Love's Sleep

Broken, Beyond Repair

Travis held Madison's hand as he sobbed onto the empty area of bed near her stomach. It was paining him, the thought of her only a bit in contrast to being actually dead. It killed him, practically, on the inside. He remembered the pain she felt when he himself was in this situation, and it was enough to describe what he was feeling.

Even though he was dating Emma, he still felt a strong connection with Madison, and, because of her in a coma, his feelings magnified, because of the chance of her never waking up. He needed to tell her that he forgave her, that he knew why she did it. He needed to tell her that he loved her.

Travis looked around the room, for something small to throw against the wall, and picked up a small paper cup, throwing it as hard he could against the wall opposite Madison's bed. The cup ricocheted off the wall, and Travis closed his eyes, his head tilted toward the floor, his chest and shoulders rising and falling slowly. He ran his hand through his short hair and rubbed his eyes. He had to keep calm, because he couldn't risk blacking out again, for Madison's sake.

He looked around the room, taking a step out into the hallway for good measure, and walked back up to the side of her bed. Then, he slowly leaned his head down toward hers, until her soft lips touched his chapped ones. He waited for a response, a sign of consciousness or reflex, until he was met with nothing. Travis sighed, pulling his lips away from hers, feeling a familiar spark-like emotion when his lips finally left hers. Then, he heard the loud talking of two people, as their shoes slapped the tile flooring of the hallway.

-

Emma, Blinded by her feelings with Dylan, had agreed to go on a lunch date with him, in the hospital cafeteria, of course. She had began following him, giggling from some corny joke he had cracked, not realizing that she would have to pass by Madison's room, where Travis was. She unknowingly passed by it, giggling at some stupid joke Dylan made, one she had thought was hilarious a the time, and didn't even take a peek into the room. Suddenly, just as she passed the room, Dylan pinned her against the wall and kissed her deeply, and she returned it.

Travis had seen Emma pass by with one of the nurses, one that he recognized from earlier. At first, he didn't find it suspicious, but once their laughter had abruptly stopped, without it dying down as it should've, he stood up from his chair, walking toward the now-open doorway. He leaned out into the hallway, seeing Emma kissing the nurse, him pinning her against the wall, her kissing him back. He stood in the center of the hallway now, staring at them with the blankest expression he could conjure up.

This, along with the pain of Madison, pained him so badly, as he hoped that with Emma's help, he would move on. But now, seeing this, he believed that it would never happen.

Emma pulled away, staring into Dylan's deep blue orbs, relishing the beauty in them. But then she noticed Travis out of the corner of her eye, staring at them. She pushed Dylan off immediately, and he was confused at first, until he saw Travis, and then leaned against the wall worriedly, because Travis was at least a half a foot to a foot taller than him. Emma looked down in shame, rubbing the back of her hand.

"I-I...how much did you see?" she asked, deciding that the question was the best way to start, and she knew that she cheated, and felt horrible about it. Travis sighed exasperatedly, closing his eyes.

"Enough to know that I'm breaking up with you," he said calmly. Emma sighed, but was confused to how good he was at hiding his emotions, because she figured that he was pretty furious.

"Y-you're not mad?" Dylan stuttered, his cool, collected facade now gone.Travis nodded, and his expressionless look was now gone, as he frowned, and showed utter sadness in his eyes.

"I guess I'm just used to it," he said quietly, his voice broken and cracking, as he turned around and walked back into the room, locking the door from the inside, leaving Emma and Dylan in shame and confusion.