Broken Youth

Chapter 40

~ Chapter Forty ~

••Calum••

"You okay?" Luke ushered me awake, resting his head on mine.

"I guess." My voice was hoarse, my face wet. Tears. Fucking tears.

"You wanna eat?" Mali spoke up, kissing my hair, her hand tightly laced with mine. The same as when I'd fallen asleep. "It's 8am on Tuesday. The day after the day Lauren... You know... In the snow."

I smiled to myself. She knew using certain words would kill me, but not using others would leave me clueless. "I wanna eat a whole fucking cow. But I can't so... I'll go for the hospital's version of Chinese." Michael grinned at me from across the room, offering me a thumbs up. I returned it, attempting at a smile back.

"I'll go get it for all four of us."

"What about the others?"

"They've gone home- they'll be back in half an hour. Harry's talking to the doctor on our behalf." I smiled, heart sighing. Harry was such a good guy.

"You go get food then, Luke, we'll stay here with Mike." Mali shoved him away as she murmured lyrics to my latest piece. I always went to Mali for guidance and luckily this time she loved it as it was. 'Everything I Didn't Say' was Louis' favourite and so he persuaded Luke and Mike to record it with me. It sounded alright but we turned it upbeat with Ash's drums and now it's Mali's favourite.

"I love you Cal, I know it's hard but I still love you." Little did I know that those words would stick with me forever.

"Mali, you're my hero. I love you." I tried not to sound as cheesy as the words but my gruff voice made it sound as though I was chocked by tears.

*

The doctor rushed past us, his hands grasping a clipboard with her name on it. Bold, black letters sinking into the page, leaking love, blood and everything else that made her, her.

LAUREN IRWIN.

My heart stopped as the information properly sunk in. My eyes widened, new found tears leaking from my eyes as Luke grabbed my hand trying to stop me from running after the man in the white coat. I glared at him, everything in slow motion as I wrestled out his grip, skidding slightly on the tiles before sprinting after the middle aged man. I stumbled blindly, tears clouding my vision as I heard the words I could never forget, speeding past a women in a blue coat and into the room labelled 'EMERGENCY'.

"We need more support!" His voice was deep, rich with power and status. I gasped at the sight of her. My beautiful girl. My legs wobbled as she continued to throw up blood, her heart monitor slowing with every forced stretch of her stomach. The tears I'd tried so hard to stop falling, fell. I felt for a chair, not able to stand any longer, my legs giving way just as the woman I'd run past moved one closer. I couldn't thank her; my voice was gone.

"REPEAT! WE NEED SUPPORT!" My hands shook with fear as her body stopped moving, her blue eyes dulling greyer, her sobs and screams subsiding to a small whimper of pain. I ran to her side, lacing my fingers with hers, the doctors attempting at pulling me away but failing.

There was one last thump.

One extended beep.

And then my heart broke.

Her eyes closed, mouth relaxing and the falling tears stopped, the remainder tracing small lines down her face.

I screamed.

Her warm, clenched hand released mine, freezing my fingers numb. I sobbed uncontrollably as Ashton stumbled in, collapsing instantly, his eyes catching sight of the beautiful mortality his sister had just become. My already broken heart shattered into pieces when he called out for her, voice breaking with pure pain.

The room fell silent, all eyes on me as I attempted at regaining my strength to stand up, pushing her brown hair away from her face, and behind her ear; something I'd never see her do again.

"I never got to tell her how much I loved her." Someone broke down as I pushed myself away from the only girl I knew I could ever love. "I love you Lauren Irwin, with every part of this broken body. And a million times over."

[Authors Note]

I'm so sorry.

For: Nora. I love you quite a bit a lot.