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“No—I haven’t.” I looked over at my body.
“Yeah, you have.” He looked over at the door that had appeared. It opened, and then a burst of light filled the space. Then Matt walked through and stood on the other side next to me. “All this pain you are feeling has overwhelmed you. Your body is strong, but your heart is broken,” he said, kissing my hair.
“W—what do I do?” I asked, burying my face in his shoulder.
“That is up to you, darling,” Matt replied, taking my hand in his.
“How’s it up to me?” I asked. “I thought that if it was your time, then it was your time.” I sobbed.
Matt’s lip curled up at one side. “You’re young and strong. If you can overcome the pain your heart feels, then you can overcome anything,” he said, standing in front of me.
“But I was under that water for a long time.” I looked over at my body, pale and lips still faintly blue.
“Yeah you were,” my father said, walking towards the bed. “But they saved you in time.” His eyes grew saddened.
“I could have brain damage,” I replied. “What kind of life would that be?” I cried.
“There is only one way to know for sure.” he said, gesturing for me to return to my body. “No one said life was easy, pumpkin. You just have to take it one day at a time.”
“I feel like everything I do lately is wrong,” I sighed.
“Sometimes you have to fall in order to fly,” he said. “You want to know what the hardest part about leaving you was?” he asked, and I nodded. “Knowing I would never see you become the woman you are today.”
“Oh, Daddy,” I whispered, and then started to cry. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed. “I miss you so much.”
“But knowing Mom was there for you made it easier. Now it’s your turn to decide your fate. You have a good man there who loves you, and you are a beautiful, talented young woman with your whole life ahead of you.”
“How do you know that?” I looked over at Mason, then at Nick. “They both say they love me. Who are you talking about?” “Only you can find that out for yourself,” my father replied. “No hints on the best choice?” I screwed my lips to the side.
“Unfortunately, that’s a decision only you can make,” my father replied with a chuckle.
“It’s so hard,” I said, crossing my arms. “They both hurt me,” I added.
“Follow your heart,” he said and wrapped his arm around me.
“That’s what I have been trying to tell you all along,” Matt said, smirking.
“What—when?” My eyes narrowed at him.
“Every time that I saw you, I told you to move on,” Matt said, his brow arched. I scanned back to all the times that Matt had appeared since his death, most times when I was with Mason.
Then I replied, “Whenever I was with Mason.”
“Well—those were the times you seemed to need me most,” he said and nodded. “Choose wisely.” His fingers caressed my cheek.
I nodded, still unsure. “Will I see you again?”
“When it is your time,” they both said, each taking one of my hands. I nodded, and then turned, to face them.
“I love you both.” I hugged my dad first, and then turned to hug Matt. “I miss you so much,” I said, kissing his cheek.
“I love you too,” they said in unison. I blew them a kiss, slowly turned, walking over to the bed. I stood and stared at myself, and the longer I stared, the more I realized that my father and Matt were right. I was not ready to leave this life.
My eyes fell on Mason, his red eyes searching my face for a sign that I was going to be all right; then Nick, broken and filled with shame. Cassie had not stopped sobbing since I was revived. It broke my heart to see the ones I loved in this much pain. My Mother’s pain affected me the most. She had lost my dad not too long ago and now me. I couldn’t do that to her. I lay down over my body and waited, but nothing happened. Then in a flash it felt like I was being sucked back through a vortex. The monitors came to life, frenetically beeping, and then my body started convulsing. Mason jumped to his feet, screaming for help. A group of nurses ran into the room, asking everyone to get out. My eyes opened, and I could see my dad in the corner of the room, watching. I tried to call out to him, but I couldn’t move. Then everything went black, and I felt my body fill with electricity.
I woke gasping for air. My arms started flailing around, and the nurses had to hold me down. I tried to scream, but something was blocking my airway. Then there was a pinch on my arm, and everything went hazy.
When I woke up, my eyes hadn’t adjusted yet. Through blurred vision I saw someone sitting near me, but I was unable to make out who it was. My voice was hoarse, and nothing came out when I tried to speak. Then I reached over and grabbed the hand.
