My Sunflower

Ch8: Buffalo, NY - 5 years ago

Clarkson and I are taking our last final exam.  I am as anxious as ever to finish it. I write my last answer, and then look at the clock which reads 7:00 PM. I double check my work, then hand in my exam to the professor. I thank her for everything and she tells me good luck with my future. Exiting the room, I feel relief. I go over to one of the lounge chairs to wait for Clarkson to finish.

I pull out my phone to text Georgiana to tell her I am done. She went to dinner with her mom at 5:00, but I figure she is done by now. Yet, maybe not.

I turn it on, and about 50 notifications flash on my screen. Confused, I go to my texts and see 10 from my mom, 10 from Georgiana's mom, and another 10 from Remi. They all say similar things, such as, "Call me as soon as you get this" and "There's been an accident."

I don't take any more time to read anything else, calling my mom first. I wait nervously as the phone rings, and finally she picks up.

"Mom," I start. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I got a call, from Eileen Anderson. Georgiana was hit."

I feel like I was hit with a big hammer straight into the gut.

"Wesley? Honey? Baby?" My Mom tries to gather back my attention, but I can barely muster up any words.

"Mom," I whimper out, softly. No tears yet, but I can feel them coming.

"Oh, baby, I know. Where are you? Do you want me to pick you up?" She asks.

I shake my head, but someone pulls my phone out of my hand. I turn to see Clarkson's blurry image through my tears.

I hear him talking to my mom, but I can't make out what he is saying through the panging of my heart and my slow sobs. Clarkson then pulls me up, and says into my ear, "She's alive, Wes. She's strong, she'll pull through."

I look at him and see the grim look on his face, and it breaks me more. But the tears flowing out of my eyes stop. I just feel a very cold numbness surge through my body.

Clarkson brings us to the hospital and rushes us inside, where we find only Eileen and Remi in the waiting room. Both silent and neither are crying, but I can make out tear stains on Eileen's face.

Remi sees us first, rising to his feet, hugging us once we approach. I hug Eileen next. She just holds me tightly in her arms for a bit, then hugs Clarkson for the same amount of time. She tells us that Georgiana was headed back to our apartment when someone's car hit hers when she was driving through the intersection. She says that no one's really told her much of anything, but one thing's for sure, Georgiana was seriously injured.

She whispers out, "I feel like it's my fault. I know it isn't, but I can't help to think it is."

I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her, "It's not your fault."

She takes my hand and squeezes it.

Then, in silence, we wait. My mom joins us. We wait. Daniel Anderson joins us. We wait. Tucker and Presley Anderson join us. We wait.

I cry. Just for a few seconds, but I do. I worry, more than anything, that I will lose her. My best friend. My love. My soulmate.

We wait.

A doctor finally approaches Eileen. I cannot hear anything, but I try. Eileen turns to Tucker and motions him to follow them. They leave the waiting room, and the rest of us perk up, trying to figure out what has happened.

No one had heard. So, again, we wait.

I stare off into the corner of the room. My mom sits on my right, rubbing my back, and Clarkson sits to my left, closed off to the world. I hear little sobs coming from him. Next to Clarkson is Remi. He is silent and has his head rested against the wall behind all of us with his eyes closed. Across the room, Presley sits alone. Every now and then, he releases a big huff. Daniel sits alone too, but was sitting with his Dad, Tucker, prior to him leaving. He stares to the hall Eileen and Tucker left us in, looking away from us, but it's obvious to all that he's been sobbing, not that anyone's really hiding it.

No good thoughts go through my head. I try, but I can't get them to go through.

It's been hours since Clarkson and I have arrived here. It is approaching 3:00 AM. I shift to a lower position in my seat, which is the first adjustment I've really made since I sat down.

Tucker returns to the room. His face plain and no emotions emit from him. He points to Presley and Daniel, and wave for them to come back with him. They both rush to follow, and only the four of us sit in the waiting room.

Clarkson whispers, "That means she's probably awake, right?"

"Yeah. That, or in a coma," Remi replies, a little snark in his voice.

My eyes fill with tears again. I don't want to think of the pain she's been through.

I rest my head on my mom's shoulder and close my eyes.

I can't do this. I just can't. 

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