My Eyes Pick Up What Most Leave Behind

Chapter Twenty-One

Wow. I'm so, so sorry for never uploading. I've been really inconsistent.  Well, this is the end to the story. Sudden, I know. Sorry to those who liked it. :(

Well, Vote, fan and comment! I'll be starting a new story. It'll have nothing to do with this one, though.

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"He didn't remember your name?" Alice clarified.

I nodded, a silent tear falling. Why was I so sad? He was going to have to go back to Ireland, anyway. If the accident didn't interfere.

"Amnesia?" She asked, interrupting my train of thought.

"Yep," I answered. "So...how are you feeling?" I asked her.

"Pretty good, actually. I mean, for being in a car crash a few days ago. And for being used by a total jerk.." she trailed off and I gave her a sympathetic smile.

"At least you live with your best friend. It's like one big continuous sleepover," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

She smiled.

"Scar?" Alice started.

"Mhmm?" I mumbled.

"Are you going to break up with him?" She asked, looking down.

"I guess...what else am I going to do? He doesn't even know me," I said quietly.

A nurse walked in and looked at me.

"Scarlett?" She guessed.

I stood up.

"What?" I asked.

"Erick wants to talk to you," she said.

I nodded and waved to Alice. She smiled at me and I followed the nurse out and back to Erick's hospital room.

"Scarlett!" Erick piped hoarsely. "I remember. I remember meeting you, I remember your gift, I remember!!" He exclaimed, as best he could.

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. "Wait. My gift?"

"Yeah! You can see ghosts like me, and so can Alice!" He said.

I furrowed my eyebrows. I haven't seen any ghosts at the hospital. Which I would think of as a ghost hot spot.

"Erick...I can't see ghosts any more. At least, I don't think so," I told him.

"But there's one right behind you!" He pointed, and I looked.

There was no ghost.

No butterflies in my stomach.

No one's emotions but my own.

"I don't see it," I mumbled.

"Weird..." he said.

It was almost a relief. I felt a huge weight lifting off of my shoulders.

"Hello Erick," another nurse said as she walked to his bedside. "I'm so glad you are remembering things again. That's not uncommon after a coma, though. You will have to have quite a few check ups in the next year, to monitor you and make sure everything's all right. Now all you have to do is heal. Scarlett, you and Alice should be able to be discharged tomorrow morning," she said.

Erick smiled at the nurse.

"Oh. And we have some bad news for you," she said, cautiously.

Erick and I exchanged glances.

"Your mother is dead. In fact, your dad is too. A bad storm hit your town and they got trapped in the rubble," she stated, unsure of how he would react.

"Scarlett! You know what that means!" He said happily.

The nurse was incredibly confused, to say the least.

"Yes! You don't owe her money, you don't have to marry someone you don't like, and you..." I hesitated, unsure of where to take this.

"And I can be with you," he finished.

The nurse took this as her cue to leave. I smiled and walked closer to him. Our smiles couldn't be any bigger. I bent down and kissed him before leaving the room in a daze. I headed for my own room and sat on the cheap hospital bed.

Anything can happen at any moment. Your world can turn upside down, or it can propel you up to cloud nine. This short amount of time has changed me, as a person. Alice and I lost our dads. Mine was lost in more of a metaphorical sense, however.

 I've lost my ablitiy to sense, and see ghosts. I almost lost my boyfriend. He almost lost his life. But I have gained so much more. In the end, there is nothing that can be bigger than love. And I have more love in my life than I thought. Erick, my mom, and Alice love me more than my dad ever could. I'm ready to let go of him, and I'm glad that I'm not forced to, like Alice was. Wherever the future takes me is where I am ready to go.

I got out of my bed again, and went to update Alice. After I was done in her room I went to see Erick.

"Hey Erick?" I asked, making sure he was awake.

"Yes, love?" He replied.

"I love you, " I said. "More than you could ever know. Thank you so much for being there for me when no one else was. Thanks for loving me when I felt like no one else did," I continued.

"I love you, too, Scar. And I'm sorry about the crash..." He said, looking guilty.

"Don't be. It put things in perspective for me. It might have been one of the best things that has ever happened to me," I replied.

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5 Years Later

"Erick! Tell me where we are going!" I shouted, being dragged into what felt like grass with a blindfold on.

"Nope! Trust me Scarlett, it'll be worth the wait," he said back.

I huffed and continued trying to keep up with him, following where his hand led me.

"Okay, we're here," he said, lifting off my blindfold.

I gazed at the bright red hot air balloon in front of me.

"No. Way!" I squealed, running to get inside of it. He followed behind me and got in, too.

"You ready?" He asked, cutting a rope before we rose into the sky.

I looked at him and smiled.

"How did you know I've always wanted to do this?" I asked.

"Just a hunch," he stated.

We stood in silence for a minute or so, just taking in the view.

"Hey, Scarlett?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" I replied as he got down on one knee.

My heart swelled as he stared into my eyes with intensity.

"I know you're parents had a bad marriage, and I know you may not be ready. Just know that I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said, rather cutely.

I swear he was blushing. I smiled brightly, rendered speechless.

"I-uh-um-I-" I studdered, and his face fell.

"You don't hav-" he started, but I interrupted.

"Of course!" I shouted, as he slipped the ring onto my finger.

He kissed me, and it was the best kiss I have ever had. No-this was the best feeling I have ever felt. I looked out of the hot air balloon and saw the ocean. He dimmed the flame and we went lower and lower, until we landed on the beach. We sat on two towels in the sand- Erick had pulled them out of the balloon. I buried my feet in the warm sand and looked out at the beautiful sunset, leaning my head on Erick's shoulder.

"Scarlett?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."