Forever Yours

Chapter 31: Evan Campbell

I was all cried out as the song kept replaying as I fell asleep. The nurses would be in sooner or later to change his position, so I had enough time for a nap. I rested on his thigh while my hands cushioned my head as I drifted off.

His face appeared in my dream. It was prom and I told the guys that I wanted to take him because I didn't get to go to mine. I still remembered his tailored red tux with the black trim and how the bright color bounced off his skin so well. Uncle Lawrence could attest to how much I was drooling over him that night. I couldn't afford a tux, but Chris made me a black one with red trim.

We had a blast that night. We made out underneath the stars after and he snuck me into his room so we could finish the night off. We had thought that Uncle Lawrence was gone and Marcus's moans weren't the quietest. Even though he did get in trouble the next morning, it was still one of the best nights I've ever had.

He was in a lot of my happy memories. I couldn't even picture my life before he came into it. I just remembered baseball games, classes, and my parents telling me what I had to do to live a happy life. Everything was planned and I was just suffocating under the weight of staying in the closet. Being Mr. Prince Charming as Darrius use to say to me. Then he showed up and made it easier for me to come through the darkness. I was slow but I eventually made it through.

And it was all because...of him. I wouldn't have this amazing set of friends if I wasn't bold enough to kiss him that night after the party. I would still be suffering inside and it was all because he trusted me enough to have his heart. What have I given him? Rude words, lies, and now he is fighting for his life because he would have never been with Corey if it wasn't for me. I was blaming Jaylen but this was all me.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried into his leg not being able to stay sleep. I was squeezing his soft skin that was underneath his covering and the tears I thought had dried up were sliding down my face.

"I'm so sorry!" I kept apologizing. What have I done? He was never going to wake up. If he had a choice, he wouldn't want to. He had suffered so much and I didn't want to lose faith, but it was so hard seeing him like this. The doubt begins to creep in every day that his eyes aren't opened.

But I'm not giving up as I whimper, "Baby, please don't go. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And I know that you have suffered but please Marcus, I need you here. Please, wake up."

I laid my face further into his thigh and let out an ugly sound that was a mixture of a sob and a cough. I continued to cry like that until...

I heard it.

It was faint but I could hear an intake of breath. I thought it was mine but then I heard it again. I looked around to see if anybody else was in there with me but what I got for an answer was a slight squeeze of my hand. I slowly turned my head and I had finally gotten the one thing I could ask for...Marcus's hazel eyes staring back at me.

"Marcus?" I whimpered and he takes another long breath before he smiles. I rush to kiss him gently on his face as we both cry. He just continues to take a breath as he clutches to me and even though his voice is muffled by the mask, he says, "I'm going to start breathing now Evan."

"Okay," that's all I could answer with because I didn't understand what he meant but I was so glad he was doing it. I was afraid to remove the mask but Marcus slowly pulls it down from his lips before kissing me softly. Something in his kiss was different. I didn't think it was possible but it was more love in it. It wasn't desperate and every single particle in my body warmed. We didn't let up either. We had been out of each other's arms for too long and I wasn't going to waste anytime.

Then I remembered.

I pulled back with tears still tracing their way down as I reached into my pocket. Even though he was still in his bed, I wanted to do this the right way.