Forever Almost

Chapter 25

Taylor had been staying alone for a month now, living in a small, quiet town far from Crestview Hospital. Every day was a battle against the longing she felt for Travis. Her days were filled with teaching music at a nearby school, but even the melodies couldn't drown out the thoughts of him. Every time she thought of reaching out, Kayla's venomous words echoed in her mind, stopping her cold.

She missed him every single day, wondering if he had moved on with Kayla. The thought of them together was like a knife twisting in her heart, but she convinced herself that it was for the best. She believed she was doing the right thing, no matter how much it hurt.

One afternoon, Taylor decided to visit a store to buy some supplies. As she walked through the aisles, a wave of dizziness hit her. She shook it off, trying to focus on what she needed to buy. But as she reached for a box of tea, the room spun around her. She ignored it, telling herself she was just tired.

Outside the store, as she fumbled with her bags, her phone rang. The number was unknown. Just as she was about to pick up, her vision blurred, and everything went black.

A woman nearby noticed Taylor collapse and rushed to her side. "Miss, are you okay? Can you hear me?" she asked, her voice tinged with panic. When there was no response, the woman quickly dialed an ambulance, her hands shaking as she checked Taylor's pulse.

As they waited for the ambulance, the unknown number called again. The woman hesitated but then answered the call. "Hello?"

"Who is this?" came a familiar, deep voice on the other end, filled with urgency.

"I found this young woman collapsed outside a store," the woman explained hurriedly. "I'm taking her to the hospital now."

There was a sharp intake of breath. "Which hospital?" Travis demanded.

She gave him the address, and before she could say anything else, the line went dead.

Hours later, Taylor woke up in a hospital bed, the sterile smell of antiseptic filling her nostrils. Her head throbbed, and as she tried to sit up, a nurse gently pushed her back down. "You need to rest," the nurse said kindly.

Taylor nodded, though her thoughts were racing. What had happened? She glanced around the room, trying to piece together the events.

Her phone buzzed on the bedside table. She reached for it, her heart skipping a beat when she saw who was calling. It was the unknown number again. With trembling fingers, she answered.

"Taylor?" Travis's voice sent a shiver down her spine. It was the first time she had heard it in a month, and it was as if all the walls she had built around her heart crumbled in an instant.

"Travis," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Where are you? I need to see you," he said, his tone filled with concern.

Taylor squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "I... I don't want to see you, Travis," she lied, her voice breaking.

"What? Why? Taylor, please... I've been searching for you everywhere. I need to know you're okay," he pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she forced herself to be strong. "I don't like you, Travis. I don't want to meet you," she lied again, every word tearing her apart inside.

"Taylor, don't do this. I know you're lying. Please, just tell me where you are," Travis begged.

"I can't," she said, her voice trembling. "I've moved on, Travis. You should too."

"That's not true," he countered, his voice firm. "If you've moved on, then why can't you even face me?"

She didn't have an answer to that. All she could do was reject the call, cutting off his voice as tears streamed down her face. Taylor curled up on the hospital bed, clutching her phone to her chest, wishing things could be different, but knowing they could never be.