Vapour (Krii7y)

Fairytale Endings | Chapter 15

Jaren's POV

Stories don't always have happy endings. A lot of them do, but every once in a while you'll come across a story with an ending that will make you bawl your eyes out and cause you to wonder who took a shit in the authors cereal that morning.

Real life is hard and tough, and there is no true goal to achieve. Many people say life is a game, love is the prize, yadayadayada. I say that life is a shit hole. Life is meaningless and brings us nothing but pain.

Some people believe that life is a series of great moments, glued together by bad moments, but I think not. Life is a series of bad moments, with deranged outlooks that may seem like good times, but in reality just make your life shittier.

—

When I was finally able to open my eyes, I was met by a weeping Eri and a struggling Josh. They sat beside my bed and cried, as I desperately tried to form words to ask about John.

He could be dead, right?

"Oh, baby I'm so sorry." Eri cries, covering her face with her hands. She looks so normal, so perfectly fine. Maybe John is fine too.

"Where... is he?" I croak out, my voice hoarse and dry.

"He's in the room next door. But Jaren—."

I don't give her time to talk, I'm trying to get up out of bed, and Josh physically has to restrain me. I struggle against him and stare up at him, my eyes watering as he prevents me from getting up to go see him.

"We need to talk." Josh whispers, and I feel my heart break. I already know that whatever they're going to say is going to hurt like hell, I can see it in their eyes.

"Relax, ok?" Eri whispers, sniffling uncontrollably as she braces herself for whatever she is about to say. "The doctors say he's only got a month left, maybe less. His left lung collapsed." She whispers, and I feel the tears leave my eyes at a rapid pace.

"Take me.. to. him." I manage to get out, trying desperately not to sob.

"Jaren—."

"Take me to him, now!" I shout, but it comes out as a scratchy whisper.

"Ok." Josh replies, leaning down and helping me up. When my feet hit the ground I exhale in pain, my whole body aching. Josh leads me to a door connecting us to another room and my heart breaks at the sight.

John is all hooked up to machines, his eyes droopy as he focuses on a book in front of him. His eyes snap up to meet mine and I see the tears fill his eyes as Josh helps me limp over.

"You're ok." He breathes out, tears falling down his face as he reaches out for me. Josh sits me down in the chair beside his bed and I can't help but whimper in pain. God, my side hurts like a bitch.

"John." I choke out, new hot tears filling my eyes as I stare at him. He looks like absolute shit and his voice is so deep and wheezy now.

He's really going to die.

"Hey baby, glad to see your awake." He rasps out, smiling brightly at me. I can't help but sob at this, and I see Josh leave the room from the corner of my eyes. "Don't cry, everything's going to be alright." He whispers, his hand reaching out and landing in my hair.

"You can't leave me." I choke out, my voice still hoarse and dry as I choke on my own sobs.

"I'll never leave you, remember?" He replies, but I can't help but cry harder at that. "Jaren, it's ok. Please." He whispers.

I can't control myself right now, the fact that I know he's going to die and there's nothing I can do to stop it make me feel like absolute shit. It makes me feel empty, alone, afraid and ashamed.

It's all my fault. If we had left sooner or not gone at all, we wouldn't be here and John would still have time left. John and me could be sitting at school, vaping in the bathrooms and pretending like nothing was wrong. I could have given John his wish and let him live life how he wanted it to be lived.

But instead I was selfish and I told him what he should do with his life, and now he's going to be hooked up to machines for the last month of his life.

And it's all my fault.

"Jaren. I've known you for a little less than two weeks, which, now that I think about it, isn't a long time. In my last month, I want you to stay by my side and I want to learn every little detail about you. And I want you to do the same with me." John whispers, his voice shaky as he tries not to cry. "Will you do that for me?" He asks, looking down at me.

I frantically nod my head, tears still steaming down my face as I try to compose myself.

— Three Weeks Later —

"Jaren? I need to ask you something." John rasps out, his hand clutching mine as he stares up at the bland ceiling.

"Ask away." I reply, rubbing my thumb over the back of his hand.

"How much do you love me?" He asks, and the serious glint in his eyes tells me that he's not joking around.

"I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else." I reply as truthfully as possible, my eyes never leaving his face.

"I know this is dumb, but I have another question." John says, his eyes now on our interlocked hands. I simply hum and nod, waiting for him to say something.

He looks very perplexed about it, so I know it's going to be pretty personal.

"Jaren... I've known you for a little over a month now, and you've saved my life and made me happy in ways I never thought was possible for someone like me. I know that these past few weeks have been hard, but you've stuck by me through it all, so what I'm going to ask you is very important to me before I die." John whispers, his eyes locking with mine. I gulp down the sorrowful lump in my throat and nod my head. "Will you marry me?" He asks quietly, his eyes shifting down to my hand. "I've always wanted to get married, and I think you're the only person I'd ever want to marry." He adds, his eyes meeting mine again.

"Of course I'll fucking marry you, you idiot." I whisper, tears rubbing down my face again. He lets out a shaky breath and nods his head, shutting his eyes again.

"I think we would have had a great life together, Jaren. I think we would have done amazing things together." He whispers, his cold hand reaching up to touch my face. I squeeze my eyes shut and nod my head slowly, picturing us growing old together and sitting together on an old wooden porch, reminiscing about how we met and how fast our relationship blossomed.

I can see it. It's beautiful.

Johns hand falls from my face and I let out a choked sob as a hand lands on my shoulder.

"Let it out, Jaren." Josh whispers, and I feel myself start to shake. I let out sob after sob as I cling to the bedsheets in front of me, Johns cold hand laying limp by his side as the machine flatlines.

Eri and Josh stand back with the nurses and doctors as they give me my space, watching me sob against the bed as the life fade from John.

Life is a cruel thing full of hurt and misery. Not everyone has a fairytale ending.

John didn't, John died in his Lear's favourite way possible. In a bland hospital room, hooked up to machines.

Not everyone gets a fairytale ending.

||.:.||

I HATE MYSELF MORE THAN ANY OF YOU EVER WILL SO STFU.

I WARNED THE HELL OUT OF YOU ALL.

Pay respects for John here.

Thanks for reading the book guys, I hope you hated my fairytale ending. I know I did.

This book has been in the making for a very long time, I have contemplated even posting it, but I decided I finally would.

I'll see y'all in the next book, peace 🤘