Jason
"Janica…"
Her name slipped from my lips, soft, instinctive.
Before I could feel anything, before I was even fully awake.
And then laughter.
Sharp, unfiltered, and way too loud for my half-conscious state. My eyes snapped open, adjusting to the bright morning light, and there they were. Ash, Jone, and Aaron grinning like they had just caught me red-handed.
Ash leaned in, barely holding back another laugh. "Who's Janica?"
Jone smirked. "You called her like she was right here, man."
Aaron didn't say anything, but the way he raised his eyebrow said enough.
I rolled my eyes, but their words stirred something in me. Janica had been here. She had seen me like this. I tried to piece together the last thing I remembered her voice, the way she had looked at me, something unspoken in her eyes.
"She was here," I said, more to myself than them.
Jone raised an eyebrow. "She real, or just a fever dream?"
"She's real," I said firmly.
The room fell quiet for a moment. Not because they didn't believe me, but because they could tell that I wasn't joking.
Ash sighed, shaking his head. "Man gets hit by a car and wakes up thinking about a girl. That's some next-level dedication."
I let out a breath of laughter. "You'd understand if you met her."
Aaron leaned forward, his curiosity getting the best of him. "Alright, no more dodging. Who is she?"
Ash nodded, crossing his arms. "Yeah, you wake up calling her name like some movie scene, and now you're all mysterious about it? Spill."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "She's… someone I met on the bus."
Aaron blinked. "The bus?"
Jone whistled low. "Damn. Must've been one hell of a ride."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "It was… I don't know how to explain it."
Aaron smirked. "Try."
I leaned back against the pillows, eyes drifting toward the ceiling, exhaling slowly. My chest tightened at the thought of her. The way she looked, the way she sounded, the way she made me feel.
And then, as if my thoughts had summoned her, I saw a movement at the doorway. She was here!
A wave of relief crashed over me, stronger than I expected. She was here. Safe. Real. Denise besides her scanning the room like she was sizing up the guys.
The boys didn't miss a thing. I could feel their stares drilling into me, the silent exchange of smirks.
I ignored them. Janica's eyes met mine, and in that instant, nothing else mattered.
"Hey." I said, my voice lower than intended.
She swallowed then nodded. "Hey."
I cleared my throat, pushing past the warmth pooling in my chest. "Uh… guys, this is
Janica."
They exchanged a look before grinning.
"The Janica?" Aaron asked, dragging out the words like he'd just uncovered some grand secret.
I sighed. "Yes, Aaron. The Janica."
Denise raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with their theatrics. "And I'm Denise, by the way."
Jone smirked. "Sorry we're a little distracted by the fact that our guy here woke up whispering her name like some tragic romance film."
Janica's cheeks tinted the slightest shade of pink. I shot them a warning look, but they just laughed.
"Nice to meet you girls."
Janica glanced at me, lips twitching like she was fighting a smile. She shook their hands.
The room filled with lighthearted teasing and laughter, the tension melting away. Ash kept throwing jabs my way, exaggerating every little thing I had said about Janica or what they thought I had said.
Janica handled it well, rolling with their jokes, even giving back a few witty remarks of her own. Denise, on the other hand, seemed less amused, arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
Ash had been unusually quiet, nodding along to the jokes but not adding much. And then I noticed his eyes barely left Denise.
He wasn't making it obvious, but I saw the way his gaze flickered toward her every few seconds, how his usual playful smirk softened just a little.
Interesting.
I filed that thought away for later, but for now, I just let the conversation flow, stealing glances at Janica every now and then just to make sure she was still real.
The conversation was still flowing when the door opened, and a nurse stepped in, clipboard in hand.
"Alright, Mr. Morara," she said, giving me a professional yet kind smile. "Let's see how you're doing."
The room quieted as she checked my vitals, asking a few routine questions. After a moment, she nodded in approval. "Everything looks good. You'll be free to go by tomorrow, as long as nothing changes."
Relief washed over me. As much as I appreciated the care, I was ready to get out of here.
Ash grinned. "Good. We were starting to think you just liked being pampered."
I rolled my eyes, but my gaze flickered to Janica. She hadn't said anything, but there was something in her expression. Something thoughtful, almost hesitant.
I tilted my head slightly, silently asking if she was okay. She caught my gaze and gave me a small smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Denise, still unreadable, finally spoke. "That's good news," she said, though her tone was neutral. She looked at Janica for a brief moment before shifting her focus back to the nurse. "Does he need anything before tomorrow?"
The nurse shook her head. "Just rest. If anything feels off, let us know, but he's recovering well." She gave me one last look. "Try not to move around too much. We want you walking out of here, not needing another night."
I smirked. "Noted."
As soon as she left, the teasing picked up again, but my mind was still on Janica. Something was on her mind. I could feel it.
She was still engaged in the conversation, responding when Ash threw a joke her way, but there was a slight delay to her reactions, like she wasn't fully present.
"Hey," I murmured, just loud enough for her to hear.
She blinked, as if I had pulled her out of deep thought. "Yeah?"
"You okay?"
For a second, she hesitated, but then she smiled a little more real this time. "Yeah. Just… a lot to take in."
I nodded, understanding. We barely knew each other, and yet here she was, visiting me in a hospital, surrounded by my friends, navigating the chaos. It was a lot.
"Thanks for coming," I said softly.
Her gaze softened. "Of course."
I wanted to say more, to ask what was really on her mind, but before I could, Ash finally broke his silence.
"So, Denise," he said, his voice too casual. "How long are you in town?"
Denise raised a brow at him, clearly catching the shift in energy. "I live here."
Ash blinked, clearly not expecting that answer. "Oh. Right. Cool."
Aaron and Jone immediately exchanged a glance, barely holding in their laughter.
