The Other Me

He cared

On our way there all I could was pray that she would be alright.

***

*Ashley's pov*

  "I'm so sorry Sir your sister is in intensive care" I hear someone say.
Sister? I have a brother- pause.

I try to open my eyes but all I see is darkness. "Oh my god Ashley I'm so sorry" Dylan cries.
Dylan. He helped me. I try to speak but nothing will come out. "Can she hear me?" He asks. I hear silence for a while. "I'll leave you alone Sir" someone says and walks out. "Hey Ashley. I know you hate me but I'm so sorry. That. That. That sicko shot you" Dylan says. "I love you and I won't ever leave you. I hope that you can forgive me because I care" I feel him kiss me gently. "Ashley please wake up".

I try to open my eyes and this time I don't see darkness. I see a white ceiling with a dimmed light.

"Dylan?" I ask in a soft whisper.
I see him sitting at the side of the bed with his elbows on his knees and his hands holding his face.
After I say his name he looks down upon me hopefully and I repeat myself.

"Dylan" I say again. Hoping he would answer me so that I know he hears me.

"Ashley?!" He asks worriedly.
I start to open my eyes.
"Oh my God Ashley I'm so sorry for what I did. I really am. But I hope you can forgive me. I was so upset at myself for not making it up to you before this happened and when I saw that you were shot and I just thought that I couldn't lose you-at least not yet. Oh please don't leave me please".

And with that he started tearing. I wanted to say something to stop him but nothing came out. What I had just heard made me realize how I'd been wrong this entire time after he kissed Heather. I suddenly felt a wave of guilt as I thought how hard I'd been on him.

"I forgi-" I started to apologize and let Dylan know that I missed him but I was interrupted by the doctor who just burst into the door.
Rude.

"Sorry to interrupt but I came to say that Ashley is free to leave the hospital but will need to use crutches for about two weeks. After that you may try to not use them but if your leg hurts then you should use the crutches until you are able to walk normally. Any questions?"

"Yes" Dylan spoke up. "She'll only need crutches? Nothing else?"

"She'll need nothing else because the shot had not impacted her leg in a way that she would need a wheel chair" the doctor replied. "Anything else?" He asked again. When we said nothing he said "you may leave whenever you are ready and pointe to a pair of crutches next to the bed. He looked to Dylan and he nodded as if saying 'thank you' and with that the doctor left.

"Well whatever you need to tell me can wait because right now u gotta get you home". When he said that I tensed up. I think he noticed because he asked what was wrong.

"I'm scared that my father would... You know."  A small smile appeared on his face.

"Oh you're not going to that home. You're going to mine. And with that he took me in his arms and carried me to his house.