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The Wonders Of Our Lives

Chapter 3

Now

"Brittany's parents just called," My father began softly. I could feel my heart tear when he mentioned her name. They hadn't mentioned her name all week. I had made sure that they shouldn't mention her name in my presence, but somehow this time was different. This time it was urgent.

"Brittany is awake." He finally said, a gentle smile washing over his face.

And with those three simple words, everything suddenly changed. It was as if the sun started shining again after it had been down for a full week. It was as if my heart started beating again after I heard the news of Brittany's accident.

The world started spinning again now that Brittany was awake.

I sat down on the same chair I had been sitting on the week before, but this time the situation was different. Brittany was alive. She was awake. She was sitting up in her bed in the other room with her parents right now. Her piercing blue eyes were open again. I wanted so badly to barge in there and hold her tight in my arms, but something stopped me.

I was scared to walk in there. I didn't know how she would react to seeing me. Ever since she chose Artie over me, she thought I had been mad at her. I didn't know what I would find. I hadn't talked to any of the doctors or her parents yet. When I heard she was awake, I immediately drove to the hospital, my tears still fresh on my cheeks.

There was a posibility that she wasn't fully herself anymore. My father had informed us that she could suffer traumatic brain injury. Maybe she wasn't able to talk anymore. Maybe I would never be able to hear that beautiful voice again. Maybe she ended up in a wheelchair. What if she could never dance again? Brittany would be devastated if she couldn't dance. Dance was how she expressed herself. It was one of the few things that made her feel... powerful.

It hurt me to think of Brittany never dancing again, but I knew I would still love her no matter what happened. I couldn't just turn it off. If I could, I would have when she blew me off. She had hurt me so much when she chose Artie over me. I thought she loved me, too. She had broken my heart...

Then the accident happened, and all the hurt she caused me vanished. I couldn't lose her. I couldn't imagine a life without her. A life without Brittany wasn't really living. It was like Brittany was my sun.

And now she was awake. And eventhough she might have not heard me, I promised her I would change. I would be her friend if that was all she wanted to be. I never broke a promise.

Mrs. Pierce snapped me out of my thoughts. "She's asking for you." She told me as she and her husband sat down next to me with content smiles on their faces. Smiles that I hadn't seen for a while. Smiles that calmed me down.

I took a deep breath before I forced myself to stand up. I slowly walked over to Brittany's room. I was nervous for all kinds of reasons. My heart was beating loudly in my chest as I pushed the door open.

The first thing I saw were Brittany's sparkling blue eyes. The eyes I seemed to be drowning in everytime I stared into them too deep. When she saw me standing in the doorway, her face seemed to light up. She sent me a dazzling smile that made my knees weaken.

She was still Brittany. It was as if nothing changed. She still had the same effect on me, but now it was at least ten times worse... or ten times better. I hadn't seen her for a week, and I hadn't had a normal conversation with her for almost three weeks. In that previous week, I hadn't known if I would ever see that smile again.

I felt myself being drawn to her. I walked over to her bedside, my eyes never leaving hers. My heart beat hard against my chest, and I knew that if I didn't stop now, I would never be able to stay away from her. I had to keep my distance. I had to keep her at armslength if I wanted to keep my promise. I would take care of her. I would be her friend. I wouldn't pressure her into being more than just friends. She was with Artie – I had to accept that. I promised...

I stopped by her bedside, making sure to keep my distance. I gave her a faint smile as I burried my hands in my pockets. The temptation to take her hand in mine was too big. Her smile faltered slightly when she noticed how distant I was, but I knew this was best for both of us. We couldn't be like we were before. We could never go back to that now that I had told her I was in love with her.

"Hey," I said quietly, still looking into her eyes.

"Hi," She said through a bright smile that made my heart skip a beat.

"Um," I stammered as I looked down at my feet. "how are you feeling?" I asked her.

"Good, all things considered." She said with a smile. A smile that seemed to be plastered on her lips permanently.

"So... Are you okay?" I asked. Nothing seemed to be wrong with her, but I had to be sure. Maybe she couldn't move her arms or legs. Maybe she had memory loss.

She shrugged. "Seems like it. I mean I feel okay. Just really exhausted like I didn't sleep for a week."

I gave her a faint smile. "Well, that's exactly what you have been doing, B."

"Yeah, it's weird." She said. "My limbs feel heavy and numb at the same time." She tried to explain, frowning through her smile.

