Skinny Love

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

          As far as Decklan and I went, no more kissing went on. He barely even kissed my cheek like he used to. I didn’t tell Annabel about the kiss. It never happened, as far as we were concerned. Sometimes I would catch him looking at me, and I wouldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss him again.

          We were back to being best friends, thank god. He was right. He couldn’t do without me, as I couldn’t do without him. It was that mutual understanding of losing someone you loved as a brother and a best friend.

          “Babe?” Decklan called out down the hall.

          “In here,” I said, straightening the last piece of my hair.

          “I brought my jersey,” he said.

          He drove me to school every morning, but spent the night less. Things weren’t awkward between us. They were just…tense...I guess? We got along fine, and we could hang out with much awkwardness. It just seem like we were both walking on eggshells half the time, not wanting to overstep any boundaries.

          “Thanks,” I said, and slipped it on. He fixed the sleeves for me.

          “You’re welcome,” he shrugged.

          School went by quickly and I was glad. Tonight was our last home game. It was sad in a way, but not also.

During halftime we were watching the seniors march off in linked arms, and the announcer said, “The seniors have left the field.” A lot of people were crying, but I wasn’t one of them. Unlike some, I couldn’t wait to graduate.

It hit me that I was a junior. Next year, this would be me. Then it hit me that it was Decklan’s senior year. At the end of this year, he was free to go. And that thought made me want to cry.

          “Hello? Violet?” Annabel asked. I snapped out of my trance.

          “What, sorry, I was just thinking,” I said.

          “I asked if you wanted the rest of my nachos,” she said, “Cause if not, I’m giving them to Andy.”

          “So he’s Andy, now, huh?” I asked.

          “Oh just hush,” she said, and handed her nachos to Andy.

          I watched the game, and cheered as Decklan made another touchdown. The next play started, and it seemed to move in slow motion. All I could hear was the loud thump-thump of my heart. I watched as Decklan was tackled to the ground, and didn’t get up. The referees called a time out, and the teams got on their knees. I stood up, and ran down the bleachers. I sprinted to the gate to the field. They were carrying him on a stretcher. 

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          Minutes at the hospital turned into a week. He was unconscious; in a coma. They didn’t know when he’d be awake. He had dislocated his shoulder and his hip was out of place, but there weren’t any broken bones. He was bruised and cut. Even in a hospital bed, looking pale with bruises and cuts he was still pretty attractive.

          His mother and father had both finally gone back to work. I hadn’t returned to school. I sat by his bedside. I didn’t want to leave in case he woke up. His parents were on call, and were told that they would get a phone call when he woke up. They came and sat by him on their lunch breaks.

          His mother was an obstetrician, and was only four floors up. She didn’t really have a choice about going back to work. She was already here, and babies decide when they wish to be born, not when it’s convenient.

          I sat on the chair beside his bed, holding his hand. His hand was limp in mine. It was warm, though, and rough.

          “How’re you today, Violet?” the nurse asked me. She took Decklan’s blood pressure.

          “I feel like the universe is just trying to see how far I bend before I break,” I sighed.

          “Can he hear me talk?” I asked.

          “I’d say so, because every time you do, his heart beat speeds up just slightly,” she said, “But I guess that just comes with love.”

          I’d lied to the hospital and told them that he was my fiancée. They considered it to be a closer relationship than friend, and let me stay past visiting hours.

          The nurse left and I grabbed ahold of his hand.

          “Decklan, I need you to wake up. I can’t understand how much I need you in my life. I need you. You’ve made my life bearable since Luke died. If you leave me like Luke did, I’ll never forgive you. I need you like I need air, more than that,” I said, and my voice broke, and the tears fell, “You and me, we’re a pair. I won’t know how to function without you. I don’t know how to explain what I feel. I’m hurting, Decklan. I need you.” I closed my eyes and started sobbing.

          I felt warm, rough hands hold my face, and rub my tears away. I opened my eyes and saw Decklan looking at me sadly.

          “Vi, I need you to quit crying. When you cry, I feel all helpless and I don’t know what to do, and I just want you to be happy again,” he murmured.

          “Decklan!” I smiled, and cried more, but it was happy tears this time.

          “What happened to make me feel like I’ve been hit by a bus and why am I in the hospital?” he asked. The nurse walked in, and smiled.

          They explained everything to him, and ran a bunch of tests. Everything seemed to be okay, though and I was glad. After the doctors all left, Decklan scooted over to the side of his bed.

          “Come here,” he said.

          “I’m not allowed to sit with you on the bed,” I said.

          “I’m saying it’s fine, come here,” he said.

          “I don’t want to hurt you.”

          He gave me a pointed look, “You weigh like three pounds, how could you hurt me?”

          I sighed and hopped up in the bed beside him. He pulled me against his side.

          “I’m so glad my fiancée, didn’t leave my side the whole time,” he said.

          I felt my face flush a billion shades of red.

          “They wouldn’t let me stay so I lied,” I mumbled.

          “Well, since you’re my fiancée and all, can I have a kiss?” he winked.

          “Nice try,” I laughed.

          “It was worth a shot.”

          His mother ran in, wearing her scrubs.

          “Sorry, I was in the middle of labor!” she said, and cried, happy to see her ‘little baby awake and okay again.’ The doctors told her more than they told me, and said that he might be able to come home tomorrow if he promised to take it easy at home.

          I was just glad to have my best friend back. I needed his warm arms around me to tell me everything was going to be okay. I needed his scent on my sheets and his forehead kisses to make my day better. I just needed Decklan. I needed him more than he’d ever know.