unlovable

part 16

[caleb's pov]
i'm sitting next to her when someone knocks on the door. the doctor was just in.. maybe it's her parents?
"yeah, come in." i say.
a boy who looks like he is a model walks in the room. my heart sinks.
"oh-- i.. i didn't know she had company." the boy mumbles.
he holds a vase of all kinds of roses, as well as an american horror story card.
where the fuck do you buy those, anyways?
he sets down all of the stuff on the small side table. i notice he also got her the new album from the 1975. show-off.
"yeah, i'm her boyfriend, and you are?" i stand my ground. he can't just walk in here like he runs the place.
he looks me up and down, "you wish, buddy. i know about you already. you're not her boyfriend, though. i'm cody. great to meet you. i'd give you a good punch in the face if we weren't in a public place right now."
he gives me a fake smile.
i'm unsure of what to say back, so i just scoff and sit back down in the chair.
"i was so worried. she always texts or calls, she hadn't responded to anything. that's when i went to her apartment.. she wasn't home. i saw the medical bills on the table and just assumed... and rushed right over here." he explains.
i pretty much ignore him. i don't care.
"do you want to tell me what happened to her or are you going to make me walk to the front desk again?" he asks, folding his arms.
"fuck, fine. s-she was driving. something happened to make her swerve, and she was going so fast that the car flipped. she has a broken arm, fractured rib, and she's in this coma-like thing. she hasn't talked or opened her eyes or moved. she's healed a lot since this happened a week ago, but it's a waiting game now.." i try not to get too choked up while explaining everything to him.
when i look at him, his face is buried in his hands. he's crying. he could care less if i was here.
"t-thanks, caleb. i'm sorry." he cries.
i reach my hand over to him & pat him on the back.
"no offence, but how do you know her?" i brace myself for the answer. if they're dating, i'm gonna lose my shit.
he wipes underneath his eyes with his sleeves, "i-i don't really know what we are.. but she means the world to me. i met her in a taco bell parking lot. i saw her crying in her car over you. i talked to her for a while and i asked her if she wanted to go on an adventure. we go on drives a lot, she sleeps over pretty often.. we don't have any labels.. i never wanted to pressure her, especially after she was hurt. i just stayed by her side. you hurt her really bad, caleb. she loved you more than anything in this world." he looks me in the eyes.
i nod slowly. i'm not sure on what to say.
i take a deep breathe, "thank you.. for being there for her & for taking care of her. i'm sorry i didn't know you existed, i would've contacted you when this happened."
he smiles, "you're welcome & it's okay, thank you for that."
maybe he's not so bad.

--
[vanessa's pov]
it's so gorgeous up here. the trees are more colourful.. bigger.. the sky is a brighter blue & the people are so happy.
i take care of my animals, i spend time with family.
they tell me about everything they've watched me do, they've given me advice.
i finally got to know my grandpa jeff.
i really don't want to leave.
i'm sitting on the couch, when suddenly i hear a voice run through my ears again.
"vanessa..." it's cody's voice.
my eyes well up with tears.
of course he's visiting me. my sweet, sweet cody.
"are you okay, sweetheart?" my grandma asks, sitting down beside me.
"yeah, grandma.. i can hear when people come to visit me in the hospital. cody is there right now." i smile weakly.
"oh, honey. that's a perfect transition to what i was just about to tell you." she rubs my shoulder.
tears prick my eyes when everyone i know gathers around me. my animals look up at me with sad eyes.
"do i really have to?" i cry.
"honey, it's not your time to stay yet. we'll be waiting when you live your long & happy life. we're always watching. we're always there for you. remember that. you can talk to us. we all love you so much. you're so strong. keep fighting, sweetheart." my grandpa kisses me on the top of my head.
tears fall down my cheeks. i give them all a really long hug.. i don't want to go.
i kiss all of my pets goodbye.
"i love you guys so much. thank you for everything, i'll see you someday. take care of each other, please. i'll miss you so much."
that's all i can manage to say as i look around the room one last time. i give them a small wave. they're all crying now, too.
i open the door that i came in from and step into the darkness. it feels like a lifetime ago.. it's so hard to leave now.
i'm now sobbing my eyes out. i just said goodbye to my loved ones & my pets. for the second time.
i continue to walk into the darkness.
what do i do now?
maybe i should just retrace my steps..
i lay down, taking deep breathes & trying to stop myself from crying.
i think of everything i have on earth, everything that's left for me. i close my eyes & take slow, deep breathes.
"let me come back." i whisper.
i feel a piece inside of me charging up, beginning to work. my heart. it beats.
then, everything goes numb.
i can't breathe.
it's quiet.
did it not work?
bright lights sting behind my closed eyelids.
i can smell roses.. and.. hand sanitizer?
i suddenly can feel my body.
my eyes shoot open.
i sit up & inhale the biggest breathe of air i have ever breathed.
i'm alive again.

-----
dammnnn vanessa welcome back to the living!

what the hell is gonna happen with cody & caleb though? AWKWARD...

thank you for reading! xo

- adrianna