I took a small step closer. "Do you remember what happened?" I asked with a small voice, meeting her gaze again.

She gave me a sad smile as she slowly nodded her head, looking down at her hands that rested on top of the sheets. I followed her gaze and looked at her fumbling hands. I wanted so bad to reach over and touch her soft skin, but I wouldn't. I couldn't.

"I'm sorry, San." She suddenly said with a sad voice. "It was an accident." I trailed my eyes back to her face, looking at her questionally. Was she apologizing for nearly dying? "I know you always tell me to stay away from the pool, but Artie fell in. I had to help him." The smile that had been on her face was now replaced by a sad frown.

I sighed deeply. How could she be apologizing for being such a good person? She was honestly too good for this world. A wave of guilt washed over me. She was scared that I was mad at her for saving Artie and almost leaving me. Of course I hadn't been mad. I was terrified. Terrified of losing her. I felt like I had already lost part of her when she chose Artie over me, but when I heard that she might never wake up out of her coma, everything tumbled down.

I finally pulled my hands out of my pockets and grabbed her hand. I squeezed it tightly, savoring the feeling of her soft skin.

"You're too good for this world, B." I said honestly. She had risked her life to save a cripple. She was a real heroine. I couldn't ever be mad at her for that. Of course I could be mad at Artie, and I definitely was, but I promised I would be nice to him.

She sighed deeply. "Are you mad at me?" Her voice sounded so small, it broke my heart. I knew she wasn't only talking about the accident. I knew she was talking about the way she had blown me off three weeks earlier in the busy hallways of McKinley.

I slowly shook my head as I looked at out tangled hands. "I was never mad, B. I was just hurt." I looked back at into her eyes. The eyes that I had missed so much. The eyes that I had prayed to see again every day for the past week. "I missed you, B." I swallowed. "I was scared that you wouldn't wake up again." I bit my lip to stop it from trembling.

She squeezed my hand tightly. "I'm so sorry, San. I missed you so much." She tried to pull me closer, and I hesitantly gave in. I sat down on the edge of the bed facing her, as she caressed the back of my hand gently and soothingly. "I'll never leave you." She said softly. Her voice was reassuringly and strong.

Her words warmed my body. They lifted a weight off my shoulders. I had been so afraid that I would lose her forever, but with these simple words, all my fears disappeared for that moment. Her promise created a faint smile on my lips as I looked into her trustful eyes.

At that exact moment, the door opened and Artie slowly strolled in. When he saw me, he hesitated for a moment, but when he saw Brittany's dazzling smile, he strolled over to the other side of her bed.

"Artie!" She said enthusiasticly. I froze and dropped her hand. She was clearly happy to see him. He was the reason she nearly died, but still she was happy to see him. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything different. She loved him.

When I let go of her hand, her head snapped back to me. She frowned at me with a pout, her smile falling from her face.

I hesitated for a moment and considered taking her hand back in mine, but when Artie took her other hand, and caught her attention, I started backing away towards the door. I couldn't watch them interact with eachother. I couldn't see that loser that almost killed her holding her hand.

When I opened the door, Brittany caught my attention again. "Hey, where are you going?" She asked quickly. I turned around to face her. I shifted my eyes between Artie and her. Right, I promised I would change. I promised I would be nice to Artie.

I forced a smile on my face as I answered, "Just going to get some coffee. I'll be in the hallway with your mom and dad if you need me."

She seemed to be content with that answer, because she nodded with a smile playing on her lips.

I shot Artie one last glare before leaving the room, leaving the girl I loved alone with the person I hated most on this earth. The person that had caused all of this.

I was solemnly sipping my coffee next to Brittany's parents when we were disrupted by an aweful scream.

Eventhough I had never heard such a sound before, I knew who it belonged to. The scream pierced through my heart, breaking it into a million little pieces that scattered all over the hospital floor.

Everything seemed to be going in slowmotion at that moment. My hands growing numb, my cup falling to the ground, sending coffee all over the floor, doctors already entering Brittany's room before I could even get to my feet. My father was one of them.

I shot to my feet as fast as I could, as I screamed her name. My own strangled voice scared me. I ran towards her room, but before I could enter – before I could see her, two strong arms held me back. My father was holding me back, keeping me from entering the room. I struggled in his grip. I used all of my power to break free of his embrace, but he held on tightly.

"Brittany!"

Sorry for the cliffhanger. Just thought that was the best way to stop this chapter!

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