𝐷𝐴𝑌𝐿𝐼𝐺𝐻𝑇 - 𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑅𝑇𝐸𝐸𝑁 𝑅𝐸𝐴𝑆𝑂𝑁𝑆 𝑊𝐻𝑌

20. ʀᴇʙɪʀᴛʜ

„Come on. Come on!" Monty said through gritted teeth as he flipped Mani on her back, opening her mouth. Vomit spilled out of her mouth and onto the floor, making the boy squint his nose at the smell. He threw a look at Zoya, who stood frozen in the doorway and his eyes widened when he saw the phone in her hand. „Don't!" he yelled, making the redhead flinch and drop the phone.

„We need to call an ambulance." she reasoned, her eyes wide as she looked at Mani's body. Monty kept his hands on girl's back gently before pushing his fingers down her throat to make sure no vomit was left in her throat.

„No, we don't." he said, rubbing his forehead and trying to control the shaking of his hands.

„What the fuck, Monty! We..." Zoya didn't get to finish as the boy stood up and stormed up to her, making her take several steps back.

„I know what I'm doing. We call, she gets taken away." he hissed, and seeing girl's confusion sighed. „Look, Mani and I talk. We talked about what to do if any of us ever... found ourselves in this kind of situation. If we know what to do, we don't call an ambulance." he shouted, his voice breaking at the end as Zoya stared at him with wide eyes.

„How the fuck do you know what you're doing?" she snapped, straightening her back. Monty scoffed and turned around, quickly kneeling next to Mani.

„Since she started getting back, I went to first aid course. I know what the fuck I'm doing, Zoya." he said, practically begging for her to drop it.

Zoya watched as he moved Mani to her back and started CPR. Tears slowly left her eyes as she watched Mani's pale face, her heart breaking with each passing second.

„Come on, Mani. Come on." Monty whispered, refusing to cry and instead focusing on everything he learned in the classes he took.

„Mani?" the girl opened her eyes and took in the white space around her. She couldn't exactly feel her body, but she could definitely see Jeff Atkins crouched in front of her, a sad smile on his face.

A sob left her mouth as she stared at him, before throwing herself into her brother's arms. She held him close and buried her face in his shoulder, the boy holding her just as tightly.

For the first time since the accident, she saw him without blood all over his body. Instead, it was the Jeff that would always hold her when she cried, who would take a bullet for her.

„What..." she choked on her tears and pulled away, holding his face in her hands as he smiled at her. „How?"

„Mani. It's not your time." he said softly, placing his hands over her own. She frowned, not knowing what he meant, before remembering what had happened. Her stomach sunk as her eyes widened in realization.

„I'm dead." she stated, suddenly feeling panic slowly filling her body. Jeff clenched his jaw and held her hands tightly.

„You're not. Not yet." he said firmly, making her look at him again. „You need to come back, M. It's not your time." she shook her head and sobbed out, holding his hands.

„I can't." she whispered. „I'm here, I'm with you. That's all I wanted since..." her voice broke at the end.

„Mani." he shook his head, softly lifting her chin, making her look at him. „It's not your fault. It's never been your fault." the girl shook her head and opened her mouth, but Jeff beat her to it. „I love you, sissy. I always will, and there's nothing I'd want more than to be with you." he said, tears gathering in his eyes as well as they held eye contact.

„Then don't make me go back." she begged quietly, placing her on his cheek. „Please, don't make me leave you again." she could feel her heart breaking all over again, scared to lose him again.