Ghostly Heartbreak | Luke Patterson

Chapter 14

When Julie texted Flynn that we were gonna go home, instead of going over to here place, we both saw a truck parked by the house. "Is that Danny," Julie asked as she noticed me stop walking.

I nodded my head at her, "Yeah. I'll.. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

She walked up the porch and opened the door, giving me a small smile before closing it. Danny got out of the truck and walked over to me. "Hey," he didn't smile at me, instead stared behind me, not wanting to look at me in the eyes, "You were great back there."

I sighed, "Thanks." We stood in silence, not knowing what to say. "Danny-"

"What happened to us?" He quickly asked as he finally brought his eyes to mine.

I looked behind me and sat on the brick ledge. "They died. That's what happened. Danny, I'm not the same girl that I was when we started dating. That girl is long gone. She left the moment that car got wrecked."

He took a seat next to me, hands in his jean pockets, "We could still be together. I still love you Nova."

My eyes snapped shut as he told me he loved me, "No," my voice wavered. "No we can't. Danny I can't sit here and tell you I love you when I know in my heart that I don't love you like that anymore. You deserve so much better than me."

"But you're perfect for me," Danny told me as he placed a hand on mine.

I pulled off his hand, and shook my head at him. "I'm not. I'm a broken, shattered mess. When they died, I started abusing drugs and alcohol and began cutting myself, anything that'd help me forget about them for awhile. Forget the pain that I was left with mentally. When they died, a part of me also died that day. I guess dating you for the past three months made me feel close to Nate and trust me I know that sounds fucked up and selfish as hell."

"The truth is, I've been checked out of this relationship ever since. You deserve someone who can give you what you need. Someone able to love you and be there for you. Not someone who's dealing with problems of their own... problems that I don't think will ever be resolve. You are such a good man, but I- I'm not being what you need. I can't be your girlfriend anymore Danny," tears trailed down my face as I finally admitted the whole truth to him.

Danny sighed, "I guess we both knew this was coming. I get it Nova. You need time. I will always be here for you though. I'm not going anywhere as a friend."

He got up, "I guess I should go."

I nodded at him, tears still streaming down my face. I pushed myself to stand up, and watched him drive off. I walked into the empty street, watched his back lights fade into the night, and finally disappear as he turned at the corner. I felt a sense of relief as I finally broke up with him, knowing that I'm finally being truthful to myself.

"Nova," I turned my head to see Ray on the porch, phone in hand. "We need to go to the hospital right now."

"W-what," I stuttered as I ran up the stairs, to meet him. "What happened? What happened to her?"

"The hospital called. They said that they don't think your grandma is gonna make it."

I ran inside and grabbed his car keys. "Julie," Ray screamed for his daughter, "Get down here." Julie came down running the stairs. "Get in the car now."

Julie looked frantically at her father, "What why?"

Ray turned to her, "It's Nova's grandmother. Now go. We don't have time."

I ran to the passenger seat of the car, hoping we get there in time. In time, that the doctors will tell me that she'll make it.

- - -

When Ray parked in the parking lot, I immediately ran out of the car into the hospital and ran to the elevator just to see a bunch of nurses waiting for it to come down. Without thinking, I ran to the stairs and ran up them, skipping a step in between. Julie and Ray were close behind me, both knowing that during this time, there was no calming me down.

When I came to the level my grandmother was on, I threw open the door and jogged to her room. Only to see Dr. Schmit, coming out solemnly. He turned his head at me as he heard the sound of my heels, and his face paled.

I stopped running and slowed down into a walk before him, "What happened? How is she," I said more harshly than intended.

"Nova.. I was called in an hour ago because the nurses saw her coughing up more blood than usual. This time blood was pouring out and her heart rate was slowing. We did everything we could to stop it from happening-"

"Stop what from happening," I said through gritted teeth. Julie walked up next to me.

"I'm so sorry Nova... but she... she is dead." Dr. Schmit walked away

"No," I screamed out as hot tears poured down my face, "No she can't be." I stormed to her room and threw the door open. I ran over to her, shaking her body in hopes that she'd open her eyes and tell me that this wasn't happening.

"Nova stop," Julie pulled me away from my grandma, "She's gone."

I fell to my grandma's bed side, and held her cold lifeless hand into mine. "You can't be dead. No! I need you. You were supposed to stay."

Sobs came uncontrollably from me, "Not you too, grandma. Come back to me! Come back to me." I let go of her hand as I threw my hands into my hair. My body shook violently as realization hit me.

I'm the only one left. Everyone in my family has left me. Loneliness is all I feel in this moment. I just want to end it all. The pain, the hurt, the rage. I want it all to end.

From this night going from the best one in my life, it quickly switched to my worst nightmare... Being utterly alone.