All I can hear is the loud thrumming of my heart against my chest as the roof caves a little more. "Stand as still as you can, okay?" Colton says calmly as he moves to get up. The roof caves beneath him too. "We need to jump," I look down and I'm sure my heart is going to explode.

"No... I can't jump," I shake my head frantically.

The house is too high up, I'll surely break my legs if I jump.

"Rose if we don't jump, we'll fall through the roof and the next floor. We'll be safer if we jump," I'd rather fall through two floors than jump. Why does stuff like this always happen to me? Everything was fine until Colton decided to follow me here. "Rose..." Colton says and I look over to him. I nod.

"On the count of three... one... two... three," we both jump and as soon as my feet leave the roof it feels like my soul has detached from my body.

The ground inches closer and a scream pierces through my mind - I think I'm screaming. Everything moves in slow motion as I fall, plummeting towards the ground. My mind completely detaches from my body, my sould practically being ripped out of me as I inch closer to the floor.

A shock of pain runs through my whole body as my feet land on the pavement. The force of the impact makes me fall and I roll over on the pavement, it feels like the wind has been knocked out of me. I lay there for a second, trying to even my breathing before I begin to get up.

I gasp for air as the whole house explodes and I am thrown, by the force of the explosion, into the road. Windows shatter and glass goes flying as smoke invades my lungs. My body screams in agony, everything roaring in pain. "Colton," I cough but I don't hear a response. I look over at the house, through the smoke, and see the only thing I had left being destroyed by flames.

The smoke stings my eyes and I pull my shirt over my nose to somewhat stop myself from breathing in the smoke.

"Colton!" I shout and try to stand up but erupt in a fit of coughs.

"Rose!" I hear someone shout but it's so quiet that I'm sure I am imagining it. Then I hear it again. I stay low on the ground to lessen the amount of smoke I am taking in and move towards the noise. I see Colton laying flat on the ground and quickly move towards him.

As soon as I am close enough, I see a huge shard of glass dug into his shoulder. "Holy..." I am kneeling beside him and have no clue what to do.

"You... need to pull it out," he groans and I can only imagine the pain he must be in.

"Co-" I start coughing again and my head feels heavy. I am inhaling too much smoke.

"Stay low... keep your shirt over... your nose," he struggles to say and I wish nothing else than to take his pain away. I should be laughing in his face, walking away or doing something other than helping him. I'm supposed to hate him. But I can't, not right now.

"I... don't know..." I cough again and my vision goes black at the edges. "What to do," I continue and I see him closing his eyes. "No you... need to stay awake," I'm not sure if I am saying this to myself or him.

"My phone... call my Dad," he manages to say and I reach into his pocket - where I assume he keeps his phone. A shooting pain goes through my head and I try my best to ignore it. Grabbing his phone, I'm surprised it has no lock, I go to contacts and find his father's number.

He answers on the second ring. "Colton, you know I'm busy," he answers and everything spins. Colton uses his uninjured arm to bring his hand to my cheek.

"It's Rose... we... we need you to come to Henry Way... there's," as much as I try to fight the darkness trying to consume me, I can't. I need to help Colton but I can't breathe.

"Rose... what's happened?" Andrew asks and I can hear the concern in his voice.

"Henry way," I say before I can no longer fight it.

***

Colton

"Henry way," Rose says before her eyes roll back and she falls onto the floor next to me. Crap, crap, crap. The pain in my shoulder is excruciating and I am soon to pass out myself. I watch her chest, seeing the rise and fall, to make sure she is still breathing before reaching for my phone.

"Dad... you need to get here... there's been an attempt on Rose's life," my father says he'll be there as quick as he can and hangs up the phone. They must have been watching Rose come here, this house has been vacant for years so there would be no explosives inside unless they had been placed there.

I reach over and place my fingers on Rose's neck, her pulse severely slow. They need to get here and quick otherwise she'll be dead. Not that I'd care if she died, I care more about the paperwork I'd have to fill out. Then why are so scared that she's going to die? My subconscious asks and I ignore the ridiculous question.

The girl has been a pain in my ass ever since she was assigned to me and my hatred for her has only grown since then. Every small remark she makes, how weak she is and how vulnerable she allows herself to be in front of others infuriates me. But there's something about her that I just don't understand, I don't know what it is or how it happened but I feel drawn to her.

She intrigues me in a way that no one else has and I feel weird when I am around her. Comfortable, maybe? I've never felt like this around someone and it's strange. It's probably from how deeply my hatred for her runs, it's making me feel all strange when I am near her.

The pain has gotten so bad that I can barely feel it anymore and that can't be a good sign. I look over to Rose, her face is covered in small cuts and grazes. I have to stop myself from bringing my hand to her cheek and brushing my thumb over it. Her chest is barely moving and I'm surprised I am still conscious from the amount of smoke there is surrounding us.

Sirens. I hear sirens near us then people shouting. Thank god. They took their time didn't they. Paramedics manage to find us and a couple surround Rose. "She's not breathing," one of them say and those three words will haunt me for the rest of my life. I have a weird feeling in my chest but I can't describe it. All I know is that it feels like someone has ripped my heart out.

"We need to take you back to base before we do anything," one of the paramedics beside me says and I nod, unable to speak from the pain coursing through me - both physical and emotional.

