Walking through the familiar hospital, I very swiftly turned a corner down the middle of the hallway & gently knocked on the side of door frame.
"Hello," I smiled as I stepped into the room filled with family members of mine.
I hugged my uncle who was the one lying in the hospital bed this time. He was told he had two to three weeks until it was his time to go which meant it would be a two to three week family reunion in the hospital waiting room. I sat down in a chair next to my Aunt Stephanie, a nurse as well as my others two cousins, who was on a ten minute break.
The whole family talked to my uncle for another twenty minutes until we were told we had to leave or sit in the waiting room until morning, since the nurses believed there should be no one in the room as my uncle slept.
As I walked out with several of my cousins, I noticed the dim & quiet room across the hall. I didn't recall from the past week anyone visiting the person who laid in there. Maybe his or her family came at times when I wasn't there. The person had to have some family, of course they did, everyone at least has one person to visit them while they're stuck in a boring hospital.
I shrugged it off & walked with my family to the waiting room where another twenty family members were. We were quite a large group, this wasn't even half of us & we packed the room. I took a seat in between my younger cousin & her father. We talked & reminisced for an hour or tour before I grew tired.
A fourth of the family had left to go home & sleep then come back in the morning but most of us stayed & were spending the night in the full waiting room. It was quite a large one actually. There was a children's room, a kitchen, & two bathrooms added to the room & several TV's were placed around the area for our entertainment.
All of the comfy chairs & couches were already taken by the eldest members of our family. I grabbed a blanket from a pile a nurse had brought in for us & wrapped it around myself as I took a spot next to several cousins on the floor.
I fell to sleep in an instant & woke up like it had only been five minutes that passed. My sleep was not fulfilled by the time I awoke but it hadn't bothered me the rest of the day. Luckily someone had brought in mouthwash which was what I used to fill in for my toothpaste. I borrowed a comb from my aunt & put my hair up in a sloppy bun before walking out of the waiting room & to my uncle's room.
I said hi to a few other family members who had just arrived & continued to talk with my uncle & them for about thirty minutes before one of them offered to buy us breakfast. A group of us walked out of the room when my attention was brought to the dark & gloomy room from across the hall.
Still, no one was visiting the man or women who lied in there. I knew it wasn't just an empty room when I saw two feet sticking out from under a blanket. Maybe it was too early? Or his family was just having trouble getting there because of the weather? I told myself that was probably it as I followed the group of family members downstairs to a cafe.
After breakfast, I went back up to the waiting room & sat with a few cousins while watching TV before my curiosity got the best of me. I sneaked out of the room & down the hallway. Instead of taking a right, I took a left. My feet tip toed to the entrance of the room.
I made sure no nurses or doctors were around when I poked my head in to find no one accompanying the poor boy who was sound asleep in the hospital bed. I frowned to myself at the thought of no one visiting him, or again, maybe I'm just looking in here at the wrong time.
All I knew for sure was that he was one of the most attractive guys I've seen. He had to have a girlfriend to come & visit him. I shrugged of the thoughts again & sneaked back into the waiting room. I met up with my aunt, who was on her lunch break, & took her aside from everyone.
"Is everything alright, Violet?"
"Yeah, it's just- that boy who's in the room across from Uncle Matt..."
"Yeah?"
I frowned at the thought of him alone as I continued, "Does anyone come to visit him?"
She slowly shook her head & sighed, "I'm afraid not. No one's every came to see him in the past month."
"Month?"
"Mhmm, month."
"But if he was no one, then who brought him here? Why is he here?"
I was asking too many questions & my aunt wasn't allowed to tell anyone but family about other patients but she was feeling the same remorse for the kid as I was.
"He was brought here by a couple who found him alone in an alley. They said he wasn't moving or anything, he was just lying there limp."
She shook her head & frowned as she continued, "The poor kid has leukemia. The only reason we still have him here is because he has no place to go. And he doesn't have that much time left. I'd give him a couple more days, a week at best. But he's a sweet boy. He just has no family."
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep a tear from falling at the thought of the boy being alone with no one there for him.
"Thank you," I said before exiting the waiting room.
I wiped my eyes & took in several deep breaths as I walked down the hallway. I turned left & knocked on the side of the doorframe. A pair of sparkling blue eyes met mine as I stood, amazed by the boy's beauty.
