We Only Breathe For So Long.

Only now did it hit her of how much of a bad idea this was, how could she forget he would be here? She just couldn’t escape the blue eyed boy’s taunts, no matter where she went.

“What is that—that thing doing here?” She could hear the fury in his voice and looking up into his eyes she could see the anger behind them.

“Garrett, you better turn around and leave right now or I swear to fucking God—“

“This has nothing to do with you John, back off.” Garrett seethed back at John.

Charlotte hated standing there and not being able to do anything, she never wanted anyone to be involved in this. It was an issue between her family and his, not John’s or any of the bystanders watching the fight that was about to break out.

“It fucking does Garrett.” She felt John move forward to stand in front of her.

“Move out of the fucking way John, this isn’t your fight.”

“And it’s not hers!”

Charlotte continued to stand there in silence, still in shock of what was happening.

“J-John, just leave it.”

“Fucking listen to her John.” Garrett clenched his fist.

“You’re going to have to get through me first before you lay a hand on her Garrett.”

Charlotte watched as Garrett closed his eyes trying to calm himself, “If I see your fucking face again, John won’t be there to save you.”

With one last glare at the pair, Garrett turned away, storming off to somewhere else.

“Are you alright Char?” John’s eyes looked down at her, she hadn’t realized she had been inhaling and exhaling loudly, trying to catch her breath.

Charlotte could feel John’s presence near her, she could sense his worry and concern, but she couldn’t mutter a word out because before she could even process what was happening, she heard the faint voice of John calling out to her and saw him reaching out to her before she fell into the realms of darkness.



He paced back and forth, having to ring Charlottes mom—someone he barely knew—only to inform her that her daughter had collapsed and they were now at the hospital, was one of the most terrifying things he had done.

And now here he was down at the hospital, waiting for a response from the doctors of why she had even fainted in the first place.

John ran another rushed hand through his messed up hair, he had no idea why he was so worked up over this or even her, but the way Garrett had talked to her and even looked at her made him furious.

His thought process was cut off by the ringing of his phone, he answered without even looking at the caller I.D. “Hello?” He sighed.

“Baby? Is that you? Where did you go? All I saw was the ambulance and you leaving!” He had completely forgotten about Alyssa.

“Shit, I’m sorry babe—Charlotte fainted a-and I’m down at the hospital.”

“But what about me? You were my ride to the party!” John rolled his eyes, he could just imagine her pouting.

“Just…can you find someone else please? I’ve got to wait here with Charlotte.” It was half a lie, he didn’t have to wait here.

“But John.” Her whining was getting to him.

“Alyssa, please…I-I just can’t leave her.”

“Can’t or don’t want to John? Which is it?” He could hear the underlying tone she was using.

“I-I…we’ll talk tomorrow Alyssa.” He hung up before she could say another word.

Sighing to himself he looked up seeing a middle aged woman rushing up to the reception, “Is Charlotte alright?”

He made his way over to who he suspected was Charlotte’s mom.

“M-Mrs. Ohh?” The woman whirled around, coming face to face with a young boy, almost towering over her.

“Oh…you must be John I’m guessing? I’m Gwen, Charlotte’s mother.” He caught something in the way she said his name, but couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Yes I am, I-I’m sorry about Charlotte, I-I don’t know what happened, she just all of a sudden fainted a-and I bought her here.” John rushed.

“It’s fine John, you can leave now if you would like.” John looked at Charlotte’s mom with a quirked eyebrow, the way she was waving him off seemed kind of off; it made him think she wasn’t worried at all.

“I-I’d like to stay if that’s alright, I want to make sure she’s okay.” She was about to argue, but nodded reluctantly as they both took a seat in the waiting room.

It wasn’t long before Charlotte’s name was being called out.

“Yes.” Both John and Gwen answered at the same time, standing up and walking over to the doctor.

“How is she Bill?” John was tempted to look over at Charlotte’s mom with a questioning look but was eager to see how Charlotte was doing.

“She’s fine, just a small anxiety attack, you can go vi—.”

“Anxiety attack!?” John exclaimed.

“Uhm, perhaps I should talk to him first Doc.” The doctor exchanged a few more words with Gwen, but John was going back to sit down before he could hear what they were saying.

“John?” He didn’t look up at Charlotte’s mom, but simply hung his head in his hands.

“She had an anxiety attack? I-It’s my fault, if Garrett weren’t there she would—“

Gwen cut off John, “Garrett? Nickelsen?”

“Yeah…why?” John looked up at her with a questioning look.

Gwen sighed before joining John in the seat beside him, “It’s a long story.”

John didn’t want to question, but he sensed it had something to do with why Garrett hated Charlotte so much.

“Perhaps now would be the perfect time for you to go talk to Charlotte, I’ll be up soon, tell her I’m getting a cup of coffee.” Gwen gave him Charlotte’s room number before he headed off.

There was something that not only Gwen was hiding, but Charlotte too and he was eager to find out what it was.

He silently made his way into the room, hearing the soft laugh of—who he instantly recognized—Charlotte.

“Y’know you’re in here too often girly.” The voice of an older woman commented.

“If I had it my way, I wouldn’t be here at all.”

“Okay, so just take a few of these to get rid of the headache, you’ll probably be discharged later tonight so need to worry.”

“Thanks Wendy.”

“Anytime Lottie.” The nurse exited from behind the curtain, looking at John with a smile but a questioning look.

“I’m guessing you’re looking for Charlotte? Just through those curtains.” John stayed silent but nodded nevertheless making his way over to the closed off section.

“J-John, what are you doing here? I-I thought you would have left by now?” John couldn’t help but smile over at the small girl, she simply had that effect on him.

“I was going too, but…I-I wanted to check up on you first.”

“Well…I-I…thank you John, f-for bringing me here, you didn’t have to, but…thank you.” John smiled once again at the blushing girl.

“Like I would just leave you there, Char.” John chuckled.

“Well thanks anyways.” Charlotte smiled over at him.

“Oh your mom said she was gonna get coffee before she would come and see you.” Charlotte nodded in reply.

There was an awkward silence, John standing there looking everywhere but where she was sitting on her bed, Charlotte sat there twiddling her thumbs and biting her lip. John stood there for a few more seconds, contemplating on whether or not to speak up and ask her the question that had been playing on his mind, but instead he backed out.

“Well…I’ll guess I’ll see you around?”

John was never one to leave the questions in his head unanswered, he was one to usually scope out the people and find the answers, but with Charlotte, he felt reluctant and preferred to leave it be.

“Uh—yeah sure.” He noticed the way her smile fell a bit, “thanks again John.”

He nodded turning to walk away but before he did, he blurted that burning question out.

“Why does Garrett hate you so much?”