Michael's POV
The day was normal, for someone is a hospital of course. Bland meals, occasional check ups, and flowers and cards from people. Luckily, I had some people who would come in and spend time with me.
"Hey, Michael, whatchu doing?" Ava asked.
"Filling out paperwork." I replied.
"Huh? But you're supposed to be resting! Why are you doing this?" She asked.
"I'm just preparing." I said.
"For what?"
"I did research and checked the Rochester High's regulations. If you have more than enough credits, you can graduate early and get your diploma ASAP." I told her.
"Michael, don't tell me you're planning to get your high school diploma early." She sighed.
"Yes. For me and Antonio. Antonio had the highest grades out of all of us. He had more than enough. My ranking is in the top 5, so I also have enough. I'm filling out the paperwork and gonna get us our diploma." I said.
"So you aren't going to college. You're just gonna move away and start a life. You know you're abandoning everything: money, power, an inheritance, and even to live a comfortable life." Ava said.
"Think about it, Ava. Are you in love with anyone?" I asked.
She turned bright red. "Wha- No! Of course not!" Her voice wasn't convincing.
"Wouldn't you want to live with that person? Keep them by your side? Imagine getting to live forever with that person. Even if me and Ant don't have a lot of money, I at least get to be with him." I told her.
She seemed to begin to understand.
"I'll never be as courageous as you, Michael. I can only salute you and admire you. Maybe one day I'll be as strong as you." She replied.
"You have the will, Ava. I know it." I told her.
"Still. If one day you two move to a new place, you should totally give me your house in Oregon." She said.
"Maybe. Then you can move in and start your own family." I said.
A knock on the door stopped our conversation. Both Ava and I turned and saw Petey standing in the doorway. He had a sad look on his face.
"Petey? What's wrong?" Ava asked.
"Uhhh, my parents just told me something." He said in a low voice.
"Are they mad about the shooting? They know you had nothing to do with it!" I said.
"No, it's not that. They know that I wasn't there. But..." He looked at me with sad eyes. "My parents just told me that we're moving." He said.
"You're what?!" Me and Ava gasped.
"Tell them you can't! Tell them that you have everything here! You can't leave! Especially not now!" I protested.
"I tried, Michael. I tried telling them. But they're hellbent on making us move. Ever since the shooting, and the past incidents, they don't think Newport is safe anymore. I'm sorry." He began sobbing.
"Well, when do you move?" I asked.
"Two weeks from now." He said.
"Where?" I asked.
"Somewhere in upstate New York. In a small town in the middle of nowhere." Petey said.
"Promise to keep in contact?" I said.
"Deal! When we're adults, we should meet for Christmas every year. You could bring Antonio!"
"And what about me?" Ava asked.
"I thought red-heads didn't celebrate Christmas." Petey chuckled.
"We're not that heartless." Ava joked.
Petey pulled out a deck of cards and we began playing card games. I asked about some people and what they're up to.
Jack and Rafael have become friends and have gotten along great. Both Archie and Juan are being charged with attempted murder. Bandit is being sent to a boarding school far away. Many former Saints have begun reconstruction of their side of town.
But Antonio is still knocked out.
"No, wait! My hand is higher!" Petey said.
"Nu-uh! I have a two pair! You have three Jacks! Two pairs trump Jacks!"
"I'm the winner!" Petey and Ava fought.
That's when I slammed my deck in front of them.
"Royal flush." I said. Both turned and saw my hand.
"Wha- How the hell?!" Petey began whining while Ava, despite losing, was just glad that Petey didn't win.
"Sorry, dude, but I win." I leaned forward and grabbed all the candy bars we had bet.
A sound of something crashing brought our attention over to the door. We all stopped our game, turned, and saw Dolores picking herself up.
"Michael!" An excited Dolores yelled. "Antonio woke up!" She told me with the biggest smile on her face.
"What?" I said in disbelief.
"He woke up! He wants to see you!" She said.
I turned to Petey. "Am I dreaming?" I asked.
"You're not, Michael. He woke up." Petey told me.
I turned to Dolores.
"He's awake..." I muttered. "He's awake!" I said with excitement. I removed my blanket and tried to stand up. I almost fell on the floor but Petey held onto me.
"Hang on, Michael! Let's get you a wheelchair first. You aren't fit to walk yet." Petey said. He left the room and got a wheelchair.
"Ava! Get my coat!" I told her. She ran to my bag of clothes that she had brought and got my coat. She helped me put it on.
Dolores walked over and began to pull out a brush and fix my hair. "If you're going to see Antonio, you don't want to look like you have just woken up." She said, combing through my hair.
A warm excitement began to fill me. Like I'd just won an Oscar or ended a war.
"Here! I stole it from an old lady!" Petey raced into the room with a wheelchair.
"Get me in!" I said to Ava and Petey. They both carried me into the wheelchair and set me in place. Dolores finished with my hair until she felt like I was presentable.
"I'm nervous." I said. I haven't seen Antonio in so long. Will he remember me? Did he forget anything? I hope not. I've been waiting for this day for... 6 days. But during those six days, I felt like I was in deep withdrawal.
"Relax, Michael. Once he sees you, it'll be like how it was before." Petey assured me. We began to walk faster, following Dolores as she guided us to the ICU.
"Are we allowed to go in?" I asked Dolores.
"I checked when he woke up. But only one at a time. I think you should go first." Dolores told me.
I was in the wheelchair in front of room 39-C. The patient's name was Antonio Jose Garcia. He's in there. Waiting.
"Can someone open the door?" I asked. Dolores opened the door for me and I wheeled myself in.
As soon as I entered, I was met with Ant, who was in similar condition. He had bandages on his torso but a few tubes tied to his arm. I wheeled to the side of his bed and looked at his beautiful face. There were a few stitches where he had been hit in the forehead. But, his beauty remained.
His eyes slowly opened and the all too familiar brown eyes that got me lost were staring right back at me.
It took him a few seconds to register me. But once he did, it was like everything clicked.
I can only describe it as similar to the moment when we first laid eyes on one another. That instant attraction. A feeling that I could never forget because of how monumental it was.
I've longed for this feeling again. Despite the short days, and the small chances of Ant waking up, he pulled through. I always knew he would. He's Antonio Jose fucking Garcia, he can get through anything.
"M-Mike?" He said in a raspy voice. He brought his hand out and touched my face. It's been a few days since I've shaved but I still looked like me.
"Ant." I replied.
We stared deep into each other's eyes. He was gathering every bit of me. Every familiar detail and new details. New cuts and bruises. A small stubble. A patch on my forehead.
But I'm still me.
"MIKE!" Ant jumped forward and gave me a tight hug.
"Ant!" I replied. We hugged each other and sobbed into each other's necks.
"You're back! You're really here!" He cried. "I thought I was gonna lose you!" He said.
"I'm not going anywhere, my love! I'm staying forever!" I replied.
I refused to let him go. He's my love. I'm sticking with him. From here on out, I will never let Ant out of sight. From here onto forever.
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awwwwwww! he woke up! (please don't kill me readers i didn't mean to worry y'all).
<3 <3