Kayla sat staring out the window at the rain, wondering what had gotten into Edward lately; he was so cold towards her. She'd asked John but he simply said it was the stress of the job. She missed how it used to be with them before they got famous, though she was proud of what they had achieved it kinda made her sad, and now Edward was being weird. He'd changed so much, she'd remember how they were kids and used to sing together in the school playground ever lunch time, now it was like he didn't want to know her.
Kayla's daydream was interrupted by John playfully punching her in the shoulder, making her lose her balance and topple over.
'Watch it!' She shouted angrily.
'I didn't do it!' protested John proudly, but giving himself away by a sneaky smile he was trying so hard to hide.
Kayla gave John a final glare before fixating her gaze back out the window. She was supposed to be helping them pick an outfit for some interview or another, but Edward could hardly bear to be in the same room as her. She decided she'd try and be helpful.
'Edward, them shoes would go great with that outfit,' she said cheerily, pointing to the item of clothing.
Edward's short shrug made her stomach drop, and she let out a huge sigh.
'Are you bleeding out your woman bits, Edward?' laughed John, trying to lighten the mood, but only getting rolled eyes in response.
John gave Kayla a shrug and continued choosing an outfit.
The twins worked in silence with Kayla stared hopelessly at them for a long moment, when Edward abruptly stopped and stormed out the door, not saying anything to either of them.
Kayla felt tears prick her eyes,
'He hates me.' she whispered softly, her gaze falling to the floor.
'Nooooo!' John replied, trying to comfort her, 'he's just-'
'Stressed.' Kayla finished sadly.
'Yeah..' breathed John quietly.
The two sat for a moment, both thinking about the situation and what she'd done wrong, when Edward marched in.
But instead of resuming to helping John pick outfits he simply gave a frustrated shrug, giving Kayla a long look before walking out the door.
Kayla's eyes followed Edward, tears silently falling down her face.
John gave her back a quick pat of comfort and followed Edward.
Kayla heard them murmuring lowly, though she could tell they where both agitated with one another. She strained to hear what they were saying, but only managed to catch a few words here and there, when John walked sheepishly back, and not long after that she heard the front door slam.
Kayla looked at John in despair as he began to fold their clothes and placing them slowly back into the wardrobe. She waited until he was done, patiently waiting for him to tell her something, anything.
'Well..eh..,' began John after a while, 'Edward's went to clear his head, ok, but it's cool, he want to meet you at the playpark later.' finished John hurriedly.
'Why?' responded Kayla, almost defensively.
'I dunno, he just said something about wanting to make things clear with you or something.' John replied with a shrug.
Kayla's stomach dropped once more. This was it, he was going to tell her he hated her and didn't ever want to see her again. She wouldn't know what she would do, they where her only real friends and always have been. She was beginning to hate this fame thing more and more.
Kayla gave a low groan before heaving herself up off the bed.
'Well.. better go get ready then, I'll call by later,' she said to John with a brief wave of her hand, 'Maybe.' she added quietly to herself.
For the rest of the afternoon Kayla's stomach was in knots, as she anxiously waited for Edward's text. She couldn't concentrate on anything, so just sat watching the clock. Time seemed at a stand still until finally she heard the message tone. The unexpected sound made her jump, making her feel stupid, and her hands shook as she opened the text.
She didn't know if she was relieved or disappointed as the text simply said, 'Meet me now please.'
Kayla had to balance herself as she stood up, her legs like jelly she made her way to the park.
As she approached the road opposite the deserted park she could already see Edward swaying slightly on the swings.
She slowly approached him, neither her nor him greeting each other as she sat on the swing beside him.
For a while they each kicked the dirt on the ground with the sole of their feet, not quite sure how to being conversation, until Edward's voice suddenly burst the humble atmosphere.
'Kayla, I've got something to tell you ok, it's serious, ok, and things between us will never be the same, ever.'
Kayla tried to swallow the lump in her throat, eventually giving up, and settling with a nod of her head.
'I want you to know it's not your fault, and I'm sorry I've been distant towards you ok? But I thought I could ignore it, but I can't!' cried Edward passionately. Kayla was unbelievably confused by this, and Edward read as much from her expression.
'I love you, and I don't mean like a friend, I love you..' Edward trailed off, his eyes avoiding Kayla's baffled stare.
'What?'
Edward didn't respond, but lifted his head and looked into her eyes, tears brimming them, threatening to spill.
Without warning Kayla jumped up, repeatedly muttering 'No.' over and over to herself, walking hurriedly towards the exit. Edward got up and made and attempt to follow her, but she'd broke into a run. Edward ran after her, he needed to explain himself, the tears that where threatening to fall where now pouring down his face, making it hard for him too see.
