What She Forgot

Chapter Twelve

"Out of my way!" 

I jerked up in the uncomfortable seats outside of Ariana's ICU room. I shook my head and started to settle back down. This happened almost every night. One of the other patients in the ICU needed to be saved. Ariana never needed it. It wouldn't be Ariana. 

"She's not stable! Hurry, we need to prep her for surgery!" A doctor shouted.

"Doctor, Miss Brooks needs surgery, now!"

Miss Brooks? 

I jerked up in my seat again. I blinked away sleep hurriedly, groggily standing up. My eyes were completely open and awake as Ariana was pushed past in a gurney. I sluggishly ran after. 
"Hey, hey! Wait!" I shouted. "Ariana!" 

Another nurse came into view, forcing me to stop. "Sir, you need to sit down."

"Where are they taking her?" I demanded.

"Surgery. She has severe internal bleeding."

"Sam?" I numbly turn my head over my shoulder. I see Peyton walking towards me. She places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Sam come sit down with me." I nodded numbly. She smiled comfortingly, but I could see tears welling up in her blue eyes. I let Peyton lead me to more hospital chairs. As I sat down, Peyton sniffled. "Sam, we're going to get through this. But the best way we can help Ariana wake up is allow the doctors to do what they need to do."

"I- I just-" I couldn't complete my sentence. I just sighed and put my head in my hands. 

I felt Peyton place her hand on my shoulder. "I understand. I want to protect her from everything too. But this is the best thing we can do."

"I feel so helpless," I admitted, my voice small. 

"Don't we all?" Jai asked, plopping down into the chair beside me. He sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. "I hate watching my best friend like this. It's like she's about to slip right through my finger tips." 

"And we can't do anything to stop it," I said. 

Peyton wiped tears from her eyes and sat back in her chair. For once, she looked like a mess. Instead of her usual perfected look, Peyton's top was wrinkled and her skirt was wrinkled even more. Her hair wasn't done in a perfect way, it was just down and natural. Even frizzy. As Peyton held herself and tried not to cry, I realized that maybe this was the first time that Peyton didn't care what she looked like. 

Jai wasn't much better. His hair wasn't done either, instead it was matted to his head on one side and the other stuck up crazily. Dark circles hung underneath his eyes. His black eyes didn't scream humor anymore. They screamed sadness. His eyes always seemed to be sad these days. Jai's carefree demeanor was gone. It was replaced with stress and sadness. It was like someone had placed the weight of the sky onto his shoulders.

All of a sudden, Jai's phone began to ring. He tiredly picked it up without checking who it was. "Hello?"

"Tell me it's not true!" A male voice shouted into the phone. Jai winced and ripped the phone away from his ear. Peyton leaned forward in interest. Even she could hear the yell. The voice was definitely male and had an accent. An Australian accent. Ariana still had a trace of hers, but Luke's and Jai's were completely gone. 

"What? Who is this?" 

"Seth!" 

Jai's face dropped. He shared a look with Peyton. Whoever this Seth guy was, they both knew. And I didn't. "You found out didn't you?" 

"So it's true?" Seth, whoever he was, yelled. "She's really dying?" 

"Yes," Jai sobbed.

A heartbreaking sob roared from the phone. The boy, Seth, was shamelessly sobbing. Peyton started crying along with him and from her expression, I knew her heart had broken for him too. Jai eventually started crying too and he and Seth cried along with each other. Eventually Seth managed to say, "I never should've let her go. I never should've told her I didn't love her. I was trying to give her what she deserves and I let her get hurt. It's my fault." Seth started crying even harder.

Jai stood up and excused himself. As he walked away from me and Peyton, I heard him tell Seth, "Seth, you can't blame yourself. And excuse me? What did you just say? You lied to her?"

I turned to Peyton. "Who's Seth?" 

Peyton paused. She hesitated before telling me. "Seth Hutchings is the great first love of Ariana's life. Her first boyfriend."

"Oh." 

"He had liked her for years, and when there were rumors he didn't like her anymore Ariana fell for him. Hard. They finally admitted their feelings for each other and dated for five months. They were both in love. Just as she was about to move to Los Angeles, Seth broke up with her. He said that he didn't love her. He was Ariana's first heartbreak."

"Oh."

"She still hurts from him. Seth was the first, and maybe only, boy to make her feel special. He was also her first boyfriend and first love. She denies it, but I know that a little part of her still loves him. I think a piece of her heart will always be in love with Seth Hutchings. You can't forget someone who's affected your life so much, you know?"

"Yeah." 

"I think Seth did love her though. I think he just told her that he didn't love her so she wouldn't be held back in Los Angeles," Peyton said. She looked over at Jai, who was talking in hushed tones into the phone. To Ariana's first love. "We'll never know, though." 

And that was that. Conversation over. Peyton sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. In moments, she was already dozed off. I tried to do the same, but the instant I shut my eyes all I could think about was what Peyton said. "She denies it, but I know that a little part of her still loves him. I think a piece of her heart will always be in love with Seth Hutchings." 

I knew that Seth Hutchings' heart was still in love with Ariana too. I could tell from the way he broke when Jai confirmed the news about Ariana. If Ariana ever moved back to Australia, would they get back together? Was Ariana supposed to be with him? Does he make Ariana happier than I do? 

I'll make you a deal, Ariana. If you wake up and you decide you want to be with Seth, if you decide that Seth is for you, if you think Seth is the one who deserves you, I'm okay with it. I won't fight for your heart anymore. 

Maybe I never was meant to. 

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had to bring my baby seth back for another chapter. i'm actually in love w him. i'm sensing a possible spin off book just for the marvelous seth hutchings. ;)

this book will be done by thanksgiving guys !

xoxo,

   mikailaxryan