Xavier's POV 

I awoke with a start, the sheets damp, drenched in sweat.  I shot out of the bed, and ran to the bathroom, vomiting up the contents of my stomach.

Once the heaving resided, I stood hands trembling as I moved to the basin, gripping the sides of the ceramic as I tried to steady myself, knuckles turning white as I tried to pull myself back into reality and out of the nightmare that had disturbed my peaceful slumber. 

Resolving myself to the fact that I would be unable to go back to sleep I decided a shower would help to wash away the last remnants of that awful dream.

Throwing the flannel trousers I'd opted to wear to bed that night into a heap in the corner of the room, I turned the temperature dial to cold and stepped into the steady stream of water. 

The cold water instantly soothed me, closing my eyes I stood still as a statue, concentrating on the sensation of each bead of water trailing down my torso, focused on the slight burn of the ice cold water on my skin.  Running my fingers through my hair I finally felt at ease, as the dream, though still vivid, faded away into obscurity.  

Clearly the lack of sleep from haunting my girls hospital bedside each night, the deep rooted anxiety I felt at her absence and the inconceivable events of the past week had just caught up with me and had decided to, as the subconscious often does, let themselves be known in the form of a horrific nightmare. 

As that's all it had been a nightmare. A nightmare which I would not let taint the evening I had planned with Ari.

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After spending a longer than necessary time in the shower, I'd pulled on some slacks and taken up residence in my living room after making myself a very large, very strong cup of coffee. I switched on the TV in an attempt to distract myself, absentmindedly switching between the channels. I spent hours doing this, never settling on a particular show, nothing seemed to grab my attention. At ten forty-four am I switched of the TV and resolved myself to the fact that I was going to be a nervous wreck all day.

 Ten-forty-four AM. Seven hours and sixteen minutes to go.  

I sat sipping on my third coffee of the morning, my mind instantly filling with all of the thoughts I had spent the morning trying to distract myself from. 

Her.

My girl had woken up, been visited by detectives, potentially had amnesia, been discharged from the hospital, moved in across the hall from me and perhaps the most surreal of all- I was going on a date with her. This.Evening.

I had so many questions for her, so much I wanted to tell her. It felt like a lifetime had passed since I'd found her there on the road, though in actual fact it had only been a week.

It seemed seven days was all it took to have my world completely shifted and turned upside down. Perhaps upside down wasn't the right phrase, for despite how peculiar things had gotten, how many inexplicable things had happened I realised I wouldn't change a thing for it had all led me to her- to Ari. I was still getting used to her having a name for she'd simply been my girl to me. My mysterious, beautiful girl.

The shrill beeping of the alarm clock in my room alerted me to the fact that it was now eleven am, the time I had intended to wake up had I not been awoken by that dreadful nightmare.

Eleven am, that meant just 7 hours until my date with Ari.

Date.

I replayed that word over and over in my mind unable to believe what was happening. She'd been unconscious for the past six days and on her first full day awake I was taking her on a date. I couldn't help but worry that perhaps she was just vulnerable and her request that it be a date was her attempt at reaching out for someone, her seeking for someone to support her and I had just been the closet person there and all too willing to oblige to her wishes. Of course when I'd asked her to meet with me this evening I had entertained the fact that it would have been sort of like a date, but never did I imagine that it would have been officially labelled a date.

Excitement and apprehension lay thick on my mind, both in equal measure. Excitement at the fact I could finally speak to her, try and somehow explain what had happened, perhaps even hold her again, as I had last night in the doorway of her apartment. Apprehension due to her having amnesia, due to her being vulnerable, that maybe she didn't actually want to get to know me and just wanted answers and nothing more.

But after the embrace we'd shared last night, that world stopping embrace I was sure that my feeling were not unrequited. I was certain that she had felt the same pull to me as I had to her. The way she'd wrapped her slim, delicate arms around my neck, clinging on for dear life. The way her thunderous heart had thumped through her chest, into mine, reverberating around my own. The look of agony and longing as I'd pulled away and retreated into my own apartment.

