Ava POV
"Poor thing," I heard the doctor whisper to the nurse. I felt both of their eyes burning holes into my dry skin.
"What happened?" The nurse whispered.
"She witnessed her boyfriend get shot."
"He's my fiancé," I corrected. There's no use in pretending like I can't hear them. They both gave me sympathetic looks, before the nurse walked away and the doctor sat next to me on the tiled floor, in front of Calum's room. "Will he be okay?"
"I'm not sure. He lost a lot of blood."
*Flashback*
Tears immediately pooled my eyes, and ran down my face. I dropped to my knees. I couldn't believe this was actually happening.
"CALUM!" I screamed. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, before closing. I looked at his torso, and noticed blood seeping into his shirt, making me snap my eyes way.
Of course I didn't have my phone. I checked all of Calum's pockets as fast as I could, and I didn't find his phone anywhere either. I screamed in frustration, and started running. I need to find someone that has a phone. I ran into the first store front I found, which happened to be a gas station.
"I need a phone, he's been shot!" I screamed so fast, I'm pretty sure they didn't understand me. "A PHONE! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" I screamed in the man's startled face.
*End of flashback*
"It's my fault."
"Why would you say that, sweetie?" I looked at his doctor. She looked tired, and sad. It was like I was looking into a mirror.
"M-my ex fiancé s-said that if I didn't break up w-with Cal," by this point I was drowning in tears. "Then he would k-k-kill him!" I threw myself into her arms, not even caring she was a stranger.
"Your ex fiancé did this?" She asked, sounding astounded, yet disgusted.
"Well, he hired someone." I let go of her, and wiped my face with my trembling hands.
"Did you tell the police?"
"Yes. Is he going to live?" When she didn't respond, my body went numb and tense. "Your silence is reassuring." I looked over at her. She was staring straight ahead, with zero emotion. "What are his chances of making it?"
"Not good." She stood up, and left after that.
I felt like I was crying, but no tears were coming out. I had the hospital call the hotel the boys were staying at, since I didn't have my phone, and I didn't have their numbers memorized. They were probably down in the waiting room. I forced myself up off the ground, and walked to the ICU waiting room.
"AVA!" I heard one of them scream, and they all rushed over to me with their arms open, like they were going to hug me. I backed away, before any of them could touch me, making them give me puzzled looks.
"Calum is going to die," I blurted. I had never seen what happened next, ever before in my life.
They all dropped to the floor and started crying at the same exact time, as if it was rehearsed. But I knew it wasn't, because I had almost the same reaction.
"Someone is going to have to call Joy and David, and it is not going to be me," Ashton said.
*
I was sitting in the waiting room with the boys, all of us nervously biting our nails. We've been here for about 2 hours, and there has been no sign of the doctor. The hospital called his parents, and they're trying to get a flight over here. The boys played a surprise show in California 3 days ago, and we've been here ever since. A flight from Australia to California is practically 15 and a half hours- surely he'd be dead by then.
I felt like I couldn't breathe anymore, and the walls started to close in. My heart wouldn't stop pounding against my rib cage, like it was trying to escape from my chest. My body was numb, with the exception of a migraine. I was sweating, but also covered in goosebumps. My legs were wobbly and my hands were shaking like an earthquake. I felt light headed and dizzy.
I stood up, almost falling over with the room spinning. I walked to the elevator, and pushed the ground floor number. Once the doors were shut, I dropped to my knees. It's amazing how your life can come crashing down in a matter of seconds.
When the elevator opened again, I got up and walked outside. I just needed air. I needed to be away from everything.
But that's when the shock wore off, and I realized what was actually happening.
Calum is going to die.
He can't do that! He has friends, and family, and fans, and me. He can't just leave us all behind. He can't just leave. He has a life to finish. He can't be done. He has so much ahead of him.
I can't handle living without him. He's like a drug, and I've become way too addicted. I can't go on without him, and rehab isn't going to help me stop loving someone.
We hadn't even gotten married yet. We haven't had kids, or a house. We have barely even had a life together.
Someone needs to make it stop. He needs to live. If he's going to die, take away my memory again. I don't want to remember this night. I don't want this to be happening. This is not happening. It can't be happening. Someone please, tell me this is not happening. Tell me I'm in a coma, still at the hospital from when I was in that crash. Tell me this is all a bad dream. He can't be dying. This isn't real life.
"Ava." I turned around to see Luke staring at me. He slowly took a step closer, as if he thought he'd scare me if he walked too fast.
"What?" I asked, after he didn't say anything.
He stared into my eyes, silently. He didn't say anything, but the tears forming in his eyes said it all. I shook my head, feeling tears rolling down my cheeks.
"Ava-"
"No! You're lying!"
"A-"
"Please. Just lie to me. Tell me he's still alive. Tell me he'll be okay. Because I can't handle the truth. Lie to me." I was practically begging for him to lie to me.
"It's not going to change anything." If he won't lie to me, then I will.
"Calum is alive, Luke!" I was in complete denial.
But I knew no matter how many times I said it wasn't true, it was.
