Imagines and One-Shots

You Make Me Strong (Ryan Follese) *

"And I'm thankful that you both care so much about me, but it's clear to me that Ryan doesn't and I want you two to have the time alone you moved here to get in the first place. I don't want to spend the rest of my life waiting for an apology that will never come. I promise I'll call as often as I can, but I want to be independent. And I don't feel like I can do it here."

Vanessa immediately got up from her chair and rushed over to you, hugging you tightly, "I'm gonna miss you."

Jamie followed suit and pulled you into a hug once Vanessa let go, "I'll be holding you up to that calling as often as possible thing you mentioned."

You smiled, "I will call, okay? Every day if you want me to. Pinky swear." They stuck out their pinkies and you all laughed, linking them together.

"When are you leaving?" Jamie asked.

"In a couple days, I think. I still have to go get my things," you answered.

"How about I take you tomorrow?" Vanessa offered, "I'm sure you still have a lot of stuff there and you look like you want to make as few trips as you can."

"You know me so well," you sighed dramatically, causing her to playfully hit your arm.

~

The next day, you texted Ryan before you left: I'm coming by to pick up my things.

You shoved your phone into your pocket and you and Vanessa made the drive to your apartment building. You pulled into the parking lot and checked your phone for a reply from Ryan: Nothing. Shocking.

You let out a quiet sigh before getting out and getting a box from the back seat, walking up one flight of stairs to the apartment. You turned the doorknob, surprised to find it unlocked.

"Ryan?" you called out, walking inside with Vanessa not too far behind. You heard a loud thud coming from down the hall and spun to face Vanessa, "Stay here. Jamie would kill me if anything happened to you," rushing down the hallway before she had time to protest. You cautiously walked to the bedroom door and opened it slowly. "Ryan?" you whispered.

The room was dark aside from the light peeking through the curtains, but it was still enough for you to see. You looked inside, your eyes immediately locking on the man laying on the floor.

"Ryan!" you exclaimed, running over to him and dropping to your knees, "What happened?" He was breathing slowly, barely able to get his words out.

"I can't...can't...remember..." he managed to say.

"Vanessa!" you yelled toward the open door, "Call 911!" In a matter of seconds, you heard Vanessa saying your address and apartment number. "Ryan," you choked, looking back down at him, "Why?"

"I...thought...you...hated...me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I do," you admitted, tearing up slightly, "But not enough to let you die." He smiled weakly, slowly closing his eyes. You went into a panic, "No, no, no! Ryan, don't you dare give up on me! Not now! Open your eyes!" When he didn't open them, you began feeling tears streaming down your face. "Ryan! Come on, wake up! You can't die, okay?! Your parents need you, Jamie and Anna need you, Nash needs you-" You choked on your breath again. "-I need you..."

But once you heard the sirens, you completely lost it.

You let out a helpless scream and ran your fingers through his hair, waiting for paramedics to arrive; That was all you could do. It wasn't like you had some kind of magical potion that would heal him so everything would be okay again and you could just forget what had happened that caused all of this in the first place; That just wasn't an option. You were beating yourself up over how maybe – just maybe – if you had stopped being so stubborn before today, this might not be happening.