Chapter 10
In life we get moments that we wish would last forever. Like being in arms of your true love. Friday night sleepovers at your bestfriend's house. Going on a dream and long awaited holiday trip. Or when the hottest guy in the whole school after two years of being in the same class as you finally decides to ask you for a pen (or a pencil, decide what's more cheesy). But there are also moments that we wish would've never happened. The embarassing situations that we gonna reply in our head every night before we go to sleep, praying we could just go back in time and say or do something else. And you get through the life, with all of its ups and downs, worse and better moments and the pure rollercoaster of feelings. Always looking forward to something but not actually embracing it when it comes. Having something literally precious and not appreciating until it's gone. But there's also the third kind of moments, very rare but worth to mention. The unpredictable few seconds that can change your entire existance, that last longer than you could ever imagine. I finally understood why in all of these movies they are making the most dramatic events in slow motion. Believe me or not, you really feel like that, like everything around you was stopped and there was only you, with your every move that could cause a change. That was important.
It all happened in the blink of an eye. The extra step forward. The scream from the sidewalk. The light from the front car's reflectors. I wasn't really thinking about what i going to happen next, I guess I realised there isn't going to be any "next". I closed my eyes to see the infinite darkness when suddenly somebody's strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back literally taking my breath away. I could only hear the squeal of tires when I've fallen hard on the ground. I opened my eyes, slowly trying to realise what just happened. The saving arms of person who was now lying next to me tried to pull me up, but my whole body refused to stand up. I was in the state of total shock, everything around me was blurry and I couldn't hear a single voice now. I really wanted to close my eyes again but somebody started to clap his hands right next to my ear. I tried to tell him to stop but my mouth couldnt let the sound out of them.
-Liv, can you hear me? Olivia, stay here, everything is fine now, everything is fine- somebody's trembling voice repeated the same words all the time. I couldn't see the person but I perfectly knew who it belonged to.
-Luke?- I used all my human power to whisper his name, hoping it was loud enough for him to hear me.
-I'm here, I'm right here Olivia, the ambulance is on it's way, just, just don't move- he took his hoodie off and covered my arms with it. He was sitting next to me, holding my hand. That meant that the arms I was lying in, the arms that saved me from being hit with the car didn't belong to Luke. My eyes finally started to clear the vision a little so I tried to look up, totally freezing right after. The arms I was lying in belonged to Ashton. He hasnt even said the word since the accident, all he was doing was looking at me, and holding me like he never wanted to let me go. In this moment I wasn't sure if being saved was such a good option. For a little while I thought that maybe it was better if I died right there.
-Get away- I whispered- Get away from me, how dare you even...- my voice started shaking as i havent had strenght to say anything else. Out of all power and with my thoughts messed thanks to the enormous headache I started crying because that's all I had left. Ashton pulled me tighter to his chest and hugged me, making me feel safe like at the very first time. I let go of Luke's hand and put mine on Ashton's arm. Suddenly the crowd around us parted on a way of men running in our direction.
-Olivia!- despite the very good look at his older age he didnt appear to be in a very good shape.
-Dad, just don't shout, I'm all fine.- I played it cool, because I was actually feeling a bit better. Everything had contours and colours now, the sounds were clear and I could perfectly feel Ashton's warm body next to me. - I just hit my head and...
-The ambulance is on it's way, but I dont think any medical help will be necessary. The car drove away as fast as it appeared next to sidewalk, I didn't even have a chance to look at it's number plate. Can you try to stand up, Liv? - Ashton sounded like a qualified male nurse, not a casual drummer. He stood up, like it was all no big deal, he just saved somebody's life taking no rewards. I leaned against the kerb when he grabbed both of my hands and slowly helped me to rise. I was still feeling a little weak so I was holding his arm.
-Did any of you see the number? Or at least what car it was?- my dad looked at the crowd on the sidewalk but there were only few more people actually looking at us. Maybe it was just me but probably the rest was dissapointed that there was no blood and drama.
-No, sir, but your daughter is really lucky to have such a protective and reasonable boyfriend. He saved her from being hit with a car. I saw the entire accident and if not him...- some elderly looking woman in white trousers and pink blouse was looking at us like at some perfect picture. Nobody ever called us a couple (besides Calum but he was saying that in jokes) and I guess neither me or him looked at our reationship from that point of view. Maybe we should start to? I wanted to thank Ashton but how the hell do you thank a person that you owe your life to. I felt like I was given a second chance, second existance where I needed to count every word and look at every step I make. Suddenly the sound of ambulance signal filled the area around the hotel, probably waking up the unlucky guests who owned the rooms in the front. I let the lifeguards put me inside, sat me on the chair and do some breath, heartbeat tests, looked if my head was all ok, finally deciding that I didn't need to be taken to the hospital. Once they let me go, two of them were still talking to Ashton, probably congratulating him, smiling and giving each other bro hugs. My dad was on the phone with some police officer trying to explain all situation and threating him that if they wont find the crazy driver who nearly killed his daughter he will loose all the hope in Californian Police Department and he will make it a nation-wide case, including S.W.A.T. While I was waiting to go back inside to the hotel with them, somebody standing next to me, moved a little closer.
