Locked in Love

Please Always Remember Me

    I paced the floor of the hospital a million times. He had to be okay. I couldn't deal with another death. I cannot lose someone again that is so close to me. Hours ago, we were all so happy. He was kissing me. Eli was flirting with girls. I was enjoying being back with the boy of my dreams. And Levi Locks wasn't in my life. It takes one person to screw everything up. One person to take the one person that meant more to you than anyone else.

     "Av, maybe you should head back to my house and get some sleep. It will be good for you." Eli softly said as I passed by him.

    I stopped dead in my tracks. "No, Eli. I am not leaving this hospital until he is awake and okay." I started pacing again.

    I just don't understand. What did I do that is so bad that the universe has decided to punish me? First it takes away my brother and now, I'm not sure if I'm going to losing the one person closest to me. I'm a good person. No, I'm not a perfect angel, but I've never done anything that should inflict this kind of pain.

    My phone vibrates for the eighteenth time in my pocket. I ignore it. Maybe I should run down to the cafeteria and get something to eat. It might help calm me.

   "Hey E. I'm gonna head down and get some food. You want anything?" I asked.

 "Uh, a cookie would be cool." He tried to smile. I knew it wasn't a real smile, it wasn't the goofy grin I loved.

   I smiled back and headed for the elevator. It was crowded with nurses, doctors, visitors, and patients. It was eery and quiet. The ride down felt like it took years. No one spoke and no one barely moved. It was getting hard to breathe. Just as I felt like I was going to faint, the silver doors opened to a much more cheery place. I heard little kids running and playing. I smelled delicious food. I walked out into the open area.

   "Hey sweetie. What can I get for you?" The cook asked.

   "One chocolate chip cookie and a chicken sandwich with a small Dr. Pepper, please." I stared passed her.

  "Coming right up. It'll be $5.50." She smiled at me. 

  I handed her the money without smiling back. I just stared straight ahead. I wanted to get back up to Colton's floor. Finally the lady handed me my food and I booked it for the elevator. As soon as the doors opened, it felt as if the wind was knocked out of me.

  "What the hell are you doing here?" I nearly spat in his face.

  "I feel awful. I had to make sure he was okay." Levi, the devil himself, said, looking me in the eyes, searching for sympathy.

   "No, Levi. You aren't allowed to be here. You can't be. He's not okay and it's all your fault. I swear to God, if I lose him, I will never forgive you." I walked in the elevator and didn't say another word to the worthless piece of trash.

  "Can I tell you something?" He asked.

    At the moment, the doors opened and I emerged into the arms of Eli. He was crying. Lord, please don't let this be happened. I looked up at him and he's smiling.

  "He's awake, Avery. He's up. Go and see him." Then he saw Levi. His body tensed.

  "Don't do anything stupid. I already bashed on him." I handed him the food.

  I slowly opened the door to Colton's room. He was laying in his bed, the TV on, apple juice in hand. When he looked up and saw me, he smiled wide. "Hey beautiful."

   "You're such an idiot, Colton! I thought I lost you. What in the world were you thinking?" I breathed as I made my way over to him.

  He coughed a little and then laughed. "It's okay. I have something for you." He reached over to night stand next to his bed and retreaved an envelope. "You can't read it until later. Not here, understand?"

  I nodded my head. What was going on?

   "Now look, I want you to be strong no matter what, okay?" Again, I nodded. "I love you." A single tear escaped Colton's face. 

  "I love you, too. Levi's here."

  "I've missed him so much."

 Shock must have feeled my face because Colton laughed. "Honestly, Avery, Levi and I use to be best friends. We were so close for so long. Crap happens and friendships end. He's actually a really good guy once you get passed this whole ego-maniac. Don't give him too much grief."

  "Wow. That's crazy. I would have never guessed." I smiled.

 "God. I love that smile so much." He smiled at me.

"Take a picture with me! I wanna remember this. Not as a bad night, but as remembering people when they were good. And to you being okay." I smiled and took my phone out.

 Colton smiled so wide. He looked happy. We both did. We were going to be okay. Nothing was going to tear us apart. I loved this boy with everything I was. I was going to marry him one day. I took the picture and smiled to myseld.

  "Now, would you please kiss me one last time?" Colton asked. One last time?

  I bent over his bed and kissed him ever so slightly, and deepened it. Finally, I pulled away.

  "I love you....and always will. Please always remember me." He said and then his eyes closed ever so slowly.

  "Colton. Colton, come on." The monitor next to his bed started beeping. "Baby, come on. Don't leave me." The nurses and doctor flooded his room. "Colton, no. I love you so much." 

  I was now in Eli's arms. I can't do this. I can't handle this. Why? He was so young. He had so much left in him. He didn't deserve to die. This was all Levi's fault.

  I ran out of Eli's arms and into the waiting room. Levi was sitting there, alone. "You did this! You killed the love of my life! You killed your best friend. How can you live with yourself!?! You ruined everything good in my life!" He was making his way over to me. "Do you know what you've done? Why couldn't you have just let it go tonight? Enjoyed your night?" By now he was at me, his arms around me and I collapsed into him. "Why Levi? I just wanted to be happy."

   "Shhh, Avery. I'm so sorry. I know that isn't going to make up for it, but I'm sorry. I'm not going to be able to do anything to gain anyones forgiveness. I feel terrible. I should have left y'all alone. Everything is my fault. I'm so sorry." I looked up at his face. He was crying. Finally, something snapped in me. "Don't give him too much grief." I looked up and Colton was standing there. He smiled at me, "Don't give him too much grief, Avery. he's a good guy, really."

   In that moment, I did something I never thought I would. I wrapped my arms around Levi Locks and we comforted each other.

  "Avery, are you okay?" Eli's voice whispered in my ear.

I turned around and fell into his arms now. "Eli, I'm so lost. You can't let me fall back into the depression. I can't hurt my family anymore. Please."

   "Shhhh. It's going to be okay. Shhh." He patted my hair. "Come on, Levi. Lets head to my house. I need to call my mom again."

  Levi got up and we all made our way to Colton's truck. This was going to be one long week.