Changing | SM

Part 77: part of the family

Shawn:

I died.

My heart stopped beating and my body caved in. It's strange to be back now and having to describe what I saw, what I felt.
But I need to be here, I need to be here for Aaliyah, my mum and dad, and most importantly my soulmate.

It was dark, but then when I opened my eyes, I saw me.
I saw me lying in bed with the doctors and nurses all around me.

I look like a mess, I didn't even recognize my own face. Adriana fought to get to me, to just hold my hand. And I saw my sister falling apart at the door. She called my mum, but when my attention was drawn back to me... the beeping of the monitors came back.
And I flashed back to darkness.

Seeing black, and then seeing her again.

"Thank you." She said, crying in to my chest as she hugged me. And then I was back to black, behind my closed eyes.
It's weird that I cannot feel or hear anything. I'm barely existing.

But I know if Adriana is here I'd have to fight. She can't lose me, especially not like this after she already lost someone close to her by death. And it's not my time.
Not yet.

I still have things to do with her and places I want to go and see. I can't die after undergoing such a big change and finding someone who loves me.

I just wish I can open up my eyes, see her and breathe on my own.

💞Adriana:

I never felt this drained. Like seeing him never felt this painful. I'm so exhausted, mostly because I stay awake, just to see if he's okay.
I need to be sure, I can't lose him.

Aaliyah comes here after school every day, but we don't talk much. We don't have a lot to share because both of us are just drifting through each day.
His parents visit every night, but need to leave at some point with Aaliyah, to be ready for work and school in the morning.

I was so sleepy, popping energy shots like sweets in my system and watching endless and endless videos on YouTube to stay awake. Some nights I sit next to him on the bed, brushing my fingers through his hair and just talking to him.

Not that I know he hears it, but just because when I talk to him, if he responds or not, it's gets things off my heart.
And I feel better.

"How is he?" My head shot to the door and I saw the blurred figures of Manny and Karen walking in. "He's... not good." I sniffed as I now saw Karen's red eyes.
They sped off from home to get here after Aaliyah called them, telling them about Shawn... dying.

"Adriana, can we talk for a moment?" Karen called me over. We walked down the halls of the hospital, not really heading in a certain direction.

It was silent.

The sound of her heels echoed through the empty hall we turned down in. "You need to go home. I can see how tired you are sweetie." She said, breaking the silence. "I can't." I admitted. She stopped in her steps, taking my hands in hers.
"This is draining you. You're not the same person anymore, and you need to sleep. I appreciate you staying here and taking care of him, but you need to take care of yourself too."

"And I can do that... once he wakes up and I'm dead that sure he's okay." She went silent again, "Manny told me about the boy Mason." I sighed, looking down at the ground.
"That's why I can't leave." I looked back up at her, feeling the tears stinging in the back of my eyes.

"I know it sounds utterly insane but, when he died this afternoon... the moment I took his hand in mine, he was okay. I promised him that I'll be there, no mater what. I can't-I can't just leave." I started crying as she pulled me in to a hug.
"Then you don't have to. Just promise me you'll get some sleep." I nodded before pulling away from her. She cupped my cheeks, wiping away my tears.

"I look up to you Mrs Mendes. My mum was never around for me, but you are. And you're so strong." I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You're family now Adriana."

It warms my heart that people see the difference in Shawn, and thanks me for it.
Even though I was there too, we made each other good again.

I love this family like it's my own.

They need to be safe.