Forever.

Chapter 21: Being You

Braden's P.O.V. (The next day)

I wake up to the sound of the beeping all around me. When I open my eyes, the white lights sends a shooting pain into my head that leaves a sting behind. I attempt to take a deeper breath, but it sends a sharp pain throughout my entire body that makes me go stiff. I return to normal breathing and decide not to move too much. It feels weird to be unable to move my leg, but it hurts so bad that I'm not trying to move it.

I've been trying to remember what happened in that building because when I saw Claire, she was obviously bothered by what happened. I've been getting bits and pieces back as time goes on, but I want the whole story. Maybe if I see her again, what happened will come back to me.

This is what I know happened...

***flashback to during the fire***

"Braden!" Claire yells. We stop running and I see her head angled up to the ceiling. I look up too and see a huge crack in the ceiling. It's going to collapse soon, and when it does it will crush Claire. I need to get her out of the way, or she'll die. But by the looks of the size of the break, there will only be time to get one of us out of the way.

And it's gonna be her.

I hear another crack and push her out of the way with all of my force. There is no doubt in my mind that I hurt her, but she's out of the way. The ceiling comes crumbling down on top of me. A block of cement hits my head and knocks me to the ground. There's a stinging sensation throughout my entire body, and it hurts like hell. The wooden support beam falls on my leg, sending a blinding pain through me. I feel something else enter my stomach, and that's when I know that I'm not going to get out of this alive.

I try to move out from under the beam, but I can't. It's too heavy, and everything hurts. The smoke is burning my lungs and throat. There's also ringing in my ears, and it's all I can hear for a few seconds.

"Braden!" I hear Claire yell, but it's fuzzy. I want to tell her that I'm still here, but I can't with all of this smoke sticking to my throat. I don't know how she's screaming in here, but I can't. I won't be able to yell to get her attention, so I raise my hand up in the air. Pain shoots through me and it causes me to groan.

She's next to me now, pulling the rocks and wood off of my chest that's making it hard to breathe.

"Braden, stay awake." She says as she moves more rocks off of me. "Stay awake." She says as she moves the heaviest block. When it's moved, I can actually breathe. I take in a deep breath of pure smoke and it makes me start coughing immediately. She has dirt all over her face and she looks terrified. She can't stay in here. She's not going to live if she stays.

"You need to get out of here." I say as I touch her arm.

"I'm not leaving you." She says as she moves more rock off of me.

"There's no way I'm getting out of this." I say before I start coughing when the smoke starts to make it's way back into my lungs.

"Yes you are." She says.

"No I'm not." I say, but I wince at the sharp pain that comes over my leg.

"What's wrong?" She asks worriedly.

"My leg." I say through my clenched teeth.

"Oh my god. Okay, hang tight while I lift it." She says.

"Claire, no." I say. This beam is way too heavy for her to lift, and I don't want her to hurt herself. "I believe in you, I don't want you to ever think otherwise. But not even I would be able to lift this." I say, but I start coughing immediately. The pain almost blinds me, but I'm not going to show it.