Status: check out the sequel. (:
A Summer to Remember
Trente-cinq.
We walked into the hotel room. I walked into the bathroom, and took a shower. When I came out, Nathan, Cameron, and Michael were all sprawled out on our beds, sleeping like babies. They were dead to the world. Not that I could blame them, it has been a hectic week. I decided to lay down on the bed next to Nathan for a little nap, and then I would go back to the hospital.
Hours later, I was woken up by my cell phone ringing. Groggy, I got up, and tried to locate the where the shrill was coming from. Eventually, I found it on the dresser. By then, whoever was trying to call me, hung up. I unlocked my phone, and saw I had 4 missed calls.
“Great,” I mumbled. Just then, my phone started ringing again. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway. “Hello?” I asked.
“Hello, Zach? This is Nurse Kaitlin from the hospital. I am calling to inform you that Sarah Clark has woken up, and is responsive. You are welcome to come in, and visit.”
“Really? Thank you so much!” I said before hanging up. “Guys!” I shouted, throwing pillows at the three sleeping lumps. “Get up! Sarah is awake!”
After some grumbling and moaning, we all got back into the van and drove back to the hospital. There, we stopped in the gift shop, and bought a dozen pink roses for her. We got in the elevator and went up to her floor. Upon finding her room, I knocked twice, and entered the room with a big smile on my face. In my arms, were the flowers.
Sitting upright in her bed, was Sarah. She looked more alive than the last time I had seen her. Her skin regained some color. She was sipping some apple juice out of a cardboard container.
“Hey Sarah,” I said quietly. She looked up from the TV at the sound of my voice.
“Zach?” she whispered. If I hadn’t seen her lips move, I wouldn’t have known she had said anything. I nodded, and walked over to her bed.
“These are for you,” I said, nodding to the bouquet still in my hand. A smile grew on her face.
“Those are my,” she started saying before going into a coughing fit. “favorite. I’m sorry I,” more coughing, “can’t talk a lot. I damaged my vocal chords screaming.”
My eyes started watering at the thought of her screaming so much. I quickly wiped away the lone tear that formed, and sat on her bed.
“Is there anything we can get you?” I asked, taking her hand.
“A p-p-pad of paper, and a pen so I don’t have to t-talk,” she whispered.
“I’ll go get that!” Nathan announced before turning, and leaving. Michael left with him.
The room was silent.
Cameron paced around the room, unsure of what to do. Finally, he sat down in the chair that was sitting in the corner of the room. I got up, left to go find a vase for the flowers.
I asked one of the nurses, and she pointed me out to the patient supply room. In there, was everything one could need. Food, drinks, magazines; everything. I grabbed a vase off of the counter, and another thing of apple juice, and a straw, and went back to Sarah’s room.
I filled the vase up with water, and took the plastic off from around the flowers. I set them in the vase, and put it on the dresser next to Sarah’s bed.
“They’re beautiful,” she whispered. “Thanks.”
I nodded, and sat back down on her bed. We sat there looking into each other’s eyes for a while.
Suddenly, Nathan and Michael bursted back into the room carrying bags filled to the brim.
“So, uh. We, uh, bought, um, some stuff.” Nathan announced proudly, dropping the bags on the floor.
Sarah raised her eyebrows, as Nathan picked the bags back up, and set them on the foot of her bed. He reached into the first bag, and started pulling out things.
“A fabulous unicorn pillow pet. Some candles, Cheetos, movies, notebooks, dry erase board and markers, Fruit Loops, candy, Red Bull, coloring books, a 64 pack of crayons complete with a sharpener. Let’s see, oh, I grabbed all the magazines that looked even remotely girly, some books that also looked girly, goldfish, and a case of Snapple. Yeah, I think that’s it,” Nathan said as he went through the bags.
Cameron, Sarah, and I looked at him in disbelief.
Then, Sarah started laughing. “Nathan, I asked for a pad of paper, and a pen. You completely outdid yourself.”
He shrugged, “I get carried away.”
We all laughed, and quickly started talking about stuff. The whole time Sarah was quiet, but I figured that it was because she couldn’t talk.
The time came for dinner, and Cameron, Michael, and Nathan left to go get food for themselves. I stayed with Sarah, and we both ate hospital food. It really wasn’t as bad as you would think. Just add some salt, and it was fine.
