The Neighbors

Dead but Alive

Joe POV

I woke up in pitch black, a seemingly endless eternity all around me. I got up and ran straight forward, but the darkness not only didn't end but it got deeper and more perilous with every step. Then I heard her. There was a loud slam and I heard her sharp intake of breath. 

"No. No, this isn't happening." She whispered and I heard a chair scrape against the floor. I felt her grab my hand, which was strange because she was nowhere in sight. I then felt her mouth slightly brush the back of my hand as tears gently rolled from my hand down my arm. "Please wake up. Please, I'll do anything." She pleaded, and I tried to tell her that I was awake, that I was okay. To my surprise, when I opened my mouth no sound came out and all of a sudden, I couldn't move as freely as before. I felt cool sheets surrounding me, and I could feel my pulse in a small rubber clip attached to my finger as the crease in my arm became sore. I could see bright lights coming towards me, and I wondered if I was dying. I realized that I was in a hospital, and opened my eyes slowly so it wouldn't be too bright. When my eyes finally adjusted to the new light, I turned my head slightly to see Aviary trembling and shaking with my hand on her face. I moved my other arm to stroke her hair and she immediately looked up and smiled.

"You're okay." She whispered, moving to kiss me briefly. 

"I am. What happened?" I asked, holding her hand in mine.

"You drank to much and got a stroke which lead to the coma you were just in." She responded, a single tear rolling down her face before I brushed it off gently.

"There's no reason to cry Love. I'm all better now." I whispered with a smile. I leaned forward to kiss her when Dan frantically burst through the door with two pieces of paper in his hand. "Whoa Mate, what's wrong?" I asked, looking at his frightened facial expression.

"Jenni. She's gone." He panted, handing Aviary a crumpled piece of paper. Her eyes quickly moved back and forth as she read the lines that I could see were handwritten shakily and quickly. I couldn't help but notice the small place in the corner where the lines of the paper were smudged, probably from a tear or two.

"How could she just move like that? She didn't even talk to us!" She yelled.

"It was Caspar. She couldn't stand to be here with him. He hurt her too much." Dan said sadly, I could almost see the sadness dripping from his shoulders.

Aviary POV 

I hadn't even gotten five minutes of happiness with Joe before Dan burst through the door screaming that Jenni was gone. He handed me a slightly crumpled, water damaged piece of paper that hurt more than being stabbed in the gut.

Aviary,

I know that I should have been there to tell you this in person but I couldn't stand being there another minute. I have gone back to our flat to pack my few belongings and I will be on a flight back when you read this. I couldn't handle being even close to Caspar or anyone associated with him for another minute. I'm so sorry. I don't want you to come here. I have moved back into our old house and I am not going to move back. It hurts too much for me to be there. I will miss you so much.

Love, Jenni

I read the note as fast as I could then turned to Dan. "How could she just move like that? She didn't even talk to us!" I yelled.

"It was Caspar. She couldn't stand to be here with him. He hurt her too much." He said sadly. I don't think I had ever seen someone as sad as he.

"What did yours say?" I asked gently, walking over to him and putting my hand on his shoulder.

He flinched a bit, then his head dropped a bit. "It said that she loved me." He said quietly, as though if he were to share what it said that it wouldn't be true. 

Jenni POV

I breathed in slowly as I looked around my old house. It wasn't the same without Aviary here. I ran up to my old room and lay down on my old bed. The soft rose petal scent surrounded me as I slowly drifted off. 

After I woke up I grabbed my long board which I had bought ages ago, just rarely used since I got my driver's license. Since the only car we used belonged to Aviary, I finally had a chance to use it. I changed into my old light wash high wasted shorts and my old black bikini top. I rode to the beach I had always loved because it was practically abandoned but I almost never went because Aviary preferred another one nearby. I lay down a towel and sat down, looking at the rising and falling tide in front of me. I was completely lost in the ocean when someone bumped into me from behind. 

"Hey, what were you-" I stopped when I turned to see the person I never thought I would meet. 

"I am so sorry. Are you okay?" A flustered Kian Lawley asked, pulling me up by my hand.

"Oh yeah I'm fine. You good?" I asked, seeing Connor Franta and Ricky Dillon appear behind him with towels in hand. 

"Yeah I'm fine. What's your name?" He asked as Connor and Ricky stood next to him. 

I gave the boys a small wave and answered. "I'm Jenni."