Coma

Getting Worse

NYC, current time.

Dilan’s POV.

I was away to get some snacks, and when I got back into Kate’s room, I find a stranger man, no, this wasn’t a stranger.

“Theo? Is that you!?” I took a closer look at the guy, he was devastated.

“Dilan… Hi.” He said awkwardly, trying to wipe the tears, he thought that the obscurity of the night could hide his sadness but I could figure it out from his voice.

“We have been trying to reach you.

-We? As who? He asked.

-Matteo and I, we were trying hard but we couldn’t reach you.

-I am sorry but if I knew, I would have been there for you. How is Matt? Nana? And you! Is everything fine with them? He implied.

- it is not. I stopped for a second then continued. Won’t you ask about her? I pointed at Kate, how she was surviving without you the last two years? I cut to the case.

-Me? What are you talking Dilan, you are probably hallucinating. He tried to escape this conversation.

-You know exactly what I am talking and you won’t run away, why did you leave her? To be this miserable, you don’t know how skeptical, egoistical and selfish you were to dump her and her feelings.

-You know nothing Dilan, don’t try to get into this.

-I know more than you think. You hurt her, I believe you’re the reason she is here. I said angrily, he stopped for a second, avoiding eye contact, he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and tried to turn it on, then took a look at her, noticed he may harm her then returned the cigarette back to his pocket.

-What do you know about us Dilan? What exactly did she tell you?

-She told me how coward you were, how much she was ready to do anything to make your thing work, but then you left without a notice. Where the f**k have you been?

-First of all, she didn’t do anything to try and make things work, big proof, she ran back to Elliot the second I left her, and what makes her worse, Elliot doesn’t know about our little thing, which I don’t know how to explain and I don’t intend to interfere in this anymore because I don’t care, second, I had the time to figure myself out and here I am, one of the most successful young people for this year. Now if you may excuse me, I have other things to do.” He said while getting out of the room.

His words infuriated me, but I know he is doing this on purpose, why? I still don’t get why would he act like this. Before he could leave I stopped him.

“Why are you here then? What does this girl in a coma, who you think is bad, do to get your big ass in here, what does she mean to you, to give her some of your precious time, big boy?” it worked, he stopped.

“She reminds me of Marie, that’s why I am here, not anything else.” He said coldly enough to make startle in my place.

“You have changed, a lot, where did the old Theo go?

-The old Theo was buried the day his sister was buried, it was good to see you again, Dilan.

-Elliot was cheating on her, the whole time, and she knew, but you know, she didn’t bother because she wasn’t in love with him, her mind was with you.” He remained at his place for few moments then he left. Leaving me to my thoughts, feeling a shock in my chest, he wasn’t supposed to be this harsh, unbothered, has he really changed to a worse Theo? That day when Elliot told us about this, I couldn’t believe it. But when he left the room, all I could think about was my poor friend, she never could pass her feelings for this i***t who moved on and is living fine, like he never shared a life with us, with her.

Meanwhile, Theo’s POV.

“Elliot was cheating on her, the whole time… but she didn’t bother because she wasn’t in love with him, her mind was with you.”

I felt my heart getting stuck out of my chest at her words, if she just knew, how much I wanted to stay by her side, by my presence in her life was toxic for her. What Dilan doesn’t know is that if Kate needs my soul I would rip it out for her, we suffered enough to get together but fate was never fair with us, with her, with me.

I went to Naomi’s, I thought of her. I wasn’t fair with her. I knocked on her door. I was feeling lost. She opened her door. She said nothing, she just took my hand and led me inside.

Naomi’s POV.

Theo seemed devastated, I invited him, made him sit on the couch, and said nothing. I was waiting for him to speak.

“Things weren’t supposed to be this way, Naomi. I thought everything I did was for her best… but it seems it isn’t. I am losing her. I saw her today. I felt her hand. She was lifeless, Naomi, do you understand me, she was just asleep, she didn’t wake up. She didn’t react in my presence. It is so hard to see the one and only person you were trying to protect harmed, in pain, her best days are getting stolen from her. And you know what Dilan said? I was the reason, that’s what she was thinking, she was suffering being far away, Dilan told me Kate never gave up her love for me, she was present with Elliot, he was cheating on her. God, why the f**k am I living this way? What did I do to deserve this? All I wanted was Kate being safe, loved, surrounded with people she loves and full of her life.”

I felt jealousy running in my body, but I knew this, Theo would never love anyone like he loves her. I bit my inner lip, I didn’t know how to react.

“Tell me more about your story with Kate. I said unconsciously.

