A.N.- Before this chapter starts, I want to thank everyone for the votes/comments! I'm sick, and they made me happy :3 So feel free to do that again for this chapter x3 

Also! There's a new cover for this book made by HisOceanEyesDrownMe and it's sooo awesome!! So thank you so much for that :DD I love it!<3

On to the chapter! :)

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                “To be a man you must be swift as the coursing river! With all the force of a great typhoon!” I screamed as I rode on Zeke’s back.

                “Kory! Shut up!” Trace said in annoyance.

                “With all the strength of a raging fire!”

                “Kory, I mean it! Shut up!”

                “Mysterious as the dark side…”

                “Don’t you even! I’ll hurt you!”

                “OF THE MOON!”

                Trace let out a frustrated and annoyed cry before shoving me off of Zeke. Zeke staggered, almost falling with me, but Trace caught his arm firmly and righted him as I splashed into a puddle.

                “Jerk! You got me wet!” I cried and blushed at what I had just said. Oh, bad choice of words. Bad, bad choice of words. Maybe it was a good thing he had pushed me in this puddle. Obviously my dirty mind needed to be cleaned.

                “I warned you and you kept annoying me!” he snapped.

                “I was singing beautifully! Gah! If you don’t like Disney songs than you are obviously a freak of nature!” I cried, pouting.

                Zeke held his hand out to me and pulled me back to my feet. I went to step forward but slipped. I would’ve fallen back in the puddle, but Trace’s hand shot out and caught my shirt, holding me up.

                He made sure I was steady before glaring and releasing me. I stuck my tongue out at him again. “You got me soaked,” I whined, looking down at myself.

                “It’s pouring and the streets are flooding. You were soaked before we even left the elementary school you idiot,” he growled.

                I was trying to force myself not to stare at his abs. They were just so…so…oh hey look Trace’s abs. Om nom nom.

                No! Look away Kory!

                I looked at Zeke and took in his body, even though he was wearing a dark shirt that I couldn’t see through. He had a nice tan. Nice muscles. Eh, he would have to do for eye candy.

                Oh lord. I sounded like a slutty girl.

                “Want to get back on my back?” Zeke asked me as we began to walk again. I shook my head and laughed. “No, you’d probably fall and use me as a cushion,” I said and he smirked and nodded.

                We got to the evil hill and I grabbed Zeke’s hand and tugged him back towards me. He gave me a curious look and I gave him puppy dog eyes.

                He leaned over and I jumped on his back. He steadied me and we began to make our way down the hill as the rain crashed down on us.

                Trace had Juliet’s hand in his. Juliet had the jacket that had Trace had been wearing on her now. She had it zipped snuggly, the hood up. It didn’t seem to be doing too much good, but she looked warmer than the rest of us.

                We made our way down the hill slowly, careful in case it was slippery. “Do you want me to get off?” I asked Zeke, talking loudly due to the now raging wind. Zeke shook his head. “You’re fine! I don’t mind!” he called back.

                Up a little ways ahead of us, Juliet slipped a little. Trace managed to catch her just before she fell but, unfortunately, it had caught Zeke’s attention and he didn’t pay attention to where he was going for a split second.

                That split second was enough for him to step in a puddle where there was a crack in the road. His foot caught and the two of us crashed to the ground and began to slide and tumble painfully down the hill.

                After what felt like forever, I came to a stop, my body cold, soaked, and aching everywhere. I looked up and saw that halfway up the hill, Trace had caught Zeke. They were now on their feet and slowly making their way down to me.

                Too sore and exhausted to move, I just put my head down. I didn’t even care that I was lying on the side of a flooding road. That fall had really taken a lot out of me.

                “Kory! Are you okay?” Zeke cried, kneeling next to me. His eyes widened a little. “Shit! Trace, his head is bleeding!”

                Trace knelt next to me and shoved Zeke out of the way. He gently placed his fingers on my head and I winced. I tried to pick my head up, but it suddenly felt too heavy to do so.

                “Kory, are you okay?” Trace asked.

                I opened my mouth and choked weakly as water entered my mouth. Trace carefully pulled me into a sitting position and I slouched weakly against his body. He cradled me and looked up to Zeke, shrugging helplessly.

                “Kory, you’re going to be okay. We have to get you inside though,” he said. “Zeke, support that side of his body.”

                I felt Zeke’s hands on me, under my armpit. He and Trace gently lifted me to my feet and slung my arms around their shoulders, supporting me as we made it the rest of the way to the house.

                “Juliet! Get the door!” Trace barked.

                Juliet hurried to open the garage door and let us into the entry way. “Dad! Dad, Kory’s hurt!” Trace called, trying to remain calm. But a very slight panic was in his voice.

