Bennett's POV

I'm sitting at the cafeteria, minding my own business, when I see Lilly storming towards me, a frown on her face that makes me freeze on the spot. 

Why the hell is she looking like she's seen a ghost? It screams worry all over it, so the moment she reaches me, I stand up, trying to figure out what's going on.

"Have you seen her?" I don't need to ask who she's talking about, it's damn obvious.

"No, why?" I ask, actually concerned.

"I can't find her anywhere and she's not answering her phone." I immediately start making my way to the cafeteria door without even thinking, with Lilly on my toe.

"Where have you seen her for the last time?" I ask.

"We were texting during third period as we don't have class together, and after a while she stopped answering." I try not to give her a pointed look due to the fact that they were texting in class, because that's not important right now. "It wouldn't be an issue, but she said she wasn't feeling well and didn't make it to the cafeteria for lunch. I think she might be having an episode."

I speed up to the sound of that to where her class ended fifteen minutes ago. It's not like I know by heart her entire schedule, so I know exactly where her last classroom is. Y

Yeah, that's creepy of me, I know. 

I know it shouldn't be a big deal, but the look on Lilly's face was concerning enough and Alex never disappears, unless she's feeling sick. We know this because it happened a few times over the past years. The migraine episodes were so bad, that she had to go to the hospital.

The last time it happened was last year, she was watching Dylan's practice and practically passed-out on the bleachers. The coach saw the whole thing and stopped practice until the nurse got there and took care of her.

Lilly texted me at the time to tell me what happened and I immediately called her mom to make sure she was ok. That's the good part about close friends with her family. It's not like I would call my friends' moms to ask if they are feeling sick. Especially because we weren't exactly that close when it happened. Too good I get along very well with her mom. 

I remember wanting to scold her for not taking care of herself, because I later learned that she was feeling sick all day, but didn't want to go home. I call it denial.

She hates her migraines and hates even more when people know about it. She shouldn't be ashamed, it's not her fault that she needs to take medicines, but she never liked it.

That same week, I heard her talking to Lilly at our family's weekly dinner and I got pissed because all she cared about was how embarrassed it was to pass out in front of the whole football team, especially Dylan.

Not that he paid enough attention. He wasn't giving a flying fuck about her and I don't think he even remembers that happened. 

Anyway, I have all these thoughts and memories in my mind as I rush down the hall looking for her.

It's been a while that she doesn't have symptoms, but if it's happening again, it's bad, really bad. Alex's migraines are no joke.

I know I said I wouldn't care about her anymore, that we shouldn't be friends or even talk to her but I can't ignore this. I'm crazy worried about her.

"Go to the library and check the auditorium hall. I'll go this way. Text me if you find her." Lilly nods and runs to the direction I mentioned.

I take a deep breath and continue searching for her. Alex is not in the class, not at the quad or even at the lab, so I sigh, frustrated. There's no sign of her.

Unless... I look to my left and I think I know where she is.

"Hey!" I say to a girl about to go into the girls bathroom. She looks at me like I'm a creepy pervert and I control myself not to roll my eyes. She's really not my type and I'm far from being a pervert. "Can you see if there's a brunette girl in there, brown eyes, about this height?"

I put my hand in the air where Alex's head would be. The girl shrugs and nods, actually looking relieved that I'm not interested in her.

She gets out after a minute and I can see myself losing my shit if she doesn't start speaking in the next five seconds.

"Yeah, she's in there." She adjusts her backpack and glances back, looking actually concerned. "She doesn't look ok though."

I'm about to burst in when the door opens and I see Alex stumbling out. I let go a relieved sigh, but it's gone when I take a good look at her.

She looks terrible.

"Are you ok?" I ask, but instead of answering me, she takes a few steps to the left and leans against the wall, sliding down and sitting on the floor.

I know I said I was done, I know I said I could keep my distance, I know all the things I said, but one look at her, just one quick look and I know that's not going to happen anytime soon.

