Disclaimer: Here is Chapter 5! Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Downward Spiral

Leslie's POV:

"Jess...?" My eyes widened with amazement. "Oh my God...you're awake!"

Instead of smiling, Jess was frowning; he didn't look happy to see me.

"Thank God you opened your eyes!" I continued. "You're okay!" I nearly cried tears of joy.

"Okay...?" Jess glared at me. "What is okay? I'm paralyzed bellow the waist."

I froze. "...what?"

"The head injury? Remember? The one that YOU caused? Does it RING A BELL?"

"No...no I didn't—"

"You forced me onto that rope and it snapped, remember? I told you I didn't want to do it but you said 'of course we're going silly!' remember?" He said in a mock tone. "Or are you just plain selfish and don't remember any of it?"

My heart felt like it was going to explode. This wasn't my Jess. This wasn't my best friend.

"You created Terabithia and I believed in your stupidity." He continued. "Thanks to you and your whacked fantasies, I can never walk again."

"No..." I shook my head. "Don't say that...please don't say that. You'll be able to walk again...I—"
"I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS, LESLIE!" He screamed. "Don't you get it? I'm going to be a paraplegic for the rest of my life. I'm not even a teenager yet and my life is essentially over..."

Jess, please...I'm sorry. I'm so very sorr—"

"Don't try to fool me with 'I'm sorry'; especially with your crocodile tears. My family can't afford the hospital bills and I can't even do anything to help my family. I never want to see you again, Leslie Burke. You're dead to me."

"N O!" Those harsh words woke me from the dead sleep with tears exploding from my eyes. My heart rate was beating at an incredible rate. I could have sworn anyone in the house heard it.

"Leslie? Honey, what happened? I'm here." Judy came to my bed side.

"Mommy…" I never called her 'mommy' unless I was in distress. "I had a dream about Jess…he blamed me for causing his accident…" I sobbed.

"Oh, honey…" She hugged me. "My sweet girl…shhh…" She soothed me and rubbed my back like I was an infant again. "Don't cry…"

"I need him so much…even though he's physically still alive…I can't bear the thought of losing him…"

"You won't lose him, baby girl. Your love and friendship will keep Jess alive."

Did she mean metaphorically alive or physically alive? I wondered. That's where it hit me. Regardless of what happens, Jess will never die in my heart.

"Can I…can I see him today?"

Judy smiled. "Of course you can, sweetheart. I'll take you over there this afternoon."

"Thank you…" I sniffled.

"Come downstairs and have some breakfast."

After breakfast I went back up stairs and put on a T-shirt and my cut-offs. The day kept dragging on and on and I couldn't relax. All I wanted at that moment was to see Jess. My stomach was in knots and my mouth was dry.

Hours later, Judy and Bill gave me a ride to the hospital. To my surprise, no one was in Jess's hospital room. I took a chair and moved it to his bedside.

"Jess…" I began. "I know you're still alive in there. I don't know if you can hear me or not…but I want you to know that you are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I really am lost without you, Jess. You truly are my other half and I need you to come back to me. Your family needs you…I need you. I love you more than you could ever imagine. Whether you could hear me or not…just keep fighting. Just open your eyes and come back to us."

I grabbed his hand and stroked it multiple times. I closed my eyes and for the first time in my life, I prayed. I never believed in any God or religion, but I needed someone powerful to bring back my best friend. When I opened my eyes, a couple hours have passed by. I must have dozed off.

"Leslie," Bill tapped my shoulder. "The visiting hours are over. We have to get going."

As much as I wanted to hold Jess's hand and never let go, I sadly took the elevator down to the main level and went home with Bill and Judy.

It was hard waking up the next morning for school. Instead of waiting at the bus stop with Jess, I was standing there all alone. I felt so lost, so alone, so hurt. People were whispering when I took my seat. May Belle walked by me and didn't even say hello. Instead, she glared at me and said "Your fault."

That hurt a lot. But honestly, I felt like I deserved it. May Belle worshipped Jess and hated that he was in the hospital.

As I sat in my desk in Monster Mouth Meyers' classroom, I felt isolated. Nobody talked to me or looked me in the eyes. After she called took attendance and marked Jess absent, I felt even more alone.

Gary Fulcher poked my shoulder. "So…I heard your boyfriend is in a coma."

I clenched my fists as I glared at him. "Not now, Gary. Don't even start with me."

"You can always kiss him like they did in Sleeping Beauty! Just kiss him and he'll wake up." He gawked.

I socked him right in the face. Everyone in the class stopped and saw what I did.

"DON'T YOU EVER DISRESPECT JESS AGAIN!" I yelled.

"Wow, Gary. First you lose a race to a girl, and then you get beaten up by a girl!" One student laughed.

"Leslie Burke, step outside." Monster Mouth Meyers ordered.

I marched out of the classroom with my arms folded.

"Leslie, I know about what happened to Jess. I know he's your friend and I know you care about him. I know he provoked you; I've seen him instigate fights many times this year. But you can't sink down to his level. I know you're better than that."

"I had to stop him. I couldn't just ignore him."

"Look, since you attacked another student, I have to keep you for detention after school."

I sighed. "Yes, Mrs. Meyers. It won't happen again."

It felt like the longest school day of my life. Jess always made me smile and most of all, Jess made me feel alive. When I got out of detention, Mrs. Meyers stopped me.

"Again, Leslie, I truly am sorry for what happened. I'll keep positive thoughts for him."

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."

Please read and review!