Fading Away

Chapter Twenty

     (Picture of the guy from the party)

   I parked Nick's truck in the driveway and turned the engine off. I sighed and rested my head against the steering wheel, trying so hard to breathe.

    I ran my fingers through my hair and stuffed his keys into my pocket. I got out of the car and walked over to the passenger side and opened the door.

    "Nick. Nick, come on let's go." I said. I tugged on his arm as hard as I could and he ended up leaning on to me. I struggled to gain my balance. I threw one of his arms around my neck and wrap my free arm around his waist.

     I grunted as we got to the door. I got my keys out and unlocked the door. When I we stepped in, I quickened my steps and took Nick upstairs to my room.

   I opened my bedroom door to find it empty. I walked over to my bed and pushed Nick onto my bed. I tried to catch my breath and put my hand on my hip.

    I walked downstairs and went into the living room and slumped down onto the couch. I lay there on my stomach with my face sunk into a pillow. I grabbed the sides of the pillow and allowed it to muffle out my screams. I finally fell into a deep sleep.

  *Next Morning*

   I woke up to the sound of footsteps coming down the steps.

    I jolted up from my position that I was sleeping in. I knew my hair looked some what of a mess right now, so I ran my fingers through my hair and yawned.

     I looked up to see a slightly confused Nick. He looked like mess. His hair was going into every direction possible.

     "Morning." I said loud enough for him to here. He whipped his head into my direction, looking dumbfounded.

      "What am I doing here?" He said holding is head and shutting his eyes.

       "You got drunk and I wasn't sure if leaving you at your own house was a good option. So I brought you to mine." I explained to him. I clenched my jaw and went into the kitchen, brushing passed him.

     I poured him a glass of water and took out some pain killers from a cabinet.

    I saw him sitting on the couch, holding his head. I walked towards with the water in one hand and the pills in the other. "Here, take this."

     "Mm, thank you." He gulped down the pills and drank the water. "Mila, look I'm really really sorry."

   "You don't have t-" "No, Mila. I came to a party with you and I should have spent my time with you there. I'm sorry that I was so careless and stupid." he explained.

     "Honestly,  it's okay. You were just doing what everyone else was doing. Don't be sorry." I said.

He ran his fingers through his hair and clenched his jaw. "When I was with the guys I saw you talking to some guy. Did anything happen?" he asked.

    I gulped "N-no. No nothing happened. He was just some guy hidding on me."

  All I could picture in that moment was him on the ground and too many drunk people to notice.

      "Um, do you want any breakfast?" I asked walking towards the kitchen.

"Uh no thanks. I should probably go home. Thank you for letting me stay here last night. I promise all make it up to you." He waved a goodbye and left.

     I stood there, just staring at the door. I huge sigh came out of my mouth. I locked the front door and turned around to see him. The guy I made me smile, the guy who was the first person on earth who showed me what sparks felt like during a kiss. The guy who suddenly can make himself visible to the world. The guy who goes by the name, Evan.

     Evan.

        He sat there, on the stairs, looking back at me. "Hey." he smirked.

"Hey." I swallowed the huge lump that was forming in my throat. He stood up and slowly walked towards me, making it uneasy for  me to breathe.

     "How you been?" He asks.

"You know, that question is not really something I'm qualified to answer at this moment." I bit my lip.

"I missed you." He said.

    "Don't do that.  Don't act like nothing happened. I haven't seen you in three days.  I thought you... I thought you left." I gulped.

    "So did I, but I'm here now. I'm going to tell you something that might shock you a bit. Okay um.." Evan sat down on the couch and so did I. "Mila, I saw your mom. She told me to tell you that she loves you and always will.  That none of what happened was your fault. You're strong and you're going to stay strong. Not just for her, but for yourself."

      At this exact moment, tears streamed down my face.  I felt like a knife as stabbed my heart multiple times. "Please tell me you're bluffing." I looked at the ground and all I could hear was the sound of my beating heart. This felt unreal. My mother spoke to him. I don't know how, but knowing that she said it wasn't my fault took some stress off of me. Evan squatted down to my eye level and held both sides of my face.

     "Mila, Mila look at me. Please." And so I did. "You're very brave. Everthing that's happened to you was terrible. Yet you still kept going. And you're going to keep going to fulfill your dreams. You are going to grow old and die a peaceful death. I think that's what your mom would want for you." He said.   

    I looked into his brown eyes searching to see if this is really the truth. "How are you so sure?" I asked.

     "Because I have hope, and so should you."

And with that I hugged him with everything in me.

     I believed every word he said.