If I have to be miserable so she is ok, I will do it. It's wrong, but I will fucking do it. I'd rather feel angry and sad or even hurt than seeing her like this. It's not like I can control it anyway.

My heart twists, because if there is one thing I know, it's that the girl who has my heart in the palm of her hand is definitely not ok.

........................

Alex's POV

"Are you ok?" Bennett asks.

"I'm fine." I say in between my teeth, after a few moments. 

He nods and just looks at me for a few seconds. I don't think I've even seen Bennett so concerned before. He looks.... Well, it's not important right now. I can't think, my head is pounding so freaking hard. 

"You're in pain." He says and I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. I don't answer, I don't have it in me to lie right now, because it's so obvious that I look like shit. "What are you feeling?"

"I have a headache." I say, making it sound better than it actually feels.

"Are you having an episode?" It hurts so much that it takes me a few seconds to remember that he already knows about my migraine condition, so I nod. "Let me help you."

He comes closer and bends down on the floor to help me stand.

"It's ok Bennett, I'm fine, you don't have—"

I'm cut off by his arms lifting me against my will, but I don't have strength to protest. All my efforts are put into not exploding my head. I put my hands around his neck and I lay my head on his shoulder, completely grateful for being with him right now, if I'm being honest.

I don't think I'd be able to make it to the nurse's office without help. 

I feel a sharp pain in my head that runs through my entire body and I let go a muffled scream as tears run down my face. Bennett stops for a second to make sure I'm ok and resumes walking, faster than before.

I hate these migraines so bad, all I want is for it to stop hurting.

"We're almost there. I've got you, ok?" His reassuring voice helps with the pain somehow, but I can't help but cry like a kid.

As soon as we get to the school's infirmary, he lays me down on the treatment bed and the nurse comes rushing in seconds later.

"What happened?" I hear urgency in her voice, because well, it's not every day that something actually happens that she needs to work hard. Usually just a few scratches and every once in a while someone from the football team with a concussion or girls with cramps, but other than that, she doesn't have much trouble.

"She's having a bad migraine episode. She has had them since she was a kid and she takes medicine for it, but I don't know if she's taking them lately.'' He puts his hand on my back in a supportive gesture as I crawl into a fetal position. ''She's in a lot of pain."

The nurse talks for a minute or two with Bennett who explains in more detail what is happening with me and she checks my file to see what kind of medicine to give me. She leaves for a moment and shortly after she's back with a small cup in her hands. 

"Take this. It will help to ease the pain. Let me call your parents."

I grab the cup from her hand and throw the two pills inside my mouth, shutting my eyes again, as the light makes it worse. 

"I've already talked to her mom. She's on her way." Bennett says at the same time that he gives me a glass of water and the nurse nods. When did he talk to her? We've been here for like a minute or so, I guess... 

"Ok, you can go if you want Bennett, I'll take care of her until her mom gets here." The nurse says, but Bennett sits next to me instead, making it clear that he's not going anywhere.

"Actually, I'd like to stay, if you don't mind. I just want to keep her company and make sure she's ok." He puts his hand on my arm and it makes me feel better. 

"Sure, if you want to. I'll be back in a few moments to fill the report. Alex, I'll be in the next room if you need me." I try to nod, but I can't really move before she leaves the attached room, where a student just came in with a stomach ache.

"Is the medicine kicking in yet?" He asks, his attention now focused on me.

"You don't have to stay." I can barely say, but I manage to.

"I want to." I try to turn to face him, but it's harder than I thought. "Don't move, just rest, ok?"

I reach out to his hand that is now resting on the bed and I grab it, holding it tight. He squeezes my hand and doesn't let it go.

After a while, that felt like forever, I start to feel the relief from the painkiller and I finally get to relax a little, feeling myself off to sleep. The next thing I know, I hear my mom's voice as I wake up, still feeling a little dizzy.

"She's awake." Bennett calls my mom who was talking to the nurse. As soon as he gives her the news, she's by the bed in seconds.