The boys came back after they ate, and we all hung out for a while. We watched a few movies together, until it got too late, and the nurses made them leave. She let me stay, but only after some convincing.
I thought everything was going to go back to normal.
I woke up at three in the morning. The room was dark, and the entire hospital was eerily quiet. I had fallen asleep in the hospital recliner that a nurse had brought in. It actually was pretty comfortable. I looked over at Sarah who was snuggling with the unicorn Pillow Pet. Those things were actually pretty soft. I fell back asleep.
Soon after, I was woken up once more, by the sun shining in through the window. I looked around, and Sarah was sitting up in her bed, eating oatmeal. She was watching me with a strange expression.
“Hi, honey. How are you doing today?” I asked her, stretching my arms. I stood up, and went over to her bed. I leaned down to give her a good morning kiss. Quickly, she turned her head, and I kissed her cheek instead. Confused, I straightened up, and wondered what I did wrong. She grabbed the marker board that was sitting next to her, and started writing.
A few minutes later, she took a deep breath, and handed me the marker board.
“Dear Zach,
I can’t do this anymore. I really wish I could. I have changed too much. This entire experience has changed who I am. I still love you, don’t get me wrong. I just can’t be with you anymore. Once I can get out of this hospital, I’m going back to Pennsylvania. I’m so sorry. I will always love. I hate to do it this way. I hope you understand. I’ve been thinking about this all night, and I think that’s it’s better this way.
Love always,
Sarah”
After I finished reading it, I looked at her. I could feel my heart sinking.
“Are you sure?” I asked; my voice catching. Through my tears, I could make out a single nod.
“I’m sure,” was the last thing I ever heard her say to me.
Hours later, I was woken up by my cell phone ringing. Groggy, I got up, and tried to locate the where the shrill was coming from. Eventually, I found it on the dresser. By then, whoever was trying to call me, hung up. I unlocked my phone, and saw I had 4 missed calls.
“Great,” I mumbled. Just then, my phone started ringing again. I didn’t recognize the number, but I answered anyway. “Hello?” I asked.
“Hello, Zach? This is Nurse Kaitlin from the hospital. I am calling to inform you that Sarah Clark has woken up, and is responsive. You are welcome to come in, and visit.”
“Really? Thank you so much!” I said before hanging up. “Guys!” I shouted, throwing pillows at the three sleeping lumps. “Get up! Sarah is awake!”
After some grumbling and moaning, we all got back into the van and drove back to the hospital. There, we stopped in the gift shop, and bought a dozen pink roses for her. We got in the elevator and went up to her floor. Upon finding her room, I knocked twice, and entered the room with a big smile on my face. In my arms, were the flowers.
Sitting upright in her bed, was Sarah. She looked more alive than the last time I had seen her. Her skin regained some color. She was sipping some apple juice out of a cardboard container.
“Hey Sarah,” I said quietly. She looked up from the TV at the sound of my voice.
“Zach?” she whispered. If I hadn’t seen her lips move, I wouldn’t have known she had said anything. I nodded, and walked over to her bed.
“These are for you,” I said, nodding to the bouquet still in my hand. A smile grew on her face.
“Those are my,” she started saying before going into a coughing fit. “favorite. I’m sorry I,” more coughing, “can’t talk a lot. I damaged my vocal chords screaming.”
My eyes started watering at the thought of her screaming so much. I quickly wiped away the lone tear that formed, and sat on her bed.
“Is there anything we can get you?” I asked, taking her hand.
“A p-p-pad of paper, and a pen so I don’t have to t-talk,” she whispered.
“I’ll go get that!” Nathan announced before turning, and leaving. Michael left with him.
The room was silent.
Cameron paced around the room, unsure of what to do. Finally, he sat down in the chair that was sitting in the corner of the room. I got up, left to go find a vase for the flowers.
I asked one of the nurses, and she pointed me out to the patient supply room. In there, was everything one could need. Food, drinks, magazines; everything. I grabbed a vase off of the counter, and another thing of apple juice, and a straw, and went back to Sarah’s room.
I filled the vase up with water, and took the plastic off from around the flowers. I set them in the vase, and put it on the dresser next to Sarah’s bed.
“They’re beautiful,” she whispered. “Thanks.”
I nodded, and sat back down on her bed. We sat there looking into each other’s eyes for a while.
