Violet's POV
The only thing I could manage to say was; "What?" I stare at my mother. How could I have died if I'm clearly alive right now? Dr. Taylor comes in and explains, "During the crash, you were asleep. Your brain was still functioning and you technically didn't die until you were in the hospital. You stopped breathing for five seconds and we had to preform Defibrillation which is a process in which an electrical device called a defibrillator sends an electric shock to the heart to stop an arrhythmia resulting in the return of a productive heart rhythm. Basically, we revived your heart using the shock pads." I try to take everything in at once; I was in a crash and I stopped breathing for a few seconds but then began breathing again.
"Where's Wes?" I ask, my brain still trying to absorb the information. My Dad sighs and says, "Wes was discharged a few days ago. You've been in a coma for two weeks. After they revived you, your brain wasn't fit to wake up just yet and you slipped into a coma. But considering the amount of damage done to your brain, it was predicted." A coma. Two weeks. What the actual is going on??
"Am I being Punk'd? Is this like, some day-time soap opera?" I say, still not believing everything. A coma I can believe, but dying? Then coming back to life? It doesn't seem realistic. No one has time to answer my questions because my parents are filed out of the room. I have a few more visitors like Leila and Dani. Then Keaton, Wes and Drew come in, looking absolutely exhausted.
Keaton runs over and hugs me, it feels good to actually hug someone who isn't crying into my hair. Keaton sits down and Drew hugs me next, Wes stands awkwardly in the corner."Oh come on Wes, I've been in a coma for weeks and you can't even give me a hug? I'm sure I don't smell that bad," I say, which gets a smirk out of him. Wes walks over to give me a hug and we all talk for a bit.
The banter continues for a while and I get caught up on what I missed: Dani has a boyfriend; the boys got signed to a record label; I missed their Mom's birthday, which was on February 7th; and Wes has a broken arm and can't surf, skate or play an instruments. I feel bad when he tells me this, even though I know the crash wasn't my fault. Apparently a drunk driver had hit the car when we were at a stop sign.
The boys have to leave and my mom and dad come in to say goodbye. Dr. Taylor checks on me before letting me sleep. My mind races, making it impossible to sleep. Everything happened so fast today. Waking up, learning that I had died and came back to life. Eventually, I fall asleep, my mind drifting off and thinking of Keaton's lips on mine.
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I'm discharged the next day after a few tests. My legs feel like rubber and I have to lean on Keaton to stay upright. I drive home with my parents and Wes and Drew drop off my stuff that I left at their house. Lily and Minnie run up to me as soon as I walk in the door. Jake trails behind them and wraps me in a bear hug. The twins don't hesitate to flood me with questions like "Where have you been?" and "Mommy said you were asleep for two weeks." I feel bad for making them sad.
Keaton has to help me get in and out of bed, my legs still numb. Mom gave me food and a pain pill that I was prescribed and the throbbing pain in my head subsides. Keaton stays with me all day, never leaving the my side. "Keaton, can I ask you something?" I say, after a silence has fallen over us, my iPod softly playing in the background.
"Sure, " he says.
"Why are you taking care of me? I mean, why do you care so much?" I didn't mean for it to sound mean, but I'm pretty sure that's how it sounded.
"Violet, you were in a coma for two weeks. You scared me shitless. Wes had to punch me to calm down. When they said you'd stopped breathing I nearly died myself. And I care about you, a lot." Keaton gives me a small smile. God, that smile. I blush and look down to my flower-print bedspread. The song that came on my iPod next, made the situation a bit more awkward. Well, I think it does;
I got a lot to say to you
Yeah, I got a lot to say
I noticed your eyes are always glued to me
Keeping them here
And it makes no sense at all
They taped over your mouth
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
You little spies
They taped over your mouth
Scribbled out the truth with their lies
You little spies
Thankfully, Jake comes in to break the silence. "Hey, Keaton, do you want to stay for dinner?" Keaton looks over at me and I shrug. "Sure, that'd be cool. I'll just check in with my mom first." The way he says that is cute. He's an awkward little turtle. Jake leaves and it's just me and Keaton again. I try to get out of bed but my head throbs. It feels like a balloon inflating behind my eyes, expanding my skull. My knees buckle. Keaton catches me before I fall and sits me back down. The pain is so bad that I start to cry, tears silently streaming down my cheeks.
"Stay here, I'll go get your mom." Keaton leaves for a nanosecond before reappearing with my mother. The two help me stand and I almost fall again. Carefully, we make it down the stairs. Mom goes to get my pain pills and I lie down on the couch. Keaton sits on the edge next to me, pushing the hair away from my face. I close my eyes, trying to block out the pain. It doesn't help. Mom gives me a pain pill and a glass of water. I take the pill and chug down the rest of the water.
"Hun, you have to be more careful. If you stand up too fast, it sends waves of pain through your mind. The doctor said it has something to do with your brain still readjusting to being awake." Mom says, sitting in a chair next to the couch. Minnie and Lily skip down the stairs and plop down on the floor in front of me.
"Violet, will you tell us a story?" The twins ask at the same time.
"Sure, what kind of story?" I reply, Still aware of Keaton sitting next to me. Mom got up and went to the kitchen with Dad and Jake.
"Fairy tale!" Lily and Minnie and exclaimed, their eyes shimmering.
I knew the routine; I'd tell the same story I did every night before dinner and they'd sit there, mesmerized. "Once upon a time, there was a little girl, named Alice. Alice lived with her mom and dad, and worked in the fields. One day, Alice was in the market selling crops when the Prince came up to her stand. He was in love with her from the start. He tried to talk to her, but she walked away. Each day for a month, the Prince went to the market in hopes of seeing Alice, and she was always there but never talked to him. When the Prince finally talked to her, he learned that Alice was deaf." I pause, making sure that Lily and Minnie were listening.
"The Prince didn't think that mattered, he was still in love with her. He found a way to talk to Alice, and for her to understand him. The Prince would write what he wanted to say down, and Alice was able to talk to him. On her sixteenth birthday, the Prince asked Alice to marry him. Of course, Alice said yes. On the day of the wedding, the entire village showed up and watched as the happily married couple rode off in the light of the moon. The End." The twins smiled and hugged me.
It wasn't the best story, but it pleased my sisters. Keaton turned to me and asked, "How did you come up with that?"
I look up at him, "They always asked for a fairy tale and Anna came up with the idea of a deaf princess. I've been telling it since they were little. Well, littler." Mom calls us to dinner and Keaton helps me up. He slips his hand through mine and laces our fingers together. I feel heat creep up my cheeks so I look at the ground
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After dinner Keaotn and I are up in my room, flipping through the movie channels. "Wait wait wait!! It's The Last Song! Let's watch it. Pleeeeaaaassseeee?" I plead, pulling the puppy-dog face. Keaton sighs and gives in. I'm completely glued to the TV screen when I notice that Keaton fell asleep. I snuggle closer to him and rest my head in the crook of his neck.
WIth the TV softly glowing, I fall asleep with a smile on my face.
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A/N: I know I usually update on Mondays but I wanted to get this chapter up. Im thinking 20 votes and 5 comments for the next? I have to work on mah friends imagine and I'm not really asking for much.... Anyways how do you guys like it so far? Please tell!
Peace out xxxxxx
