Luth, I Think I'm in Love!

Hey thanks for all the reviews and favourites, it means a lot and I'm glad you're all enjoying the story.

To Blonde: Charlie Plunk is the one with the dark hair.

So anyway on with the story.

Chapter 7: Annabel's Choice

Annabel sat on the uncomfortable chairs in the hospital the waiting room waiting for the doctors to give some news about Zeke. He wasn't in very good condition -not that anyone would be after having a metal instrument rip their flesh and blood cells- and he was unconscious from the blood loss.

In the corner of the waiting room, Mr. Falcone was trying to comfort his hysterical wife as her loud sobs filled the room as she considered losing her 'poor baby.' Ginger sat with her parents, looking sad. She was trying to hold back the tears as she listened to her mother cry about how she wouldn't know what to do if Zeke didn't make it. Watching the family made Annabel feel even more guilty. It was her that Zeke was trying to defend and she was the reason that Charlie had stabbed him.

Luther was yet to arrive but Annabel knew he was on his way. As if on cue, Luther and Ozzie came entered the waiting room and Luther looked pale and sick with worry.

"Where is he? How is he? What happened? Why are you covered in blood?" he aimed all his questions at Annabel and she looked taken aback. "Annabel! Answer me!"

"He's with the doctors right now, we're not allowed to see him yet," she answered in a quiet and hoarse voice. She had been crying so much that her voice had practically gone. She looked curiously at Ozzie. "Why are you here?"

"He was with me when Zeke's dad called me to tell me Zeke was in the hospital and he wanted to come with me," Luther answered in a tone that told her that it wasn't important. "Anyway, what happened? never really said much."

Annabel sighed and bit her lip. She felt horrible and when she had had to explain to Zeke's parents why their son was in here it made her feel even worse due to the fact that they hadn't even blamed her in the slightest. She felt like they should have. She felt it would have been better if atleast somebody told her what she feeling.

"Well, Charlie drove me home after the cinema and he kissed me but I told him I only saw him as a friend. Then he started getting violent and I tried to run away but I couldn't get away fast enough. Charlie had scissors and Zeke must have noticed what was happening and stepped in. he got into a fight with Charlie and then..." Annabel had to stop as fresh tears sprung from her eyes as she remembered the scene. "Then...Charlie stabbed Zeke. I tried to stop the bleeding but the blood it was...everywhere."

Luther looked sick at the thought of his best friend having to go through that. He gathered a tearful Annabel up in a hug and she sobbed into his chest.

"This isn't your fault, you know that," he whispered into her ear and she she simply sobbed quietly in response. "Zeke wouldn't want you to blame yourself. Let's just think positive, yeah? Zeke's strong, he'll pull through."

Annabel nodded and Luther slowly let go of her.

"Hey Ozzie, why don't you take Annabel out for a walk? You look like you could use some fresh air and I'm going to go talk to Zeke's parents," Luther suggested and Ozzie nodded eagerly while Annabel shrugged.

She stood up and walked silently with Ozzie out of the waiting room and out to the grounds of the hospital. They walked for a bit and then sat down on a bench, not a word had been muttered at all. They sat in silence for a few more minutes until Ozzie decided he would break the silence.

"I can't believe Charlie was such a jerk to do that, kissing you and then stabbing Zeke. It's unforgivable," he stated and Annabel nodded.

"He just ran off, can you believe that? How could he do that?" she asked infuriated.

"I know," Ozzie agreed. He couldn't believe his luck to finally have a conversation with Annabel without any interuptions and to make it even better, they were discussing how bad a person Ozzie's competition for her was. "But I'm sure, Zeke will be alright."

Annabel nodded and looked at the ground feeling guilty and ashamed.

"Do...do you think that it's my fault?" she whispered. "That I'm to blame for Charlie stabbing Zeke."

"Of course it's not!" Ozzie exclaimed. "You weren't to know that Charlie would go to those extremes. You shouldn't blame yourself."

Annabel shot him a soft, grateful smile. Maybe Ozzie wasn't so terrible. When he wasn't being weird and throwing strange and cheesy chat up lines at her then he was actually an ok person to have a conversation with. He grinned in reply and looked deep into her deep blue eyes. He took a deep breath and prepared himself mentally. This was it, the moment of truth.

"Annabel," he whispered and she raised an eyebrow at him when suddenly his lips crashed against hers. The kiss was clumsy and she was frozen still for a moment in complete shock. This was the second time in one day that she had been kissed completely out of the blue and though the first one had ended in distaster, this one was at a completely inappropriate time.

The brunette girl finally managed to push Ozzie away and jumped off of the bench before slapping him in fury.

"What is wrong you?" she spat. "Zeke is the hospital, unconscious and you think it's an alright time to kiss me! That is sick, we should be supporting Zeke and praying that he wakes up."

"Look Annabel, I'm sorry but I really like you," Ozzie told her and her eyes widened.

"I can't do this. Not now. First Charlie, now you. Why can't you all just understand that I only see you as friends? Nothing more!" Annabel exclaimed loudly. "And because of this stupid competition you've all been having, somebody has been put in the hospital. Somebody who is totally innocent in all of this."

"Totally innocent? Zeke was our main competition the whole time. He was the one you hung out with the most and the one that you seemed to always want to hang out with," Ozzie told her and Annabel bit her lip. "We all just wanted you to make your decision. We wanted to know if you really liked Zeke or if either Charlie, Kojo and I stood a chance but you took so long to make a choice that everybody just kept vying for your affections."

"Make a decision!" Annabel exploded. She was sick and tired of all the games these boys had been playing and she was living the longest and worst day of her life at that moment. She just wanted Zeke to wake up. "There is no decision to be made! I never had to choose between people because I already knew who I liked."

"You did?" Ozzie asked eagerly. His eyes lighting up in hope. "Who was it? Is it me?"

"No!" Annabel snapped. "It's the only one of you four who has actually taken the time to get to know me and genuinly been interested in what I had to say and not just forced himself at me. It's Zeke! It's always been Zeke! From the very beginning."

Oh! So Annabel likes Zeke back! YAY!

I'll probably only have two or three more chapters to go on this fic. So please review and tell me what you think.