Coma

Marie's Death

■Baldwin.

Theo’s POV

I turned back to the hospital, to Marie, in my mind, I was praying for her to live more, the doctors told me any minute could be her last, I was preparing myself to hear this soon, but I just cannot imagine it, I need her more in my life, she deserves more, she was full of life, but life wasn’t fair for her. I hope I could fill the gap in her life, but I didn’t. I couldn’t be all the people who should be around her, I couldn’t fill her mother’s love, nor her father’s care, I was her elder tender brother. Damian and Laurie were visiting her from time to time, but as I reached her room, there was Kate. She was sitting in the bed next to Marie’s, she was asleep, while sitting.

“That stubborn girl, I told her to go to her house, yet she still came.” Honestly, I needed her to be here for me more than for Marie, she gave me strength, without even knowing that, I came closer and looked at her better, I wish I could touch her face, she is so peaceful and calm when she is asleep, she looks like an angel, I took my coat off and covered her. I wish I can tell her how much I loved her. That if she wasn’t with my bestfriend, I would give her the kind of love she always wanted, my blood is boiling whenever I think she isn’t mine, but this life was never fair, with me. She doesn’t like me, she thinks of me as the boy who always fights with her, she thinks I hate her. Although she doesn’t know how I really feel, and its killing me.

She sensed me in the room, so she woke up.

“You’re here. Hi! She said with a sleepy voice.

“I told you to get to your home, why did you come back?

-I couldn’t sleep at home, I just needed to be here. For her, for… you.

-For me? I don’t need anyone. I have her, and she is dying.

-Why you always try to act like this? She asked.

-Like what Kate?

-Like you don’t feel pain, actually, you’re hiding it, you have always done that. You don’t even let Elliot, into this part of your life, why acting tough?

-Life wasn’t fair with me like it was with you Kate, you won’t understand anything, because you didn’t live what I am living.

-But you have people who care for you, let them in, Theo.

-What people? My mom? She left when I needed her most, Elliot? He flied away when I was at my worst. Marie? Look at Marie, she is fighting to breath, I will lose her any second now. What people are you talking about, Kate?

-Me… she said, silence fell.

-I already lost you…

-What does that even mean? She was intimidating.

-Forget about it.

-No, NO, what does it mean Theo? Tell me.

-I consider you, like… Marie, my little sister.”

I screwed it, again.

“Like your sister? She said with a shaky mocking tone. And I thought you’d say something else, fine Theo. I don’t mind, but at least, you can talk to me. You will find me here, for you and for Marie. Keep that in your mind, you mean a lot to me.”

I smiled at her.

“Wow, the first time I see you smiling friendly. She teased. Thank you for this”. She pointed at the coat.

“you’re welcome.”

NYC, at the Griffins.

Roy’s POV.

“Mom, you need to have your medicines, you’re killing yourself.

-I did son, yesterday. I won’t take them now, I feel like I don’t want to.

I feel like I am getting better.

-So you can step out of the house, today?

-I will try son, please don’t force me, I will try my best. How is Fred?

-Fred is better now, he came back to home yesterday, do you want to see him?

-No, I can’t.

-Why, mom?

-I am afraid that they are still here, those thieves, they might hurt me again.” She started shaking.

She wasn’t getter better, it was the total opposite, she was still in shock.

I called the nurse, she helped me forcing her to take her medicines.

“I am sorry mom”, she was screaming for help. She is totally losing it.

AS I left the room, Diana was outside in the hallway, near my mother’s room.

“WHAT THE f**k DO YOU WANT?

-You should consider taking her to the rehab center, she is getting worse, every day. Said Diana.

-Actually, I am considering taking you to the rehab center, because you are getting into something that doesn’t concern you, again. I threatened her.

-Watch your tone when you are talking with elder people, said Walter, Diana’s son and my mother’s stepbrother.

He was this thin, very thin man, with his cheekbone so clear you can see them from far away, his white beard, his messy hair, he was a mess. I didn’t like this man, he was a loner, he spends money on weed, and owns a little drugstore in Texas. Here he is doing nothing but spending Fred’s money, and trying to get his wealth.

-Says who? I mocked him, the man who never comes to his home only with side chic’s, or drunken? Mind your business, Walter.

-You’re talking with my mom here, I swear to God, I will hurt you bad if you tried anything with her.

-Like you did with my father and brother, right? I said angrily.

-You don’t have any proof. Said Walter calmly.

-Stop! Boys! Calm down! Walter, go to your room, now! Tried Diana to push her son away.

-If it wasn’t for Fred, I would have kicked you out and made sure you never find peace, you freak. I screamed in his face.

-You can’t do anything, you don’t have any proof and you won’t. Your mum is already crazy. Proof that I am guilty, then sue me, Mr. Griffin”. Said Walter while going back to his room. Diana followed her son.

■AT Elliot’s apartment

Elliot’s POV.

