Dustin was thinking about his blond sweetheart. He never thought he would find anyone who would love him for himself. He knew most girls would want a guy like Hunter or Blake, or some famous actor. Not a simple guy like himself. Simple things were fine with him, and he didn't need to be something he wasn't. But he knew he wasn't stupid, he was smart just a little slow sometimes. Maybe it was because he didn't always listen too closely to what was being discussed.
Growing up next door to Tori was interesting. All the times they had played super heros, with sheets for capes. To the times when they had played house, yes he had even done that because she had wanted to. Being daddy to her baby doll. The time that one of the kids who lived down the street knocked Tori off her bike, causing her to cry, and Dustin had bit the snot out of him. To the time a girl had put a taped piece of paper on the back of his shirt with the words...idiot on it. Tori had taught that girl the error of her ways. He remembered when she got her first bra, how embarrassed she was, wearing big bulky sweaters, even to the beach. He had not laughed at her. When his voice started cracking, she had dared anyone to laugh at him.
So many memories they shared. He had taken her to their first dance, and he had a crush on her then. He remembered the pain when she started dating a guy she had met on the beach. They were always there for each other, and now he hoped it would always be so. He hoped that they would be together forever. Maybe he was moving fast, but it wasn't as though they didn't know each other. Like where her tiny heart shaped mole was, or his two inch scar from his fall on the ice. There wasn't much they didn't know. Faults and all, they loved each other. If anything happened to her...
Hunter swam holding onto Tori with one arm as he moved towards shore. Cutting through the choppy water. He stood up when he came into shallow water and picked her up. He laid her down on the sand, and began CPR again. "Tori, you aren't going to die! I am tired of losing people I care for, family. Come back!" His voice caught as he called to her, and then went back to breathing for her. He stopped and listened to her heart, which wasn't beating. He began to try to get her heart beating, and doing her breathing. Where was some help he wondered. No one was there when he needed them.
The water washed over touching her legs, the white foam covering her feet. The ocean seemed louder to Hunters ears than ever before. The sky was darkening, clouds rolled, and thunder began to rumble. But he didn't notice, as he continued to try and save Tori.
Dustin suddenly felt a cold chill run down his spine. He jumped up to his feet and looked around. "Tori!" Shane looked at him oddly. Dustin ran out of the store and down the beach. He saw Hunter bending over Tori and ran towards them."Tori!" Hunter looked up at his friend, and was glad someone had come.
Hunter bent back over Tori and gave her another breath as Dustin fell to his knees beside them, his face filled with anguish, and tears were in his eyes. "Hunter?" Hunter looked up at him, and it tore at him the expression he saw there.
"I don't know, I am trying, help me." Dustin took over the mouth to mouth, as Hunter pumped her chest. Suddenly a cough came from Tori, and both boys stopped and watched her take a deep breath, and they both had tears rolling down their cheeks. Hunter put his hand on Dustins shoulder and squeezed, he was so tired. Dustin pulled Tori into his arms, hugging her to him.
"Tori, babe don't leave me. I love you so much. Heaven doesn't need another angel up there. You leave... I follow you." Hunter knew that Dustin meant those words, and he feared for him if she should ... he couldn't say the word.
"Dustin, we need to get her to the hospital, we can streak there." Dustin looked over at him, and he nodded. He got to his feet, and they both streaked to the nearest hospital. When they stopped in front of the emergency doors, Hunter was swaying on his feet, but he moved beside Dustin who carried Tori inside.
"Help! Somebody, we need help. You got to help my girlfriend. Please, somebody." A nurse and an orderly came running. The orderly taking Tori from Dustin. Dustin followed them, and was stopped by the door. She shook her head at the two boys.
"Sorry boys, you can't go any further. There is some paperwork that needs to be done. I'll let you know something as soon as I can. She turned and closed the door, leaving the boys in the hall. Watching nurses running down the hall, and hearing the ambulance rolling in. They turned and found a couple of plastic chairs and fell into them. A nurse handed Hunter the paperwork, and he passed it to Dustin. Dustin sat there, staring at the pen as though it was something he had never seen before.
"She will make it Dustin. She is a fighter." He squeezed his friends lower arm and offered what comfort he could. He reached for his cell phone and was going to call when he saw it dripping water. It was worthless now. So seeing the phone on the wall next to where they sat, he got up and went over to it, and began to dial a number. He listened to the ringing.
"Hey Blake its Hunter. Somethings happened..." Dustin sat there, still staring off into space.
