I can't believe that I'm the reason the boy I love is in the hospital. How could I have let this happen? I'm such an idiot! I let everyone I love down! How did Rebecca find out where Malcom lives? Does she know where Crystal lives, too?
I muttered, "I'm so sorry Malcom."
I shouldn't cry anymore, Malcom wouldn't want me to be crying over him. I don't want to see him like this. I can't see him like this.
"I have to go," I said, as I stood up. I started walking towards the door, but Mayhem grabbed my hand. I looked back at him.
I said, "Let go, now," he didn't listen.
I snapped at him, "LET GO, NOW!" he looked at me, shocked, and let go.
"Thank you."
With that I walked away, and out of the hospital. When I got far enough from the hospital I sat down, and just let all my emotions out. When I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned around.
"Who are you?" I asked. He looked at me and sat down next to me.
"I'm Travis, Travis Kim." I just looked at him.
"I'm Gabby. Smith- Gabby Smith, " I said, "Do you know what time it is?" I looked back at him.
He said, "It's noon," he looked out at the river, "I've had thoughts about ending my life in this river." I looked at him shocked.
He looked at me, questioning my look. I glanced away. I nodded, and looked at him again.
I asked, "Can rest my head on your shoulder?" he nodded. I put my head on his shoulder.
"Why aren't you in school?" I asked him.
"I didn't want to deal with the stupid snobs of the school," I nodded as best I could.
"Do you get bullied?" I asked.
"No, the snobs expect someone like me to like them, " he sighed, "I'm on the football team, and I'm relatively popular. Do you get bullied?" he looked at me.
"Yeah, but not by the snobs, I mostly get bullied by the jocks," I sighed, and took my head off of his shoulder. He nodded. "The snobs leave me alone, they don't want to be associated with a 'nerd'," I finished, he looked at me.
"You don't look like a nerd." he said. I looked at him, and I recognized him.
I jumped up and said, "I'm sorry, I have to go."
I ran away from him. How could I have been so stupid? I should have known it was my ex Travis, the only guy that I ever let in, and he broke my heart. I ran into the nearby forest.
"Great now I'm lost," I said as I looked around me.
I sat down, and grabbed my hoodie from my bag. As I was putting my hoodie on I heard a twig snap. I jumped up, turned around, and I looked around.
"Who's there?" I asked, still looking around.
"Stupid girl, wandering into the woods," an unknown voice said.
"I know she shouldn't have wandered here alone either," a second unknown voice said.
"She won't be enough to feed the both of us," the first unknown voice said.
"I asked who's there?" I said, starting to get scared.
One figure stepped out of the shadows. I started slowly backing up, I stopped abruptly when someone grabbed my shoulder.
"Look she froze up under my touch, Jared," the one that grabbed my shoulder said.
"Don't say my name again, Robert," Jared said, spitting out the name like it was venom.
I looked behind me to try and figure out what Robert looked like. He got a look of realization across his face, he let go and backed away.
"Not this girl," he said, his voice laced with fear. I was confused, why is he scared of me?
"Why not?" Jared asked. Robert had his eyes locked on mine.
"She's the one who almost killed me," he said. I don't even know him.
"Wait, that's Heaven Smith?" Jared asked. Robert nodded. Why are they talking about my mother?
"I'll just go, now." I said, turned on my heel and walked away.
Great I can't believe I'm lost, and it's the one time my phone is dead. I was so stupid to go down that alley. None of this would have happened if I would have just listened to dad. Why do I keep reminding myself? I kept walking until I walked out of the woods.
"Where am I?" I asked myself. I looked around me, and I saw the school. I started to run home.
My feet stung as they hit the ground, but I kept running through the pain. I kept running home, not caring if I bumped into someone. Once I saw my house I sped up, and I didn't stop until I got to the door. I opened the door, and I walked in.
"Dad, I'm home!" I said once I got into the living room.
"GABBY!" I heard dad yell. I tried to shrink into the couch, but it was no use. He walked in and he glanced at me, he took a deep breath.
"Where have you been?" he asked, looking me dead in the eyes.
"I stayed over at Crystal's," I lied. I hate lying to dad.
"Then why did Mrs. Bloom tell me you left at eleven, yesterday?" he asked.
"I snuck back into Crystal's room through her window, and I left her house at eight this morning," I said. This is so fake. He nodded at me, not convinced.
"I'm going to go take a shower," I said, before walking up the stairs, and into my room before he could question me further.
