The Last HeartBeat

Chapter 73 Life for Me

"You're beautiful, your smile vibrant, and when I'm with you, there's no way to hide it...Your my friend, my partner, we're a Perfect pair, and when I'm with you, I hold my breath and stare...
When I first met you, I didn't think we'd make it this far, but by some miracle, here we are...In this industry (with lies and fakes) you think you'll grow old and alone...But when I look in your eyes, I find my way home,Thank you for your love, the laughter, your grace, because when we're in each others arms, I always know I'm in the right place❤" Erika read the card that was left on her floor, she'd sent Aaron away saying she wasn't in the mood anymore, he was showering now, she'd gathered everything left at her door and was now sitting on the couch, knees hugged to her chest, as she looked at the gifts, read the words Jake put to paper for her.

Erika ached with guilt, had Jake seen her? Did someone leave gifts on his behalf and told what they saw? What exactly did whoever came in see...Erika swallowed the lump in her throat, as she scrunched up further, she had so many questions, the most for herself though and why she did what she did...She thought over Jake saying he loved her, how he smiled at her, how he perked up Everytime they were together...Now she couldn't help but imagine how bad it would have hurt him if he saw them together.

*I'm not a cheater* Erika told herself, her chest burning, she tried so hard to keep from hurting Jake, and did exactly that..."Erika, are you okay?" Aaron asked coming out, a towel around his neck his pajama pants on now hair still damp, "I don't want to talk about it" Erika mumbled, not able to even look at Aaron the guilt was painful, "What's all this?" Aaron asked looking at the gifts curiously, "Nothing, it's from a friend" Erika said holding the card to her heart, "Which friend?" he asked, "Don't worry about it" Erika told him getting up, lifting her chocolate and flowers with her, keeping the card to her chest, "Erika, you've been acting really odd, especially with this "friend"," Aaron said skeptically, "It's just a friend, I'm not acting odd at all" Erika mumbled again trying to quickly walk by him to her room, "Jake Paul? that "friend"?" Aaron questioned making Erika freeze, "Don't worry about him..." Erika said again, Aaron hugged her from behind kissing her cheek.

"I want you to be happy Erika, but I don't want to hold on to you for nothing..." Aaron told her, his voice in her ear sending shudders through Erika, but she listened, she stood biting her plump lip as he spoke to her, "Just don't get caught up doing things in the name of other people, that you'll eventually regret" He finished before walking away, Erika let out a breath she wasn't aware of, it made her think, Aaron's words and Jake's card...Was she cheating on Aaron? And did she do it for true love or was it a decision she made out of pure sympathy?

Everything seemed dark and cloudy, every voice, every sound...it blended and mixed together, being one unintelligible melted groan, it felt like a dream, but reality at the same time, somewhere in between it all warped together... the feeling was heavy, there wasn't much of a struggle to gain the strength again, every swallow felt more difficult, it was like slowly being crushed, lungs getting more and more stiff, air becoming more urgent, it was like being slowly paralyzed.

Being awake and asleep at the same time, somewhere in between there were thoughts, but they seemed to bounce around the brain and never create anything... 

Suddenly, there was a break in the void of the disembodied groans and uncertain unconsciousness, burning stinging pain, it shot everywhere like electricity, waking up every nerve. The words that had been trapped all came out at once.

*Who's that*, *Are you cheating on me?* *Why did you lie!?* *Erika...*

Light broke the the darkness, everything slowly adjusting again. Air force through lungs sharply finally breaking through whatever blockage was there.

 "Jake!" Logan said in shock watching as his brother took in a deep rough breath,  gasping as his chest rose and fell quickly. Logan didn't wait for him to speak, he grabbed him, jumping out of the seat he was in beside his hospital bed, squeezing Jake in his embrace.

"You 're okay! Thank god bro, your okay! " Logan celebrated, his voice breaking a little as he held him closer, it never seemed like enough though, as he held his eyes shut tight trying not to cry. 

Just moments ago as Logan drove Jake to the hospital going past red lights as he rushed, he didn't know what was gonna be the outcome, didn't know what had happened to his brother, as much as he tried being strong, having Jake beside him so unresponsive, so lethargic...It terrified him to his core, his mind constantly asking him if he was losing his one and only brother...

Once he'd made it to the hospital, he was screaming for help, Jake still drooping on him, eyes barely open or focused, the doctors rushed out taking him into the emergency room, the excitement scaring Logan even further, as they strapped Jake in and rode him to the room, Logan wasn't allowed in there for a while,they left him to guess by himself in the cold waiting room...

Logan paced the place what looked like hundreds of times, praying, hoping, wishing for him to be okay...Finally he was allowed in, the doctors calming him down a little as they tried explaining what happened, Logan was told he could stay with Jake till he woke up, they'd do some more test on him to see if he was okay to go home or stuck in the hospital now.

 "Logan, what happened?" Jake asked his voice still strained, " I should be asking you that! " Logan said chuckling a little, moving back to wipe his eyes, trying not to let Jake see the water in them, "I don't know-" Jake began saying before a twisting feeling came in his stomach and chest, the events of the night replaying in his brain once again...Erika, the guy she was with...the kiss...