Run Away

He sat in the terminal with his band in Ohio. They were all getting ready to go home. John was relieved he survived the last three days. Just barely. He was exhausted. He didn't want to go home. He would have to face everyone and everything. All his problems wouldn't be in his head anymore, they'd be right in his face.
"I'm excited to see my dogs." Pat smiled.
John's phone rang, making him jump. It was his mom.
"Hello?" he answered with no emotion.
"John, honey I've got some bad news." she sounded like she was crying.
"I'm sure it's not any worse than before." he sighed.
"They're going to take her off life support in a week if she doesn't respond." 
He sat there staring at the wall. He felt an acidy feeling in his stomach. His face stung and his eyes started to water. 
"I've got to go mom." he hung up and stood up.
"John?" Jared got worried as soon as he saw the look on his face.
"They've given up on her." John mumbled, staring into space. He was almost sure he was going to puke. 
"Oh my god." Garrett gasped.
"She has a week. They'll cut it after that." John choked out, still holding back tears. 
~
"Johnnnnn! Hurry up!" she yelled out the window. She was sitting in his car.
"I'm sorry, I forgot my wallet. We'd have to be washing dishes for our freedom." he laughed, sliding into the drivers seat. She looked beautiful. Her hair was dangling down from her face and her sunglasses covered her eyes. The Arizona sun was setting around them as they set off to the restraunt.
"Lauren, did I ever tell you that you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met?" he asked, grabbing her hand.
"Maybe a few times." she giggled, rubbing his hand with her thumb.
"Well, there's another time." he smiled.
~
"John?" Garrett shook his shoulders. John shook his head and snapped back into reality. He wanted to explode.
"Let's go home." Garrett pointed at the gate as it opened and people began bording. He walked through the terminal and quickly found his seat. The window seat. Kennedy sat next to him, Garrett on the isle seat. Pat was in the opposite isle, window seat while Jared sat next to him in the middle.
"I'm scared Jared." Pat stared out the window. 
"I am too Pat. Not just for Lauren, but for John too." Jared bit his nails.
The rest of the flight was silent. 

John watched as Arizona grew underneath them as the plane got closer to the ground. He thought about how Lauren was supposed to be anxiously waiting at the airport for him right now, but she wasn't. He stepped off the plane and found Garrett again, they picked up their bags, and went to Trey's car.
"Little bro, how are you?" Trey wrapped his arms around Garrett.
"I want to go see her tonight." Garrett whispered in Trey's ear.
"We'll go. Let's just get John home." Trey looked at John, who stood there silently. Not even Trey's half smile could make him feel any less cold inside. 
"John." Trey wrapped his arms around him.
"I'm fine." John mumbled, pulling away and throwing his bags in the open trunk. The whole ride home was silent. John didn't want to go back to the empty house that probably still smelled like her. He didn't want to be reminded that when he opened the door, he wouldn't find her there in the kitchen making lemonaid or in the backyard, hanging up clothes to dry. He wanted to sink into the ground. They pulled up in front of the house, and his heart sank. Even their house looked sad and lonely without her.
"You sure you're going to be okay?" Trey helped John get his bags out of the back.
"I'm fine." he said again, and walked up the walkway to his front door. He found the spare key under the mat and opened the door. It still smelled like her. 
"Lauren?" he called out, tears finally escaping his eyes. He threw his bags down on the floor, slammed the door behind him, and fell to his knees. He looked up to see her blurry sandals in the same place they always were. He pounded on the floor with his fists. His stomach felt like he was being kicked repeatedly. He got up with wobbly legs and stumbled to their bedroom, throwing open the door. He was hit with the smell of her hair. Pomegrante and rose. He collapsed on their bed, sobbing into his pillow.