When I got into my room I went to my closet, and grabbed new clothes. I left my room, and walked into the bathroom. I locked the door, turned the shower on, and started to get ready to get in the shower. As I was showering I heard the front door open.
"Mayhem, why are you home so early?" dad asked.
"I got to go home early today." Mayhem said.
"Ok, well Gabby is in the shower," dad said. I heard Mayhem or dad walking up the stairs.
"Guys don't go in that room." Mayhem said.
"Why not dude?" one of Mayhem's friends asked.
"Yeah, why not?" his second friend asked.
"Cause it's my sister's room. Don't touch that, Jim," Mayhem said with a sigh.
"Sorry," Jim said. I rolled my eyes, why does Mayhem have such annoying friends?
"Aaron, stop don't go in there," Mayhem said. I heard the door knob rattling.
"The door is locked, Aaron," I said. The rattling stopped.
"Whoa, was that her, Mayhem?" Jim asked.
"Yes, Jim, yes it was," Mayhem responded.
I rolled my eyes again. The rattling started again, and it was more rapid this time. As I finished drying off, and getting dressed I unlocked the door. I opened the door, and walked to my room. I pulled my phone out, and I plugged it in to charge. I walked out of my room, walked to Mayhem's room.
"Hey do you know what I missed today?" I asked Mayhem.
"I'm two years younger than you Gabby, I'm two grades lower than you, so no, I don't," Mayhem responded with some sass and an eye roll.
"Don't sass me mister," I said, and walked away before he could answer.
I walked down the hall to the hall closet. I opened the door, and looked for my duffel bag. I walked back to my room, went to my closet, and started packing for the school camping trip. I went downstairs looking for dad.
"Dad can I have my tent?" I asked, still looking for dad.
"Why?" he asked. I tried to find him by listening to his voice.
"So that I can participate in the school's camping trip. Without having to borrow a tent," I said.
"Yeah you can. It's on the top right side of the closet." he told me.
"Ok, Mayhem come here, now." I said.
"What do you want?" Mayhem asked after he came down the stairs.
"You need to get my tent out of the closet." I told him.
"Why can't you do it yourself?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.
"You're taller than me by two feet, and my tent is on the top of the closet." I explained to him.
"So, why don't you have dad get it?" he asked.
"Dad is busy," I said.
"Fine," he said while walking towards the closet. I followed him, and opened the closet door. I saw my tent, and he grabbed it.
"Thanks, I knew you loved me," I said. Mayhem snorted, and walked back to his room. I continued packing.
"I don't think I'll need my phone," I said, and my phone started to ring. I picked it up.
"Who is this?" I asked.
"It's Dr. Cross, from Rose Gardens Clinic," the person on the other end of the phone said, I gasped, "We're sorry to inform you that Malcom has life threatening injuries, and you might not get a chance to say goodbye," I couldn't stop myself from crying. Malcom, I'm the reason Malcom is dead.
"I'll be there soon."
"If he dies before you get here he told us to give you a message when you get here," Dr. Cross said. I hung the phone up.
"Dad we need to go to the hospital." I called down the stairs.
"What! Why?" he asked.
"Malcom Snow has life threatening injuries, and if I walk there he might be dead." I said trying to control my sobs.
"Well get down here then, you too Mayhem," dad called, as I heard the car start.
I ran down the stairs, I ran to the car, and I hopped into it, still crying. Mayhem ran to the car with Jim, and Aaron, and all three of them got in the back seat.
"Where are we going?" Aaron asked.
"To the hospital," I replied, getting anxious. "Could you drive any faster?" I asked, Immediately regretting the tone I used.
"Do you want me to get a speeding ticket young lady?" dad snapped.
"No, but Malcom is dying!" I said.
Starting to pick at the hem of my shirt. If Malcom dies before I get there I'm blaming dad and his stupid record of perfect driving.
I can't be seen crying over Malcom. I need to tell Crystal about Malcom.
As I called Crystal, and controlled my sobbing Jim kicked my seat.
"Hey, Crystal did you get the call from the hospital?" I asked.
"No, why would I get a call from the hospital?" she asked.
"It's Malcom, he has life threatening injuries, and he's slowly dying," I told her.
"WHAT?! WHY IS HE IN THE HOSPITAL?" she practically screamed.
"Calm down, I'm going to the hospital now, I'll explain everything to you tomorrow, alright?"
