They saw each other first on the train. And then in the same cafe, and then in the same meeting room. He disliked her loud music, she disliked his attitude. Their opinions will have to change when she's hired to work with him.
Rules will be broken...
Shawn Mendes The wait was antagonising. An hour I had to sit in the same chair, mum rubbing my back, dad holding my hand. "Hello" a man in a white jacket said to us. "And?" He shook his head. Mum gasped. "Her heart stopped twice. She was legally dead for four minutes in total. She technically died in the house, they revived her in the ambulance. She crashed again when she arrived" he explained and I wanted to be sick. I felt the burning in my throat. She died in my arms. I was holding her as she died. I let the tears fall. "Where is she?" I whispered. "She's extremely extremely lucky to still be with us. If the ambulance were a minute later she wouldn't be alive right now. But, she's alive. But barely. Her hearts not beating on its own and she's not breathing on her own either" he explained and I nodded. "But she's alive?" Dad asked and he nodded. "She is. But don't expect her to be leaving here any time soon. And after here she'll be entered into a rehab program. Was the overdose intended or accidental?" He asked and I cried harder. "Intended" Dad said and I nodded. "Where's her family?" He asked. "Oh my god. Her family. They don't know" Mum panicked as started searching for her phone. "It's ok, we can phone them. You can go and see her if you like. She's just in there" he said, pointing to a private room.
"I'm going to ring Andrew" I sighed and Mum nodded. I dialled his number and tried to sniff back the tears. "What's up?" He said as the call went through and I could hear music in the background. "Is there any way you can push back the tour?" I sighed. "No. Well, not easily" he said and I sighed again. "Please." "What's happened?" He said, his tone becoming serious. "It's Faith" "I forgot you two were dating" "Yeah, that's not the point" I said and the tears started to fall again. "What's happened Shawn?" "She's tried to kill herself" I sobbed. "Holy shit" he said. "I came home and she took twelve sleeping pills, ten times the daily limit, she died for four minutes in total. For one of those minutes she was dead in my arms. She died in my arms Andrew" I cried and I heard him sigh. "Shawn, look I'll pull some strings. We'll sort out the tour. You stay there as long as you need ok?" He said and I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Ok" "You take it easy. Keep me updated." "I will" "Love you man" "Bye" I cried before hanging up.
"Do you want to go in first?" Dad asked as we stood round her door. Mum said she couldn't see her right now, she was too shaken and she would just get more flustered and unfocused if she saw Faith now. She went home to tell Aaliyah "Can we do it together?" I said and he put his arm round my shoulder. "Together" he whispered. We walked in together and my knees got weak as I saw her. Dad supported me from under my arms. "I think I'm going to be sick" I whispered and Dad helped me to a chair. "Shh, it's ok. Deep breaths" he said, rubbing my back. "This is my fault. This is all my fault. She killed herself because of me" I cried but Dad took me into his arms. "You listen to me. She's a fragile girl Shawn. She always has been. This wasn't all your fault. It was her choice to do what she did. You didn't make her do that." He said and I tried to wipe away the tears. "But it was what I did that made her want to do it" I sobbed. "Shh. It's not your fault Shawn. She's still here, she's still alive" he said and I nodded. "I can't bare to see her like this" I cried looking at all the wires coming from her body.
She had a tube down her throat. Needles coming from both arms. She had a machine strapped to her chest and more tubes coming out of her stomach. Her face and lips had no colour. The only colour on her face was the purple rings around her eyes, and the remainder of blood on her cheek. Her hair was sprawled out around her head and I could see her semi-fake heart beat from underneath her hospital gown. It broke my heart in two. "She didn't deserve this" I whispered, holding onto her cold hand. "It was her choice. You didn't know" "Exactly. I didn't know. I'm her boyfriend for God's sake." I said. "You were busy" "I should never have been too busy for her" I sighed, rubbing my thumb across the back of her hand. "I will never be too busy for her again" "Shawn you need to continue your tour. She's staying here and then going to a rehab centre. She's not going anywhere anytime soon. And if I'm honest I think they'll move her back to the U.K." Dad explained and I nodded. "I'd still fly out and see her" I said and brushed the hair off her forehead. "I know you will son. I know." He smiled. "I'm going to go and get us some drinks. What do you want?" "Just water please" I said and he walked out of the room.
It was just us. Just me and her. I couldn't even remember the last time we were alone together. I couldn't remember the last time I kissed her, or the last time I laughed with her. I couldn't help but blame myself for what happened. I got so caught up in the tour life that I forgot about one of the most important people. I was angry, and disappointed in myself. I held her hand in mine and squeezed it tightly. "I don't know if you can hear me. Sometimes people can, like in the movies and everything, I don't know if you can, but you have to fight this. Don't you let it kill you. Not now. Not ever. I promise with all my heart that I will do everything around you. You will be my main priority now. I promise. I'll be with you every step of the way that I can be with you. But you have to do the hard part. You have to fight through this" I said, tears falling freely onto her hand. I squeezed her hand again. And this time I got a response. Her fingers twitched around my hand, and I knew she heard me.
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