OVERBOARD {TAYLER HOLDER}

XVI. Are you okay?

LOS ANGELES, CA | WEDSNESDAY, 12 PM
AUGUST 12TH 2020

I didn't know what I would see, or that he was even alive. They didn't tell me anything. I didn't tell Caleb anything either, I just said we need to go to the hospital for Brandon. He didn't ask any questions and just drove there after putting proper clothes on. We arrive about 20 minutes after Alicia called me and I walk to the front desk. "How can I help you?", the woman behind the counter asked us. "Uhm... I-I'm here for Brandon Keys", I said as my voice broke at the end. "He's in room 204, if you take the elevator up to the second floor it's one of the rooms on the right", she explained giving me a little smile. I just nodded and Caleb said, "thank you." He puts his hand on my back as we walked to the elevator. We walked in the elevator and I looked down at my hands letting the tears hit Caleb's sweater I was wearing. "H-he's gonna be okay, he's strong", Caleb said as his voice was shaky. Caleb and Brandon are childhood friends. They did everything together growing up and that actually never changed. I looked up at him and his eyes were red. He was worried just like me and we both could only think the worse I guess. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

The elevator door opened and we saw Jermaine and Alicia outside the room. Her face was buried in Jermaine's chest as his leg bounced up and down, as if they were waiting for something. Caleb and I quickly made our way over to them and Alicia looked up at me. "M-mom what h-happened?", I asked with a shaky voice. "H-he.... Got into an a-accident", she said breaking again. I pulled her in for a hug and we both started to sob. "It was a drunk driver", Jermaine said talking to Caleb. Caleb just nodded not really able to find any words and even if he had he would break, I could see it. The doctor came out of Brandon's room and looked up at our small group. "Are you all family?", he asked looking at us. We all nodded and I held my mom's hand. "Okay come in", he said letting us in the room. Brandon laid on his back, tube's in his mouth and the only sound filling the room were the machine's that were hooked onto him. Alicia covers her mouth and walked over to his bed. He looked almost lifeless. He was pale and his chest went up down at a scary slow pace.

"We just got out of surgery. They put some pins in his right leg and his right elbow. He has severe head trauma and we keep him in a comatosed state, just to let his body heal. We don't know how bad his condition is, we need to wait for his body to be strong enough to breathe on it's own. Only then we can wake him up, I'm very sorry", the doctor said looking especially at my mom. "W-when will t-that b-be?", she stuttered trying to catch her breath in between sobs. "We can't say anything about that now, ma'am. Your son is very strong... he got lucky", the doctor said pressing his lips together, "I'll give you all some time. Talking to him can help him recover." Mom looked away from the doctor and grabbed Brandon's hand. The doctor shot us a little smile and Jermaine walked out with him. Caleb sat on the chair in the corner of the room and I sat next to Alicia. He looked awful, you could almost not recognize him with all the bruises and cuts on his face. Please wake up, Brandon. Please....

A few hours past. It was actually the next night, about to be 9 pm. Jermaine and I have been taking turns to stay with Alicia as she didn't wanted to leave her son's side. I was holding Alicia's hand as she was just staring at him. Jermaine came walking in waking up Caleb who was sitting in the same chair as before. He didn't leave either. "Alicia, maybe we should go home and refresh a little. Then we come back here", Jermaine spoke with a soft voice. "No.... I-I can't leave him", she said. "It's okay, I'll go home and get you guys some clothes", I said shrugging at Jermaine, "you stay with her." Jermaine seemed to be the only person to be able to calm her down. I stood up and kissed my mom's cheek, but she didn't look away from Brandon. I walked up to Jermaine and he hugged me. "Are you sure?", he asked. I nodded as a tear rolled down. "Caleb, can you bring me home?", I asked. Caleb nodded and walked out behind me.

After showering and getting a bag full of clothes for Jermaine and Alicia I walked downstairs to were Caleb was sitting at the kitchen island. "I uhh... my parents are home. They want to talk to me?", Caleb said confused looking at him phone. "It's fine", I said standing behind him. I looked over his shoulder and he was looking at a picture of him and Brandon at their first national game together. "D-do you think he'll wake up?", he asked with his voice breaking. "He's strong Caleb, we just need to hope he can pull thru", I said as another tear rolled down my cheek. Caleb stood up and hugged me. He lets out a quiet sob and I bite my lower lip. "I can't lose him, h-he's...", he started but couldn't finish. "I know, he'll be okay", I said rubbing his back. I hope. We stood there for a little while until he pulled away. "You gonna be okay driving alone?", I asked looking up at him. "You?", he asked. "I don't know", I said shrugging. "Just text me okay?", he asked. "Yeah, you too when you get home", I said. He nodded and pulled me close once again. He kissed my forehead and we finally left the house.

After driving back to the hospital and dropping off the clothes. I was getting food. I wasn't hungry, but I couldn't stay there any longer. Don't get me wrong. I care about my brother a lot, but seeing him like that breaks my heart. And seeing my mom broken like that, makes it even harder. I told them I'll be back in a few minutes. I drove to the hills to my spot and parked my car. I got out and sat on the roof of my car just looking over the city. Small tears rolled down my cheeks, but I wasn't bothered to wipe them away. The only things coming to my mind were all the fun memories me and Brandon made over the years. He always inspired me to follow my dreams, just like him. And look at him he got into the NBA. Even tho he would say he would never make it, everyone knew he would. He was just passionate about basketball and that made it even better. I wish we didn't end on a bad note when I left for New York. We may be some kind of good now, but I don't really know. And maybe it's now too late to ask him if we are 'okay'. Because who knows what will happen? What if he doesn't ma-. "Braelynn?", someone asked behind me.

I turn my head to the direction I thought it was coming from. The person walked out of the shadows and I could finally see his face. "Are you okay?", he asked. I shook my head looking straight ahead again. The tears started to come down even faster, but my face was emotionless. It's something I mastered in I guess. Just crying without letting out a sound. "Can I join you?", he asked standing beside me. I nodded not making eye contact with him and shifted to the side a bit. It stayed silent for a little while, I guess he was thinking about how to ask me what's wrong. "What happened?", he asked breaking the little silence that had fell. It was like I lost my words. I already choked on the words without even speaking yet. "B-Brandon... i-is in the... h-hospital", I choked out almost like a whisper. "Is it bad?", he asked hesitantly. I could feel he was looking at me, but I knew if I look at those eyes I would break. I nodded my head pulling my knees to my chest. "H-he may n-not m-make it", I whispered taking in a shaky breath. He stayed silent as he just looked at me. I finally built the courage to look his way and was met with his brown eyes. I bit my lip trying to keep it in, but the moment he puts his hand on the back off my head pulling me into him, I lost it. I gripped onto his hoodie like I was scared he might leave me. "I-I can't lose h-him", I stuttered letting out loud sobs into his hoodie. I didn't care if it was him. I didn't care if he even cared. The only thing I cared about was that I couldn't lose my brother. I felt safe. Safe. In his arms. Tayler's arms.

A/N

This is hella sad...
I'm sad now :(

But its coming :)))

Okay I'm going to sleep now,
Bye bubs <333