The Story of Our Love

Chapter Twenty

" Please be okay," I repeated over and over again as all four of us ran down the empty hospital halls to Infinity's hospital room.

My feet came to an abrupt halt when I saw Jordan and his dad wrapped in each other's embrace. Nathan clamped his mouth shut in attempt to suppress a sob that nearly escaped his lips.

Riley gasped and Isaac laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I tore my gaze  away from the sight in front of me that made my heart ache, and turned around to stare into a pool of grey eyes belonging to Isaac, filled with pain, sorrow and tears, causing tears of my own to spill down my face.

As if sensing our presence, Jordan released Mr. Tanner from his hold, his tear-stained face immediately being wiped of any expression, his dull green eyes immediately turning into one of hate as anger shun in them.

" Jordan......" I whimpered, my voice breaking as I took a cautious step towards him.

" I hate you," he spat, venom laced in his tone as he pushed past me roughly and stormed away.

I stared helplessly at his retreating figure," He doesn't mean that Avery," Mr. Tanner tried to reassure me before rushing after his son, Nathan hot on their heels.

" Ave-"

" Just stop, Riley."

" But-"

" I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE," I screamed in her face, arms flaring and red- faced. Riley didn't even flinch by my outburst, she just nodded her head slowly as tears trickled down her face and walked away, leaving me alone with Isaac.

" Av you-" he began but I cut him off," Go. Go after Riley, just leave me alone for a couple hours."

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Isaac opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it before nodding and walking away.

I need to see her.

Tears flowing freely from my eyes, I took a deep breath before approaching the glass walls where poor little Infinity's dead body laid, in the process of being whisked away to the morgue.

" Wait!" I called as two men began removing her lifeless body into a body bag. They paused, both their faces wiped of emotion as they waited, rather impatiently, for me to say something.

Standing speechlessly over her pale, dead body,I tried to muster up the words that would describe how I felt, and after a whole minute of silence, the men got impatient and lifted Infinity's body into the bag, like she was just a mere rag doll.

I stood there motionlessly until they were down the hall," I'm sorry."

*
*
*
" God Avery, you worried us sick!" Riley cried as I walked into my house where Isaac, Nathan, Katherine and Crystal were gathered around the TV, watching Family Guy," I'm fine," I muttered as she squeezed me tightly.

" Bullshit!" she exclaimed, letting me go and grabbing my shoulders instead," I know you're not fine Av, and it's okay to not be."

My bottom lip quivered as I turned away from her, tears slowly welling up in my eyes," I'm not fine," I admitted," I mean, why would I be?" I laughed at that," Infinity's dead and my boyfriend hates me-"

" He doesn't hate you," Nathan argued, speaking for the first time since I arrived.

" What!" I shrieked, turning to face him with clenched fists," he said it out of his own frigging mouth! I saw the hate in his eyes, the venom in his tone and it was all directed towards me."

" He's just upset Av," Isaac justified Jordan's behavior," I mean he did loose his mom and now Infinity......"

" Would you ever tell Riley that you hate her?" I demanded, my voice raising in anger. Isaac was silent for a while as his grey eyes pierced through mine.

" I could never hate her," he said, lacing his fingers through Riley's.

The little gesture made my heart pound in pain. Every thump was accompanied by a stabbing pain.

" He called me eleven times last night," I muttered, pacing the room like a mad person," he needed me."

I sat on the floor, pulling my knees up to my chest as I replayed his words in my head, over and over again.

I hate you.

I HATE YOU.

I HATE YOU.

" You guys need to leave," I said weakly, wiping my nose with the back of my hand.

Katherine and Riley began to protest," She needs to be alone for a while girls," Nathan said, cutting them off and standing up to leave. Reluctantly, they both followed suite, glancing hesitantly at me once more before following Isaac and Nathan outside.

" I hope my life is full of this much drama when I'm your age," Chrystal joked, attempting, in vain, to make me smile. She sighed, turning the TV off and facing me," Look, I don't know much about love, but I do know that's what I see when Jordan looks at you, and it reflects in your eyes when you look at him. We're all gonna miss little Inny terribly but don't let something you can't change affect something you can."

Seeming extremely happy with her little speech, Chrystal gave me a warm hug before switching back in the TV and resuming her show.

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Sorry this is so short.