Please Don't Leave Me

Tick, tick, tick, tick....
The seconds folded into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into day and days into months. Each tick of the clock taunted Pierre, Pierre knew that the one person he’d fallen in love with had acted recklessly and wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon, he didn’t been the clocks taunting him about it. He closed his eyes, letting tears streak down his face. He squeezed the hand of the boy laying in the hospital bed. “Why, David? Why?” Pierre whispered, breaking out into full sobs. Pierre pressed his forehead against his love’s stomach, taking in sharp breaths to stop his sobbing. He’d been in that hospital room every minute possible since the accident.
Four years ago you wouldn’t expect the happy couple to be in this position. They always seemed careful to outsiders, but everyone close to the couple, they were far from careful. It started with driving, it was too fast. Later, it escalated to drunk driving and sadly, driving under the influence of drugs. Nothing any of their friends could say to them would stop them. They were told something life threatening would happen, they still wouldn’t listen. Until it happened, it took three and a half years. There lay one of them comatose in hospital. How Pierre wished he listened to his friends, he felt responsible somehow.

Five Years Earlier

“Yo! Pierre!” A voice called down the hall, Pierre turned to see who it was. It was his best friend, Chuck. The only person Pierre let himself close to. He masked his true identity, but when with Chuck all walls were down.

“Hey, man.” Pierre smiled at his younger friend. He noticed that Chuck was slightly out of breath from his small run down the school hall to Pierre’s locker.

“You need to get that stamina up, Chuck. It’ll make hockey a load easier for you.” Pierre smiled sadly down to his friend.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Don’t worry Pierre. Hockey trials aren’t for a two months, I have time.” Chuck chuckled softly.

“Well, remember, it’s difficult to get on the hockey team as a sophomore.” Pierre sighed, closing his locker. A loud ring filled the hallways signalling for the teenagers to get to class.

“I have double history,” Pierre sighs resting his forehead against his locker. “I’ll catch you at lunch.”
Chuck stalked slowly towards his next class, without Pierre. Whereas Pierre just stood sighing at his locker, he questioned bunking but he knew it wasn’t worth the hassle. Slowly, but surely, he walked towards his class.

Upon entering his class he noticed an unfamiliar face sitting in the seat right next to Pierre’s. Who could this be? Taking his seat Pierre looked closely at the person sat next to him. Why did he sit next to my seat? No one ever sits next to me. I’m too weird. The boy looks at Pierre, cracking a small smile.

“Hi, I’m David.” The boy held out his hand for Pierre to shake. Pierre stared at it for a second before reaching out to shake his hand.

“I’m Pierre.” He replied hesitantly.

“Pierre,” David repeated quietly. “That’s a nice name. French, isn’t it?”Pierre nodded quietly.

“Uhm, yeah. I’m French Canadian. Moved to Wisconsin from Montreal when I was three.” Pierre mentally scolded himself, why was he opening up so much towards this boy? He’d only just met him.
Pierre kept looking at David. He took in all of his features. From the messy black hair to the lip ring situated central to his lower lip.

"I’m French Canadian too. