The Amethyst Ring (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

Jinger's POV

Hunter gives a stunned and concerned expression and asks "What happened to her?" I'm speechless. I don't know what to even say. So I just repeat what Jordan told me. "Last night they were driving home from dinner when someone ran the red and crashed into Isabelle's side. She broke her right arm and she hit her head bad. She's... she's in a coma. They think but they're not 100% sure she's gonna come out of it. Jordan was balling on the phone. He asked if I could be there. I have to be there Hunter. Isabelle is like a sister me. And Jordan is one of my best friends. I have to leave the tour. I need to put us on hold too. I can't focus and be here enough for a relationship now." He looks like he's about to start crying now too. "I understand completely. I can get another opening act. But why us? Why do we need to pause? I don't care if you're not here, we can still be together."

"I can't give you enough right now...my mind is gonna be in just one place for a while, and that's with Isabelle. I'm leaving here in about an hour. I'll always, ALWAYS love you Hunter. We'll just have to see how everything is after whatever ends up happening with Isabelle. If she comes out of it I'm gonna be spending some time with her for a while. And if she..." I can't complete the sentence. Hunter touchs my arm as if to say he knows what I was gonna say. He blinks slowly and nods. "...I'll be too emotionally drained to give you everything you deserve if that happens." I finish with tears welling in my eyes. I'm about to walk out when Hunter grabs my arm gently. I turn and look him in the eyes. He has tears coming close to brimming over now. "Jinger, don't you even say that. I love you so much. You'll always be more then I'll ever need or want."

"Hunter, I love you just the same. But I won't be." I lean up and press my mouth to his, his lips slightly parted. It's about the most passionate kiss we've ever had. I run my fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck and up the back. It's as soft as ever. He warps his arms tightly around like he's scared to let me go. I savor the moment. I may never do this again. Or not for a long time. I pull away then and without a single more word said, walk out of his room, and out of his life...

Hunter's POV

That look in her eyes when I asked "What happened to her?" terrified me. So much pain, sadness and almost anger as well. And everything she said to me about her not being enough. And that kiss...It was filled with so

many things, love, passion and I think most of all, sadness. Her feeling that way kills me as much as us breaking apart. It's all too much. I collapse on down on my bed. I look at the purity ring on my finger, the one that matches her's somewhat. All the memories flood into my mind, like the dam holding them back just busted from them all. Our meeting, our first kiss, meeting my parents, meeting hers and her family, that night on the porch swing at her house, all the music we made together...I sit up and prop my knees up. I rest my elbows on them. Then the breakdown comes. I clutch my head in my hands and cry harder then I have in probably my whole life. I just have to let it all out. I hear a knock at my door. I pull myself together best I can, which isn't that great. I walk to my door and see myself in the mirror, my hair messed up from both Jinger messing it up and clutching my head and my eyes red all around. Sam walks in. "What's going on? Jinger just left like 10 minutes ago." I see Jinger's pianist, Madalynn is standing there with him. She's holding his hand too. I've been wondering about them lately. I guess I was right. Sam notices my red eyes and asks "Were you crying? Did she leave for a reason?"

"Yeah, Sam I have been. And yes she did." I explain everything to them. I start crying again at the end, not really caring if they see me crying or not. Madalynn sits down next to me on the bed and pats me on the back. "Oh Hunter..." I lean over and cry into her shoulder a little. "Man...I'm so sorry." Sam says and sits down next to me on the other side. "I just...I love her so much...I don't even know what to do or how to function..."

"I know...But what ARE we gonna do? We don't have an opening act now." Sam asks.

"I'm not real sure...Danielle's not on tour... I guess I could see about that..."

"Yeah that could work."

"But what about you guys? You're Jinger's band and she's...she's not here." I ask Madalynn.

"I'm not sure...we'll probably just leave I guess."

Sam frowns when she says that. "Is something going on with you two?" I ask.

"Well...Sam and I started dating a little while ago." Madalynn smiles.

"Wow that's really cool. Congratulations to y'all."

"Thanks man." Sam says. They leave then and I take a second before we all head out and see what we have to do to figure this mess out...

Jinger's POV

I land in Nashville around 7pm. I grab my luggage and head straight to the hospital. "Name?" The woman at the desk asks. "Jinger Jones."

"Ahh yes. They've been waiting for you. Room 722."

I thank her and go up to find the room. I find Jordan standing by the door. I run over and hug him. We cry about it to gether for a minute. "How is she?"

"We're not entirely sure. She seems like she'll come to but we don't know when..." He says drifting off. I glance down at the floor biting my lip and back more tears. I walk in and brace myself for what lays inside. I see her hooked up to machines and a cast on her arm. She's still the same pretty girl I always knew even with out her makeup and all bruised up. Jordan was pretty much fine because the car drove into the other side then where he was sitting. He just need a couple stitches on his from glass. I sit down near her and hold her hand. "Hey Isabelle, I know you probably can't hear me but I miss you. Please come out of this okay? I need you Isabelle. We need to be at each other's weddings. I need to see those redheaded kids of you said you'd always have. We need to be parents together and our kids be best friends. We need to be those two old grouchy annoying best friends. You're like a sister to me. You can't leave Isabelle. Jordan needs you. You're family needs you...I need you. Please don't leave us Isabelle. We love you too much." I burst out sobbing again. I just let out all the tears I've been holding back about everything. With this, and with Hunter. I go back into the hall with Jordan and talk him into letting me be the one who stays the night with Isabelle. He leaves then and I head down to the cafeteria to get a little something to eat. I get a sandwich head back to Isabelle's room. I turn on CMT and they're giving a quick brush up on the top 10 videos. Tattoo is at number 2. I almost cry at the thought and sight of Hunter. I miss him so much. But I had to do what I had to do. I sit back in the chair and slowly drift off. I waleup around 1 am to a text from Hunter. "Jinger, I know all thats happened and everything has become different but I want you to know that I will always love you no matter what. Forever and always." I start to well up and text back.

"Thank you. I'll always feel the same way too. We just....need a little separation for a little...Okay?" He types back, "Okay." Before I can reply he sends quickly, "Maybe okay will be our always." I burst out laughing.

"Hunter!! Omg hahaha!!! "

"But really I do understand. No talking or texting for a little while too?" I think about if for a minute.

"I think just for a little while. Just until Isabelle comes out of this and recovers okay...if she does." I tear up a little as I send it.

"She will. I know she will. I've been praying all day."

"Thank you...I love you Hunter. Goodnight and goodbye for a while."

"I love you Jinger, Goodnight. "

I shut my phone off and fall back asleep. I dream of Hunter and I in a sunny, happy place. Together. The way it should be. But it just can't be right now. I don't know if it ever can be again...