Wrong number. (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

STACY

Nick. Nick? This must be a dream. But where am I? All I can see is black ... Strange. Wasn't I on the phone with Nick? What were we talking about again? Music? Oh, my EFY music. Oh, I like this. Where's it coming from? I must be waking up to music I had on all night. But I don't wear headphones when I take naps. Am I wearing headphones. Oh, they're gone. Oh, a voice! What are they saying? Speak louder!

"Stacy," Nick ... "I know you like your church music. Doctor said that music helps. So does talking. So ... here I am. I don't know what exactly this music and talking does but maybe when you wake up you'll have a blast making fun of me." Oh I love his small chuckles. Laugh again, Nick. "Maybe when you wake up again, I can take you out hiking and ... you can make fun of me in the canyon because ... I don't want people seeing me cry in your arms when you relate back to me all that you heard."

Is he crying? Why are you crying, Nick? Don't cry. If you cry I'll cry! You said you don't like watching girls cry, let alone me. Are you really going to make your girlfriend cry?

NICK

I wiped a tear from under Stacy's bruised eye. Can she hear me? I grabbed my headphones and placed them back over her head. I don't want her to cry.

I wiped at the stupid tears running down my face and grabbed out my phone. I scrolled down the church music that I had saved on my phone and played something for my girlfriend.

I grabbed her bandaged hand and folded my arms on her bed. I stared at her round face until my eyes closed and found sleep that I'd been denying my body.

I didn't wake until I felt a constant poke on my shoulder. I groggily opened my eyes and found John beside me with Laura. "How long have you been here, Nick?" I lazily searched for my phone then checked the time. I plopped it back on the bed and closed my eyes again.

"Five hours."

"Hah, Nick, buddy, go home." I groaned and turned my head to Stacy.

"I don't want to leave her." I childishly admitted. John sighed.

"Don't you have school tomorrow? It's already eleven." I reluctantly climbed to my elbows then pushed off the bed. I got to my feet and rubbed at my tired eyes.

"Okay. Tell me if anything happens."

"Will do," John patted my shoulder then I left.

I climbed into my car and debated just taking a short nap in the car. But, I decided to head on home and enjoy the comfortable bed waiting for me in my room. As I drove, I thought of Stacy, every passing pair of headlights made me think about every passing day that Stacy was asleep. She crashed on Monday afternoon. Today was Friday.

I tried to focus on the road but sleep that was desperately needed was overcoming me. My body was weak. The natural man in me had its temporal needs. I need ... sleep.

I came over the hill that entered into the small town I lived in with my eyes half-open. Then a deer jumped out of nowhere and I found myself slamming on my breaks then swerving into the lane next to me, avoiding the deer completely and avoiding crashing entirely. There were no other cars on the road and my reaction was efficient.

Why? I asked myself as my breaths became sporadic and my heartbeat jumped out of my chest.

Why, God? Why must you keep me alive and well but make poor Stacy suffer? It's not fair! It's not fuckin fair, God! I don't deserve to live! I want to die. My life is going nowhere! Stacy is the only hope I have in this life! She is the only person I truly love. The only person I can count on! Oh God, please!