Chapter Fifty-Eight
Brayden's POV
Avalanche
December 13
I laughed through my tears when I pulled out a pug beanie. I had seen it sitting on Heather's desk before. She never touched it. The pug looked battered, and there was a small stain near its rear, but it still looked beautiful. Around its neck was the necklace I had given her when we went to the butterfly garden together. I love it, Heather, I found myself thinking.
"That's so cute," Isabelle cooed, beside me.
I nodded my head in agreement. I was speechless right now. There were too many emotions swarming in my chest right now. "I'll be back, Isabelle," I said, gazing at the door in front of us. Isabelle shot me a sympathetic look before taking a step back. She knew what I was going to do. There seemed to be an unspoken connection between us now. We may not like each other, but we both care about Heather, and that caring is what'll bring us together.
Swallowing the lump in my throat and pushing my fear aside, I stepped into Heather's hospital room. My heart shattered at the sight in front of me. I was frozen to the spot, unable to move forward.
There, on the white hospital bed, laid Heather. Her eyes were closed, her body unmoving. There was a thick blue tube leading away from her mouth, and a small opaque tube leading away from her left nostril. I could see a few other tubes attached to her arms and body. Off in the distant, I could hear the slow beating of her heart on a heart monitor, reminding me that she was still alive and not yet dead. It gave me hope that maybe—just maybe—she'll wake up.
I felt my throat constrict. I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I held it in. I have to stay strong for her...for me.
Gaining the ability to walk again, I went over to her. I tenderly touched her cheek with my fingers. No heat rushed to her cheeks. She always blushed when I touched her, and to not see that anymore—to maybe never see that anymore—killed me.
"Heather, can you hear me?" I croaked. I knew she couldn't, but there was a small part of me that refused to believe that. She's alive, she's just asleep right now. She's tired. She's been through a lot of things lately. She'll wake up soon. She has to. She can't leave like this. She's supposed to live out her life like everyone else and die in her family's arms.
"I love your gift," I tried again. "It's not cheap at all. You worry too much. I love it." I gingerly laid the beanie down beside her head. "I'm waiting for you to wake up so we can travel the world together once we graduate. I promised you we'd do that, remember? You can't go. Not yet. I can't picture my future without you. I know you grew up with a family that barely paid any attention to you, and I know you didn't make many friends in your past, but what about your future?
"In your letter, you said it'd make you happy if you could see me with a family of my own, with a wife I'm crazy about, with a job I've always dreamed of having... But what if when I close my eyes, that family I'm picturing has you in it? You can't go yet, Heather. Your story's not finished yet." I wasn't finished with my rambling, but by this point, I was unable to form any more words on my tongue.
Suddenly, my emotions tumbled down my body like an avalanche, bringing me down with them. I wrapped my fingers around Heather's motionless hand and cried.
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I'm publishing this speedy quick because I want to roll out the next few chapters and complete this story before the end of August. Also, chapters 59 - 61 (if I decide to keep it), will be a little important in terms of Brayden's character development.
Writing Wonderland can be so depressing sometimes. I always find myself teary-eyed... (T^T)
Wellz, gotta go now! See ya later!