Callie
Present
I watched with my own eyes as Uno and Alex's car collided against the side of the truck that barrelled through the intersection. I felt my heart stop, the sound of the crash ringing in my ears along with the desperate shouts of help from everyone around us. I couldn't move even when Audrey parked the car on the side of the road.
"Not again, not again, not again..." I muttered like a mantra as I sat frozen in my seat.
"I—Callie, stay there, okay? I'll see what's going on," Audrey said, trying to keep her voice steady as she got out of the car.
"Not again, please, not again..."
I waited for Alex to stand up, get out of the car, or simply shout for help. The two minutes of hopelessly waiting felt like hours. And as time ticked by, I still couldn't hear even the slightest bit of her voice.
She wasn't getting up.
My feet move on their own as I slowly walk to where the commotion is. I clenched my hands into a tight fist as they trembled with each step I took, my heart thundering loudly against my chest.
"Callie, I told you to stay put." Audrey tried to stop me, but I continued on. I didn't know where I got the strength to pull my bestfriend's hands away from me.
I wanted to see her, I wanted to see Alex.
"Callie, let's go back to the car, please," she begged as I got closer and closer to the wrecked car, surrounded by people trying to see how to get them out. Voices frantically calling for help using their phones.
"I-I need to see her." I pushed on, but was once again stopped by her grip, this time tighter, and no matter how much I tried to get off, Audrey only held me stronger. "Please, Drey. Let me see her."
"I can't, Callie. I'm sorry."
"Let me go!" I cried, desperately trying to get close to where Alex is. "Let me go! Please!"
"You can't!"
"Let me go, Audrey," I sobbed as hot tears blurred my vision. "Please, she needs me. Alex needs me. Please!" I begged as I fell to my knees.
Audrey forcefully grabbed my hands, making me face her before cupping my cheeks. She looked me straight in the eyes, her gaze fierce despite the unshed tears in them. "Alex wouldn't want you to see her in that state. And help will come, okay? So, just stay here while we wait."
And just as she said that, the sound of the ambulance could be heard even from here. Three vehicles stopped to where the wreckage is, and I watched, feeling useless, as they worked to get Alex and Uno out. I scrambled to my feet once I saw Alex being carried in a gurney. I ran as fast as I could to get to the ambulance when they pushed her in.
The paramedic stopped me before I could reach her. "Sorry, ma'am. Hindi po kayo p'wede rito."
"I-I'm her wife. Her name is Alexandria Leigh Miller, a-and she's my wife," I said without taking my eyes off of the love of my life laying unconscious on the gurney.
Audrey caught up to me. "We know the victims. This is her wife, and I'm their friend. Please, let us be with them."
It was then that the guy didn't waste any time letting me in. Audrey chose to ride in the ambulance where Uno was placed.
I sat on the chair, my eyes scanning Alex's form. She was covered in shards of glass, cuts, and scrapes all over her body, some so deep that blood kept on flowing out. The shirt she was wearing was unrecognizable, completely soaked in red.
All I could do was cry silently as she coughed up blood, groaning in pain as the paramedic pressed his hands against the wound on her abdomen, trying to stop the bleeding.
"H-Hurts," Alex whimpered as a tear escaped her tightly shut eyes.
With a shaky breath, I took her hand in my trembling ones. "I'm sorry, baby. We'll be at the hospital soon, okay? So hold on for me, please."
"H-H-Hurts so...much, Cal," she whimpered, crying. "Hurts."
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry," was all I could say as I held on tighter. I felt helpless, seeing the person I cherished the most in my life writhing in pain and not being able to do anything.
"Make it s-stop, please. It h-hurts."
"I know, baby. I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Everything felt like a blur afterwards. When Alex was wheeled in the emergency room, I was pulled by a nurse to get her information. I didn't know how I managed to speak, but I was able to stutter out everything she needed to know. I consented to an emergency surgery because they said Alex needed it immediately; she'd bleed out if we waited.
I ran my hand through my hair as I slumped against the bench right outside the operating room. I glanced down at my shaking hands covered in Alex's blood, the sound of her whimpers and cries of pain echoing in my mind as if to torture me.
"She's going to be okay, Cal." I felt someone sit beside me. Audrey wrapping her arms around my shoulder. "Alex and Uno are going to be okay."
"I waited for years to be with Alex again. And I just had her. After four years, she's finally with me. So, why is this happening now? Why can't the world just let me be happy with her?" I cried. "I've already lost her once; I don't want to lose her again. I just can't."
"You won't, Callie. You won't, okay?" Audrey tried to reassure me. But how would she know?
"How can you be sure? Y-You weren't there, Audrey. You didn't see how much b-blood she was losing, you didn't see how deep her wounds were, y-you didn't hear her crying in pain, asking me to make it stop while I sat there helplessly."
"Hey, hey. Listen to me." Audrey cupped my cheeks. "Alex is strong; we both know that. She's been through this already, and I know she wouldn't just back down without a fight. She'd survive this, you hear me? So you have to be strong for her too."
"But what if she doesn't?" I couldn't help but ask, fear wrapping around my heart and squeezing tight. "What if she—I don't know what I would do if I lost her again, Drey."
"Stop thinking that—"
"Callie! Audrey!" We both turned to see Alex and Uno's family running towards us.
I've never met or even seen Alex's parents, but one glance at the woman who holds an uncanny resemblance to my girlfriend, looking slightly older, and I just knew it was her mother. She looks disheveled while holding what I presume is the hand of her husband. They trailed closely behind Marga and some of their bestfriends.
"A-Ate Callie, ano pong nangyari?" Maia asked, already getting teary as she scanned my state. "Ate Audrey called us, and we came as fast as we could. Susunod daw si Tita Eun-ji."
"What happened to my little sister, Callie?" Marga asked with urgency, fear, and frustration clear in her tone. "Where is she? Why are your hands covered in blood? Tell me where—"
"Mahal, calm down," Nat interjected, seeing as I was not in the right state of mind to be grilled with questions.
"Don't tell me to calm down, Nathalie! My sister is clearly hurt—" Marga was pulled away by Nat before she could even finish her sentence.
