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september 1
Friday
Hospital
Today is the day I finally get to leave the hospital. After everything that happened, it feels like I've been stuck in here forever. My mom was so happy when she found out I was coming home, but I could see the relief in her eyes when she saw me. I couldn't stand seeing her cry, but at the same time, I knew she was just glad I was still here.
Jade came to pick me up. I couldn't lie—I missed her. Despite everything, being around her gave me a sense of comfort. We walked out of the hospital together, the fresh air hitting me like a wave of freedom. It felt good to be outside again. We got into her car, and she started driving towards my house. The ride was quiet, though—too quiet.
"Jade, you okay?" I asked, breaking the silence. "You haven't said much to me."
She gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, her eyes focused straight ahead. "Yeah... it's just... I feel like it's all my fault," she finally said, her voice shaky as tears started filling up her eyes.
I looked at her, feeling a pang of guilt. "Jade, it's not your fault," I said, trying to reassure her.
"It is, though," she insisted, her voice cracking. "If I wasn't out there fighting, you wouldn't have been outside, and you wouldn't have gotten shot."
I sighed, knowing she was carrying a heavy burden. "Jade, pull over for a second," I said softly.
She hesitated but eventually pulled over to the side of the road, the car coming to a stop. I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned towards her, seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Listen, Jade," I started, trying to find the right words. "This isn't your fault. I don't care what happened out there—it doesn't change how I feel about you. You didn't put that gun in Leo's hand, and you didn't make him pull the trigger. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
She sniffled, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "But I could've stopped it, Zay. I should've done something different. Maybe then you wouldn't have gotten hurt."
"Jade, you can't keep blaming yourself for this. What happened was out of our control. All we can do now is move forward," I said, reaching over to take her hand. "I'm here. I'm alive. And I need you with me, not stuck in the past."
She looked at me, her eyes still filled with guilt but also a flicker of hope. "I just don't want to lose you," she whispered.
"You won't," I promised, squeezing her hand. "We're in this together, Jade. We always have been."
She nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay. I'll try."
"That's all I'm asking for," I said, giving her a small smile.
