Colby
I lay curled up on my bed, surrounded by darkness. The blankets wrapped around me like a shroud, suffocating me. I didn’t care about anything anymore. Sally’s rejection had consumed me, and I couldn’t escape the abyss of despair.
My phone lay beside me, a constant reminder of Sally’s silence. I had begged her to talk to me, to forgive me, but she had ignored me. I had even asked Alison to intervene on my behalf, but Sally remained resolute in her refusal to see me.
As I stared blankly at my phone, I noticed something that made my heart sink. Sally had blocked me. The realization shattered me, leaving me feeling lost and hopeless.
Just as I was drowning in my sorrow, a loud banging on my door jolted me out of my trance. “Colby, open this door and come eat!” a voice yelled from outside. “For crying out loud, are you going to kill yourself because of that bitch?”
I recognized the voice as my sister’s. She had always been blunt, but her words cut deep. I slowly got out of bed, my body heavy with grief. I opened the door to find Yvonne standing in the hallway, a look of concern etched on her face.
“It’s been weeks, Colby Banks,” she said, her voice softer now. “Aren’t you going to forget about her? Let her be if she doesn’t want you. There are other girls out there.”
I looked at my sister, feeling a mix of emotions. Anger, sadness, frustration. But most of all, I felt helpless. I didn’t know how to move on from Sally.
I didn’t respond to Yvonne’s concerns, hoping she would leave me alone so I shut the door back on her face. But she wasn’t having it.
“Are you really shutting the door on me?” she asked, a pang of anger in her voice.
“Fine, I’ll do it myself,” she said, her voice firm. “I’ll open this door and drag you out of here.”
I thought she had given up, but suddenly, a loud bang on the door made me jump. I quickly got out of bed and opened the door to prevent it from being ripped apart.
Yvonne stood in the hallway, her face scrunched up in a frown. “Will you come downstairs already?” she asked, exasperated. “Let’s go, you need to eat. You didn’t even eat breakfast, and yesterday you refused to eat anything.”
She grabbed my hand, and her expression changed to one of concern. “Oh my goodness, why is your hand so hot? Are you burning up? Do you have a fever?”
I weakly shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper. “No.”
Yvonne’s eyes narrowed. “What?” she asked.
I repeated myself, trying to sound stronger. “No, I’m fine.”
But Yvonne wasn’t convinced. She placed her hand on my forehead, checking my temperature. “Oh my goodness, you’re burning hot,” she exclaimed. “You’re as hot as fire.”
Her words made me feel even weaker, and I leaned against the doorframe for support. Yvonne’s expression turned from concern to alarm. “Colby, what’s going on with you? Are you alright?”
I let out a deep sigh and shook my head. “I’m not interested in this conversation. I’m going back to my room so just let me be.” But my body tensed up, and I couldn’t take a step. It was as if my legs had turned to lead.
The next thing I knew, everything went black.
***
When I came to, I was greeted by the beeping of machines and the antiseptic smell of a hospital. My head was pounding, and I felt a dull ache throughout my body. I looked around, disoriented, and saw that I had a drip inserted into my hand.
My mind was foggy, but I thought to myself, “Oh no, did I… did I die?” The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
As I tried to sit up, a wave of dizziness washed over me. But then I saw her – Sally – walking towards me with a look of concern on her face.
“What happened to you?” she asked, her voice soft. “They said you haven’t been taking care of yourself, that you’ve been neglecting your health.”
I didn’t let her finish. I yanked the drip out of my hand and jumped out of bed, ignoring the pain and dizziness. I wrapped my arms around Sally, holding her so tightly I thought I might crush her. I never wanted to let her go again.
Sally’s expression softened as she gazed at me, her eyes brimming with tears. I was still clinging to her, my voice shaking as I begged her to stay. “Sally, please… I need you… I want you…” I trailed off, my words barely audible.
Sally’s eyes never left mine as she listened to my pleas. Then, she spoke, her voice firm but gentle. “Yvonne already told me the whole truth,” she said, her words piercing my heart. “What were you thinking, doing all that for your sister?” Her tone was laced with disappointment, and I felt a wave of shame wash over me.
Before I could respond, Sally pulled away from me, her hands cradled my face, her fingers gentle on my skin. She lifted my gaze to meet hers, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Tell me you love me again,” she whispered, her voice husky. “Just like that day in school.”
My eyes widened, and I smiled, feeling a rush of emotions. “I love you,” I said, my voice filled with conviction. “I love you so much… from the depth of my heart… I can’t stop living without you…” I poured out my heart, telling her everything I felt.
Sally’s eyes sparkled with happiness and love, and she chuckled, her lips curling upward. Before I could continue, she leaned in, her lips crashing against mine. I was taken aback at first, but then I surrendered to the kiss, deepening it as our lips melded together.
“I love you too, Colby,” she whispered against my lips.