Falling Too (Tyler Joseph)

Chapter 23

"You do?" I ask in a small voice with wide eyes.

He nodded, "I just wanted you to know since you'll be leaving soon."

"Leaving? Tyler, I'm not going anywhere."

His eyebrows scrunched together as he asked, "Aren't you transferring churches for your Sunday school job? Didn't you say that once that happened you were going to leave?"

It then dawned me, I had forgotten to mention to him what I had ended up choosing. I shook my head slowly, "I turned it down."

Even though the car was dark I could see from the glow of the radio that Tyler's cheeks had gained a red tint. "Why'd you do that?"

I smiled softly, "I found a reason to stay."

He looked so surprised a wide grin took over his features. Before he could say a word his cellphone went off.

"Oh great, it's my mom." He groans and I reach to turn the radio down as he answered the call. "Hello?"

The car was so quiet now that I could hear her on the other end, "Where are you?"

"I'm out driving around."

"But your car is still in the driveway."

"I know, I'm in Ashley's car."

She let out an audible sigh, "You need to ask her to bring you home."

I noticed a slight edge to his voice as he asked, "How come?"

"Because you don't need to be out this late. You know how you get at night."

How he got at night? What did that even mean? I peered over at Tyler, seeing that he was obviously annoyed. His jaw dropped suddenly as he reached for the steering wheel, "Ashley, watch out!"

I snapped my head forward to see a rabbit frozen in fear in front of us. I jerked the car harshly to the left, causing us to slip into a deep ditch. On the way down, I heard a sharp knock on my right and I wasn't sure what had happened until my car came to a halt. Despite the pain in my neck and wrist, I turned to make sure that Tyler was okay, but I found him with his head down against his chest with his eyes shut.

"Tyler?" I questioned warily, but he didn't answer me or move at all. "Oh, no... Tyler?"

I reached over to touch his face and my hand came back bloody. Tears instantly filled my eyes and I could still hear his mother yelling from the phone on the floorboard.

I picked it up with shaking hands stuttering, "M-Mrs. Joseph? I think Tyler's been hurt."

"Why? What happened?" She demanded.

"There was an animal in the road and I swerved to miss it. We crashed into a ditch and I think Tyler hit his head on the window." I explain, doing my best keep my voice steady.

"Where are you?"

I told her the name of the road and she said that she was going to call an ambulance for him. After that, she hung up and I was left in the now deafening silence. I unbuckled my seatbelt and scooted as close as I could to Tyler. I wrapped my arms around him and placed my head on his shoulder, being as gentle as I could.

"Tyler, please wake up," I begged as tears continued to spill onto the sleeve of his coat. "Don't be gone."

A small whine suddenly escaped him and his hand reached up to touch my arm. I let out a shuttering breath of relief as I lifted my head to look at him.

"Ash? What happened?" He asked in a weak voice.

"You hit your head and blacked out."

"For how long?" He questioned, sounding panicked.

"It was only for two minutes. Just calm down, your mom called you an ambulance."

"Are you okay?" He asks, clearly still feeling frantic.

"I'm fine, just a little sore."

He gave a small nod and leaned into me mumbling, "My head hurts."

I frowned as I lightly traced circles into his back, telling him, "I know, just try to take it easy until help gets here."

The sound of sirens finally met my ears and I told Tyler that I would be right back before easing myself out of the car. I climbed out of the ditch to be met with flashing lights and the ambulance pulled up in front of me before they came rushing out.

"Is there anyone else in the vehicle?" The female EMT questioned.

I nodded hastily and the other two EMT's made their way down the embankment to Tyler out.

"Miss, are you injured?" The woman standing beside me asked as I kept my eyes on Tyler as they put him on a stretcher.

"My neck and wrist are sore, but other than that I'm fine."

She nodded briskly, "You'll need to come with us then."

"Alright." I say as I follow her to the ambulance.

She led me to the passenger side, but I hesitated. I desperately wanted to stay with Tyler, I was still so worried about him.

She must have understood what I was doing because she tells me, "It would be better for the both of you if you rode up in the front."

I could feel my face fall at her words, but I understood none the less.

I reached for the door handle at the same time she let out a small sigh, "Head on back there, just do your best to keep out of the way."

I thanked her before hurrying to get in the back. The other EMT's just glanced at me as they checked Tyler's vitals. One of them got out to ride in the front and I winced when they turned on the sirens before driving off. I quickly called my mom to let her know what had happened and she naturally freaked out, saying that she would be at the hospital as soon as she could.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Tyler reached out to take my hand into his. I laced my fingers through his as I stared down at him. The right side of his face was streaked with blood and I could tell that he was still scared. When the male EMT that was in the back with us turned his attention to something on the small monitor facing away from us, I leaned over to place a tiny kiss on the uninjured side of Tyler's forehead. I saw him smile weakly and his grip on my hand tightened momentarily.

When we reached the hospital, they rushed to get us inside and the moment Tyler's fingers slipped from mine I spotted his mom standing in the waiting room. There was a sinking feeling in my chest when her eyes met mine, I knew that I had truly messed up this time.

The doctor quickly found out that I only had minor whiplash and a sprained wrist, while Tyler needed stitches. I was just glad that he didn't have a concussion or anything more serious, but my slightly lifted spirits didn't last too long. Even though Tyler had been put in a separate room I could still manage to hear his mom speak.

"Tyler, we need to have a serious discussion about Ashley. I think it would be better for your own sake to just stay away from her."

I was surprised to hear more than one gasp, other than my own, at her statement.

Tyler's voice sounded tired, but at the same time anxious, "What? Why?"

"Because look at you. You don't have a band now or college to fall back on. And now she's gotten you in the hospital." She explains and I could've sworn that it sounded like she was about to cry.

I found myself mentally begging and praying that Tyler wouldn't agree with what she was telling him. But before I could hear his response my mom burst in the room and I was shocked to see that her boyfriend Noah was with her.

"Ashley, are you alright?"

I held up my splint supported hand saying, "Yeah, it was nothing too major."

She hurried over to me to give me a hug that was slightly painful before asking, "Where's Tyler? Is he alright?"

"He's in the other room and as far as I know he just needed stitches." I explain as I became aware of the yelling outside of this room.

It was Tyler.