Thank your for clicking on my book :) i finally posted a new story and can't wait to start it off! hope you enjoy :D

The lights flashed around me, mixing together and passing by. I was strapped down to a board and couldn’t move. People around me kept reading off numbers, but I didn’t understand any of it.

“Patient is Aubree Henson, age 33. She’s been in a car accident and has sustained spinal cord and brain injury. Her 13 year old son was also in the car, but walked away with only minor scratches and contusions. Blood pressure is 80 over 50, Heart rate is 130. She’s lost a lot of blood. We need to get her to surgery stat.” someone called out.

     The board I was laying on was lifted and set on top of a gurney and was wheeled away. Double doors after double doors, I was rushed through what seemed like an endless hallway that finally ended in a brightly lit room with a bunch of people in scrubs and surgery masks. I was taken to the middle of the room and was locked into place.

“Carter." I thought in my head. "Where is Carter?"

     My thoughts were interupted as a plastic mask was shoved into my face and gas poured through the tube. Lights and sound started to blend together. I couldn’t tell what was real and what was imaginary. Everything swirled together and I escaped into the world of darkness that I gladly welcomed.

“Aubree.” I heard someone whisper. “Aubree, wake up. You know you’ll get in huge trouble if Ms.Brunson catches you sleeping in class again.”

     I slowly opened my eyes and realized I was in a my high shcool classroom. I was sitting in my usual seat in the back of the room next to a handsome guy with longer dark brown hair and amazing green eyes. He was the one that was whispering to me. I felt the corners of my mouth curl up into a small smile and whispered back, “Thanks Carter. You’re always looking out for me.”

“Aubree, do you have something to share with the class?” A nasally voice asked. I looked up and sure enough, there was Ms.Brunson. Her long fingernails were clacking against her large, oak desk in the front of the classroom and her old wrinkled face was twisted into scowl.

“I was just asking Carter if he thought you got a new haircut.” I replied smugly.

     I could tell that that statement had caught her off guard, but she quickly composed herself.

“I did, thank you for noticing.” She nodded curtly and turned around and continued on with the dull history lesson.

     I took a peek at Carter who was trying hard not to laugh. I smirked and turned towards the front of the room and actually paid attention for the rest of the lesson.

     15 minutes later I was gathering up my books and papers and shoving them into my bag.

“Hey Aubree, wanna come to the hangout spot at the mall after school? A few of us were going to get together and just chill.” Elaine asked while clicking her gum and picking at the nail polish on her nails, the same habbits she's has since she was little.

“I wish I could, but Carter and I are going out to the rink after school. I’ll catch up with you later, ok?” I asked sympathetically.

“Sure, no problem.” She said, but I could still catch the twinge of disappointment in her high pitched voice.

     All of a sudden, two giant hands came from behind me and covered my eyes.

“Guess who?” A familiar voice asked. I smiled and turned around to find Carter standing there and grinning.

“Hello, handsome.” I said and gave him a quick peck on the check.

“Hello. Ready to go to the rink?” he asked as he bent down to pick up his old, beaten up messenger bag that was lying on the ground.

“You know it.” I grabbed his hand and yanked him out of the class room and headed for the parking lot.

     As soon as we stepped out of the torture building known as a school, the merciless Ohio wind easily sliced through my thin coat and sent shivers down my spine. Carter wrapped his warm arms around me and led me through the parking lot. I gratefully threw open the rusty car door and climbed into the old trucks passenger seat. I carelessly tossed my bag in the back and buckled the seat belt. Carter jammed the key in the ignition and instantly warm air started blasting through the vents. He backed out of the spot and sped down the long back road.

     I loved this road because when it was fall, like it is now, the trees on either side ignited into warm shades of burgundy and orange. The dead leaves quietly cascaded down to the awaiting ground. I looked in the rearview mirror so see a tunnel of leaves swirling behind the speeding truck and smiled to myself and wished that I could be in the middle of the color tornado.

        We turned the last corner and came to the building that I couldn’t wait to enter. The local ice skating rink. Multiple cars had already parked and people started to flood through the doors. Carter parked the car and we headed in, holding hands. The doors slid open and a giant fan blasted us with warm air as we entered the giant room that was crowded with teenagers. A huge line snaked its way around the room leading to the admission counter and skate rental.

“Carter, my man.” I heard Brandon say. We turned around and there he was holding up two pairs of skates and a stamp. Carter walked up to him and high fived him.

“Hey man, thanks so much.” He said gratefully and moved to grab the skates.

“Uh uh.” He said and pulled back the skates. He held out his free hand and wiggled his eyebrows.

“Of course.” Carter got out his wallet and handed Brandon a twenty and ten dollar bill.

“Much obliged.” He replied and handed Carter the skates and stamped both of our hands.