Suddenly, Nathan and Michael bursted back into the room carrying bags filled to the brim.
“So, uh. We, uh, bought, um, some stuff.” Nathan announced proudly, dropping the bags on the floor.
Sarah raised her eyebrows, as Nathan picked the bags back up, and set them on the foot of her bed. He reached into the first bag, and started pulling out things.
“A fabulous unicorn pillow pet. Some candles, Cheetos, movies, notebooks, dry erase board and markers, Fruit Loops, candy, Red Bull, coloring books, a 64 pack of crayons complete with a sharpener. Let’s see, oh, I grabbed all the magazines that looked even remotely girly, some books that also looked girly, goldfish, and a case of Snapple. Yeah, I think that’s it,” Nathan said as he went through the bags.
Cameron, Sarah, and I looked at him in disbelief.
Then, Sarah started laughing. “Nathan, I asked for a pad of paper, and a pen. You completely outdid yourself.”
He shrugged, “I get carried away.”
We all laughed, and quickly started talking about stuff. The whole time Sarah was quiet, but I figured that it was because she couldn’t talk.
The time came for dinner, and Cameron, Michael, and Nathan left to go get food for themselves. I stayed with Sarah, and we both ate hospital food. It really wasn’t as bad as you would think. Just add some salt, and it was fine.
The boys came back after they ate, and we all hung out for a while. We watched a few movies together, until it got too late, and the nurses made them leave. She let me stay, but only after some convincing.
I thought everything was going to go back to normal.
I woke up at three in the morning. The room was dark, and the entire hospital was eerily quiet. I had fallen asleep in the hospital recliner that a nurse had brought in. It actually was pretty comfortable. I looked over at Sarah who was snuggling with the unicorn Pillow Pet. Those things were actually pretty soft. I fell back asleep.
Soon after, I was woken up once more, by the sun shining in through the window. I looked around, and Sarah was sitting up in her bed, eating oatmeal. She was watching me with a strange expression.
“Hi, honey. How are you doing today?” I asked her, stretching my arms. I stood up, and went over to her bed. I leaned down to give her a good morning kiss. Quickly, she turned her head, and I kissed her cheek instead. Confused, I straightened up, and wondered what I did wrong. She grabbed the marker board that was sitting next to her, and started writing.
A few minutes later, she took a deep breath, and handed me the marker board.
“Dear Zach,
I can’t do this anymore. I really wish I could. I have changed too much. This entire experience has changed who I am. I still love you, don’t get me wrong. I just can’t be with you anymore. Once I can get out of this hospital, I’m going back to Pennsylvania. I’m so sorry. I will always love. I hate to do it this way. I hope you understand. I’ve been thinking about this all night, and I think that’s it’s better this way.
Love always,
Sarah”
After I finished reading it, I looked at her. I could feel my heart sinking.
“Are you sure?” I asked; my voice catching. Through my tears, I could make out a single nod.
“I’m sure,” was the last thing I ever heard her say to me.
♠ ♠ ♠
Well, guys. This is it. This is the last chapter.Here is the link to the sequel.
I'll post the first chapter to the sequel once I see that a majority of people have subscribed. (:
OKAY, HERE IS THE LONG SAPPY AUTHOR'S NOTE.
So, I just wanted to thank each and everyone of you that have subscribed, and commented on this story. It really does mean the world to me. It started off, as me just being bored, and messing around. I never thought it would ever get this far, and it never would have if you guys haven't supported it so much. To the people who have read it from the beginning, I love you. To the few people that just subscribed in the past few days, I love you too. To the people actually reading this, I love you the most.
Anyway, I want to thank my lovely friends Jeanna and Lindsey to helping me figure out where I wanted to go with this story. If it wasn't for you, it would be just another one of those "cutesy" stories with nothing but cute date scenes. Don't get me wrong, I love those.
This is the last chance to comment on this story. I would still love it if you commented! To those who haven't commented ever, this is your chance! Tell me what you thought of the story, and the ending. If you haven't commented in a while, or you comment everytime, I'd still love to hear from you. (:
Anyway, 57 pages, 84,208 words, and 35 chapters, It's finally done.
Thanks for a good time.
Sarah.(:
By the way, if you ever want me to go over something of yours, or ya just want to chat, I'm always here. (: Well, not literally, always here, but you get my point. (: