Eve and Lexie

Chapter 7

“This is all my fault. If I didn’t assume and convince myself, we wouldn’t be here. I was so sure you two were dating or something was going on.” A long pause and Eve begins to speak again. “This is all my fault, Kai.” She looks over with tears running down her face. Kai shakes his head before speaking, “No, this isn’t your fault, Eve. No one could have predicted this would have happened.”

His words didn’t make her feel better but Eve knows it’s true; no one could have predicted this happening. As they pull into the emergency room parking lot, Eve gathers herself together, not wanting to be crying while entering a building. After finding parking, the two of them run into the building. Kai immediately goes to the front desk, asking for an update but there isn’t one. Walking to the waiting area, Kai shook his head at an already sitting Eve. Almost immediately after, Lexie’s parents show up. Kai brings them to another area to talk, not wanting Eve to hear what happened all over again.

“As Eve told Mrs. Collins, they had a fight and Lexie drove off after Eve got out of the car. She was angry while driving, I don’t know if she was speeding, I couldn’t tell you since I wasn’t there. I think a deer popped out of nowhere and made Lexie swerve into a tree. When I got there, she was unconscious. I asked for an update but there isn’t any.” After Kai explained everything up til that moment, Mrs. Collins starts bursting into tears, Mr. Collins gives Kai a nod that means thanks and consoles his wife. Going back to where Eve was sitting, her parents came into the building.

Mrs. and Mr. Collins, Mrs. and Mr. Sanchez, Eve and Kai are all waiting in the waiting area just as a nurse and doctor come out. The first ones to stand were Mrs. and Mr. Collins, Eve and then Kai, wanting an update.

“Miss Alexandra Collins' family?” The doctor asks, scanning the room. “Yes,” Mrs. Collins speaks up, “Right here. How’s my baby doing?” She walks towards the doctor, wanting an answer. “I’m sorry that I don’t have good news. We had to perform heavy surgery on your daughter. It was grueling and I wish I had better news. I’m sorry, your daughter died during surgery. Her injuries were far worse than we thought.” At the words of Lexie being dead, Eve fell to the ground with Kai immediately wrapping her in a hold as they both sob loudly. Mrs. and Mr. Collins started sobbing as well. Everyone who was there was crying. She was loved.

“I’ll give you a couple moments to gather yourself. When you’re ready, you can say your final goodbyes, family only at this time. Again, I’m very sorry for your loss.” With the last words, the doctor leaves while the nurse stays, waiting to show Mrs. and Mr. Collins to calm down enough. After a couple minutes pass, the nurse takes her parents into the room.

Entering the room, Mrs. Collins sees her daughter, a lifeless vessel that held so much life before. It wasn’t even a couple steps into the room when Mrs. and Mr. Collins burst into tears. Their beloved daughter is now gone.

Lexie sees her parents, sobbing in her hospital room. “Mom? Dad? Why are you crying? I’m alive. I’m right here.” She gets up out of the hospital bed and walks towards them. “Mom? Dad?” She asks again. Not knowing what’s going on, she exits the room and goes into the waiting area.

She notices Mrs. and Mr. Sanchez, Kai and Eve. Kai is hugging Eve while they’re on the floor, crying. “Guys? Why is everyone crying?” Lexie is confused. Why is everyone ignoring her? She doesn’t know what’s happening but she wants to know. Suddenly, Lexie screams loudly, as if she was being murdered. No reaction. Now even more confused and worried, she rushes back to her room.

That was the moment Lexie saw her own body. It looked mangled and her face was cut up. She had stitches all over her arms, legs and torso along with her face. That was also the moment Lexie realised she was dead. She died because of a deer. A freaking deer. She screams again but this time out of frustration. She can’t believe she died because of a stupid deer wanted to jump out into the road.

A few weeks have passed since the accident with Lexie and her death. Eve hasn’t been to school since that day. Standing by the tree facing her tombstone, Lexie watches her own funeral service. This is something she didn’t think she’d do so early on in life; she was hoping to be old and grey and already have grandchildren that she adopted. She was hoping to ask Eve out, marry her, adopt a few children and raise them together, but now they can’t.

During the whole service, her eyes were on Eve. She looks so broken, a shell of her happy self. She’s lost so much weight too. Eve’s appearance concerns Lexie but there isn’t anything she can do about it now. What can a dead person even do? She’s been roaming around, watching her friends and family live on without her. She’s been spending more time around Eve though.

As Lexie watches on, she notices her parents are crying. This surprised her as she thought they didn’t care much for their daughter. Mrs. Collins was always arguing with her. She was their only child, maybe that’s why they were crying. At their current age, they wouldn’t be able to have another kid. Lexie doesn’t know but they were trying for another baby when she was younger, Mrs. Collins was unable to have another. Lexie was deemed a miracle baby.

Lexie noticed, when she visits Eve, she doesn’t eat much anymore and doesn’t leave her room. Eve doesn’t want to be bothered by anyone. She just wanted to be left alone. Whenever Eve starts to break down in tears, she marks her wrist with a razor blade. This pains Lexie to no end, watching her friend and someone she loves slit her wrist every time she’s in pain. She knows this is how she’s coping but this isn’t the only way to do it.