Friends & Paradise 2: Forever Doesn't Last Forever

Chapter 6: He's Not Doing Well (Aaron's POV)

It has been a week ever since Natasha has been in a coma. Ralph and I have been visiting the hospital with Amelia and Danielle ever since we got to Seattle just a week ago. They are worried about their friend, but they try to do anything they can to not make their worried state affect their grades in school.

Jason, on the other hand, has never been worst. He doesn't come out of the room at any time. I doubt he's seen the sunlight ever since the day Natasha left Bahamas. And I'm not trying to be poetic here.

When the girls left Bahamas, Jason walked to his suite where he locked himself inside his bedroom. Aunt Tilda, his life-long maid, told Ralph and me to help him get away from his room to avoid him being depressed over the departure of his girlfriend. We tried everything. We tried brightening up his day, telling him that they will meet again; we also tried to get him in a good mood by playing video games or watching a movie, even going downstairs to the basketball court and play some games. But nothing seemed to work. He was still sad about Nash's departure.

And when he received the call from Amelia telling him about what happened, he ran all the way from Bahamas to Seattle, with Ralph and I close behind.

Now, he was sitting on a chair inside the hospital room where the girl he loves, was in nearly dead. While Ralph and I were sitting on the floor near the door, with Danielle in Ralph's arm and Amelia pacing back and forth.

"Guys, I'm worried about Jason." I said.

"Why?" Amelia asked.

"He hasn't left that room ever since we got here. He doesn't even come out to do anything, he doesn't talk, I bet he can't even sleep, we have to nearly force food and water down his throat to keep him alive. Not only that, but he's afraid of leaving her side. He has us watch her whenever he's up usin the bathroom or showering."

"I think we should do something for him." Ralph said.

"Like what? I mean, the guy is lost somewhere inside that room while waiting for Natasha to wake up." Danielle said, while her head was resting on Ralph's chest.

"Maybe we could start by giving him some food or a reason to talk to us." Ralph said. We all looked at Ralph curiously. "What?"

"Nothing." We said in unison.

"But, who will go inside and ask him to come outside?" Amelia asked.

"I'll go." I said.

I stood up and walked towards Natasha's room. I slowly opened the door, and walked inside.

"Jason?" I whispered.

But nobody answered.

There was a shadow leaning near the bed. The shadow seemed of a boy in his eighteen-years, and seemed calmly breathing, while clutching tightly to the hand of a girl who has been asleep for a week. I made my way near the couple in the bed.

"Jason." I whispered again, and gently shook the boy's shoulder. He jumped while he was awake.

"What?" He yelled in surprise. He looked around and saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to get you; we're going downstairs to eat something, you should come." I offered.

"I can't go! What if she wakes up and I'm not there? What if her heart monitor fails and it stops beating and I'm not there to call a doctor? What if--"

"Jason, man, calm down." I said while grabbing his shoulders. "Natasha won't die while you're not here! She's fine!"

"You call being in a coma fine?"

"Jason, relax! You're tense right now because of how she is! She will wake up, don't worry! It's not gonna hurt if you're gone for a minute or two feeding yourself! Don't you want to be healthy and fine when she wakes up?"

"I do, but I'd rather see her waking up than missing it! I don't want to take the chance of her never waking up!"

"Jason--"

"Forget it! I'm staying here."

I took a deep breath, while he turned back around and made his back face me.

"Jason, I know that you want her to wake up and that you want to see her right now, but you have to understand that you staying here forever won't make her wake up any sooner. She'll wake up when she has to. And, even if it is nice of you to stay here until she does, it doesn't mean that your life stops when she's not moving."

"It does mean that when I say I love her. Will it mean the same thing if I'm downstairs eating and taking care of myself when she's right here in a coma and unable to even move? Will it mean the same if I'm downstairs enjoying myself and not even taking one minute to think about her? No. That doesn't mean I love her. What I'm doing, is what a person should do if they say they love somebody. 'Cause when you say you love someone, you're making them a promise to support them in right or wrong; be there for them whether they need you or not. You stay with them."

"Jason, I know that--"

"Sorry, Aaron, but I'm not going anywhere until she opens her eyes and I know she's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"I promise you I'll eat correctly and sleep well when I know that she's awake and functioning well."

"Do you want me to stay with you? I can give you some company if you wanna talk to someone."

"Thanks man, but I'm fine. I want to stay here with Nash if I may."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll see you in a bit." I said.

I walked over to him, and patted his back and then walked away from the room. He could be pretty stubborn at times, but he has a right to; in a way, he's right. If you love somebody, you show it to them by staying with them in right or wrong. And that is something he has shown Natasha countless of times; specially more now.

I left the hospital room, and met my friends and girlfriend outside.

"So?" Ralph asked.

"He's not coming. He says he wants to spend more time with her." I shrugged.

They all nodded, and then we walked downstairs to the small gift shop where people can buy snacks, drinks and magazines. We are worried about Jason, but if he says that he's staying with her until she wakes up because he wants to, and he doesn't want to leave her side, then there's nothing I can do to stop him.

Only time will let Natasha wake up, no matter how much longer Jason stays by her bedside waiting for a sign from her to come back to him. As much as he wants to think that being with her will let time pass by faster and for her coma to end faster, it doesn't work that way.