"Oh honey, how are you feeling?" I look at her before I look at Bennett, who is now at the back of the room to give us some space, I assume.

"I'm fine. Much better." I smile, happy to see the heavy pain is gone, although it still hurts and I still feel dizzy.

"Why didn't you call me when you started to have symptoms? You know how hard it gets, you should have called me." She scolds me, but in a nice way, if that's even possible. 

"I'm sorry, I was at class when I started to feel it, but I waited for it to get better until it was too late, so once the bell rang, I ran to the bathroom. Bennett found me."

"I didn't know what could have happened if he didn't." My mom looks at Bennett, fondly.

I glance at him and smile too, get a small smile back from him. For some reason, I miss his hand in mine. It was so comforting and made me feel so safe that I didn't want to let it go.

"How long did I sleep?" I ask them, trying to sit down. 

"About an hour or so." Bennett replies and I widen my eyes.

''An hour? You stayed here for an hour? You missed your class." He just shrugs like it's not a big deal.

"I wasn't going to leave you alone. Plus, it's not like I could leave with you holding my hand so tight." He smirks and I blush, but I don't think my mom noticed.

"Let's go home, honey." She says and then turns to Bennett. "Thank you, sweetheart. I can't thank you enough." 

"You don't have to thank me, you know you're like family to me." She gives him a quick hug before helping me stand, Bennett holding me on the other side.

"I'll go talk to the nurse, give me a few more minutes, ok?'' My mom says and when she leaves, it's just a silence between me and Bennett, in a mix of weirdness for the situation we were in before all this happened and gratitude.

Yes, I feel beyond grateful for his help. 

"Are you ok?" He finally asks.

"Kind of. It still hurts, but I can manage." I try to smile.

"You should rest."

"I thought you said we shouldn't spend time together and here you are, taking care of me." He smiles. 

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm not good at keeping promises when it comes to you." He then fits the floor. Why does it feel like a sort of confession?

"Does that mean you'll be my friend again?" I can't help but sound hopeful.

"I'm always your friend, Alex, even if I say I'm not."

"Thank you." I say and he smiles.

"I texted Dylan while you were sleeping.'' He says, not looking at me this time. ''He didn't reply yet, but maybe you should call him."

I nod, not wanting to discuss Dylan with Bennett. He's the reason why Bennett has been pushing me away in the first place. Ok, I'm the reason, not Dylan, but still.

"Get out of the way." We hear Lilly's voice in the next room "Oh, hi Mrs. Harper, is she awake yet?"

We hear my mom and her chatting for a few moments, before she rushes to me.

"Thank God you're fine! Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

"I know, Lil. I'm fine." I say, actually smiling. Lilly is dramatic, but it's one of the things I love about her. 

"Have you been taking your medicine?" I look at her, then at Bennett until my eyes fit the floor.

Truth is, I forgot to take it a few times, usually when I'm with Dylan. I don't know why, I simply forget. 

"You don't even have to reply. Alex, this is irresponsible of you." Lilly puts her hands to her hips like she's about to give me a lecture. She sounds angrier than my mom. 

"Lilly, she's in pain, I don't think it's time to scold her. Let her be." I give Bennett a thankful smile, but he doesn't react.

Even though he's helping me with Lilly, I know he's also not happy that I haven't taken my medicine.

"Right, well, fine, but you're not off the hook yet young lady, we'll talk about it." She points her finger at me from a distance and I control myself not to roll my eyes. My head would hurt if I did.

Then one look at Bennett's face and I sigh, knowing that we will definitely talk about it.

.........................

Hello Lovely Readers,

My apologies for only updating it now! So, yes, migraine is what brought Alex and Bennett together. It feels like @AyanNaskar is reading my mind. hahaha you got it right!

You are so NOT ready for what's coming in the next chapter! Hold your seats because I'm screaming already!!!! 

What did you think of this chapter? Share your thoughts with me and vote!! :) 

Love,

Me