"Hi," he said with a smile painted on his face.
"H-hi."
I noticed how pale & sick he looked. My Aunt Steph was right, he didn't have too long until it was time for him to go, but that smile said something else.
I remembered what I was there for & spoke, "I'm Violet. I was wondering if I could maybe give you some company?"
He nodded & motioned his hand for me to sit in the chair next to his bed, "That'd be lovely."
I smiled & took a seat next to him. Gosh he was beautiful.
"So, what's a gorgeous girl like you doing in a hospital like this?"
I nodded my head towards my uncle's room, "Family."
"I'm sorry," he frowned.
"Sorry? Don't be sorry sweetie, you didn't do anything."
He shrugged & continued on, "Well, I'm Louis. It's very nice to meet."
He held out his hand for me to take which I shook gladly.
He sat up & criss crossed his legs before smiling at me again, "Why'd you come to see me?"
"I thought you'd like someone to talk to."
"That's nice of you," he looked away from me & frowned before continuing on, "but no one comes to see me."
"I know, but I thought I'd change that."
He looked back to me & smiled, "That's kind of you."
I smiled & thought how lovely Louis was. He was the perfect guy & was kind as could be. We continued to talk until late that evening when my aunt walked in to kick me out.
"Why can't she just stay in here?" He smiled to me then focused back to my aunt as he continued on, "If something happens, she'll be right across the hall."
My Aunt Stephanie smiled & nodded, "I guess she can stay here."
We both thanked her before she exited the room, closing the door behind her.
Louis scooted over to his left & patted the empty space next to him, "Lay down, love. You look a bit drained."
I could say the same about him. He looked so sick & tired it hurt me to even stare at him sometimes. Not because it appalled me, but because the thought of him dying pained me in my heart.
I smiled & gently kicked off my converse before lying down on the bed next to him. Before lying his body back down, Louis grasped the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head & letting it fall to the floor. I looked at the muscles that sculpted his back to his biceps then the small six pack he had. He was no body builder but his body was still nice, especially for a boy as sick as him.
"They make me wear a shirt in the day for 'precautions'," he shook his head & smiled, "I don't know what they're so worried about, it's not like a shirt is going to save me from anything."
He looked to me & continued to smile, "You know, you're one gorgeous girl."
I blushed at his words, "Thank you."
He nodded, "Anytime."
Before I could lie my body down, Louis gave me some of his blankets & smiled, "Get under, it gets a bit chilly in this room at night. Oh & don't worry, I don't bite."
I giggled at his comment while sliding under the blankets, next to him.
"By the way, I'm a cuddler, I hope you don't mind."
I shook my head & continued to smile, "I don't mind."
"Great," he replied, his eyes bright & blue.
I lied down with my back against his chest, his arms wrapped around my waist, holding my body close to him. I closed my eyes, falling asleep moments later.
When I opened my eyes, I noticed the most beautiful boy lying next to me. I remembered last night & smiled at the thought of how sweet he was. I watched him rest for another ten minutes. He was so cute when he was asleep, he looked so young & like child. He was so perfect.
I slowly slipped out of bed, trying not to wake his slumber, & left him a small note before I left the room & traveled across the hall to greet my uncle & more family members. After talking with them for an hour or two, I freshened myself up in the waiting room bathroom. I spoke with a couple cousins for some time then made my way back to Louis' room.
I lightly knocked before walking in to greet the beautiful boy with a smile.
"Hey Violet," he gleamed a smile.
"Hey Louis," I smiled back while I took a seat next to him.
I soon felt a feeling of unease in my stomach when I noticed how pale he had became from the night before. His time was definitely coming soon. I shrugged off the thoughts & began to talk to Louis again.
After a few more hours of talking I got to know him more. He didn't have a family because he ran away from home when he was younger, running from state to state & never being found. He lived on the streets for years & that became his home. He was given free food by a restaurant or two but still didn't receive a healthy amount to last him a day. Then one day he was feeling a bit nauseous & laid down in an alley where he was found by a young couple.
"And ever since then, this hospital has been my home. When I first got here I would run the halls & knew every square inch of this place. But now, it's a whole different story."
He kept the smile on his face as he continued on, "I can't do anything now. I barely have the strength to do anything anymore."