I looked at the fading bruise on my face, I remembered the hard punch, caused by my hurt friend. I deserved it, guilt is killing me, once I said what I did, it became more painful. Not only because I cheated on Kate. But because I was selfish enough to stop her from her true love. I wanted her all to myself, but since Marie’s death, she changed. She wasn’t my Kate, she became someone else. She always wanted my attention, but when Marie got into the hospital, she stopped calling me, she couldn’t see me, she didn’t anything to do with me, I thought she stopped loving me. This idea was coming and going, and I was getting more anxious about losing her. I tried to contact her more, but my work, my schedule, was getting busier, day by day, that I had to stop reaching her, I tried to finish early and go to her, but she wasn’t there, she was zooming out, whenever we have our time alone, she couldn’t handle any effort anymore, she stopped touching me, she was becoming life less. In the second hand, all her attention went to her friend, who’s death showed me some cards of the truth that I didn’t want to face. Kate was falling for Theo. And I couldn’t do anything, it was natural phenomena, I can’t blame anyone of them, but I wanted her, all to myself.

■Baldwin back then.

Marie died. I was taking it deeper than I thought. I still can’t believe it, how can somebody’s life roll in front of her. Her last words to me were “Thank you for the best years of friendship”. Those words made me proud, yet broken.

After the funeral, her laugh was all what I was thinking about, her naughtiness, her dares, everything we shared from secrets to competitions, I want her back to compete on the cheerleading leadership. Her photo was put on the wall of honor, for the students that left a good impact on the university. She was beautiful. All the people who knew her, were sad, our friends, even Pascal, and Sophie, were sad for her loss.

All I was thinking about too, was Theo. I couldn’t get his face when he got the bad news. He was reaction less. He didn’t cry, just stood still, he was a body walking, no fire. He was the only one pushing me to start over. I needed him to do anything, any reaction, he might fall sick.

Me, Matteo, Dilan, Zac, Elliot, we all tried to reach him, he was in his home isolating himself.

I didn’t give up like the others. I kept coming back to his home. He was stubborn, I was more stubborn. I kept banging on the door. Then I remembered.

“No. He isn’t here. I know where I can find him.”

I ran to the subway station, where I first saw him, he was all alone. No, not this time.

The subway was empty, as I thought, I remembered that day when I walked in this place in my unicorn pajamas shyly, this time, I was hearing my own breath, my lungs were aching from the running.

There he was, standing on the edge of the subway train stop.

“I knew you might be here.” I said while panting.

He just looked at me, then turned back, he didn’t react.

I came closer to him. His face was tired, he had dark circles under his eyes, there were tons of cigarettes leftovers on the floor, he smelled like cigarettes.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOURSELF? I screamed in his face.

He didn’t say a word, just took another sip of his cigarette. I took it from his hand and started beating him.

“Wake up you i***t! What is wrong with you? Just say a f*****g word, what on Earth are you doing with yourself?”

The beating got harder that he moved, he was losing his balance and getting back, I kept punching and beating his chest. I pushed him to the edge, he held both of my hands hardly and stopped me.

“JUST STOP! He said.

-Theo, you are hurting me”. I said with a low tone.

He noticed and pulled away.

“I am sorry, he said. His tone was shaky.

-I am sorry too, I shouldn’t push you to your limits, everybody was looking after you. You don’t need to be strong, you can let pain get the best of you, this, what you’re facing isn’t easy, please. Just do any reaction, don’t keep it into you. Please”.

As if my words hit him hard, Theo took a deep breath, and started crying, just like a baby, his legs couldn’t handle his weight, he fell to the ground, on his knees, still crying. I sat next to him and hugged him. He put his head on my shoulder, stick his nails in my shoulder and hugged me tight, tight I felt he was holding hard to beat his sadness, like he needed someone he can be on ease with, I wanted this too, he was my solace and I was his.

“She was my only family, and I lost her too. Why do such things keep happening to me, Kate? Am I this bad?

-No, you are not, you were the best brother, she could ever have, please don’t be harsh on yourself.. I am here for you.” I couldn’t help it, with his cries, I cried too, I just let myself into this hug, I couldn’t think about anyone, it was just him and I, that is when I knew exactly what I feel, I love Theodore.

~Meanwhile, at the same moment that Kate went to the subway station, Elliot followed her, without her knowing, he was so worried about Theo, that he too went to the subway station, he saw everything, he felt something that threatened his love life, he couldn’t say a word. He was feeling Kate and Theo fading away, he couldn’t lose both of them, he loves her and loves Theo.

Elliot’s POV

I went to Theo’s, hopefully he would open up. I was on the sidewalk of the next house, when I saw Kate running in the opposite direction, she didn’t notice me, I followed her, to the subway station, when I saw her and Theo, she was beating him, he stopped her. There was a moment, I felt like they were on another level, I felt something, I wish it doesn’t happen, Theo loves her. Else what, he isn’t emotional with people, even with Sophie, he didn’t love her. But here, I knew for a fact, I didn’t want it to happen, my best friend loves my girlfriend.

I left the subway station, tears started falling down my face.

“Why are you in pain, why are you crying? Kate still loves you, she is yours, don’t act like your bestfriend is stabbing you, he didn’t try even to seduce her, he was furthering himself” I tried to convince myself, they didn’t do anything wrong, but judging by the way they were hugging each other, she never hugged me this way, although we shared a lot of things, this passion wasn’t one of them. I can’t stop imagining them, kissing each other and waving at me like they knew and loved how they’re cheating on me.

“You have to put an end on this Elliot, have faith in them, or you have to distract them apart.”