"Revive Me With Just One Touch..."

Jalen

She was all I had,all I needed,and I let her slip right through the cracks.She wore her heart on her sleeve,I heard it beat endlessly.
Somewhere a baby was being born today,I knew it all to well.When one life ends then another one begins.

"Jalen..",that voice brought my heart to a stand still.

The images being created in my head had me struggling to stay on my feet.A  river of anger and depression flowed into every inch of my being.

"Jalen..".

How could I face this person,there was no guarantee that my sister would be with him.
There was no hope.

"She..she's not with you..",the words themselves slid off my tongue like broken glass.

You didn't need a genius to figure out my question was flawed.I could always sense her in the room,I could feel the emotions radiating off her body.I knew when she was around.

"No."

Of course.She risked it all.

He came to me first,he came because we knew we needed each other now.He loved her like no other as did I.If Mike had been aware, he too would have been with us.

"Jasper",he began,"dropped me off.He said he could save her and-"

The vase broke through the air and made impact with the opposing wall.Pieces of shattered glass licked at my feet,water specks flew to my lips.

"Jalen,he-"

"Hurt us.Hurt her.And now he thinks he can save her!".It wasn't a question.

Tony understood,"He brought me  back alive,why not Velair?".

And I thought he understood.

"Mike and I both spoke to her in our dreams,she told us both she'd be alright!She told us we'd all be okay!Well where the fuck is she Tony?!Doesn't she know I won't be okay if she doesn't come back?!Doesn't she know that I love her?!".

And I did.I could drown myself in the tears I was fighting to control but it was no use.One by one they slid down my cheeks,salty drops wetting my lips.

By that point every one of our friends who was still awake had stepped into the room.Gasps emitted from them as they took in the sight of our long lost friend.Even I hadn't taken the time to do that.

"Tony?",they all asked.

We neither acknowledged them nor answered them,they knew it was him.

"Jalen?".The tone of a worried boyfriend met my ears.

But who had time for such nonsense when right before them my heart was ripping at the seams.

I couldn't handle it anymore,my chest was aching and my mind was spinning.
How could I trust anyone anymore?
I let my knees buckle and waited for the cold tiled floor to touch my skin.
How could I live another life?

I couldn't.So I sang...

"We spent some time together crying,spent some time just trying.To let each other go."
 
..her favorite song.

"I held your hand so very tightly and told you what I would be,dreaming of."

"Jalen?",Mike kneeled down before me.

He had been released from his room last night,with the exception that he would only be allowed to visit us.

His thumb carefully wiping away my tears,his touch so gentle like he thought one little slip and I would break.

If I wasn't already broken.

"There's nothing like you and I.Nothing like you and I..",the whisper broke through my cracked lips.

"Jalen?".

The words were lost in the air.

I was being pulled away from my body and I was openly letting go.

When I had my sight again I was in a free meadow.I felt a gentle breeze flow through my hair and the smell of cigarettes and chocolate chips hovered around me.

I saw the silhouettes of two small children running over a hill,something pulled me towards them.

I ran as fast as I could to catch up to them and suddenly I wasn't atop the hill anymore.I was in a house,a beautifully decorated house.

There I heard the deep chuckle of a man and a lighter laugh from a woman.Children giggling fit the scene just right and I found the silhouettes again.

But like before,as soon as I was close enough I was pulled to a different place.A pier to be exact.
One that looked all too familiar,there was no laughter this time.The quiet made my skin crawl.

A soft sobbing caught my attention,there before me sat a single silhouette.One I would never be able to mistake.

As I stepped closer,waiting for her to disappear,the silhouette grew clearer and older.Until she was the one I'd been yearning to see.

"Velair?"

She didn't answer right away.And when she did,I couldn't make sense of it.

"I know."

"What?".I felt lightheaded.

"I know you love me and I know you care. But-"

"Then please come home."

I cut her off.Her casual tone was starting to irritate me.

"I did this for you.So you could finally be set free.I wanted you to live your own life,without helping me live mine."

"Velair,please come back.I don't care about living my own life because without you I don't have one!I need you.."

"No.I needed you and you helped me through everything I once thought impossible.You're my best friend."

She was starting to fade away,I frantically tried to grab onto her only to have my hands fly right through her.

"Velair!Please,don't go!I can't lose you again!"

"I love you Jalen."

I didn't fight the tears this time.
Her eyes caught mine and her soft melody filled the empty spaces between us.

"Come, stop your crying, it will be all right.Just take my hand, hold it tight.I will protect you from, all around you.I will be here, don't you cry."

"Velair.."

"I love you,Jalen.Don't you ever forget how much I love you."