-Seriously, if not him...-Luke paused and took a deep breath, looking at the sky. I could tell, from the way he was avoiding my look constantly since the accident that he wished to be the stopping me from taking another step and being hit. Trying to cheer him up I reached for his hand, but he sursprisingly took it away.
-But it's all okay now, don't you think you should be going to sleep? You are leaving for the tour soon and you need to be up early.
-Yeah, you are leaving too, remember? We start at 6 AM and I dont think I'm even going to sleep since I'm never gonna wake up in this kind of middle of the night.- he tried to sound happy but even if you didn't know him you could tell there for sure was somthing he struggled with.
-It's all okay- I repeated, as if endless repeating some words would actually make the reality different.
-Do you really think so? Because I don't. It's definitely not okay, I'm not okay. We are not.
Making one of the hardest decisions in my life I got out from my bed, ripped the blank page from hotels offer lying on the night table and found some pen, trying to write a quick notes with my shaky hands. I looked at the clock hanging above the doors. 5.49 AM. Realising I dont even have the time to brush my teeth or do whatever, I ran out of the room and down the stairs, through the lobby barefoot and in my PJ's. The big, shiny, silver bus was already at the parking lot. I spot my dad talking to the driver and praying that the boys are already inside or they arent here yet I walked up to them. I managed to explain everything to my dad in less than 5 minutes and I left him the folded page, asking him to give it to the boys. He hugged me for good-bye and complimented my todays choice of clothing.
-Thanks dad- I said in the most sarcastic way I could but deep inside I knew that I was going to miss him even more than in the previous months.
-You sure that you don't want to get inside and say good-bye to the boys? They seem to be pretty bonded with you already.
-No, it's fine, everything's in the note, that's gonna be easier- I faked a smile- Wait so they are already inside? I thought you are leaving at 6.- I moved a little bit closer to the entrance of the bus, praying none of them will actually notice me through the window.
-They decided to be here earlier and just sleep in the bus, knowing that it's even harder to wake up at 5.30 that at 3 AM.
-I don't wanna wake them up anyways then and you better get going- I said as I couldnt stand the annoyed look of driver anymore.
-Oh, yes- my dad looked at the clock on his wrist and suddenly his speaking speed increased two times- Take care, Liv, and let me know when you will be back in San Francisco, hope to see you before we will get back to Sydney- he hugged me again when I tried to mumble goodbye and I couldnt help getting all teared up. What if I'm not going to see the boys anymore in my entire life? They will go back to Sydney, my dad will have another band to supervise and all I left for them was the cheesy note. My dad and driver got inside and I heard the bus silently launching and starting for the tour around the United States, the tour I wasn't going to be a part of anymore. The huge silver vehicle was about to hit the road so I turned back, going back to the hotel. Suddenly I heard someone knocking on the back window. I rushed to the hotel not looking back, ignoring it with hope it was only my imagination.The bus didn't stop. Nobody ran up to me and begged me to go with them. Shiny giant dissapeared by the corner and I let the tears fall down my face, looking up at the morning sky. I don't know what was going to happen now. But nobody ever can know what is going to happen the next day. And thats the only thing that you could be sure about tomorrow.
*
"Dear Michael, Ashton, Luke and Calum. As you would probably will be able to tell I suck at goodbye notes and any kind of notes but this is the easier way than actually saying it to you all, face to face. And thats what they do in the movies, so, as an American teenage girl, raised up in the Hollywood culture I have all rights to let it me my only idea. Anyways. I just want to wish you a great tour, you guys are seriously "taking on the world" now. Thank you for such an amazing week, for being able to hang out with you, for everything. I've made a decision, that I will stay here, go back to San Francisco and get ready for the college, while you all have fun on the tour! Don't miss me too much (kidding) while I surely will miss you all! Good luck, break a... drumstick? or whatever they say in the music industry. Liv."
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~THIS IS N O T A LAST CHAPTER, I'm just taking a short break in writing this fanfiction. Thanks to everyone who actually reads it, love you all! Twitter- @hemmingstheone