                Brandon hurried out and looked at me in fear. “Kory! Trace, what happened to him?” he cried and came over to me.

                “He was on my back and my foot got stuck in a crack. I couldn’t tell because there was a puddle there. We fell and he slipped off my back and tumbled all the way down the hill. Trace caught me a little ways down, but he couldn’t get Kory too,” Zeke explained nervously.

                Brandon checked my head and I winced when he got his hand near the apparent wound on my head. He scooped me into his arms and carried me into the living room with Trace, Zeke, and Juliet following.

                “Kory? Kory! What happened?” mom cried. Zeke explained everything again, looking down guiltily as Brandon set me on the couch gently.

                “Trace, go get me towels, washcloths, and the first aid kit!” Brandon said and Trace hurried away. He reappeared a minute later and handed Brandon what he had asked for.

                Mom wrapped a blanket around my body as Brandon began to wipe my head with a washcloth. He bit his lip nervously.

                “Kory, this is going to hurt. I have to wipe the cut so that it doesn’t get infected. I’m sorry,” he said apologetically. Brandon glanced at Trace. “Trace, hold his arms in case he thrashes.”

                Trace stepped up and gently but firmly gripped my wrists. I looked into his eyes, too exhausted to care. I felt Brandon start up with the washcloth again and let out a scream as he began to wash the cut on my head. Pain ate at me, and dragged me under the black waters of unconsciousness.

                                                                                                ***

                “Kory?”

                “Kory 2012. Make Kory known,” I mumbled.

                “Kory? Can you open your eyes?”

                “Invisible dildos. Kory 2012,” I mumbled and sneezed.

                Someone started shaking me gently. I groaned and slowly blinked my eyes open. I looked around but everything was black.

                “HOLY SHIT I’M BLIND! NO! I DON’T WANT TO BE LIKE THAT BLACK GUY THAT PLAYS THE PIANO!” I cried in panic.

                “Kory! You’re not blind!”

                Trace’s annoyed voice cut through everything and I whimpered, still unable to see. I felt Trace’s hand on my face and then light stabbed me in the eyes and I yelped and squeezed them shut in shock.

                “What is this sorcery?!” I cried, swatting at the light.

                “Kory! You had a washcloth over your eyes for the fever,” Trace explained impatiently.

                “Fever?” I asked curiously as I slowly opened my eyes, readjusting to the bright light. I squinted up at Trace until his face came into clear view.

                Trace nodded, a washcloth in his hands. He threw it into a bucket and took out a different one, folding it and placing in on my head carefully.

                “Yea, you’ve been running a fever ever since we got you back to the house,” he said simply.

                “When did you get me back to the house?” I asked, almost afraid to know.

                “Just yesterday. You passed out when my dad started cleaning your head. He called a doctor to come to the house but the doctor said you would be okay. You were just sick from the rain, that was all. You’ve been drifting in and out of consciousness, delirious,” he said.

                My eyes widened. “Delirious? Holy shit what did I say?” I asked in panic.

                Trace made a disgusted face. “I have nice abs,” he said, raising an eyebrow at me and placing his hand on his stomach. His abs were hidden by a dark T-shirt.

                I blushed deeply and sneezed. “Shut up. I was delirious,” I grumbled. Trace rolled his eyes and picked up the bucket.

                “Well, I’ll go tell Janine and dad that you’re awake. And Kory I’m…” He seemed to be struggling. He sighed in frustration. “Sorry I pushed you off Zeke, and sorry I didn’t catch you when you fell,” he spit out, so fast and quiet that I barely caught it.

                He turned and hurried out of my bedroom. I leaned back against my pillows weakly, wondering exactly what the hell was going on with Trace.

                My mom came into my bedroom a few minutes later and sat next to me, concern in her eyes. She kissed my cheek and gently stroked it.

                “How do you feel?” she asked gently.

                “Like I got hit by a truck and the impact knocked me into a lake,” I grumbled.

                She frowned deeply. “Well, your fever is going down. I was really worried about you Kory. You were so, so sick and pale. I’m glad you’re okay. Trace was really worried about you too. He kept asking Brandon about you. He wanted to help take care of you,” she said.

                “Really?” I asked in surprise and she nodded. “I swear,” she said with a small smile, holding out her pinky. I weakly wrapped my own around it.

                “I’m going to go make you some soup Kory. You need to eat to regain your strength. I love you baby,” she said and kissed my cheek lovingly before standing up and leaving my room.

                I leaned back and looked up at my ceiling. “Trace, what is going on with you?” I mumbled to myself. Feeling hungry, sick, and tired, I pushed it from my mind, deciding I could figure Trace out later.