It's been a week since the accident. I'll never forget it the wail of the sirens as an ambulance pulled up, the paramedics rushing around yelling orders at each other. I was strapped to a stretcher and watched as Julie's limp body was hauled onto a stretcher and rolled beside me. We were loaded into an ambulance and the last thing I remember is beeping machines and loud voices before I blacked out.
I wasn't in the hospital long just one day so they could make sure I was okay. I had to get stitches on my head and some bandages on my left arm but other than that I was fine.
"You're lucky," Everyone told me, but I didn't feel lucky. Julie was not doing nearly as well as me she had extreme head trauma and was still in a coma.
I sat by her bed everyday for as long as I could. The doctors told me that she was likely to get better after the first 2-4 days and that they were hopeful for recovery, that she was showing good signs, but it's been a week and she hasn't shown any signs of waking up.
I walked into her room and sat down in the chair pulled up beside her.
"Hi Jules," I took her hand in mine lightly brushing my thumb over it.
The nurses told me to talk to her, they said that people in comas often can hear and understand what is going on around them. I come see her everyday so it's fallen into the same routine, I tell her everything I know that's going on, I tell her the gossip, messages from other people and what's going on with her favourite bands.
"Tickets are going on sale in a couple of days for All Time Low. You better wake up soon or I'll be forced to go with Mikey and he's always late to everything," I laughed weakly trying not to let the tears show through my voice.
I missed her like hell, I could picture her frantic voice and smile on her face as she yelled at me to refresh the page and nervously giggling. I imagined her face lighting up as lights flashed and guitars riffs blared though the speakers. I would watch bobbing my head to the music as she danced and screamed the lyrics at the top of her lungs along to the songs. If only she would wake up.
"I miss you a lot you know," I tucked her hair behind her ear speaking in a low voice,"it's Friday... who am I going to spend it with?"
I would do anything to have her cuddled up beside me watching AFV like we've done every Friday for the longest time. I actually miss the shitty Chinese food she always makes me order, and rolling my eyes at her as she insists that they have the best egg rolls on the planet. I wish I could go back to last week and never answered that phone call.
Everyone kept telling me she was going to be alright. The nurses said hearing loved ones voices can help encourage patients to wake up, but the problem was I don't know of she loved me anymore. If she did wake up what if she hated me, what if she never wanted to see me again I wouldn't be able to handle it. It would be even worse however if I never got the chance to apologize, if she never heard the truth.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I tightened my grip on her hand as I pleaded, "I never meant to hurt you, I swear to god noting happened. I love you Jules, please be able to hear me please."
My tears came faster now as I wiped my eyes trying to get myself together. I ran my fingers through my hair and rubbed my hands over my face taking a deep breath, to calm myself down.
"Anyways..,"I tried and failed at a small laugh, "Ben says he misses you, well actually I think it's more him getting sick of me mopping around the house all the time..."
I continued the one way conversation for a while longer, still half expecting her to open her eyes and softly giggle or snap snarky comment as if she was pretending the entire time.
"Visiting hours are up sweetheart," a nurse with sad eyes laid a hand on my shoulder, "it's time to go."
I looked down nodding and gave Julie a light kiss in the cheek.
"I love you," I mumbled in her ear.
~*~
I laid in bed with my eyes closed trying to fall asleep, restless. My mind had been racing, images of car lights flashing, sirens wailing, machines beeping, and Julie laying there unconscious beside me filled my brain.
Tears pooled in my eyes and I shook my head, no, I needed to stop reliving it. I had to stop all the bad memories and focus on the good ones.
I thought of the first time I met Julie.
My Mom was having a few of her friends and their families from work over for a barbecue. I came outside with the snacks my mom asked me to get and placed them on the table.
"Thank god, I'm starving," a giggle came from behind me.
I turned around to see a cute blonde, her hair up in a high ponytail. She was wearing a short red sundress and even with heels she only came up to about my chin.
"Hi I'm Julie," she said giving me a small quick wave.
"Luke," I nodded nervously smiling at the gorgeous bubbly girl in front of me, "so we have pretzels and um popcorn.. Oh! And we have.. dammit,"I nervously rambled knocking over the bowl of pretzels in the process.
She let out a loud laugh throwing her head back as I scrambled to clean it all up.
"I'll just grab myself some chips," she said leaning down taking the bowl from me, "here let me help you with that it was my fault."
"No no really I'm fine, really it's fine. I'm just clumsy and awkward," I quickly finished cleaning up my mess.
"Maybe but you're kind of cute too," she said a small smile creeping onto her face.
I'll never forget that day along with so many others. My favourite moments were spent with her, and I wanted to spend so many more. I just laid, there on my bed for a while imagining all we could still do together and how much we had planned...
I jumped quickly as my phone rang from my bedside table and reached out to grab it. My heart sunk as I read who was calling, it was Julie's sister Abigail. My hands shook as I went to answer the phone, there was only two reasons she would be calling this late either, Julie had started to wake up, or I don't even want to think of the alternative.
I answered my phone hesitantly, "Hello?"
"Hi Luke?" Abigial's voice sounded choked with tears.
No this can't be happening, she's okay, she has to be.
"Abby what's wrong?" I said wishing for her not to tell me the news I was dreading.
"Luke you have to get down to the hospital," her voice was urgent, "Julie's waking up, she's going to be okay."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and a huge smile spread across my face. "I'll be right there," I said hanging up the phone.
I threw on a coat and grabbed my keys rushing to get to the hospital as I willed the tears away. I couldn't believe this, Julie was going to wake up, and I could apologize for everything, make up for my mistakes. All I could think as I sped as fast as I could to the hospital, was this was a dream because my biggest wish had come true and I just couldn't wait to see her.
~*~
A/N: I will be updating this probably once a week or so until I finish State of Grace and then maybe a little more often. Please vote and comment on what you think and if you have any feedback or suggestions seeing as this is new. I really hope you like it because I'm honestly very excited about it :) tweet me at @cthbassist
