I'm Still Here

Release Day

2 days later I'm allowed to leave. Danny hasn't come to see me and he is never there when I go to the waiting room.

"It's time for you to go home, sweetheart," Elena came up, off her shift, to personally help me leave. "Your boy loves you, he has barely eaten since you've been here, of course I've made him eat."

"Thank you for everything Elena," I hug her.

"No problem dear, I hope I never see you in this hospital again, unless you're just visitin' me," Elena smiles.

"I hope so, too," I say waving goodbye to her.

"Drew, where is everyone?" I say as I get in Drew's car.

"They are waiting at home, I wanna take you shopping," he says driving out of the parking lot.

"Drew, you didn't throw me a 'welcome back party' did u?" I say remembering when. Mikey got in a miner car crash and stayed at the hospital for only 2 days and got a huge party.

Drew smiles and stays silent.

"Andrew Morton! I swear to god! I tried to kill myself a week ago and now you throw me a party, what the actual fuck!" I scream at him.

Drew stops the car and looks at me, "Elizabeth, what is the date?" he says calmly.

I grab my phone, "August 15," I say realizing it's my birthday. "I'm so sorry, Drew, I forgot."

He takes a breath, "It's okay all that you've been threw, I would've forgotten too." His eyes start to tear up.

"Will it make you feel better if I let you put me in a dress today?" Drew smiles and starts clapping his hands, "Nothing preppy!"

"Okay, okay I got it."

***

"Surprise!!" everyone screams. I smile widely and blush.

Danny strolls up and kisses me, "Happy birthday, you look amazing." He twirls me around to look at my new dress. It's prom-like dress with sparkles all over it. The dress is knee length and it's flowy. I probably look odd wearing it with converse, but I don't care. Drew got a makeup artist do my make up kinda dark. I feel pretty.

The band group hugs me tight and so does a lot of other people I don't know.

Danny grabs my hand and leads me up stairs. He walks into my room, shuts the door behind us, and turns toward me. "I missed you, a lot," he says rubbing his thumb over my knuckles.

"I missed you, too," I say watching his thumb bounce over my knuckles. "I shouldn't have-"

He puts his hand up, "It's in the past."

"Are you made at me?"

He stops his thumb and looks at me and I look back. "No," he says continuing to play with my knuckles. He stares into my eyes.

"I love you," I say, Danny doesn't even need to reply because I can see that he loves me in his eyes, on his face.

So I kiss him before he says it back, I kiss him like the world depends on it. I feel myself melting in his arms. Why were we mad at each other?

"Lizy! Cake time," Drew yells from downstairs. I reluctantly peel myself off of Danny and walk downstair. I can tell Danny isn't following me.

When I walk into the kitchen a giant cake is waiting there. It's a cake decorated to look a movie poster about my life, "One Step Closer To Hell." I laugh. I see me and Danny in the foreground holding hands. Drew and Mikey kissing, the band holding their instruments, and my mom holding Ghost Dad's hand.

I smile and start crying. I find Drew in the crowd of faces and hug him as hard as I can. "It's amazing thank you," I say.

"No problem, baby doll," Drew says wiping away his tears. "Now go stand next to it I need a picture."

***
"Goodnight guys, it was a pleasure having y'all!" Drew says closing the door behind the last guests to leave. He walks to the couch and falls onto Mikey. "I sure know how to throw a party."

"Yes you do," Mikey smiles and kisses his forehead.

"I'm gonna go check on Danny," I say heading up stairs. I haven't seen Danny since he took me up stairs.

I walk into his room, nothing. I check his bathroom, nothing. I then go into my room. He is asleep in my bed with music playing lightly and the lights on. I smile and grab one of his shirts and change into it. Next, I turn of the lights and climb into bed with him.

I cuddle up against him and wrap his arms around me. He groans and squeezes me. "I love you, too," he mumbles and kisses the back of my head. I laugh softly and kiss his hand.

"I know you do," I fall asleep in his arms.

The End