beetle | unedited ✔️

twenty two

Gabriel Benjamin Anderson

Right when I got that text I immediately dialed 911. I got to her house with the police and saw how torn up it was. There was glass everywhere, but nothing was stolen from what I could see. I immediately ran to her bedroom as the policemen searched her house for anyone.

The moment I walked into the bathroom and saw gunshot holes throughout the cabinets, I wanted to collapse and pray and hoped she isn't lifeless when I pulled her out.

That was a good three hours ago. Three hours ago she told me she loved me. Three hours ago she was trying to say goodbye. Like I would let her do that. I couldn't lose her. I let my pride get in the way of my real feelings for her. I shut her out this entire week because I knew that if I went running to her that she would know she had me wrapped around her finger. And now she's in surgery with a fifty-fifty chance of surviving.

My mom was on nurse duty tonight, but she wasn't one of the ones tending to the love of my life. She saw me in the waiting room a disheveled mess and hurriedly ran over to me.

"What happened?" I shook my head as more tears fell down my cheeks. I didn't enjoy crying in public. "Someone broke into Parker's house. She was shot while hiding." My mom gasped quietly as tears brimmed her eyes as well. "I thought I told you not to let her sleep there alone?" I took a sharp breath and sobbed quietly as I shook my head. I'm regretting not listening to her earlier this week.

"We haven't talked all week," more like you haven't talked to her all week. "We got in an argument on Monday and we haven't spoken since she texted me when she heard the break in." My mom hugged me close as my body shook with nerves and sobs. There wasn't anybody in the waiting room at the moment. "Mom, I feel terrible." My sobs quieted down as she rubbed my back.

"You love her, of course you feel that way." Thanks, that helps so much. I shook my head. "I don't know what I'd do if she doesn't make it." I whispered, putting my head in my hands. "You'll move on. That's what she would've wanted. But how can you say that she might not make it? Do you not have faith in her?" I shook my head.

"I put all of my faith in her. I just keep thinking about how different this all could've been if I had just manned-up and talked to her. If I let my pride aside and listened to her." My tears didn't stop, but my sobs and quiet noises did.

"Parker will pull through, she's a strong girl. What did she say to you when she passed out?" Here we go again. I sobbed quietly as I thought about it. Those three little words that meant so much to me. 'I love you.'

"I love you. That's what she last said to me." Her lip quivered as I looked up at her from my hands. She laid a hand on my shoulder and moved pieces of hair out of my face with her other hand. "Then let that be the first thing she hears when she wakes up." I nod silently, letting my mom get back to work.

My knee continued to bounce as more and more minutes passed. It wasn't until a few more hours that the doctor that took her in finally came to the waiting room with his hands behind his back. "Parker Leon?" My body jolted up and started walking to the doctor.

"What are you to Miss. Leon?" I sighed as he asked the question. My un-official girlfriend? "My girlfriend." He nodded, crinkling his eyes as he smiled. "I'd love to inform you that her body didn't shut down while in surgery. I hate to inform you she was put into a medically induced coma." I nod, listening to the man. "It shouldn't take more than two weeks for her to show signs of waking up, but it'll take as long as three to four weeks for her to actually wake up. Her body was put into a lot of shock, as well as a lot of blood loss, so we can't necessarily tell you the exact moment she'll awaken, but she is going to be okay." I sighed of relief as I heard him say those words. She's going to be okay. That's all I needed to hear.

"Thanks." He nodded while patting my shoulder. I wanted to shrug it off, but I didn't. "You should get home and rest, kid. You'll be able to see her tomorrow." I nod as he walks away. My mom comes up beside me just as I am about to leave. "Is everything okay?" I nodded, keeping my thoughts on a certain brown haired girl who flipped my world upside down. In a totally awesome way.

"Yeah, they put her in a medically induced coma. They said she'll be okay." I mumbled, looking over at my mom to gouge her reaction. She smiled sadly as she rubbed my arm up and down. "See? She's a fighter. Go home and get some rest, I'll keep an eye on her." I nod again and tell her goodnight before calling an uber. I didn't want to leave Parker, but I had to. I knew she was in good hands with my mother and the others, so I tried not to think too much about her safety.

All I could think about was the three words she spoke of. The same three words I was going to repeat before she passed out in the ambulance. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her a million times and make sure she was okay and safe in my arms. I couldn't do that though.

I thought about her house and how much of a disaster it was. It bought about how I was too late, about how I could've been too late for her to speak her last words.