Unwanted (Editing)

13. The Viewing

A/N - hey guys, so here's chapter thirteen. on the right is a song that i thought fit well with this chapter. HA-HA this is the first time i put a song up with one of my stories. Anyways i hope you enjoy, please vote, comment and fan if you want. Thanks guys =)

Chapter Thirteen - The Viewing

Moments after my phone dropped, I began shaking an extreme amount even though I felt to be the temperature of the sun. Beads of sweat clung to every surface of my body and my stomach felt like it was eating itself inside. I sat at the back next to Serenity so Dad didn’t notice the first stage of my breakdown.

“Mr Adlington, she won’t stop shaking,” Serenity screamed in concern. She moved towards me, her eyes plastered to my face, “What’s wrong, Tanzanite?”

Dad panicked when he looked through the rear view mirror to see my condition. He rushed to find a parking space and once he succeeded, he hurried to the boot of the car to grab a bottle of water. He dragged me out of the car and held me tight in his arms. Through all the shaking I was able to spit out the latest news.

“What? No tell me you’re joking!” Serenity went hysterical where half the words she spoke didn’t make any sense.

Once I calmed down, not exactly feeling any better, I immediately went into the second stage: I froze in Dad’s arms, my body refusing to move apart from the rising and falling of my chest in time with my heavy breathing.

“Honey, take a seat in the car.” He helped me back into the car, handing me the bottle of water which he opened for me. I was able to see Serenity edged into the corner of her seat, head resting against the car window and her legs drawn up to her chest. Her cheeks and nose left red from the crying.

I sat, just staring at Serenity cry as my own feelings numbed; I was going to the final stage of the breakdown. This was the longest of the stages and only God knows when it would end. These stages, however, were no strangers to me, going through the same process when Grandma died five years ago. At the time, I thought there was something wrong with me but after a visit to my doctor, I was reassured that this was more common than I thought.

“Serenity, please stop crying,” Dad called uncertainly from the driver’s seat where he turned on the ignition. Dad doesn’t handle moments like this very well and he had no idea what to do about Serenity. He had to deal with my stages before so he knew too well what to do with me.

“Da-ad, how far to the hospital from here?” I managed to croak out but even then it was a whisper.

“Not long, just sit back. Try to relax your body. Those stages aren’t good for the body.” Dad ordered. Dad drove off again, heading for the hospital.

We arrived at our destination in just under ten minutes. Serenity’s face remained blotchy and pale as we both ran out of the car into the hospital, holding hands for support. Her grip tightened once we approached the receptionist, indicating that I speak.

“Ashley Poynter, please,” I whispered this and upon uttering his name, a tear finally escaped my right eye, unfortunately this didn’t set the rest of my much needed tears free.  

The woman typed in something into the computer and then looked up at us sympathetically. “Oh…room hundred and seven, second floor,” she directed us.

We ran all the way to the second floor and once the door came into view, we let go of each other’s hand. And while her speed increased, mine dramatically decreased until I came to a stop a metre from the door. I could hear my own heart beating hard and felt my lips begin to tremble. I vision blurred with the build-up of tears at the tip of my eyes, refusing to travel down my cheeks.

Serenity reached the door, suddenly turning as she leaned against the wall. She saw that I was still there.

“A-are you c-coming?” she sniffled.

I nodded with confirmation, not trusting my voice. I nervously strode up to Serenity where she took a hold of my right hand with her left. We let out wavy breathes before we pulled up the courage to walk into the room.

At first we couldn’t see Ashley since everyone was gathered around the bed, their backs to us so they didn’t notice us. Hannah stood at the head of the bed, the left side of her body only visible to me. I noticed her face was also red and her eyes were swollen with black mascara lined down her cheek. Jasper stood beside her, his fingers gently rubbing her back in circles. I couldn’t see his face though. Sitting on two chairs in the corner of the room was Mr and Mrs Poynter, wrapped in each others arms as Mrs Poynter buried her head in his chest, nosily crying. Jay stood, both arms wrapped around Jessica as she hiccupped in his chest. I could see the right side of his face, where he clenched his jaw and his eyes were red.

Eventually Serenity coughed a sob, tightening her grip on my hand even more and everyone turned around expressed with surprise.

“You’re here already?” Jasper questioned, removing his from Hannah’s back as she turned around and smashed her face into Serenity’s body, pulling her into a hug. This forced Serenity to let go of my hand and wrap her arms around Hannah.

I stood awkwardly, scratching the back of my head next to Serenity and Hannah. I just stared at everyone stare at me, refusing to face Ashley until Mrs Poynter shrugged Mr Poynter off and walked up to me, her arms stretched out to offer me her warmth and comfort. Without another word I walked into her arms, mine around her mid-back.

“He really loved you,” she whispered into my ear so I could only hear. This set off the waterworks, tear after tear rolled down my cheek as I silently cried, soaking her right bicep.

Mrs Poynter released me but held onto my hands as she dragged me towards the bed. I opened my eyes to see a familiar face drained of colour, although his eyes and the tip of his nose were a mixture of purple and green. A crisp layer of skin engulfed the line of his lips. I followed his features, from the brown strands of his hair to the middle of his neck, where the sheets covered the rest of his body.

Serenity and Hannah joined us beside the bed where Serenity began crying all over again with the sight of Ashley, she clutched onto the edge of the bed, her knuckles being replaced by a white. She shut her eyes tight and turned into Hannah once again, Hannah’s red hair covering Serenity’s face.

I turned back to Ashley, his face capturing my gaze and I was trapped. I was afraid that this was the last I’d see of him and I knew that thought was true. He’s gone, never to return again. That moment guilt, love, upset and most of all regret rushed through every fibre of my body.

“I think I’ll take Jillian for some fresh air,” Mr Poynters voice snapped me out of the thoughts, as he referred to his wife. With a nod, Mr and Mrs Poynter walked out of the room hand in hand. Jasper came closer to me, placing a hand on my shoulder, a weak smile on his face.

“Am I dreaming?” I said the first thought that came into my head.

Jasper responded by squeezing my shoulder.

“I want to go home!” Serenity cried, turning away. Before anyone could comfort her she was out of the door, Jasper decided to run after her. After all, Hannah was Ashley’s girlfriend and she needed to be right next to him. Jay’s job was to comfort Jessica and she was in no state to go after Serenity. And what was my excuse? Well, to be honest I had no excuse apart from loving him but no one but Serenity knows that.

“I think I should take Jess home,” Jay spoke up for the first time since I’d arrive. He nodded at the two of us before he left with Jessica. Annoyance grew at his gesture; this was the first time in our life that Jay ignored me, the first time he didn’t come running with his arms wide open, waiting patiently for my embrace. It hurt so much that I lost Ashley, but it hurt even more that I thought I was losing Jay too. I was plain and simply jealous of Jay’s and Jessica’s relationship.