The hospital room smelled antiseptic, a sharp contrast to the exhilarating chill of the lake just hours earlier. The sterile whiteness of the walls did little to soothe the lingering shivers that ran through me, not from cold, but from the adrenaline still bubbling beneath the surface. I didn't really need to be here, tucked away in this odd little bubble of recovery next to Braxton. Still, there was a certain bizarre comfort in sharing this space – both of us trapped in our peculiar ways, bonded by what could only be described as a life-threatening adventure.
Braxton lay in the bed beside me, looking more annoyed than hurt, his messy hair standing up like a porcupine in need of a comb. "I can't believe we've ended up in the hospital because of my stupidity. And why do doctors always insi
