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Chapter Twenty

"Well this is certainly exciting, huh Charley?"

But she didn't answer.

"Charley?"

Everything else around me became a chaotic buzz, like water rushing by. It was blurry, I couldn't have focused on it if I wanted to. I was told later that Eddie came running onto the stage, that security got Brian, Howie, and AJ off stage, and tried to move me, but I shooed them away. The guard that had knocked me down, meanwhile, shot and struck Billy so that he was neutralized and a couple other guards had gone up and detained him until police could get there.

All I could focus on was the way Charley's body lay across my lap.

I cupped her head with my hand, my fingers twined in her hair, bracing her neck. "Stay awake, you gotta stay awake," I implored her. She stared into my eyes, her breath gasping. Those chocolate brown eyes were losing color quickly. "Somebody call an ambulance!" I hollored.

"We did," someone's voice answered, "They're coming."

I held Charley close. "I thought about it," I said to her, "About us, about what we are and stuff." She reached her hand up and touched my face softly. "I feel safe with you," I said, "And I like feeling safe. I don't feel safe a whole lot you know."

Charley's eyes started to slip close.

I shook her gently. "Listen to me, this is important. You gotta stay awake for this, okay? Cos I ain't never told a girl this stuff before. Are you listening?" Charley's eyes meet mine and her lips parted a little, but she gave a tiny little nod. "Okay good," I said, "Now listen. I thought about it and I wanna feel safe all the time okay? I don't ever want you going away or nothin'."

I could feel her blood on my hand. I was holding the place where she'd been shot in the back, trying to keep her blood in, but it was leaking between my fingers a little. I tried not to freak out. I had to be strong right now like she would be strong. I wished I had a cool damp face cloth. I'd pat her face with it to comfort her.

"I love you Charlotte Avery," I said thickly.

An almost imperceptible smile twisted the corners of her lips.

"Whoever thought that day on the playground that I'd ever say that, huh?" I laughed. Charley started to close her eyes again, but I shook her slightly once more and she opened them. She tried to focus on me. "Don't you dare close your eyes," I scolded.

Charley opened her mouth and gasped what sounded like words. I leaned closer, trying to hear her enough to understand what she was saying. "...safe..." she whispered.

"What's that?"

"...your...safe... I... didn't... fail..."

"Yeah, we're safe," I said, "You didn't fail. I'm okay, see?"

Charley's lower lip quivered. "...cold..." she breathed.

"I know, I'm sorry," I pulled my suitjacket off as best I could without letting go of her back. "Here, look." I wrapped it around her. "It's gonna be okay. The ambulance is almost here."

"...love..." she gasped.

"I love you," I answered.

Charley closed her eyes.

"No no no no no," I said quickly, shaking her softly, "Don't. Don't do that."

She didn't open her eyes this time.

"Charley!" I shouted at her.

And then the paramedics were there. The first one pushed me back gently, and they quickly swarmed around, carefully replacing the pressure my hand was giving her back with guaze. They started taking blood pressure and pulse and temperature and all the other things paramedics do and they had her on her stomach, her head turned to the side and they put her on a stretcher and started talking crazy things, saying words that sounded scary and shouting in hurried voices as they wheeled her away.

I leaped to my feet. My suit pants were stained. I grabbed Eddie's arm, my hand bloodied his shirt. "You gotta take me with her."