I frowned at his words. He knew his time was soon. He knew he didn't have too long before he had to go. The thought of this boy dying pained me. He was so kind & so loving, why did he have to go so soon?
I hadn't notice how down I'd gotten until I felt a tear stream down my cheek. Louis leaned over, extending his arm out as he wiped away the tear with the pad of his thumb.
"I'm sorry," he frowned.
I shook my head & placed the palm of my hand in his. He entwined his fingers with mine, gently rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb.
"You don't have to say you're sorry, you haven't done anything wrong."
"I know.... But I feel like I have. I believe that whenever something wrong happens enough to make the people I love cry that it's my fault."
"The people you love?"
Louis nodded, "You. I love you. I've only known you for a day but I'm for sure I'm in love with you. It's like God sent one of his angels to show me what love actually is before I die. And that angel's name is Violet."
My heart began to melt from the words that left his lips. I never believed love could be instant, that it took time before you grew to love a stranger. But my beliefs were beginning to change. I was in love with this boy & was blind by my thoughts to see. I was in love with a stranger & the thought pleased me.
"I love you too," I said with tears.
Louis moved over & patted the spot next to him, "Sit with me."
I smiled at his kind gesture & took the open space. I laid my head against his chest & felt him wrap an arm around me.
Hours past & I was still lying in Louis' arms while he spoke to me about how everything was going to be okay. He was so sure of his words. It was like he already knew what the future had for him & I.
"I'm going to miss you," I confessed.
"I'm going to miss you too. And I promise to look over you & try to help guide you through life."
I smiled up at him, "I love you."
He chuckled & repeated my words before tipping my chin up with his thumb to place his soft lips against mine. Seconds later, we slowly pulled away from one another & shared a smile between the two of us.
He cuddled me with his arms & started to laugh. I shared the same action with him & kissed his cheek. He continued to smile as he kissed the tip of my nose before removing his shirt like the night before.
I laid with my head against his chest, his arm wrapped securely around my waist.
"You shouldn't have fallen in love with me," he says while I draw circles on his bare chest.
I question him while keeping my gaze on my hand, "And why's that?"
"Because I'm leaving you too soon."
"We all have to go sometime," I sighed, "some sooner than others."
"Have you ever seen the movie A Walk to Remember?"
I nodded, "Yeah."
He chuckled as he spoke, "You have to promise not to fall in love with me."
My heart sank as I remembered the movie. I cry nearly every time I watch it & now it feels like I'm living it.
I shook my head at the thought of him dying, "No, please no."
He rubbed my back while trying to calm me, "I'm sorry."
I rested my head against Louis' chest & let the tears fall as he continued to try & soothe me. I fell asleep to the soft whisper of his 'I'm sorry' while still crying a stream of tears.
The next day, I kissed him good morning & repeated my actions from the day before. It wasn't until I met my aunt at Louis' room did I realize something was wrong.
She stood me aside & spoke to me in almost a whisper, "The doctor believes he only has a few more hours, possibly a day."
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying as she continued on. She pulled me into a tight hug with a simple 'I'm sorry sweetie' before continuing on with her job.
I gathered myself together before walking into the room. Louis smiled as I sat on the bed next to him. It hurt me so much to see him. His skin was turning more pale by the hour, he grew more tired, he was close & we both knew it.
I slipped under the blankets & wrapped my arms around him as I began to cry. He held me close to him & closed his eyes, letting several tears fall. The rest of the day we stayed cuddled up next to each other while Louis spoke about life & its surprises.
Rain was pouring down at around nine in the evening when I notice his eyes growing heavy.
"Violet," he spoke softly.
"Yeah?"
"I don't think I'm going to make it through the night. And before I go, I want to tell you that I love you."
I nodded & repeated the 'I love you' before kissing his sweet lips one last time.
He didn't make it through the night. He didn't make it to midnight. At around eleven, an hour after falling asleep with me, did he go.
It took all my strength to not break down in tears when he wouldn't wake up. It took everything to not let a stream of tears fall. Looking back at the same room everyday after pained me.
The stranger I fell in love with lost his battle to cancer but found someone to love him before he went. His voice still rang in my head after that. All of his 'I'm sorries' & his words about how everything will be okay replayed in my head.
What hurt the most was the imagine of him smiling while he said the familiar quote that stung my heart.
'You have to promise not to fall in love with me'.
• THE END •