They put me on a stretcher and I am pulled away from Rose, who lays on the floor motionless. If she dies... it's my fault. She was trying to help me, she could have fled but she stayed to try and help me. That thought pains me more than I care to admit and I need to do the necessary thing of staying far away from her from now on - if by some miracle she does survive.

I don't let people get close to me and I don't get close to people for this very exact reason.

When I stay far away there is no guilt I have to suffer and no feelings are involved - good or bad. This girl will be the death of me if I don't remove myself from the situation and stay as far away from her as possible.

***

Rose

I wake up and am practically gasping for air, not seeming to breathe in enough of it. A doctor runs over to me and tries to calm me down. "Rose... everything is okay, there was an accident," accident? My mind floods with images of Colton and I jumping off of the roof before it exploded. Colton!

"Colton... what happened? Is he okay?" I quickly ask and the doctor places a soothing hand on my shoulder.

"Colton is just fine," I sigh in relief. As much as I hate him, I feel like it was my fault. If I had just stayed inside and not ran away from my problems like I always do then Colton wouldn't have followed me. I need to make sure he's okay.

"I need to see him," I say and the doctor stops. He turns around and pity covers his face.

"I'm sorry Rose... he requested that we don't let anyone see him," he gives me a sad smile before leaving the room. What?

Well if I am being honest, I don't really give a damn what he has requested. I pull the IV out of my arm and unclip myself from the machines and leave the room. After searching a couple of rooms, I finally find Colton's. He's sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

"Colton?" I say gently and his head snaps up. I look into his piercing green eyes as relief flows over me like a tidal wave. He's okay.

He's shirtless and looks shocked but I don't know why.

"You're alive?" he stands up and I feel like I am missing something. His shoulder is patched up and looks as good as new, despite the stitching.

"Should I not be?" I ask and laugh nervously. I remember blacking out but I haven't been told anything else, well I didn't really ask.

"You stopped breathing... when they didn't tell me anything, I presumed you were dead," he moves towards me and relief washes over his face. I have this weird feeling that I want to hug him... I can't that would be weird. Screw it, I didn't know if we were gonna survive.

I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his chest and he freezes. Yeah, this was an awful idea. "This is gonna get really awkward if you don't hug me back," I mutter and he hesitantly wraps his arms around me as if he has never done this with anyone before. "Have you ever hugged someone before?" he doesn't seem like the hugger type.

"No not really," he mumbles. Wow, I don't know whether to be sad or to laugh. I can't imagine not hugging someone. I'd get too touch deprived.

"I'm glad you're okay... I still hate you though," I say and pull away from his embrace.

He chuckles lightly and steps away from me.

"The feelings mutual," I'm glad, it's weird being somewhat nice to Colton - it feels odd.

***

As soon as I get back to my room, I shower and clean my wounds. My neck is healing well and the stitches should dissolve soon as long as it heals smoothly. Small cuts cover my face and my jaw is grazed. How attractive. I slip into a black nightie that hits just at the top of my thighs and go to leave the bathroom until I see Dylan laying on my bed.

"What are you doing here?" I huff and he looks up from his phone. His eyes widen and rake up and down my body... what a gentleman.

"Wow... you look sexy," he stands up and walks towards me before placing his hands on my hips. I should have never of slept with him, it was such a bad idea.

"It was a one time thing, remember," I say, reminding him and he squeezes my hips before leaning in and whispering in my ear.

"How about a two time thing," I hate my body for betraying me and wanting him. I shouldn't want him, this is wrong. So, so wrong.

I connect my lips with his and he sighs in relief. My tongue moves expertly with his as he lifts me up and places me on the cabinet behind me. His hands move up my thighs slowly until his fingers hook around my underwear. Dylan is in the middle of pulling them down as someone storms through the door.

I push Dylan away from me and quickly pull up my underwear. Colton is standing there with eyes filled with rage as he stares at Dylan.

"What the hell man, what are you barging into my girls room for?" Dylan shouts and I have to stop myself cringing at his choice of words.

"Your girl, hm? Well... what was your girl doing sleeping in my room a few nights ago?" Colton says with a smirk and I glare at him. That's not how things went down and he knows it.

"Dylan just ignore him," I cross my arms and Colton is looking me dead in the eye. "I'll talk to you later," I say but Dylan shakes his head.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do Rose," Dylan spits before barging past Colton and storming out of the room.

"What are you doing in here?" I ask but Colton's eyes switch down to what I am wearing. I grab the pillow from beside me and throw it at him but he catches it with zero effort.

"Now... what was that for?" his voice is low as he steps towards me.

"I don't specifically remember my eyes being anywhere else on my body," I say with mock confusion.

"So this is what you're doing now... screwing random guys?" there's a hint of anger in his voice but I don't know why. It doesn't affect him so why does he care?

"Excuse me?" is he actually joking? Why is he making this out to be something it isn't, he doesn't even know what's going on and really it's none of his business.

"You heard me," he says coldly and to say my feelings were hurt would be an understatement.

"Get out," I spit and want nothing more than to carve that smug grin out of his face.

"What... can't accept the fact that you're a whore?" the smile on his face is frightening and I didn't think I could ever hate someone this much.