Blandview High Musical

69. When It's Cold, I'd Like To Die

The monitor beeped steadily as Jade's eyes fluttered open. Javi was sitting beside her. When she opened them completely, he rushed to her. "Baby..." he said, softly. He grabbed her hand, holding it in both of his. She looked at him for a second. "He's gone." She sobbed. Javi leaned forward, crying against his closed palms. "He is..." He said. Jade squeezed her eyes shut, tears running down her face.

I was awoken by the sound of my mother, bursting into my room. I jumped awake in the bed. "What's wrong?" I beckoned. She stood there frozen. Somehow, in the back of my mind, I knew what was coming. "No." I said. She just stood there, her frame getting weak. "No! No! NO IT'S NOT TRUE!" I shouted, getting up from the bed and running towards her. She caught me, holding me there and preventing me from going anywhere else. "NO!! HE WAS JUST GETTING BETTER!!" I screamed. She held me tightly. I clawed at her pajama top. "I'm so sorry..." She uttered. I pushed my face into her, sobbing uncontrollably. I lost my footing, sinking down onto the ground. She followed me, rocking back and forth and trying to soothe me. I clung to her, like I had done that night when he was first put in the hospital. "No..." I said, muffled.

Caylie was awoken by the phone ringing. She reached over and answered it. "Hello?" She said. It was Shayne's mother. "What?" Caylie said, sitting up. She urgently smacked her hand against Damien's arm. "What?" He grunted. Shayne's mother hung up the phone shortly after. "He's gone." Caylie said. "What?" Damien repeated. "He's gone...that was his mother. She said Shayne died just an hour ago. She found him in bed, with his hand open." Damien's bottom lip started to tremble. "He was waiting for someone to hold his hand!" She sobbed; she fell against Damien at the thought. He held her and together, they both completely lost themselves. He was gone. Just as soon as he had come home...he was gone.

Olivia was standing outside the house as she had called the ambulance to come and take Shayne away. Some of the neighbors had come out of their homes to see what was happening. Olivia watched as they took him away. He was resting on the gurney, tucked under the sheets. His eyes were sunk shut and the look on his face was a peaceful looking one. The gurney stopped right beside her. She reached out, brushing her fingers through his hair. She started to cry. "Just take him." She said, softly. "Take him." She couldn't stand it. He had been lively just hours before.

I found myself rushing up the driveway of Damien's house. I beat my fist against the door. I didn't care what time it was. I was still wearing my pajamas. The door came open and Caylie was pulling her hoodie over her head. We stood there for a second, just staring at each other. I started to cry and she pulled me in. She wrapped her arms around me, holding me tightly. I raked my fingernails against the thick material of her sweatshirt. I pulled away for just a second. "Please tell me you called Jade." I stuttered out through sobs. "I've been calling and calling. She's not answering the phone." Caylie said. "Maybe she's already over there. Maybe Olivia called her." I looked past her shoulder to see Damien coming down the stairs. He walked over to where we were standing. "I'm so sorry." He said, giving me a hug.

Moments later, we were driving over to Olivia's house. The street was dark. "Doesn't look like anyone is home." Caylie said. "Does anyone have her phone number?" Damien asked. "I do." I said, dialing the number. "I'm gonna call Jade again. I don't understand why she's not answering the phone." Caylie said. Olivia answered the phone. "I'm at the hospital." Was all that she said before hanging up. "The hospital." I said from the backseat. Caylie nearly broke her phone, slamming it down in the cupholder. "Goddamnit! Why isn't she answering the FUCKING phone?!" She screamed. "Getting upset isn't going to help the situation." Damien said. "Let's just go to the hospital and see Shayne's mother." She took her foot off the brake and the car lurched forward.

Jade was laying in the hospital bed on her side. Her knees were tucked against her belly. Her back was to Javi. She couldn't even look at him and she wasn't sure why. None of this was his fault. She had left her phone at home, but there was something twinging in the deepest part of her heart. Not the loss of the baby, but the loss of something else: Shayne. She and Javi sat there in silence. What caught Javier's attention was all of the shouting and the commotion coming from outside the hospital room. Jade remained frozen in the bed. "I'm gonna go see what's going on." He said, getting up from the chair. She said nothing, but simply listened to the retreating of his footsteps on the tile flooring. All of the emotions flooded into her mind and all she could do was lay there and cry.