-She was the most beautiful girl I knew, the most vivid, vibrant, naughty, she was passionate about everything she did, and I loved her for her everything.

-Did she love you too back then? I asked.

-She first didn’t, but we had this vibe that there was something going on between the two of us, she couldn’t do anything because of Elliot.

-Like the Elliot we saw few days ago?

-Yes. He was my best friend, he was with her first, I couldn’t be with her firstly because of him, but then…

-Then what? I asked with pure curiosity.

-My sister died. And Kate let go of whatever held her, and there we were, in love. We shared the most beautiful days of my life, the purest thing I lived at least, but…

-But what?

- I dumped her.

-Why?

-Family matters, my father was a gambler and he owed Aaron a ton of debt. If I didn’t interfere, my family would have been in danger.

-Is that when you came to New York? With Aaron, and we met for the first time?

-Yes. And then my career got better, but I wasn’t happy, don’t get offended, but the only person I was genuine about, wasn’t here for me, to share my happiness with her. I love her Naomi, bad, hard enough to make me suffocate.” He threw his head back on the couch, closed his eyes and was about to cry, this would have really affected him. He was just perfect. I would never leave his side, I am obsessed with his presence, I loved him more than he knew. I just moved closer to him and pecked his throat, I was ready to make him feel less pain, like by anyway possible, even if it was giving him my body, I wanted him to feel better. He didn’t look me even in the eyes.

“No Naomi, not anymore. I am so sorry.”

I felt offended, but for another second, I could understand, we were never meant to be together.

Suddenly, Theo’s phone started ringing. He picked it up.

“Hi Theo, there are bad news, about your family back in Baldwin. I am sorry but your uncle Damian, and granny Amelie, passed away today in a huge fire accident at her house, Laura is in the hospital fighting for her life.”

■Baldwin, 2 years ago.

Days passed by, and I was getting more and more devastated, I couldn’t think more low of myself, I am disgusted by myself, how cheap I felt. Like I was a doll that he can pull it whenever he wants, and when bored of? He threw me like I never meant anything for him, I told Dilan part of the story, she was so mad, I was mad too, and when we were talking about my problems, I found out she wasn’t on the best terms with my brother, who was moving to New York to elevate his experience in his work. So I had an idea, in mind. I am going to New York, to sort out my things with Elliot.

Dilan’s POV

I got a phone call. It was Matteo.

“We need to talk”. I know where this was leading.

Things were falling down, like tree leaves at the end of summer, my story has come to an end, by the end of this summer. I was prepared mentally, although I still love him. And I know he will come back sooner rather than later. But we need to break up for now, our worlds are totally different.

I tried to remain calm, wore one of my favorite outfits, the one he loved the most on me. Maybe to make him recall the good memories of our relation. Maybe because the memories may console my solitude.

We met at our spot. On the hill, in front of the grand valley of our countryside. I remained silent. I wanted him to talk.

“I am headed to New York tomorrow, he said.

-I know, Kate is going with you too.

-Guess we need to solve some things before I leave, he implied.

-Like the fact that this is not going to work anymore. I said, a lump forming in my throat.

-That’s true.” He said, standing still in his place, far enough to make me feel cold in the summer hot weather.

I didn’t know how I held myself. I just stared at him and collected my strength.

“We are over Matteo Moore.

-I guess we are Dilan… goodbye”.

These were his last words before he left, left me by myself. Physically, it ended peacefully. Emotionally, I was destroyed, I loved him with all of my heart, and here he was, he broke my heart within few seconds. At least, he was straight forwarded, we knew what we wanted back then. I convinced myself to get stronger and then I got back home, tired, I needed to pass this and move on like he did. So here we are, I called Sophie.

“Where is the next party tonight, Sophie?”

NYC, 2 years ago

Kate’s POV.

New York, the city of my dreams, I came here to explore the city, reveal my skills, achieve my dreams, and find my lover, Elliot. Who am I kidding? I love Theo, but the fact that I want to give Elliot another chance is tearing me apart. Like both of their figures are inside my mind, Elliot, the boy who brings the soft side, the safe side of me, the calm Kate. And then there is Theo… his name hits different in my mind. The more I think of him, the more I will get hurt.

Matteo stopped at his office meeting in the early morning before stopping at his apartment. Giving me all the time I need to solve the things out with Elliot.

“Don’t forget the red brick apartment, the 7th floor, apartment n708.”

The instructions that Matteo told me, kept rolling in my head as I was in the elevator. Every closer step raised the sound of my heartbeats closer to my ears, I could feel my palms sweating, heat rushing to my cheeks. I felt dizzy as I walked on the wooded floor, here goes nothing, I knocked the door.