The Key To My Heart

Chapter Twelve

Leah's POV
It was two weeks before the finale of AGT, and Devan was still in a coma. I sat there beside him, gently holding his hand. The beeping machines were driving me insane, but I was trying my best to ignore them. Yesterday, Collins and I had filmed a video of him boiling the new iPhone 7 in Coca-Cola. And.....it did not go well. It ended with his mom yelling at him for ruining her favorite pot and setting a little bit of the grass on fire after we stopped filming. I chuckled slightly, remembering that. Collins was acting like he was still okay, but.....I heard him at night, and I'd seen him one time, holding one picture of us. It had me, Devan, and Collins, sitting on swings at the park, holding playing cards. Devan was holding the King of Hearts in front of him, I was holding the Queen of Hearts, and Collins held the Jack of Hearts. I smiled sadly, gently squeezing his hand.

"I miss you, Devan. It's just....it's not the same without you here. I'm in the top four for AGT. I....I guess you were right. I can do this." I had to leave for the semi-final performance, so I gently kissed his cheek, leaving. I got out to the car, and nearly burst into tears. I would be celebrating my 19th birthday the day before the finals, and Devan might not even make it that long. It wasn't fair. A couple hours later, I was getting ready to go onstage, and was helping get the piano ready. This time, I would be doing an unusual song- Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, from Les Miserables. Collins had left, so that he could stay with Devan for awhile, so Steven and Anne were backstage with me.

"You ready?" Anne asked as the crew started getting the stage ready and getting the piano out.
"I'm ready. And now I feel bad that I won't be able to stay with Devan for the next two weeks, with my entrance exams for college, and-" Steven cut me off, smiling.
"It's okay, Leah. We'll let you know what happens, alright? You said you're doing online classes, so you'll be able to later. Right now, you just go knock them dead." I smiled slightly, and then heard my name being called. I went out, and sat at the large piano, getting ready. The lights went up, and I started playing.

     
      There's a grief that can't be spoken
      There's a pain goes on and on
      Empty chairs at empty tables
      Now my friends are dead and gone

      Here they talked of revolution
     Here it was they lit the flame
     Here they sang about tomorrow
     But tomorrow never came

     From the table in the corner
     They could see a world reborn
     And they rose with voices ringing
     And I can hear them now
     The very words that they had sung
     Became their last communion
     On the lonely barricade at dawn
     
     Oh my friends, my friends forgive me
     That I live and you are gone
     There's a grief that can't be spoken
     There's a pain goes on and on

     Phantom faces at the window
     Phantom shadows on the floor
     Empty chairs at empty tables
     Where my friends will meet no more

     Oh my friends, my friends don't ask me
     What your sacrifice was for
     Empty chairs at empty tables
     Where my friends will sing no more.

I finished, playing the last note, and the room exploded in cheers and applause. I stood, smiling, and waved, leaving the stage. I would have to wait before I found out if I made it to another round. Steven and Anne hugged me as I got offstage, congratulating me. Once again, I wished Devan were here. It hurt being without him.

        Collins POV
               I had just finished watching tonight's episode of AGT, and Leah had made it to another round. I chuckled slightly, turning the tv off.

     "I wish you could see this, bro. Your girlfriend's killing it onstage, and it's all cause of you." I gently squeezed his hand, and then the last thing I was expecting happened. The heart monitor sped up. I looked up, and then hit the button for a nurse. I sat beside Devan, and then heard a groan right as a nurse came in.

      "Devan?" I whispered, hoarse, and she started taking his blood pressure. There was another groan, and then a raspy voice.

      "You're strangling my hand, bro." I let go, and the nurse smiled, looking up right as the beeping went back to normal.
      "Blood pressure is back to normal. I think he's back." I looked at my brother, who slowly opened his eyes, grinning. Then, he nearly went cross-eyed, and put a hand up to his face.

       "Why is there a tube in my nose?" I chuckled.
      "You nearly died, man. Remember the car accident? You've been out for almost three months." Then, his eyes widened.
       "The car accident.....Collins, is Leah okay?!" I chuckled, laying a hand on his arm.
       "She's fine. And she's in the final five of AGT. Long story. But she's fine." He smiled, laying back.
       "Okay. Now shut up. I'd like a nap." That I had to laugh at.
       "You've been out for three months, and you want a nap? Alright, alright. Sheesh. Sleep well, little bro. You've got quite a few vlogs to catch up." He smiled, closing his eyes, and I stayed put, my hand on his.
       "I'm not letting anything else happen to you ever again." I whispered.