So this is my first story on here. Not sure if I'm going to make this into a multi part story or leave it as it is. Let me know what you think. All characters and places are a figment of my imagination. Please feel free to email me with questions, comments, or advice.
AshleyAllan_91@hotmail.com
"I should've known I would never be good enough for you," Tyler said to no one in particular, as he dragged the blade across his arm. The blood spilled out of Tyler's veins steadily. His life slowly drained in front of his eyes.
"I tried to be your everything," Tyler sobbed.
Tyler's phone started playing 'White Horse' next to him. With the little bit of strength Tyler had left, he reached out and picked up the phone.
"Hello?" Tyler gasped out. He fought to keep his eyes open and stay awake long enough to hear his voice one last time.
"Ty? What's going on? Are you okay?" Stephen asked, worry lacing his soft voice.
Tyler stared at the once white tile floor now stained a deep read with his blood and sighed, "I'm fine. I'm numb now and soon I'll never feel again."
"What do you mean Tyler?" Stephen cried out, frantic. "what have you done?!"
Tyler let out a cold, mirthless laugh, "What does it matter to you? You don't love me. I'm not your problem anymore."
Tyler closed his eyes as the phone slipped through his limp fingers. He was finally going to grant Stephen his wish. He would be out of his life, forever.
"Tyler? Tyler!" Stephen screamed as he rushed into Tyler's house. It had been almost 3 minutes since Tyler had hung up on him.
Stephen found Tyler's body on the bathroom floor, clutching a letter in his hand. Stephen checked him for a pulse, tucking the letter into his pocket. Feeling a very faint pulse, Stephen frantically called 911.
"911, what's your emergency?" the operator asked calmly.
"My name is Stephen Vallows. I'm at 211 N Isles St. I'm with Tyler Neugin. He's cut his wrist and is bleeding out. Please send help!" Stephen cried out into the phone in agony. His best friend was dying in his arms.
"Okay Stephen, an ambulance is on the way. Just stay calm, everything will be fine. Now, can you tell me how long he has been bleeding" The operator asked as she dispatched an ambulance to Tyler's house.
"At least 4 minutes, probably closer to 8," Stephen answered as he pressed his fingertips to Tyler's jugular. Stephen was elated to feel the faint pulse still there. It was barely there but he could still feel it.
The ambulance arrived about 3 minutes later and they rushed Tyler to Mercy Medical Center. His heart was only just beating. It took 2 transfusions and 176 stitches to save Tyler. Stephen refused to leave Tyler, he sat by his bed, reading to him, while waiting for him to wake back up. While Tyler was in a coma, Stephen read him all 7 Harry Potter books. In between chapters, Stephen read Tyler's note over and over again, committing it to memory.
The paper was wrinkled and starting to rip, and even though he could recited it from memory, he wanted to see the words that Tyler wrote him. The words that obviously came straight from the heart.
Dear Stephen,
Well my love, I guess this is it. When I told you I would die without you, I meant it. When I promised I'd love you forever, I meant it. I just wish I would have lied.
Remember the first time we made love? You were everything I had ever dreamed of. I couldn't help but laugh at the funny sounds you made and that silly smile on your face. We risked everything that night, just to be together.
I knew then that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. When you left me, I tried living without you. I tried to be strong. Everyone said the pain would get better...eventually go away. But it never did.
I'm sorry I wasn't good enough...wasn't perfect. I'm sorry I fucked up. I tried so hard to be your best friend, your boyfriend, your life partner. Even angels fall sometimes.
As I close my eyes for the last time, know that I love you and always will. Goodbye.
He didn't sign his name, he simply said goodbye. Tyler knew Stephen would understand.
After a week in a coma, Tyler finally opened his eyes again. Stephen's pale green eyes looking down at the letter clutched in his hand was the first thing Tyler saw.
"Steph?" Tyler croaked out, his voice like sand paper. All he wanted was a drink of ice cold water and a kiss from Stephen's amazingly soft lips.
Stephen jumped up so fast, he knocked his chair into the wall with a loud crash. He hit the call button for Nurse Ashley, who Stephen had become really close, before grabbing the ever present glass of ice water. Stephen gently put the straw to Tyler's lips, telling him to drink slowly so he wouldn't upset his stomach. Tyler happily obliged.
"Why Ty?" Stephen asked when Tyler was done drinking, finding it hard to speak past the lump in his throat. "Why would you do this to yourself?"
"Because Steph, I couldn't live in a world where you hated me. You saved me, more than you ever knew, and when you left I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't handle it," Tyler said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Silly boy, I could never hate you. I love you. Life wouldn't you hasn't been worth living," Stephen whispered back.
"Then why did you leave me?" Tyler asked with tears streaming down his face. "Why did you tell me you didn't love me?"
"Because you deserve so much better than a complete fuck up like me. You deserve someone who makes you happy and can give you everything you deserve. Someone who isn't dying," Stephen said, his voice hoarse as the tears he tried so hard to hold in started to cascade down his face.
Tyler didn't speak for a few moments, letting this news wash over him. Then Stephen's words hit him like a ton of bricks.
"DYING?" Tyler screeched, causing his throat immense pain. He must have heard wrong, he thought, panic setting in.
Stephen gently clasped a hand over Tyler's mouth, stifling the noise he was making.
The door quietly swung open and Nurse Ashley walked in. Nurse Ashley had gotten to know Stephen quite well in the last week and had grown quite fond of him. Ashley viewed Stephen like a little brother.
"Oh!" Ashley gasped. "Tyler! You're awake. How are you feeling?"
Stephen removed his hand slowly and spoke first. "I'm sorry for upsetting the patient but I told you I wouldn't lie to him anymore Ashley. He asked me why I left."
Ashley nodded knowingly and quickly looked Tyler over. She knew how hard this was going to be for both Stephen and Tyler. Neither boy deserved the heartache. Ashley wished she could do something, anything to make it better.
As soon as Ashley left the room, Tyler turned to Stephen, his eyes moist once again. Stephen took a deep breath, trying to mentally prepare himself.
"Ty, I have a tumor...in my heart. The doctors aren't sure how long I have. They don't think I would survive an operation to remove the mass and the donor registry doesn't really have any hope for me. You're only 21 Ty. You shouldn't have to watch me die," Stephen said, tears freely falling. He held up a hand as Tyler started to refute what he was saying, telling him to wait.
"Please, just...just let me finish. I thought if I told you that I didn't love you, you would eventually move on and forget about me. I knew it would hurt you but I thought watching me die would hurt more. I never thought you would do something like this."
"So why did you call me? Why did you save me?" Tyler asked, more confused than he had ever been.
"Because being without you was killing me faster than the tumor was. I couldn't take it anymore," Stephan replied quietly. "I was on my way to your house, but I wanted to call first. If..If I...If I hadn't been so close already...you wouldn't...you would've died..."
Tyler asked Stephen to crawl into the small hospital bed with him. Tyler wanted nothing more than to be in his arms once again. He needed to feel his touch.
Stephen gladly obliged. Soon they were wrapped in each others embrace. They lay silently for a while, just enjoying the others presence.
Soon Tyler started to fall back asleep, with Stephen not far behind.
"I don't care if you're dying," Tyler whispered as he drifted off to dreamland. "I loved you before and I love you now."
"I love you too," Stephen whispered back as he too fell asleep.