No Worth

Awake

Mitch's POV 

I'd seen it all. The kid, the crash, the fall. Yet it all seemed to happen in slow motion. 

I want to move forward, but I'm too in shock to. 

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" I hear him shout. Now I'm even more surprised. What was this kid's deal?

"S-s-sorry." I hear her stutter. 

Why was she apologizing? Like hell this was her fault! I start to move forward, angry now, and I hear some others following my lead.

"Wait a minute..." the kid starts, getting closer to her. 

That makes me hesitate. What if he was a fan and felt really bad about it?

"I know you! You're AshleyMarieeGaming!" he exclaims. That confirms my previous thoughts. Or so I think. She nods weakly, and I can see how much she's hurt.

She looks up tentatively, almost as if to smile at this bastard, but it's wiped off her face at the kid's look. I can't see his face, but a clenching in my gut tells me it's not good.

"I fucking hate you! You're so stupid, and you barely contribute to any videos you're in! You're a slut and not even funny, I don't get what anyone sees in you!"

No. He did not just say that. I feel my fists clench, and I want to punch the kid in his face. Had he been my age, he would've been on the floor right now. I'm about to step forward, but I see tears trickle down Ashley's face.

It hurts me. It hurts me as much as it had when I first saw my mother cry, if not more. I forget to breathe, and my eyes are so wide they're stinging.

Then she's gone. She runs so fast out of that room I barely have time to blink. 

I'm angry. Angry at the kid who made her feel so awful. I'm about to forget that he's even a kid at all, but Adam's gasp of horror makes me freeze yet again.

"Ashley, no." he whispers, fear evident in his voice. I turn toward him, still seething in anger, but more consumed by fear. In his hand is a little gray pill bottle, and I feel a feeling of dread wash over me, adding on to that already existing.

"These...these are the same pills my mom used to take when she was..." he took a breath. "If Ashley was using these...Mitch. You have to go, now." I look up and make eye-contact with him, and his eyes are gleaming with unshed tears.

That's all it takes. I'm gone in an instant, just like Ashley was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We were in the hospital. My eyes were red and puffy from crying, my throat raw for the same reason.

When she collapsed on he roof, I assumed the worst. There was a second where I thought she was really gone, a second where my whole world seemed to crash. But her shallow breathing told me she was still alive, and it'd given me the strength to take out my phone and call for help. I held her in my arms as carefully as I could.

Jerome, Alesa and Adam arrived first, horror stricken and assuming the same as I did when they first saw her.

"She...she's not..." that was all I could muster to say to reassure them.

The ambulence came next, and I had to pry my own fingers off to let them take her.

We drove to the hospital in silence, and I can't remember if I was crying or not. Everything felt so unreal, and the world felt silent. 

Yet when we reached the hospital, reality hit me like a train, and I ran out of the car and in through the doors, immediately asking if we could see her or where to wait.

And that was how I got here, sitting by the side of my best friend in utter silence, waiting to hear about the girl who meant more to me than I was afraid to admit.

Her parents had been called, but couldn't come right away. They did allow the information to be passed onto us.

"Mitchell Hughes?" I hear a voice call. I turn my head and am out of my seat in an instant, toward the man who spoke. 

"You're here in replacement of Ms. Surcombe's family?" he asks. I nod, and gesture to Jerome, Adam and Alesa behind me.

"As are they." 

He nods politely, acknowledging them.

"You may come in."

I walked in behind him, and there she was, laying on a hospital, eyes closed, UV in her arm. She looked as broken as she had before, and there was still no peace in her features. I wanted to be near her, to reach out and hold her again, for her to respond with as much life as she used to have.

"I believe you are all aware Ms. Surcombe has been taking anti-depressant pills, as you were the ones who brought them into me." I nod numbly in answer to his question, and I'm sure the others have done the same.

"Well we suspect she may have over-dosed on them today. Yet we also suspect this is not the first time these pills have negatively affected her health, such as nausea and dizziness. Although the head trauma she experienced this afternoon worsened her condition. She doesn't have a concussion, but there will be some serious bruising, so she'll need to ice with a cloth to keep the swelling down and keep a careful eye where she walks until it fully heals. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you, since you're not related or immediate family, but I'll leave you alone now. Please do not arouse her, she needs her sleep. I will allow you to stay in the room though." he finishes off. He lingers for a minute, most likely waiting for questions, but none of us paid him any mind. I hear Jerome mutter a quiet "thank you," and he's gone.

I feel myself move toward her, just wanting to be closer to her, even if I couldn't touch her.

Her breathing was even now, and she did look extremely tired.

"You okay buddy?" Jerome asks quietly. I move my eyes to his, realizing I'd been staring. I rub my head under my hood, considering my answer.

"Yeah, I think so." I sigh out.

As long as she was safe, I would be too.