Two Can Play That Game

Chapter 22

Michael

Everything is white and really bright, and I'm wearing a hospital gown.

My eyes blink tiredly and I feel heavy, but then again I feel alive. I look around and furrow my brows as a good distance away, there's a figure which looks to be just standing in the middle of the brightness and for some reason my heart starts to pound. My stomach is churning with excitement as I walk towards it and then I freeze and listen closely.

"Michael, you idiot. Why did you do that for me?" Janet's voice says and I step forward, feeling really fucking confused as I don't see her.

Maybe the figure is her?

I walk faster and then halt again as Rebbie's voice sighs out.

"He's too caring for his own good. He would've jumped in front of the bullets if Joseph actually shot at you." She says and I blink rapidly, realizing they're talking about when Joseph shot me as I saved Janet's life. I get closer to the figure a good distance away, but then I get chills as the next voice is one I haven't heard in a while.

"Even laying around like a damn rag doll, he's still so handsome. His facial hair is starting to grow more." Aaliyah's angelic voice says and I start to jog. I come to walk again as I'm now about ten feet away from the person. She's sitting in a chair calmly with her pajamas on still and her eyes are sad and far away. I take steps closer and then stop and bump into a wall of some sort, but I don't see it. I press my hands up to it and desperately stare at Aaliyah.

She doesn't see me, but it's like she's looking right at me.

"Yeah, he usually was in the bathroom all the time, clogging up the sink with his hairs." Janet giggled and I crack a smile, then shudder as Aaliyah smiles and raises her hand in the box. It swiftly caresses the air, but I can feel it on my face. I place my hand on my cheek and watch her. Then she smiles again, her dimples popping out.

"He looks so much older and mature with his facial hair coming in a lot more." She says and I watch her mouth move along with her words. I smiled softly.

"God, you're so gorgeous." I urge and a wider smile forms on her face.

"You see that? He's twitching again... maybe he'll wake up soon." She says hopefully and then I frown as her face completely falls. She drops her head and she sniffles and when she looks back up, her brown eyes are watery and has tears sliding out of them.

Every since I told her the truth about me cheating, I've never felt more shittier than having to watch her cry. I step forward again, forgetting the wall and I bang my fists onto it. I step back a little in slight relief as she sobs heavily, but Rebbie and Janet appear next to her around the chair she's sitting in. They wrap her up in a tight group hug and I lick my lips and watch intently.

I want so badly to be the one to embrace her. Comfort her. Hold her tightly in my arms.

Am I dead?

Is this what it's like to be in the afterlife?

Having to watch the ones you love suffer over your expired existence?

"I fucking love you Aaliyah... and I'm gonna come back to you. I'm gonna wake up soon." I promise her and she doesn't react as I know she can't hear me. A little while later, she and my sisters leave out the room.

And I can't even hear myself anymore...

  ~•~

Aaliyah