We'll Kiss Again

Hospital (Chapter 28)

Enjoy! We are nearing the end :(

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I woke up to the sound of steady beeping. The walls were a pale, lifeless blue and the room small. I recognized my mother sitting in the chair across from me, bent over so that her honey blonde hair was covering her face.

I tried to touch her, but a bolt of pain shot up my arm and I winced. "Mom?" my voice was low and hoarse, and it hurt to talk. Her head snapped up and I saw an expression of pure shock on her face.

Her normally creamy soft skin was now red and splotchy. Her eyes were bloodshot, as though she hadn't slept in days. Her lips were dry and cracked. She seemed so fragile and weak. I'd never seen her like this before. "Are you okay? How's dad?" I winced again.

She jumped up and laughed, throwing her arms around me. "You're the one in the hospital bed sweetie, not me. How is it that even after a coma you still keep thinking about other people? How are you?" Tears ran down her cheeks.

I tried to brush a stray teardrop off her cheek but winced again. She unwrapped her arms around me. "Sore," I gestured to the glass of water on the nightstand as best as I could and my mother helped me drink the glass before she called the nurse in.

The nurse explained to me that I'd lost a lot of blood through the cuts I'd received and the gunshot wounds. Apparently I'd been shot in the same arm twice, I had just been in too much pain from the first wound to notice. The second gunshot wound had been more of a graze. I'd also received 18 stitches total and wasn't going to be leaving the hospital anytime soon seeing as I'd been in a coma for a day.

"How's is Asher?" My throat was dry again.

My dad ran through the doorway just in time to hear my question and locked eyes with my mother. I didn't miss the exchange.

"I think you should rest right now honey. We can talk to you later," my mother avoided.

My heart dropped. Was he dead? It was impossible. Asher couldn't be gone. He was just here yesterday in that beautiful tux. We'd finally talked and connected. I'd finally admitted that I wanted to be with him. He couldn't be gone. Not now. Not after eveything we'd been through. He couldn't.

Tears ran down my cheeks. "He's dead, isn't he?"

This was my fault. I hadn't been there for him beforehand. I had driven him to his death for goodness sakes! I'd abandoned him in that house. I hadn't admitted that I loved him. And now he was gone and there was nothing I could do about it.

He wouldn't ever know what he'd meant to me. How my heart fluttered every time he was near. How it raced when he looked into my eyes and told me he wanted me, that I was making a mistake. How dizzy and out of breath I got when he kissed me. How I lost control of everything around me when we were together. How much I wanted him.

Needed him.

Loved him.

I loved him and I'd been too afraid to admit it. Now I was going to regret it for the rest of my life.

"He's not dead."

My father's voice sliced through the air and I felt my heart stop.

"What?"

"Asher is in a very serious condition right now. He just had surgery. He hasn't woken up yet, but he's not dead," My father's voice was soft and reassuring.

I let out a breath of air that I hadn't known I'd been holding onto. "What happened to him? Tell me."

My mother helped me take another sip of water as my father explained everything.

After the cops had rushed me over to the ambulance, they'd searched the first floor of the house and had found it empty. When they ran upstairs, the cops reached a standoff with Emma's dad. He shot an officer in the leg before shooting himself in the chest. Then, the deputy's partner had searched the room, only to find Asher shot in the chest and Emma cowering in the corner.

Both Asher and Emma's father were currently in the hospital, stuck in coma's. No one knew if either would wake up.

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Yes, this chapter was very short but I wanted to stop it here. There will either be one chapter or two left :( it's been amazing and also such a long process to finally get here, but every single one of you supported me all the way. This story has reached it's end because of YOU. That's why I want to thank you. All of my fans, readers, commenters, and voters mean so much to me and I wouldn't even be close to where I am without them. I sincerely mean it when I say THANK YOU SO MUCH. SERIOUSLY. And I really hope you enjoyed reading. I will try to update soon! Vote if you liked!