Unexpected

Chapter 31

There was a soft, steady rhythm of a constant beeping. It filled my head and seemed to bounce around the room. It was calming in a way, it let my breathing fall into the same rhythm. My body felt restrained, like I wasn't in complete control of it. It was a weird feeling and I wanted to move. I wanted my body to do something. I slowly let my eyes flutter open but they didn't stay open for long before I was plunging into darkness again.

"Kate?" I heard a voice say. It sounded familiar but I couldn't quite place my finger on it. I felt whoever it was take hold of my one hand and gently press their lips against it, "Please, you need to wake up. I can't lose you too." They sounded like they were crying and it was confirmed when I felt a few wet drops fall onto my hand. What were they talking about? Lose me too? Who was lost and why was I going to be lost? I was right here. Whoever this was wasn't about to lose me or, at least I didn't think so. I managed to get my eyes open again. This time I had to blink a few times but I managed to keep them open. The hold the person had on my hand got tighter and I heard them suck in a sharp breath. I turned my head slightly and was met with kind, soft eyes, swimming with all kinds of emotions: worry, sadness, relief and love. My mouth opened slightly and I tried to speak but words just wouldn't come out. I was shocked to see the boy sitting in front of me, but I was also very happy that he was okay.

"Kate, I'm so glad you're awake." He choked out and brought my hand to his lips again, kissing it lightly. My heart filled with warmth.

"Jonathan," I sobbed and gripped his hand tighter. He had a few cuts on his face and his arm was in a sling but he was okay. Tears filled my eyes and fell down my cheeks in steady streams. He just sat there, holding my hand and rubbing small circles on the back of it while I cried. My body hurt all over, but it was nothing to the pain in my heart when I remembered the car crash. I sat up slowly and wiped my face with my other hand - not daring for a second to let go of Jonathan. I felt as if, if I let him go, then he would just disappear.

"Everything will be okay," he said softly, but I think it was more to himself then to me. I looked around the room. It was small and well, like a hospital room. The amount of white in here made me feel like I was in a mental-institution. I looked back over at Jonathan. He was the only other person in the room and it made my stomach drop. I swallowed back the new tears that were brimming in my eyes.

"Where's Marco?" I asked in a small voice and almost wish I hadn't when Jonathan dropped his head onto the bed next to my legs and let painful sobs rake over him. I stared at him for a while, not knowing what else to do. He clung to the bed sheets with one hand and was holding my hand with his other one so tight I thought he was going to break it. His sobs broke my heart, they sounded so agonized. After a while he slowly lifted his head, the tears didn't stop though; they fell silently down his face in a flow that seemed like it would never end. I moved over in the bed and patted the spot next to me, letting him sit with me on the bed. Jonathan hesitated only for a second before joining me and letting out a shaky breath.

"Marco..." He started but was cut off as a sob overtook his body again, he shook his head and looked at me with eyes so full of heartbreak and agony, "Marco didn't make it."

Those words pounded around my head, Marco didn't make it, they got more painful every time they repeated in my mind. I shook my head, my heart breaking all over again. This had to be a dream, Marco couldn't possibly be gone. I knew better though, this pain was too real to be a dream. It was the kind of pain that ripped you apart from the inside, it did it slowly too. As soon as you were getting used to the pain of the first strike - as you began to become numb to it - it would attack you again, amplifying the original blow.

"When?" Was all I managed to whisper, my throat feeling restricted. Like someone was slowly choking the life out of me.

"In the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I didn't get hurt too bad so they let me ride next to Marco. He woke up for a bit... at first he wouldn't but when he did... he," Jonathan stopped and took a deep breath, "He just kept telling me not to worry and that he was going to be okay, that he wasn't even that sore... He told me loved me and that he's see me again when he woke up, that he was just tired so he was going to rest for a bit... then he closed his eyes and he just... he didn't wake up." Jonathan was on the verge of hysteria when he finished talking.

"Jono... I'm so sorry." I choked out and wrapped my arms around him. It was awkward on the small bed but he clung to me as if his life depended on it.

The doctors came by later in the day. They said that I had a broken arm and a few bruised ribs but that I would be okay.  My family came by to take me home and they were all super worried and tried to comfort me as best they could about Marco. Nothing felt real anymore though, I was numb all over and I felt broken. On top of that I still didn't know where Hunter was and it was breaking me down more every second that passed. No one could give me comfort for Hunter because no one knew where he was. They couldn't tell me that he was 'in a better place.' not like they could with Marco. That didn't take away the pain though.

I was sitting with Jonathan one day. Both of us had been like zombies since I found out the news about Marco. It hurt to even think about it and I knew it was all Jonathan did think about. You could tell he hadn't slept in days, it was destroying him.

"Hey, Jono?" I turned to look at him. He blinked a few times before turning his attention to me.

"Yeah?"

"What happened to Hunter?" I asked in a weak voice, I didn't know if Jonathan had the answers but I needed something. It was killing me, tearing me apart. I know that the day after I got out of hospital, Jonathan had gone to the place that we thought Hunter was, he hadn't even spoken to me about it though and it gave me an awful twisting feeling in my stomach. I mean, if he had found Hunter, Hunter would be home. Here, with me.

"Kate..." He looked at me apologetically, I nodded my head stiffly and looked down at my lap.

"I know, I just... I," it came out as a sob and I covered my mouth with my hand, "I need to know."

"He wasn't there, Kate." Jonathan told me gently, placing a hand on my knee, "I went there and he was gone, he left a note though... I just wasn't sure if I should give to you or not." He looked away from me.

"A note?" I bit my lip and Jono nodded, "Jono, you need to give it to me." I insisted. He hesitated before finally giving in and prying himself off the couch to get his bag. He scrambled around for a bit before handing me a neatly folded note with my name scribbled in Hunters delicate handwriting on the front. I sucked in a sharp breath and took the note with shaky hands. I didn't open it though, I had to read it when I was alone. Jonathan looked at me sadly, just studying me while I stared at the paper in my hands.

"The Smith's are taking this pretty hard... They've lost both their sons on the same day. I can't imagine what that feels like." Jonathan said suddenly.

"Can't you? You lost Marco too." I pointed out, a little confused as to where his statement came from.

"It's different. Marco was my boyfriend. Losing a child is something parents don't get over. It breaks them, even more than it breaks you and me." He told me as he sat down again.

"Life's so unfair." I choked as a few tears fell. Jonathan just nodded as he let silent tears leave streaks down his cheeks. It seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face now. 

It took me a few days to finally open the note that Hunter had left for me. It was only after Marco's funeral that I could bring myself to do it. The funeral was heart-breaking. Jonathan was a complete mess and got extremely agitated when he and Marco were called, 'Good friends' but he didn't do anything about it, he just cried harder and clung to my hand that he was holding.

I was sitting on the floor with my back against my bed, staring at the piece of paper. When I opened it my eyes instantly filled with tears; his handwriting was always so neat, especially for a boy. The note was simple but it was enough to leave me a sobbing mess as I clung to it, holding it to my chest. It might not be a lot but it gave me a bit of hope that Hunter was still alive, but the more realistic side of me was completely crushed to think this was him saying goodbye.

Dear Kate,

I'm sorry. It wasn't suppose to end like this.

Please remember that I will always love you more than anyone could begin to imagine.

Everything is going to be okay, I promise.

Love,

Hunter

I would hang onto those words forever; Everything is going to be okay, I promise.