I remember the first night, like it had happened an hour ago; there was nothing wiping the events of that night out of my memory any time soon, at least. I remember, I was in my room on my laptop distracting myself from the racket outside.

“Cole, get off the internet and go to bed” My mom’s voice called from the other side of my bedroom door. My mom sounded serious this time, but you’d think she’d have come in and taken my laptop after the first three warnings. It isn’t my fault though; okay, to a certain degree it is; but it’s not my fault that I wasn’t born with the ability to sleep through a thunder storm.

“Cole, I can still see the light from under the door” My mom called again. “If I have to come in there, you aren’t getting your computer back” Finally I gave in and shut my laptop; leaving myself in the dark. Lightning flashed through the window momentarily lighting the way before I stubbed my toe on my desk anyway.

I don’t understand how people can sleep though the rain; how does the constant tapping on the windows not stimulate their brains? Usually I’m kept awake by ideas in my head, but the weather just plain hates me this year.

I laid there on my bed staring at the ceiling for maybe a minute before a loud thud caused me to jolt up. That’s when I first saw him, soaking wet and clutching his side.

“Shhh” was the first thing that came out of his mouth; which did surprise me a little. I was half expecting ‘any last words?’ I remember the feeling of literally not being able to say anything; I remember with every inch my eyes opened further, the more the look of panic became apparent on his face.

I remember in that moment that my mom was awake, and heading towards my room.

“Cole, I told you to go to bed” my mom said, her footsteps getting louder and louder as she came down the hallway.

“Get” I said, pointing to the open closet and when he took too long I shoved him in; falling back against the door.

“Cole, get your in bed before I kick it there” my mom said slamming the door shut. Well that could have gone a lot worse. Once I was sure my mom was sleeping, I slowly opened the closet and a flashlight that happened to be nearby. He still had a hand pressed tightly to his side, he was definitely hurt. I a light at that point and saw both of his hands were bloody. His face and arms were scraped up; he looked like he’d just come from a fight.

“You can’t be here” I said, it was true; my mom would kill me if she found out I was hiding a boy in my closet. “But I can’t just send you away, so just wait here” I said and quickly tiptoed off to the bathroom. It’s at times like this, that I’m proud to own a red towel as well as bandage.

The boy told me his name was Chanyeol and apologized for startling me; even though I should have been the one to apologize, for not being a doctor and not knowing what I was doing.

“Maybe…maybe I should take you to a hospital, I say eyeing the deep gash in his side; what had he been doing before he got to my house?

“No” he said weakly, “That isn’t a good idea”

“Well why not, I mean if you die tonight from loss of blood it’ll be my fault and…” I was cut off then by his finger on my lips. It was that moment then that I really looked into his eyes; his brown orbs stared into my soul underneath his curly bangs; while he continued to shush me.

“Trust me, it wouldn’t be a good idea” he said softly. I wonder if he could hear my heart beating against my chest. I shook my head to get focused again; but I still remember the look on the Chanyeol’s face the entire time I tended to his wound. Though his face was pale, his expression was ultimately calm, a small smile slipping onto his lips from time to time.

“There” I said, content; with all that energy I’d spent wiping and re-wrapping Chanyeol’s abdomen, I was actually starting to feel tried. “Do you want any water or anything?” I asked before yawning. He shook his and tried to stand, using the wall as support.

“You can sleep in my bed” I said staring at the ground.

“What about you?” he asked looking concerned.

“I have a sleeping bag; I can sleep on the floor.” I said retrieving my sleeping bag from underneath my bed. “You’re injured, you should sleep on a proper bed” I said, he simply nods and climbs into bed. I would have fallen asleep immediately, once my head hit the pillow; if there hadn’t been someone watching me over the edge of the bed.

“Are you not tired?” I asked peeking through one eye to see was Chanyeol still watching me.

“A little” he said.

“So why don’t you go to sleep?” I asked, starting to feel uncomfortable.

“Because you’re more interesting than sleep” he said innocently; my heart skipped a beat. This was crazy though, Chanyeol was still a total stranger, for all I knew he could be a e who injured himself as an excuse to stay with me.

“Goodnight, Chanyeol” I sighed, but got no reply; when I sat up to look in my bed, Chanyeol was already asleep.