"I can't help it, she's too perfect."

-Laura, Hockey Dad

________________________________

I wake in the infirmary. I can barely remember what happened yesterday night, but by the pain punching through every inch of my body, I can tell it didn't go well.

The sun is streaming through the large windows, and I can see most of the other students in here are still asleep.

I look down to see Alec sat forward on the chair beside my bed, head resting on his arms which are planted to the edge of the mattress beside me. His eyes are closed, and he looks peaceful, his breathing soft and gentle.

After a long moment of calm sleep, he stirs and slowly sits up, eyes squinting in the morning sunlight. When he sees me awake, he smiles a soft, genuine smile. "Liv."

Just the sound of my name rolling off his tongue is enough to make some of the pain subside.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, sitting straighter and running his fingers through his hair to smooth it out. It's not fair that he can even make bedhead look good.

"It hurts...everywhere," I admit, releasing a chuckle but wincing consequently.

Someone approaches us, and Alec turns away from me to see who it is, an amused smile still on his face.

It's Jasper, and he looks like he hasn't slept in years. His eyes widen when he sees me and he rushes to my other side, gripping my hand. "Olivia, are you alright?"

"I will be."

He shakes his head with disapproval. Wrong answer.

Alec doesn't say anything, but instead stares distantly out the window.

"Tell me what I can do," Jasper says frantically, his blue eyes burning a hole into my head.

"You can go to class. You too, Alec," I say. He turns around to meet my gaze again questioningly.

"No, wh-"

"Because you can't miss lessons. I'm not going anywhere," I remind.

Alec smiles a little, and nods, squeezing my hand one final time and leaving. I watch him go.

Jasper turns to me and tilts his head, eyes like a puppy's.

"Don't give me that look."

"What look?" he asks, amused.

"That look. I'm not falling for it. Go to class."

***

Days last longer when you're stuck in a hospital bed staring at the same four walls. I feel like I've been here for years, and if it wasn't for Alec and Jasper's drop-ins then I wouldn't be able to stand it. Seth sometimes swings by, and his visits are thoroughly entertaining, especially when he proposes a game of 'twenty-one dares', but since I can't move, he always lets me dare him to do stupid stuff.

One time, I even dared him to propose to one of the nurses, and he did it. I tried not to laugh because of my healing ribs, but I couldn't help it. Especially when she politely rejects and Seth walks back over to me with a sorrowful expression.

It's been nearly a week since I was put in here, and I'm sick of it. Nothing has happened, no news on Naomi, not that there should be anything to worry about. The deal is through now, it's over, and there hasn't been a murder for a long time. From what I've heard, there has been no fights either.

I'm glad nothing bad has happened.

But I want to get out. My ribs are fine after having almost a week to heal. I'm sure of it. But the nurse refuses to discharge me yet, which is so unfair.

It's late Thursday night, so I can imagine that most of the students are in their dorms fast asleep. No one will be sneaking out to parties or doing something fun until tomorrow night. So the school is close to silent.

That is until I hear someone approaching my bed. I frown and look into the darkness of the infirmary, but there's nothing.

I'm about to try to close my eyes since I'm obviously delirious, when someone jumps out at me, making a growling sound.

I jump but try not to scream since everyone is asleep. When I look up and see the white teeth of a dazzling smile, I shove Alec in the arm while he laughs hysterically.

"Sshh, you're going to wake someone up," I whisper quickly, not being able to laugh with him. It's been a long time since I heard him laugh properly. With everything that has been going on, I guess he didn't have many reasons to.

"You should've seen your face," he says, still utterly amused.

I scowl and cross my arms. "You better give me a good reason why you're here so I don't kill you."

He holds his hands up in surrender and replies, "Okay, okay. Fortunately, I'm here to save you."

"How?"

"Well, since you look so painfully bored more than half the time, I decided to come save you and take you to go have some fun."

"Doing what exactly? Not that I don't trust you, I just don't have faith that it'll be safe."

"You want safe? Maybe Jasper should've been the one planning an adventure," he says, and I smack his arm. "Seriously, though, it's a surprise."

I groan.

"Deal with it," he says with raised eyebrows and a smirk. I laugh and throw over my bed sheets.

"Wait, I don't have any clothes," I say, staring down at my hospital gown which I am not going anywhere in.

"That a problem?"

I tilt my head, unimpressed, and clamp my hands to my hips. Alec laughs and throws me a pile of my clothes.

"Where did you get these?"

"Your room."

"That's creepy."

"It's thoughtful."

I roll my eyes as he turns around while I change into a pair of black skinny jeans, Classic Chuck Taylors, a black t-shirt and my navy jacket.

When I'm ready, we tiptoe out of the infirmary. Alec sticks beside me in case it becomes too painful to walk, but I'm finding it alright. I know my ribs are healed, and barely any part of my body hurts. We make our way silently across the corridor before heading down the stairs and across the hall to the door.

We slip out the huge doors, wary of them groaning when moved, and hurry into the night.