It had torn me in two to end the embrace but if Id have held it for just a moment longer I was unsure if I would have been able to resist the urge to cup her face in my hand, guide her towards me and kiss her perfect, full lips.  

 I couldn't comprehend the feelings that this girl evoked from me for we had barely exchanged a hundred words. She didn't know me and I barely knew her. I had never in my twenty years ever experienced this. I hadn't thought it possible, to feel so uncontrollably drawn to another person, to desire them as I desired her. To wish to never leave there side. To hold their hand for eternity, to have them as yours and yours alone. Despite only having known her for a week I already knew that I would do anything for her. That I would lay down my life for her if the situation arose. That I would protect her and care for her for the rest of my days here upon this glorious planet. Never had I felt so thankful for life than when I was in her presence. Being around her made me feel alive, it set my very being on fire.    

She was the one this I was certain of. Tragedy had dragged us together but I was determined to change the tone. I would do everything and more to bring this girl joy, to see a smile upon her face.

But what was this feeling I was experiencing?

I knew the word but didn't dare think it for it was ludicrous to even entertain the idea after just a week. I seriously needed to get a grip. I was falling. Hard- And if I continued to fall at this trajectory I was afraid I would simply implode. 

The day continued like this, me relentlessly checking the time, turning the TV on and off, craving distraction as I sat desperately awaiting the clock to strike six so that I could be reunited with sweet Ari. 

I'd changed my mind countless times as to where to take her this evening. Eventually I decided on a little restaurant a short ten minute walk from the apartment building. Not wanting to tire her out with too much walking, unsure if she would feel up to the trek across the city to the fancier restaurants. Also opting for the previous option as it was quieter and more personal, a nice place for us to talk and get to know each other.  Also as I had no idea what food she would prefer and the restaurant I had chosen offered variety rather than just one specific cuisine.

Finally it was five-thirty PM, I'd showered earlier and just had to decide what to wear. Not something I normally fretted over usually just opting for jeans and a simple t-shirt but today was different. Today I must be feeling what it feels like to be a girl trying to get ready. I didn't have a vast array of dress shirts to wear, just a few that I'd bought for more formal nights out, work do's, the odd wedding. Eventually I decided on a Navy short sleeved button up, dark-wash jeans and my 'dressy trainers' as I liked to call them. I'd never been one to dwell too much on my appearance, I liked to work out sure, but that was more because I enjoyed it as opposed to craving the aesthetic perfection that it seemed was the be all and end all for my generation.

Before I knew it it was six PM, the time I'd agreed to meet Ari. I took one final look in the bathroom mirror, nodding at myself while inwardly telling myself to keep it together and she was just a girl and not to be feared.

Ha. I couldn't even convince myself. She wasn't just some girl, this was THE girl.

Before I could psyche myself out anymore, I grabbed my keys, wallet and phone and headed over to her apartment. A short journey considering she lived across the hall. A fact I had tried not to dwell on too much as it was far to coincidental for my liking and I didn't want to ruin the night with all of my conspiracies. Tonight I'd resolved would just be a date between a beautiful girl and I, tomorrow I could get back on track in figuring out what was going on, back to figuring out how I was even able to go on a date with this girl. How she was alive.

I stood at her door for far longer than was acceptable before I eventually managed to form a fist and knock. I stood awkwardly, waiting for her to answer, arms dangling at my sides, palms sweating. I really did need to get a grip. I was behaving like a teenage girl on prom night.

Finally she answered the door. 

An image of complete perfection stood before me, oaken waves cascading down to her hips, gazing up at me with those pools of blue, her lips pulling up into a small, shy smile. I was lost. Lost in her beauty. 

Forcing out an incoherent greeting I slowly stretched my hand out, willing her to clasp it.

She did, just as slowly as I'd offered her my hand she took it, intertwining our fingers. The electricity I'd been craving shot through me from the physical contact and my body eased, the anxieties of the day draining from my body with each passing second our skin touched.

I led her out of the building and into the cool night air, determined to give her a night to remember.