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You and Gareth had been dating for about two weeks; he worked up the courage to ask you out after English class one friday.
You thought it was so adorable the way he shyly approached you in the hallway; then beamed with excitement when you happily accepted his offer.
That saturday night you went on your first date at the drive in theatre; "pretty in pink" was playing and it was his first time seeing it.
That first night together was great, and he even surprised you with a kiss after the movie ended.
You had noticed him in the school cafeteria a handful of times, sitting at a table with his friends; you had hardly interacted with them, but they seemed friendly.
The basketball jocks would give them a hard time once in a while; you didn't get why they had to be so rude.
They would make you feel nervous, when they walked by the table you sat at with a few friends; you had a feeling that they were bad news.
But, you didn't realize how extreme they could get, until the next saturday.
The two of you were planning to go out again, after Gareth finished with band practice that afternoon.
You spent a little while styling your hair and picking out a pink dress to wear along with lipstick, in a similar shade of color; you were sure that Gareth would love it.
You were planning on driving over to his house, to pick him up afterwards.
Everything happened so fast that afternoon, that Gareth and his friends barely had time to react.
One moment they were halfway through band practice, then the next moment; Jason was punching the shit out of Gareth.
Jeff and their other friend could do nothing but watch in horror, as Jason practically crushed Gareth's hand; after throwing him against his drum set.
Jason's friends holding them back, as they desperately tried to help him.
The moment they were let go, Jason and his friends running back to his car; they ran over to Gareth, who was sobbing.
Jeff helped him sit up, while their other friend checked the back of his head; blood visible as he parted Gareth's curls.
"Fuck, he's bleeding" he said, struggling not to cry.
"My hand.." Gareth said, breathing shallowly; as his face turned pale.
“I know, Gare” Jeff said, sadly “Were gonna get your hand taken care of, okay?”
He gave a very slow nod in return, before starting to tremble in Jeff’s arms.
"Gareth, stay with me buddy" Jeff said
Gareth just glanced up at him with a disoriented look on his face, like he didn't know where he was.
“What..uh..where are..?” Gareth mumbled to Jeff, looking up at him; with a glazed over look in his eyes.
”We’re in your garage, its saturday…” Jeff said, his eyes scanning over Gareth’s face; for any sign of recollection.
Gareth’s eyes narrowed slightly with a look somewhere between exasperation and perplexity.
Jeff wasn’t sure what to make of it
A moment later Gareth’s eyes rolled back and his head lulled to the side.
"Shit! I think he's going into shock" Jeff exclaimed, trying to stay as calm as he could; he couldn’t lose it right then.
"We need to get him to the hospital, right now" their other friend said; running out of the garage and opening Jeff's car door
Jeff nodded frantically and carefully picked up Gareth, carrying him to his car; then laying him across the back seat
"That girl he's dating, shit uh..y/n, leave her a note, quick" Jeff said; then ran around to the drivers side
His friend quickly scrawled a note on the back of a lyric sheet, leaving it on a stool inside the garage; before getting in the car.
An hour later, you got in your car, heading over to Gareth's house. You pulled into his driveway, and saw no one was there.
"Where would they be going?" you thought to yourself
Once you entered the garage, you knew something was very wrong. Gareth's drum set was sitting in a broken mess; like someone had smashed the shit out of it.
As you looked closer, you noticed a little blood on the concrete floor, near the kick drum.
You looked around the garage, trying not to panic. Then spotted a note sitting nearby, with your name on it.
It said, "y/n, we took Gareth to the hospital, Jason attacked him" in hastily written handwriting
Your heart started beating fast, after reading the note. You ran to your car, leaving Gareth's house
It was when Gareth was laying in a temporary hospital bed, that Jeff finally let himself cry.
"I'm so sorry, Buddy" he said, holding Gareth"s good hand
Gareth looked at Jeff with slightly drowsy eyes, the pain medication the doctor gave him through the iv; starting to kick in. He gripped his fingers across the back of Jeff's hand.
Gareth had to get four stitches on the back of his head, miraculously his head hadn’t cracked open; their other friend feared the worst when he saw the blood.
He also had a good sized fracture in his arm; from both the force of being thrown, and the weight of falling on his arm; that would take at least a month to heal.
The doctor said he wouldn’t be able to play again for quite a while; Jeff knew he would be heartbroken about that, once he was fully coherent again.
There were two ruptured blood vessels in the back of his hand, and some internal bruising; but thankfully he didn't need surgery, it would heal okay.
Fluids through the iv as well, to help replenish Gareth; after the shock he had been through.
The doctor told him he would be able to return home and rest; after they were certain he was okay to leave.
You arrived at the hospital and hurried inside, going to the front desk
"I'm looking for Gareth Emerson, please" you told the receptionist, in a frantic tone
"He was brought in not long ago, I'll have an assistant show you the way" she replied
A moment later a door to the right opened and you were led to the room Gareth was in.
Gareth's other friend was sitting on a chair just outside the room, when you got there; he looked up at you with relief.
"y/n thank gosh, you saw the note" he said
You nodded, before asking "is he alright?"
"He's been through a lot, but will be alright; he'll be glad to see you" he said, with a sympathetic smile
You walked into the room and saw Jeff sitting on a chair; next to where Gareth was laying down. When he saw you come in, he got up and walked over to you.
Getting a glimpse of the cast that surrounded most of Gareth's right forearm, then the bruise that was starting to form across his swollen cheek, you choked back a sob.
Jeff took a deep breath, then said, "he's on some pretty strong pain medicine right now, but he's alert and..well, I'll give you two some time alone"
He left the room
Gareth looked at you, “hey cutie” he said, in a slightly gruff tone. His eyelids a little heavy from the effects of the medicine.
You got out a quiet “hey” in reply, before you let out the sob you had been holding back a moment ago.
Gareth reached out and held onto your hand, with a saddened expression on his face.
”I saw your broken drum kit, then the blood, and…” you started to say, as he rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand.
”I know darling” he said, his voice cracking
You leaned forward, giving him a gentle, comforting kiss; he sighed in contentment against your lips.
A moment later, Gareth said, “you look really pretty, y/n” taking in the sight of your pink dress and new lipstick.
”Like, uh..that movie we saw together; it was..” he started to say.
”Pretty in pink” you said, finishing his sentence
“Yeah, thats the one” Gareth replied
”All this for me” he said in awe
You found yourself blushing a little, then giving him a smile
”There’s my girl” he said, smiling back at you; then gently stroked your cheek with his thumb. You leaned into his touch
*his girl* he hadn’t called you that before, the nickname was so affectionate; the tenderness behind it, the way he looked at you when he said it.
"I'm really glad you're here, y/n" Gareth said
"There isn't anywhere I would rather be, than with you" you said sweetly, combing your fingers through a few strands of his curly hair.
“I’m sorry to tell you this darling, but i’m gonna have to cancel our date” Gareth said, making you shake your head playfully.
Only he would make a joke at a time like this; he still had his sense of humor though, that was good.
”Shh..relax honey” you replied, holding his hand
Gareth started to feel sleepy, you could tell and told him; "You get some sleep okay, i'll be here when you wake up".
"okay' Gareth said in a small, groggy voice before drifting off to sleep
You kissed his cheek, before sitting back as he slept soundly next to you