Falling - Benny and Nina - An Adapted In The Heights Roleplay (COMPLETE)

41 - Falling to the Ground

Benny ran across the road and knocked on Abuela's door. There was no answer.

He checked to see if the door was open, thankfully it was. He went in and grabbed his phone from the kitchen table, putting it back in his pocket. He wanted to check she was alright, as she didn't reply to the door, so he wondered around looking for her. He was as silent as a mouse.

He walked into the living room, she wasn't there.

The laundry room, empty.

Fire escape, no sign.

He went to her room and saw her on her bed. He breathed a sigh of relief, she was asleep. He wondered over holding his breath watching her carefully. She was as still as a statue. He didn't say a thing.

He suddenly realized how wrong he had been. Tears began to sting his eyes. Whatever he was now thinking, had to be a dream. It couldn't have happened to Abuela.

"Abuela." He said calmly and concerned. There was no response.

"Abuela! Wake up." He shook her slightly, nothing.

He held his hand to her heart...

...

...

...

...

...nothing.

It wasn't beating.

The tears came, pouring out of his eyes like waterfall. He screamed, falling to the ground. Wailing, screaming, crying. Struggling to believe this had actually happened. A list of people he had to tell suddenly ran through his head.

Sonny,

Daniella,

Carla,

Vanessa,

Usnavi,

Camilla,

Kevin,

Nina, his girlfriend, the light and love of his life.

He dreaded telling her that they had just lost the person who had helped her so much with everything. She had always been there to help Nina with her studies. She has been her rock, her light, her Abuela for the last 19 years. He knew he had to break the news to her, it was only fair. He just hoped he could be there for her and not be in too much pain himself to not be able to help.

He stayed on the floor looking up at Abuela on her bed. He waited a little longer. Then checked to feel a pulse again. Nothing. He checked for any movement of her lungs. Nothing.

On her bedside table was her tablets bottle, a glass of water with one tablet on the side. She must have just been about to take it. After being silent with nothing but his sobs and thoughts of her and telling the others echoing through his head, he ran.

He ran as fast as he physically could. Away from her apartment. Straight to the bodega. His cheeks, tear stained, red and hot.

He ran in and fell to his knees on the floor again. He didn't know what to say, or how to say it.

As he fell, Nina threw herself to the ground, wrapping her arms around him. "What's wrong baby?" she asked worriedly. She wondered what could be so wrong that he was breaking down.

Benny sobbed into her shirt. "A-A-Ab..." he couldn't speak at all through the tears. His sobs weren't quiet either. They were loud, heart wrenching sobs, cries and whimpers.

With every one of his sobs, her heart broke more. "Benny, what is it?" she murmured but with a concerned voice. She clutched onto him tightly, trying to calm him down. It hurt to see him like this. Usnavi walked in front of the counter, looking down at Benny and Nina on the floor. He leaned against the counter, pondering over what had happened.