I Won't Give Up •The Substitute Teacher Sequel•

Chapter 38

Joey's P.O.V.

The doctors finally come in to help Daniel. Everything we have ever done flashes before me eyes; two truths and a lie, our first date, having to lie about the hickey, out first fight, our ongoing fights, the bracelets, the cutting, but most importantly, the love.

"I'm sorry but you guys are going to have to leave," The doctor says as she motions me and Preston out the door. We sit back down in the waiting room and my stomach drops. I held hands with Preston in front of Daniel.

We had just been fighting and I was so mad at him. But I was stressed to see Daniel the way he was and his hand made me feel better.

"Are you mad at me?" Preston says pulling me out of my thoughts. I look at him. My stomach churns as my heart and brain fight the battle. Unfortunatley, my heart wins.
"No baby of course not. I'm just so fucking caught up in Daniel and if he is okay that I was freaking out on you. I'm sorry. I love you," I say leaning in for a kiss and he kisses back.
"I love you too," he says when we pull away. I begin to feel sleepy and I guess he could tell because he pulled me on his lap and craddled me until I fell asleep.

*beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* I wake up to the sound of a heart beat monitor throbbing in my ears. I look up and I see Preston asleep, holding me. However we aren't in the waiting room anymore. I look around and I spot an all too familiar dark haired man with striking green eyes and the plumpiest lips you'll ever see in your life. That heart beat, was his.

"Oh Daniel," I whisper and start to cry. He's alive. He almost died because of me but he is alive.
"Hi there Joey," Daniel strains out. I can tell he is tired and has no energy, but he is still talking to me.

I somehow manage to untangle myself from Preston's tight grip and slowly walk over to the edge of the bed. I sit down and run my hands over his forehead and through his hair.

"I didn't want to come back here," I say with a chuckle, twisting my finger in one of his strans of hair.
"Believe me, neither did I," he whispers out to me.
"Why Daniel. Why is this so hard for us?" I say. Daniel looks up at me with a slight gleam in his eye as if he has been holding on to the answer for decades.
"Well you see Joey, you had already made up your mind the day you broke up with me and went out with Ricky. You had already decided to shut me out and leave me in the dark. So even when Preston cheated on you, you could only see me as the bad guy. You compared everyone to me, not only the good qualities but the bad ones as well. You decided not for yourself, but for Preston. You didn't chose what was right. You chose what seemed okay at the time. But now, you're sitting at my hospital bed after I almost died, with your boyfriend and me, but your mind has no clue where you are. You're stuck in a rut with no compass, you'll never escape," Daniel says so passionatley. And it is true.

Every ounce of what he just said is true. And I hate it but I can't change it. I hate what my life is. I wish I could just end it. But if I did that I wouldn't be able to be with Preston. And for some god damn reason, i'm holding onto Daniel too.

"Give me a reason to hate you. Give me a reason to not love you. Make me hate you so what i'm feeling hurts less," I say grabbing his hand and pulling it up against my beating heart.
"You already have the reason remember? I cheated. You got mad. You broke up with me. You should hate me. But you don't. For some damn reason you keep pushing me away just to pull me back in again. Honestly, it is getting repetative," he says snatching his hand out of my reach and away from my chest.
"Daniel. Don't. I love you. I was so fucking stupid for not letting myself be truly happy. I was just scared to lose you. Please, you know-" I say trying to make it stop. Trying not to accept my fate.
"Joseph Michael Graceffa, here's your reason. I don't love you. Now go live your life and be happy with the decision you made in the first place. You chose Preston that day, not me. You can't keep changing your mind. Think before you act so you don't fuck up what you didn't mean to," he says.

Tears instantly fill my eyes and they are absent from Daniel's. I stare at him wanting him desperstley to atleast shed one tear. But nothing fell. I stand up from the bed and shake Preston. I make him walk with me. Preston walks out the door in front of me and I stop in the door way.

I look back at Daniel as he looks back at me. And in that moment it was like my life ended for eternity.

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Authors Note-
It isn't over just yet. Tell me if you wsnt a sequel!!!!! Also, I will start updating my other stories once I finish this one. Xoxo, Kaylin