Almost Perfect World

Alone

I was already in the same room as Drew was. When he saw me, he smiled, and so did I. He was really pale, but I guessed that that was completely normal. He seemed very happy to see me, but he did not know I was way happier. 

- I'm so sorry for what happened, Drew - I apologized -. I didn't think something like that would happen. 

- Hey - he answered in a low, weak voice -. When you're going to do something, you have to guess how much it's going to cost before; and if it's something you can afford, you go far. We still aren't done with this. I knew this wouldn't be easy.

I hugged him. When I was waiting in the hospital, I thought that I was never going to hug him again, so the hug felt... it was just... I cannot even describe how it was.

Since Drew's parents had already spent some minutes with him, they allowed us to have some time both together, alone. They understood that we both wanted to talk without anyone else around. 

- Do you want to know what was scaring me the most when I got the shot? - Asked me Drew. 

- What scared you the most? - I did want to know what he was about to say. 

- What scared me the most was that, if I died, I wouldn't be able to tell you how much I love you - he said that almost whispering, and my heart started racing -. Anna, I'm in love with you; if suddenly something happens, I want you to know that. 

In that moment, I was paralyzed. Drew loved me, he did. And I loved him a lot. My day was improving, and a lot. I could have done lots of things after Drew told me that, but all I did was one: kiss him. 

I kissed him like it was the first time, actually it was, but also like it was the last one, like he was dying and I was not going to kiss him ever again. Actually he had almost died that day, so I had reasons to do that. 

When his lips touched mine, it was a feeling that I had never experienced before, and it was the best feeling ever. 

When our lips got separated, I looked at drew into his eyes. I still could not believe that he loved me; it was like... what I thought was never going to happen in my entire life.

- Please Drew - I begged him -, don't almost die again. - He laughed so hard, so I guessed that he found that funny. I didn't though. 

I guessed that a hospital was not the ideal place for a first kiss with a guy, but I could not help it. Since what had happened that day, I could not be sure of what was going to happen, so, it was better to say everything I was feeling and show it before it was too late. 

After our moment together without any interruptions, Drew's parents came. I left the room; well, I was supposed to, right? I mean, he had to be with his family. 

When I left the room, some journalists were there outside. "Great", I said to myself. I didn't know what they were doing there. What did they want to? I hated journalists, I swear. "Now they'll start asking me a lot of questions that I don't want to answer", I thought. I was not wrong at all, the journalists were there because they wanted to know more about Drew's shot an stuff. I did not want to tell them anything, why? For them to have good news for their newspaper? Sorry, I did not like that. All they wanted was to sell newspaper, or whatever they were doing. And, Drew's "accident" was a good new for them, let's face that. But, if they had used empathy, they would have known that I would not have liked it to talk to them, neither did Drew probably.

I was about to tell them to get out of there, when the principal of my high school whispered in my ear something pretty cool. 

- I know you aren't going to tell them anything - he whispered -; but what if I tell you that newspapers are a good method to spread your purpose to change the world? 

I had not thought about that! He was absolutely right, newspapers could spread our project, and maybe some schools would be interested about it. It was the best plan ever. The principal was a really smart man. I was going to tell the journalists all I could without a doubt. 

- Hello young lady - the journalist was right in front of me, with a microphone and a camera, he was supposed to ask me -. Would you mind it if I asked you a few questions?

- Not at all, you can ask me anything - I told him -.

- So, as the girl who saw the shooting, and who almost got a shot too: can you ask me if there was any reason for that guy, Ethan Richards, to shoot both you and your friend?

- There's no right to shoot anyone, and we did nothing to him. I kinda guess some part of that, but, it wasn't fair anyway. What happened wasn't fair.

- Can you tell me a little bit more about that, about what happened? 

- Sure. My friend Drew and I lost a friend to suicide a few months ago. Our friend was being bullied. We found it so unfair that there were people so cruel, and we decided that we wanted to make a difference. We designed a project which consists in this: students in schools, aside of studying, to pass, they have to do good things for other people, nature or whatever. If you don't do any, or do bad things way too much, you can't pass. We showed it to the principal of my high school to get some opinions about that. When we were coming back after telling him that, that guy came with some friends. He had heard about our project, and it seemed like he didn't like it at all. So, he caught the pistol, and shot him. That's what happened. 

The journalist finished the interview, or whatever it was, and he left.

- Wow! - Exclaimed a 30-years-old man who came out of the blue - Change the world... I like that idea so much. Can I hear more about it? 

I got surprised, who was that man? And where did he came from? What did he want? 

- Who are you? - I asked him. 

- I'm sorry that I didn't introduce myself. I'm Jared, Jared Solem, but you can call me Jared. I'm a manager, and I'd like to hear if your idea is worth my time, money and work. And, what I've heard wasn't bad at all, I liked it. 

I could not believe that. I could not believe that we had someone ready to help us and someone with money! My happiness was absolute, in a way words cannot describe at all. Our project had a light in the end of the road.