The Girl on the Bus (REWRITE/ON HOLD)

12

CHAPTER 12

VANESSA

It's been nearly three days and Blake still hadn't waken up yet. He's flatlined twice and lost so much blood, and I knew its was all my fault. My dad shot Blake, because of me, and that was something I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life.

"Vanessa honey, you need to go home, get some sleep. He'll be here when you get back." Sandy says as she comes into the room.

The last three days I had spent with Sandy and Lee, getting to know them and trying my hardest to tell them the truth about what happened.

"I can't Mrs. Willis, I can't leave him. This is my fault, I-I need to make sure he's okay."

Her eyes soften as she looks at me, and nods her head before handing me a cup of coffee.

"It's not your fault you know." She says after a few moments of silence.

"Blake has always been a savior, ever since his moms accident. He does what he can to protect others, even if it means putting himself in harms way."

"What happened to her? His mother?"

Sandy looks at me with a pain in her eyes as she takes a seat across the bed.

"I never met her, but from the way Blake and Lee talk about her, she was an amazing woman. Someone I know I can never replace and I'd never hope too. I don't get much out of Lee about what happened. But Blake was there when it happened."

"The accident?" I ask, already knowing the answer

Sandy nods her head solemnly.

"Blake was only 8 years old. They were on their way back from one of his tee ball games. The weather had gotten really bad and the game had gotten cancelled. Blake said that it was raining and he was terrified, so his mom turned on some music to relax him. The next thing he knew there were bright lights shining in his eyes and the car was swerving across the lane and upside down, into the ditch. Kelly was knocked unconscious from the impact and she died instantly."

"That's horrible" I state my eyes not leaving Blake.

"He's always been so strong. I know he'll pull through. He's the strongest person I know, and he has a reason." Sandy says with a small smile as he stands and leaves the room.

My focus goes back to Blake and I grab his hand as my eyes travel down to his tightly wrapped side. Tears spring to my eyes as the scene replayed in my head.

"She's wrong you know" a voice grumbles from beside me.

My eyes shoot up to Blake's face and see the familiar lazy smirk etched onto his lips.

"About what?"

"I'm not as strong as she thinks I am. I try to be and I pretend to be, but I'm not."

"Blake you died twice and came back, don't say you aren't strong"

He finally opens his eyes and tilts his head slightly towards me.

"I let her die Van. I watched her die and didn't do anything to help her."

Was he talking about his mother?

"You can't blame yourself for that, you were just a child"

He hand tightens around mind as a tear slides down his cheek.

I wipe it away with my free hand and press the call button on the side of his bed.

"I'm so sorry that this happened."

"Are you okay? You didn't get hurt did you?" He asks me.

I shake my head.

"What happened to your dad?"

Dread fills me when I think about him. I was afraid of what was going to happen.

"Hey, he's not going to hurt you ever again Van. I swear." Blake says as he tightens his grip on my hand.

"The cops came by a few minutes after you were shot and arrested him. I have to go down to the station tomorrow and make a statement against him. I told the police I wanted to make sure you were okay before I left you"

"How long have I been out?"

"Almost three days."

"Three days?" He asks astonished.

I nod my head as Sandy and Mr. Willis walk back into the room.

Tears spring to Sandy's eyes as she watches Blake intently. His father on the other hand I couldn't read. He had a stony expression on his face and his eyes were hollow and empty.

"Dad" Blake says with a crack in his voice.

I glance at Sandy and let go of his hand before following her out into the hallway. Once the door shuts behind us Sandy wraps me into a hug and sobs into my shoulder.

"Thank you Vanessa. Thank you for saving him"

"I didn't do anything Mrs. Willis. I don't even know how the cops got called." I state numbly as she squeezes me.

"No honey. You have saved him. You've given him a reason to keep going and for that I will always be in your debt"

All I can do is smile as her. She says I saved him, but what she doesn't know is that he's been my saving grace, he's saved me and I wouldn't know what to do without him in my life.