Aftermath

CHAPTER 32!!!

Yaritza’s POV

Silence. We had been in complete silence for 5 minutes now. It was like we were all frozen in place, just staring at an unconscious Jazz, listening to the steady beat of the heart monitor she was plugged into.

I couldn’t believe how hurt she was, none of us could. I knew that it was serious, but nothing could have ever prepared me for this.

She was broken, just...broken. That’s the only word that comes even close to describing her.  It wasn’t only that Jazz had literally broken her right leg, and that her head was bandaged with layer after layer of white gauze that still didn’t stop the blood from seeping through. It was more of the idea that Jazz, a girl who was always so loud and outspoken and just.....alive, was lying unmoving on a hospital bed, the only signs she was still living the slight rise and fall of her chest and the insistent beeping of the monitor.

I kept waiting for her to open her eyes with that smirk of her’s lighting up her face. Waited for Niall to burst into laughter and say Jazz had convinced him to pull the prank, that it was all just a big joke.  

It hurt to look at her, to see someone I considered my sister just barely hanging on to life and not knowing how I could help. But I couldn’t look away, even if I wanted to, because there was this fear that if I did, she’d disappear, forever.  I think it was that same anxiety of messing something up that kept us all quiet. Besides, what do you even say at a time like this? How can words even begin to explain how much pain we’re all in?

Liam was the first one to attempt it. He moved a little closer to the bed, but didn’t touch it, as if doing so would hurt her somehow. He cleared his throat and took a breath before saying,“Hey Jazz....It’s Liam. You may or may not be able to hear me but if you can,  just wanted to say you're a strong girl. You can fight through this...”

There was a long pause before he mustered up the courage to continue, “We need you here, it won’t be the same without your snarky remarks and besides, we never got to box together..” His voice cracked, forcing him to stop again.“..we all just want you to get better...”

Liam’s eyes start to get watery, he was trying so hard not to break down, and I guess Zayn noticed as well. He put his hand on his shoulder, cutting in so poor Liam didn’t have to keep going.

“It’s Zayn, your cousin....well everyone thought we were cousins, remember?” Zayn attempted a laugh. I covered my mouth with my closed hand, holding back a sob as the memory of all of us laughing hysterically over the headlines resurfaced. “Get better okay?  We Maliks are strong, you can’t leave us, not now, especially since you introduced me to Perrie. She would hate to see you like this.” He paused like Liam had, closing his eyes for a moment before saying,”Jazz....I think I love her...so you have to recover, I need you....we all need you”  He stepped away from the bed, bottom lip quivering.  

Even Zayn couldn’t handle it....how am I going to? I trembled slightly at the thought and Niall must have felt it as well because he tore his gaze away from Jazz and looked at me. I was still propping him up to keep him off his bad ankle, but no longer even registering his weight. My hands started to shake even more as I took in the despair that was painted all over his face, his distracted fidgeting like he didn’t know what to do. He was moments away from losing it, the shattered look in his eyes told me as much. But there was hope in those eyes as well, and I knew that was the only reason he wasn’t a mess.

I quickly looked away from him, blinking back tears. You can’t break down Yaritza, you can’t take away that little bit of hope he has left.

“It’s Louis here....hey Jazz,” Louis stood just shy of touching the bed, a small, strained smile on his face. “I need my snarky partner in crime so you’d better wake up. We can play more pranks on the boys kay?” He joked, trying to act normally. But he couldn’t keep up the act for long and his voice was shaky as he continued, “.... You have to....... for Niall and Yaritza. They need you the most and you hate hurting people right? So you can’t leave us now. You’re way too young, you can make it Jazz, we believe in you.”