Within You

seven

- Cody -

"Bellinger," first base coach, Mr. Hamilton calls.

I jog over to him, sitting at his brown desk. "Sit down, son." There was something in his voice that made me nervous.

"Yes sir?"

He lets out a heavy sigh, crosses his hands over his calendar and then looks at me. "We just received a call from Cesars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. Your girlfriend, Kylie Vega. She was involved in a car accident."

I laughed. "I'm sure it was just a minor bumper hit."

His face never changed. "Unfortunately, Cody. She was with three or four other girls and they all sustained serious injuries. You need to go son, they said her parents are out of the country."

I nodded. "They're military."

"This won't affect your position on the squad. Go to her now."

I jumped up from my seat and ran out to my car. It was raining, thunder flashed across the sky.

I finally arrived to Cedars Sinai, running into the lobby. "Sir!" The front desk attendant yells. "Where can I find Kylie Vega?"

Her hands flowed across the keyboard. "Room 4021."

I ran toward the elevator, repeatedly pressing the button, hoping it would open. "Agh!"

I found the staircase and ran up four floors. "Where is she?" I whispered, as I slowed down my jog. My eyes scanned the room numbers for hers.

A nurse stopped me. "Yes sir? How can I help you?" She was a tiny girl, with brown hair that passed her shoulders.

"I'm looking for Kylie Vega."

The nurse changed her expression and began explaining what happened to Kylie and her friends. Tara, I've heard about her through what Kylie had mention. Passed away. Lexie was in a coma.

"Can I go in to see her?" I ask in a low tone.

The petite nurse nods and lets me into her room. I was nervous to see her with wires and breathing tubes down her throat. She was getting her blood drawn as I walked in to sit down next to her. "Baby," I whispered, grabbing her hand as the nurse stepped away.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here quicker."

She was pointing to something on the table in front of her, I grabbed the white board and she began to write—slowly.

I can't talk because I have significant injuries to my lungs, I'm sorry.

I had to tell her everything that happened tonight. I let out a sob. "Baby," I begin. I can see the anticipation, the hope for something positive in her eyes. "Lexie... She's in a coma," I grab her hand, and run my thumb on the back of it. "Paula, she is paralyzed from the waist down so she can't play anymore, and your friend Tara..." This was the part that was going to ruin me. I can already see it in her eyes, all the hurt.

"Baby, Tara passed away tonight..."

She lost it. Her hoarse screams filled the room and her heart monitor started to beep rapidly.

"Help me!" she begs. "I can't do this!" I can hear the cracks in her voice, hearing the damage done.

The nurses rush in and hold her down to fix the breathing tube.

"I need to see my friends!"

I notice the massive needle they poke into her, her eyes lower and she's asleep. I couldn't hold my tears back, and the grip on her hand tightened.

Why did this have to happen to her? I lay there and watched her breathe and waited for her to wake up. It felt painful. Her college volleyball career is taking off and this had to happen her.

*Flashback*

Kylie landed on the gym floor, her legs buckle as the others gasp. The crowd was quiet as her teammates covered up. It just felt like an instinct to just run down to her and swoop her up in my arms.

"Cody," she cries, burying her face in my chest. "I hope I don't ruin my chance at a scholarship."

I remembered her injury sophomore year of high school. A tear in her knee that she thought would end everything. It only made her better, stronger. "You'll get through this," I whisper.

She began coughing and that scared me. I hopped off the "bed" and sat by her bed. "Hi baby," I whisper. She points to her whiteboard on the table and I hand it to her.

I hate this and I wish I could talk to you. I love you so much.

I can tell she was struggling, she wanted to talk. Her tears slowly rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the light above her. It hurt me. I grab her hand and kiss it gently, tears forming in my eyes. "I love you," I remind her. "I'm so glad you're okay, Ky. I don't know what I would do without you..."

Her cold hand tightens her grip around mine. She kept crying and crying, turning away from me as I can see her close her eyes slowly.

I lay my head next to her leg and drift off to sleep.

"Mijo," I hear, my eyes slowly open and I turn to see her mom on her Air Force uniform behind me. "Is she sleeping?" I nod my head no and get up from my seat.

"Mijita," her mother greets, throwing her military backpack down. Her father stepped into the room, I can see him trying to hold back his tears.

"What happened?" Her mother asks. I grabbed the whiteboard quickly for Kylie. Her hand wrote as quick as she could. I noticed her dad step out of the room, composing himself outside in the hall.

"How long do you think you'll be in here?" Kylie shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders, pointing to the tube in her throat.

"Mijo, have you heard anything?" She questions, I can see it in her eyes that she was waiting for a "educated" response.

"Yes ma'am, they haven't given me a definite answer about her being here. They said it's most likely when she starts breathing on her again, she'll be able to go home and start rehab."

She nods, looking back at Kylie and then at me. "Are you coming to live here?"

I let out a sigh. I can feel my heart beating fast.  "With all this baseball stuff going on. I can't move her with me. I could try to get her a place in Rancho, but I can't have her live with me."

"Her father and I can get her a small apartment and her aunt would be able to move there with her. I just want her to live in a place that's going to allow her to heal at peace and I know she wants to be close to you."

"Okay, that works and if her aunt can't stay with her, my mom will be able to help." I suggest.

Her mom smiles at me and continues talking with Kylie.