"OK, BUT YOU BETTER TELL HIM THAT-" I cut her off.
"Not the right time Crystal," I warned.
"Alright, but you better tell him!" she said.
"I will if he's still alive by the time I get there," I glared at dad. Speed up please dad.
"WELL TELL YOUR DAD TO SPEED UP!" Crystal yelled into the phone.
"I already tried to," I said.
"Well try again," she said. I rolled my eyes, and looked at dad.
"Dad speed up some," I told him, "Bye Crystal." I said as dad sped up.
"Bye Gabby, I'm coming to the hospital," she said before hanging up. Aaron kicked dad's seat, and dad tried not to start yelling at him.
"Sorry, Mr. Smith," Aaron said. Dad was taking deep breaths to calm himself down.
"It's fine, just don't do it again," he said in between breaths. I looked out of my window, waiting to arrive at the hospital. I'm so sorry Malcom. I started to sob again.
"Look Mayhem she's crying. Does she have a crush on this boy in the hospital?" I looked at Jim. Maybe, but regardless he's a friend!
"SHUT UP!" I snapped. His eyes tearing up he nodded.
"She must like him," Aaron said.
I looked at him with daggers in my eyes, "I'll just shut up now," Aaron finished saying with fear lacing his voice.
I went back to looking out the window, and I saw the Rose Gardens Clinic. I wiped my eyes.
I looked at the back seat, and said, "You three stay there, " I looked at dad and finished with, "you too dad," they all nodded.
When I got out of the car I ran to the doors of the hospital. I slowed down to a brisk walk, when I stepped through the doors. I frantically looked for room four. When I saw it I walked a little faster.
I walked through the door, and asked, "How is he?" the doctor looked at me with a saddened look.
"I'm sorry, but you're too late. He died a few minutes ago," he said, and those words broke my heart.
"No, no, no, no, no! This can't be happening, this must be some sick dream!" I said, a sob breaking through my voice. This can't be real, can it?
"We're sorry, but the message he told us to give you," Dr. Cross said while giving you a piece of paper.
I looked down at it, then unfolded it. It read 'I love you Gabby. I'm sorry that I had to leave you and Crystal.' I started sobbing even harder, I could barely breathe at this point.
Why did I have to go down that darn alley? I was stupid to go down that alley, that was the dumbest thing I've done. Crystal I need you to hurry up.
"What room is Malcom Snow in?" Crystal asked, trying to hold back her tears.
"Ma'am I can't tell you that unless you're family," the receptionist told crystal.
"I AM PRACTICALLY FAMILY!" Crystal screamed in the receptionist's face.
"Ma'am I'm going to need you to lower your voice," the receptionist said.
"WHAT ROOM IS MALCOM SNOW IN?" Crystal asked, not lowering her voice.
"MA'AM LOWER YOUR VOICE NOW!" the receptionist yelled. I ran out of room four.
"Crystal, room four, they put him in room four!" I said, tears silently streaming down my face.
"ROOM FOUR!" she screamed.
I nodded, and walked back into the room. She followed me into the room. When she saw Malcom's unmoving, unbreathing, and lifeless body she started bawling.
"Crystal," I said, holding down a sob.
"What?! He was our only other friend," she said, sobs breaking through her voice.
"I know, I know,"
"Did you get a chance to tell him?" she asked through her sobs. I shook my head.
"No, I was too late," I said. My tears ran down my face unnoticed.
"Girls I'm sorry there was nothing we could have done to save him," Dr. Cross said.
"Liar, " I said taking a deep breath so that I wouldn't start screaming at him, "You could have put him on life support."
Crystal and I stood up, and walked to the side of Malcom's hospital bed.
"What's in your hand, Gabby?" Crystal asked me, looking at the note in my hand. I handed it to her, and she gasped.
"He loved me, I was blind and stupid and..." I muttered, and I started sobbing again.
"I can't believe he's gone so soon, he almost made it into the college he wanted to go to," Crystal said disbelief, lacing her voice.
"I can't believe we have to go through the rest of our lives without him," I said, shaking my head, with tears streaming down my face. I looked over at Mrs. Snow, and saw that she was bawling.
"I'm sorry that Malcom is dead, Mrs. Snow," I said, while she tried to control her sobs enough to speak.
"It- It's going to- to be hard without him in-" she couldn't finish, her voice breaking.
"I know it's going to be hard for us as well," I said, trying to keep my voice strong, but it betrayed me.