Denise just leaned back in her chair. "Why?"
He opened his mouth, then closed it, like he was reconsidering his words. "No reason," he finally muttered.
Janica smothered a laugh. I couldn't help but grin.
Janica
Ash, Jone, and Aaron finally decided to leave.
Ash stretched slightly before glancing at Jason. "I'll see you later, man."
Jone gave a small nod. "Take it easy."
Aaron patted Jason's shoulder. "Get some rest."
Ash turned to Denise just before stepping out, something expectant in his eyes.
"See you around?" His tone was casual, but there was an edge to it, like he was hoping for something more.
Denise didn't answer immediately. Instead, she let the silence stretch, her lips curving into a small, unreadable smile. "Maybe."
Ash chuckled, as if he had expected that response but still found it amusing. Then, with a final glance, he followed the others out.
Denise lingered for a second, then turned to me. "I'll be out waiting."
The door clicked shut behind her, and suddenly, the room felt different. Quieter. Smaller.
Jason shifted slightly, adjusting himself against the pillows. The easy banter from earlier was gone, leaving something heavier in the air.
Jason's lips curled slightly "Will you come to see me out?"
"You think I won't?" I asked dramatically.
Jason shrugged, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Didn't know if you'd be busy."
I rolled my eyes. "I'll be here. I'll call my boss."
"Really though. Are you okay?"
Jason hesitated, just for a second. Then he nodded. "Yeah. Just… processing." He let out a breath. "It's strange. One minute, I'm getting on a bus. Then I meet you. Then an accident. And now we are here."
The way he said it sent a shiver down my spine.
"Life is weird like that," I murmured.
He studied me for a moment. "And you?"
I blinked. "Me?"
He tilted his head slightly. "You've been quiet."
I swallowed. I wasn't sure how to put everything I was feeling into words. This strange pull toward him, the way things had changed so fast, the fact that I didn't know where this was going.
So I settled for honesty.
"I guess I'm still catching up," I admitted. "Everything happened so fast."
Jason nodded as if he understood. Then, after a beat, he reached for my hand.
I barely had time to react before his fingers brushed against mine, warm and steady.
"You don't have to have it all figured out," he said softly. "I'm just glad you're here."
Something about the way he said it made my heart stutter.
I looked down at our hands, at the way his fingers were just barely touching mine. I could pull away. I could make a joke, change the subject. But I didn't.
Instead, I let my fingers curl slightly, just enough to acknowledge that I was here, too.
The room felt warmer now, like the air between us had thickened. Jason's fingers were still brushing against mine, his touch light, almost uncertain.
His breath caught. His eyes locked into mine, searching. "Janica."
I swallowed. "Yeah?"
"I don't want this to be just a moment," he admitted. His voice soft, but the weight behind it was undeniable. "Not with you."
My pulse roared in my ears as he slowly sat up, his movements careful. I should've told him to lie back, to rest, but I didn't. Because suddenly, nothing else mattered except the way his eyes kept dropping to my lips.
And the fact that I wasn't stopping him.
I leaned in first, just slightly, just enough for him to know.
Jason's breath came uneven, his hand moving from my fingers to my wrist, then up my arm, slow and deliberate.
Then, finally, he closed the space between us.
His lips met mine, everything else faded.
The kiss wasn't rushed. It wasn't frantic. It was like he wanted to memorize the way I felt, like he was afraid to break whatever was building between us. His lips were warm, soft but firm, and when he tilted his head slightly to deepen the kiss, I let myself fall.
My hands slid up, one resting against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my fingertips. His hand moved to cup my face, his touch both careful and desperate.
I had no idea how long we stayed like that, lost in each other, lost in something neither of us had planned for.
But when we finally pulled away, breathless, Jason's forehead rested lightly against mine.
His eyes stayed closed for a second before he whispered, "Yeah… I definitely want you here tomorrow."
I laughed, my fingers still tangled in his shirt. "I already said I'd come."
The air between us was thick, charged with something undeniable. My breath was still uneven, my fingers still curled into the fabric of his shirt, as if letting go would break whatever had just happened between us.
Then, slowly, his hand moved. His fingers traced the side of my face, and before I could process it, his thumb brushed against my lips.
Soft, teasing, like he was memorizing the feel of them.
A small, breathy laugh escaped him. Not amused. Something else. Something raw.
His eyes flickered to mine, and for a second, he just looked at me. Like he was still trying to believe this was real.
Then, almost like he hadn't meant to say it out loud, he murmured, "I love you."
The words hit me like a shockwave. My heart stuttered.
He had said it so simply, so effortlessly, like it was a truth he had always known.
I swallowed, my lips parting, but no words came out.
Jason watched me, searching my face, his fingers still resting against my lips. "I know it's soon," he admitted, his voice softer now. "But I don't care." His thumb traced my lower lip again, slower this time. "I love you, Janica."
I felt it. The way his words settled deep, how they fit into a place inside me I hadn't even realized was empty.
I didn't look away. I couldn't.
Because, somehow, I already knew that I loved him too.
The words hung between us, heavy and unshaken.
Jason's thumb still rested against my lips, his eyes searching mine, waiting. Hoping.
I opened my mouth, but no words came. Instead, a slow, shaky sigh slipped out. A release of something I hadn't realized I'd been holding in.
Relief.
Not because I had an answer. Not because I was ready to say it back. But because, somehow, I knew Jason meant it.
His expression softened, his fingers brushing my cheek before lowering back to his side. He didn't look disappointed, just… understanding.
I swallowed, gathering myself. "I'll come over tomorrow," I said, my voice quieter now, steady.
Jason's lips twitched into a small smile. "Yeah?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
Something shifted in his eyes, something warm. He didn't push for more. He didn't need to.
He just reached for my hand again, squeezing it lightly. "Good."