieved and left me stunned when he kissed where our pinkies were joined.

"Thank you Ri. I have never told anyone this but I know I can trust my Bookworm."

My heart leaped and pounded when he said 'my Bookworm'. My brain told my stupid heart to chill out and I quickly dismissed it as a slip of the tongue.

"Ajax was a fighter. He was the best of the best. He taught me how to fight and how to win a fight. One night, he took me to an underground fighting ring were he first fought and signed me up. I hadn't cared, I knew I was strong. The second I entered the ring I loved it. I loved the bright lights and the screaming crowd as they flung bets at each other. Later, I fell in love with the fighting itself. It helped me vent pent up emotions."

Jake unconsciously looked down at his clenched fists. His knuckles were turning white they were so tense. I gently uncurled his fingers and held his hand, trying to give him support to continue. I could tell how hard this was for him.

"They called me the Devil's Fist. I was undefeatable; my challengers were lucky if they could walk away. I turned into an addict kinda, in a weird way. Without fighting my anger pent up and I was dangerous to everyone me. I had anger issues that were out of control. I didn't think it was that big of a deal till that one day."

"In the morning, my mother called me for the first time in four months. She had the nerve to ask how I was doing and my emotions spiraled out of control. Ajax had to lock me in the room because if I would have beat up the first living being I saw. When I calmed down I was cold and angry. There is only one other time I remember being so angry."

I couldn't help but ask,

"When?"

He gave me a sheepish smile,

"When I saved you from Norman."

Ah when did he turn so cute?! I couldn't resist pinching his cheek,

"Can you stop being so cute please? It makes me jealous."

Jake laughed and smacked away my hand. His cheek was slightly red and I giggled.

"Anyway, I went fighting that night like usual. It was even busier than usual. There was a new challenger for me, which was now rare because I was infamous and no new people dared even try. He was hardly enough to challenge me, every one mocked him and laughed at him. When I got in the ring I let my anger wash over me. I vaguely remember what happened. The blood, the screams of the crowd, the cries of me opponent. I felt such a terrifying blood-lust, such cruel anger. The crowds enthusiastic screams changed into horror."

He shivered at the memory.

"You are supposed to stop at the knock-out but I didn't. People rushed out to take me out but the adrenaline made me unstoppable."

He chocked off and looked at me in horror.

"I killed him Ri."

I froze in horror as I stared at the broken man in front of me. An image of Jake standing over a bleeding dying man made me cringe. I have been in love with a murderer! How in the world did I fall in love with him? Why did I fall in love with him?

My head spun and I let out a little sob and tears began to fall against my will. Everything was confusing but I refused to leave the room. I had promised.

Jake continued shakily,

"I later found out his name was Justin Arden. In fighting like that accidents happen so they didn't make a big deal out of it but I did. I realized what I had become. I wondered how I had dropped so far in life to being a drug-addict fighter that just murdered someone because of my mommy issues. I left Los Angeles despite Ajax telling me to stay and it was just a mistake. I could never bear the thought of my anger hurting someone like that again."

"Once I got home I got therapy. My mother gave me plastic surgery to fill in my gages and piercings. I changed my hair back and returned to school like usual. But I was changed. I wasn't who I used to be."

My jaw dropped. Justin Arden? My friend Matt's twin?

I breathed,

"That is why you were upset in the mall. You met Justin's brother."

Jake winced and nodded,

"Did you know Norman and I's businesses are rivals? Want to know why? Its because of me. Apparently Justin was VERY close to Norman and Norman was distraught when he died. Some how, he found out it was me and has hated me ever since. He never told anyone I did it though, my guess was that he didn't have enough proof."

Puzzle pieces clicked together as he spoke. Every confusing situation seemed to be explained. Why Jake was upset when he heard I was with Norman, how he was angry at Matt, and why he would always go down to his gym when he was upset.

Jake looked defeated as he bowed his head,

"I know you can't stand to look at me now so I am going to go. I am sorry for hurting you, and for you getting hurt because of me."

As he stood up to leave for some reason I lunged out and grabbed his hand. He looked confused as he turned around,

"...Ri...?"

When I spoke my voice was a hushed hoarse whisper,

"Please don't go."

I hung my head, my hair hiding my face. Why did I want him to stay? Why did I want to hold a murderer's hand?

'Because you love him.'

Damn heart, it was right. He was still the boy that stole my heart four years no matter what he had done.

Oh how far I had come. Four years if you told me I was going to be sitting in a hospital room holding hands with Jake Collins after being shot I would have laughed and called up the nearest insane asylum.

When I snapped out of my thoughts I say Jake's eyelids begin to fall shut and my heart clenched in pain. He had been doing this for me. He had changed from the person he was two years ago.

I scooted over in the bed and patted the empty spot next to me. When Jake cocked his head in confusion I explained,

"You look exhausted. This bed is huge and there is plenty of room. Common, jump in and sleep."

A blush spread across Jake's cheeks and I fought the urge to laugh. Who would thought inviting the man-whore of San Diego High into my hospital bed to sleep would have made him blush?

He awkwardly slipped into the bed, facing me. My heart fluttered at seeing his handsome face right in front of me. I suddenly remembered I was wearing nothing but underwear and a bra so I blushed and shrank away from him. He chuckled lowly when he realized the reason for my discomfort.

I twisted my head and smiled at him softly before I noticed a thin black line on Jake's collarbone. I pointed at it,

"What's that?"

His sleepy eyes darkened slightly and he deadpanned,

"A brand from my past."

"Can I see?"

"Are you asking me to take my shirt off, Ri?"

"Dang it you found me out. You should be a detective, Bond."

"Shaken not stirred baby."

I laughed when he winked flirtatiously. After I quieted down, I smiled and closed my eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. I heard Jake sigh deeply beside me and felt the bed shift as he scooted closer to me. My head rested on his chest and his chin sat on my head.

"Sweet dreams Ri."

I felt self and protected by his warmth as I whispered back,

"Goodnight, Jake."

~~~~~~~~~~