It all happened so fast for Kayla, one minute she was beside Edward on the swings next she was at the sidewalk on her knees with someone screaming beside her. She couldn't get her head round what was happening, people all around her where screaming and rushing towards the centre of the road where the crumpled body lay. Kayla didn't realize she was screaming until she seen the blood. The blood. Dark, red and dangerous. This was her fault. She heard the ambulance sirens in the distance, everything around her becoming blurring. It was her fault. Everyone's going to hate her. She hated herself. The man of the car was talking to a police man as they lead the body into the back of the ambulance. He was shaking his head, describing the event in hand movements. How she had run across the road. How Edward had followed her. How she screamed at him to leave her alone, and how he just stopped. She could see the heartbreak in his eyes, but only for a split second before the car hit him...
Things were hostile and tense in the waiting room between Kayla and John. She could sense he blamed her, and he should, after all it was her fault. She could never forgive herself if Edward didn't pull through, and she knew John wouldn't either, and she wouldn't blame him. John's face was red and swollen from his sobs, he couldn't let it sink in, his twin, his other half, was having life or death surgery. He might actually lose Edward. Thinking this brought on more hysterical sobs, shaking John's muscular body violently.
Kayla wanted to comfort him but she knew better. Words would fail her if she tried to talk to John, try to explain to him. No, she thought, it was useless. Instead her eyes shifted aimlessly over the leaflets and health warnings stuck around the dreary, mustard coloured room.
She shouldn't be sitting here. John shouldn't be either, and Edward should not be fighting for his life, thought Kayla as she glanced around at the old, dusty people, coughing and wheezing all around her. This was a place for old people, not young people, it isn't fair, Kayla repeated to herself angrily. Tears spilled down her cheeks for the hundredth time, her fists shut tight and her jaw clenched.
John stood up quickly and began pacing frantically, his bottom lip bleeding from his hard biting. Kayla was at a loss, she felt completely drained, and wished beyond wished she could comfort him. But she knew she couldn't.
They waited like this for hours, in complete silence, when without warning a youngish doctor strode over to them, a grave expression on his face. John's stomach knotted up so much he thought he was going to be sick. The doctor didn't waste any time,
'Your Edwards brother?' the doctor asked, not waiting for the obvious reply,
'The operation went successfully, though we don't know the extent of the damage to his brain until he wakes up.' The doctor said, his intense eyes looking pitifully at John. 'If he wakes up.' He added regretfully.
'I wish I had better news to bring you, but the blunt force to his head is quite serious, Mr Grimes, I'd advise you to sort your orders out and say your goodbyes.' The young doctor added, his hand resting on John's shoulder a moment before briskly walking away.
John slowly rose to his feet. He was angry.
He wasn't going to say goodbye, Edward will be alright, Edward is always alright. John's pace quickened as he walked to Edward. Kayla was unsure weather to follow, but decided to hold back, let them have time to themselves. She couldn't believe it. Edward might die. Kayla sunk to her knees as her screams filled the empty corridors.
Sympathetic looks flew to her from nurses and patients.
Inside the claustrophobic room John choked on a sob as his hand flew to his mouth. His own brother, lying, covered with wires with an ugly tube stuck down his throat. John's own throat closed up at this sight and he got lightheaded.
He eased himself in the visitors chair beside Edward and slowly took his hand. He stayed like this, Edward's hand inside his own, as John zoned out.
'Ed'ard...' John whispered hoarsely. 'Ed'ard, you gotta wake up, okay?' John pleaded, chewing on his bloodied lip once more. John didn't know what he was expecting, but having no response from Edward broke his heart.
'I am NOT letting you die, okay! You are not dying on me Ed'ard!' John said determinedly through clenched teeth, bitter tears drowning him.
John squeezed Edwards hand protectively. He couldn't survive without Edward, Edward was his air, he was a part of him.
The lump in John's throat grew up to the point he thought he was going to drop dead.
At least that way he wouldn't have to watch his brother die, John thought sadly.
He watched the rhythmically, constant heartbeat on the monitor as Edwards chest fell and rose. He shook his head violently, wishing he would wake up from this whole nightmare, when all of a sudden he heard the flatline.
'ED'ARD? ED'ARDDDD!' John's back chilling, desperate screams filled the building as he got dragged out of the small room. Nurses and doctors quickly surrounded his brother, speaking in doctor language he didn't understand. It didn't seem real to him, nothing did. John was frantic, his arms where shooting out, his legs kicking, he was being constrained to looking helplessly through the window, watch helplessly as his brother dies. He could hear someone screeching.
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!' Kayla was beside him, clinging on to him desperately.
The doctors burst out of the door with Edward.
'We've got code 1 0 6, prepare for emergency surgery, heart rate dropping, stats falling.' spoke the nurse rushing beside them calmly.
'What? What's happening, please someone!' cried out John, watching on helplessly.
'We've got to take your brother in for surgery now, the swelling on his brain is putting immense pressure on his frontal lobe.' provided a nurse.
'What does that mean?' begged John, barely able to speak from the tears.
'It means if we don't operate now and reduce the swelling, your brother will die or be seriously brain damaged.' replied the nurse matter-of-factly.
'No..no..that can't be.. no..' whispered John, sinking to the floor.