my only constant | andley

1

All I could see was blackness.  There was nothing else; just a plane of pure ebony that made me feel dizzy.  There was a faint ringing sound as well, and I could feel a headache beginning to blossom. 

Everything together made it feel as if the never ending darkness was encasing me.  I tried screaming, but no noise managed to crawl its way out of my throat.  I started panicking and feverishly sought some sort of escape route.  Nothing. 

That was when I woke up.   I arose groggily and immediately noted a strange beeping noise that I could hear  loud and clearly.

There was also an odd sound as if someone was... crying?  I thought that was weird.

I tried to channel all of my energy into opening my eyes. It took me a moment, but my attempts were finally rewarded when a bright light invaded my direct line of vision. Blinking rapidly, I focused my attention on the black mass to my right which appeared to be a person.

Completely encased in black, the figure held their head in their hands. This was where the weeping had come from.  Short black hair stuck up in all directions, and I vaguely recognized it as Andy's still relatively new hairstyle.

This was Andy.

I managed to twitch my hand, slightly regaining feeling in my limbs. He didn't look up. Concentrating immensely this time, I made my hand rest atop his elbow which had been laying on the edge of the bed.

His head flipped up immediately, and upon seeing me, a grin lit up his features.

"Ash! You're okay!" He exclaimed excitedly. I winced, his volume bringing with it another barrage of pain. It felt as if my brain was two sizes to large for my skull.

Andy noticed my expression, and his smile immediately faltered.

"Oh, sorry," He said quieter than the last time he'd spoke. I tried to reassure him that it was fine, but I found my voice strained from being unused.

"S'okay," I rasped slightly, and Andy perked up again. He apparently took note of my inability to properly talk as well.

"Oh!" He exclaimed before glancing my way apologetically. "I mean, oh," He grinned sheepishly, and I managed a small grin in his direction.

"The nurse left this." He handed me a small cup, ice clinking as our hands met. We remained there possibly a moment too long, and Andy bit his lip staring at me. I was sure I was blushing madly, so I darted my eyes away and quickly peered into the cup to avoid his gaze.

It was water probably to help soothe my throat. Taking a bold sip, I ducked my head as far into the plastic as it would go. The liquid rushed down my throat immediately relieving me from the slight pain of speaking.

Setting the cup down, I glanced back up at Andy to see him in the same position I had last seen him in. I coughed. This seemed to rouse him from the daze he had been in, and he instantly looked away. I swore I saw a touch of pink tinge his cheeks.

A moment later, Andy glanced back at me but did not meet my gaze. He sighed before returning to the seat by my bedside that I had originally awoke to.

"Ash," He breathed out my name seeming to have calmed down from our encounter that had occurred only seconds ago. I wasn't entirely sure what it had been.

"Ashley," He repeated my name. The mood had immediately become serious from his solemn intonation. "Do you know why you're in the hospital?" 

The hospital?  My eyes darted all around me taking in the various equipment littered about the room, the flowers and cards resting on my bedside table, the tv in the corner of the room playing some cliche medical drama, the heart monitor to my direct left, the iv in my arm.

It all made sense.  I was in the hospital.  But, why?

"You had a heart attack."

Oh.

Oh.

I had had a heart attack. 

My heart sped up exponentially and the monitor started incessantly beeping.  My breathing had increased as well, and I vaguely realized Andy had enclosed his arms around my frame. 

Moments later, when I began to calm down, his voice cut through the thankfully increasingly slowing beeping sound. 

"Shh, Ash, it's okay.  It'll be okay," He reassured me running his hands through my hair.  My face was pressed against his chest, and I only clung on tighter at his words as I felt a familiar prickling behind my eyes.  In Andy's arms, I cried myself to sleep.