H2O | ✔

Chapter One : Water

Xander

I held her hand, my heart beating to in time with hers. The only sounds heard were the drip of her IV and someone crying in the hall. Probably her mom.

Mesi's mom had tried so hard to help her after Sam. We all did. I did. But I guess it wasn't enough. Because there she was, in the hospital.

There were no words to explain how mad I was. With myself. I'd almost lost someone again. I'd almost let them go, again, and again it was all my fault.

Sam asked me to hang out with him that day, since Mesi was going to Tammy's. But I told him I had to study. I chose studying over my best friend! If I'd told him yes, he wouldn't have been headed over that bridge. He would be alive.

And I'd almost let it happen again. I was supposed to be helping Mesi, I was supposed to make it easier for her. But I failed. Again.

My head shot up when I heard her try to say something. I hadn't realized she was awake.

"Wa...ter," she croaked out.

Quickly, I grabbed the cup of water sitting at her bedside and brought it to her lips, sloshing some on the blanket. Gratefully, she took a big sip before nodding for me to put it back down.

"Let me get the doctor," I said, smiling as I stood up and leaned out into the hall. I motioned him to come, he was standing at the nurse's station. Immediately, he dropped what he was doing and rushed over.

"She woke up," I said, answering his questioning look. He nodded before heading into the room.

"It's good to meet you Ms. Markham. You've been unconscious for a while now." He checked his watch. "Eight hours, I think?"

Mesi just stared at him like she'd never seen a doctor before.

"What...what happened?" she said it so quietly I wasn't sure I'd heard her at first.

"And who are you?"

My world stopped. She was pointing at me. She didn't remember me. How could she not remember me? We'd spent practically every waking hour together since Sam died. I'd done everything I could think of to pull her out of her depression.

She had to remember the night with the board games. It was the night I finally got her to smile. We were playing Cards Against Humanity...sort of. We didn't have enough people, so we just spent hours trying to pick out the most hilarious matches. I got her with How did I lose my virginity? The Make-A-Wish Foundation. It wasn't even that good, but it made her smile. And it made me think that maybe she was getting better.

The doctor turned to me. "Could you please step out for a minute so that I can do an examination?"

Completely fazed, I stumbled into the hall and found a chair just outside the door, that I slumped into. Only one thought was on my mind: she didn't know who I was.

...

After a while, the doctor stepped out of Mesi's room and gave me a slight nod. On his face he wore a tight, strained smile. It made my palms sweat. Nothing good ever came of tight, strained smiles.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I shook my head as if to force them back inside. This was not the time for crying. This was the time to be strong, for Mesi.

Hands shaking, I moved my feet towards her bed. She sat there, staring at me like I was an alien. I probably was to her. The thought felt like a blow to the head.