“You need anything else; you know where to find me.” He said and disappeared into the crowd of costumers.

     We strapped on our skates and haphazardly made our way to the ice arena. Luckily, there weren’t too many people out yet and we happily hit the ice. I loved ice skating because I always felt so graceful and peaceful, no matter how many douche bags there were that kept cutting me off.

     Carter and I held hands and skated while talking. We didn’t talk about anything in particular, we just talked. Then, conveniently, another douche bag cut me off and I stumbled and fell.

     I winced as I landed on my knee. I sat on the ground and held my knee, rocking back and forth. Carter quickly came to my side and knelt beside me.

“Are you ok?” he asked, obviously ticked.

“Yeah, I’m sure it’s fine. Can you help me to a seat? My butt’s getting wet.” I asked.

“Of course.” he picked me up and held me bridal style and skated over to the door that led out of the rink. He carried me to a bench and set me down.

“I’ll go get you a hot chocolate. I’ll be right back.” He said and made his way to the concession stand.

     I sat there and waited.

“Hey babe you need a real man to help you?” a gruff voice asked. I looked up and the same guy that cut me off stood before me. Although, there was something off about him.

“Well, I don’t see a real guy so why don’t you go find one while I stay here. Take your time.” I replied and looked in the direction of the concession stand, but I didn’t see Carter.

“Feisty aren’t you? I like that in a woman.” He said, completely unfazed. He moved closer and grabbed my hand. Now that he was closer, I could smell the alchohol waftfting off of him.

“Why don’t we get out of here and go back to my place? I have a good first aid kit that could heal you right up.” He said, inching closer. I could feel his alchohol infused breath on my face and shivered in disgust.

“Get away from me.” I tried to push him back, but he didn’t budge.

“C’mon now, have a little fun.” He slurred and took it a step further by grabbing my hand, pulling me up and pushing me across the room towards the exit door. I tried to get away, but i kept fumbling over my skates.

“Get away from her.” Someone said from behind him and he was yanked away from me.

“Carter!” I said thankfully.

     He looked absolutely pissed. The man that was hitting on me turned around and glared minecingly at Carter. He took a step forward and pushed Carter back into a group of people. Carter regained his composier he took the cap off of the hot chocolate cup and steam automatically rose out of it. Without hesitation, he dumped the drink on the unsuspecting man. He screamed in agony and ran to the ice rink and lay down in the middle of the rink to cool down.

“C’mon, let’s get out of here.” Carter said and he bent down to get my skates off.

     In no time he had carried me to his truck and gently set me down in the passenger seat and buckled me up. He walked around the front of the truck and climbed in. He just sat there and stared at the steering wheel.

“You can’t drive by using the force you know?” I asked, trying to joke around.

     He looked at me he grabbed my hand.

“Um, whatcha doing?” I asked, confused.

“How can you be this calm? That man was going to take you home forcibly and do who knows what to you.” He said

“But he didn’t.” I replied taking my other hand and rested it on the side of his face.

“What if I wasn’t there?” he asked.

“But you were. I trust you. I love you. You mean everything to me, which is why I knew you were going to save me.”

     He just looked at me. He finally spoke, “I will never leave your side again.” He scooted closer to me and took my head in his hands and laid me on his chest.

“I’m so sorry I left you. I shouldn’t have done that. I love you, and I never want to lose you.” He confessed.

     I could feel a tear escape my eyes and slide down my cheek. His thumb reached my face and brushed the tear away. I looked up at him and moved in to kiss him. I closed my eyes and felt myself being taken away. While my eyes were still closed, everything around me disappeared.

When I finally felt something, it felt like I was lying on a bed.

     I opened my eyes and looked around to find I was in a hospital room. A boy that looked to be 13 or 14 was sitting next to my bed sleeping. I looked down and noticed that tubes of all shapes and sizes snaked around my torso and finally hooked into all kinds of machines that crowded my bedside. I started coughing as I realizing a tube was stuck down my throat. In doing so, the boy awoke and realized what was happening. He came to my aid and helped me take the tube out.

“Mom, you’re awake.” He said, smiling. He looked just like Carter, only younger and he had a gash on his forehead that was stitched.

“Carter?” I asked. The little boy smile wider and nodded.

“Yeah mom, it’s me Carter.”

“Carter? Carter Machesky?” I asked. His smile fell and he looked at me in confusion.

“Mom, it’s me. Your son Carter Henson. Machesky is dad’s last name.”

“Your dad’s? You’re my son?” I asked, still confused. Everything was fuzzy and I couldn’t concentrate.

“Where is your father? Where is my Carter?”

     He looked at me with sad eyes. He just looked down. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t.

“Carter, where is your father? Where is MY Carter?” I asked again, more forcefully.

He looked up at me and crinkled his eyebrows in confusion. “Mom, dads been dead for 14 years.”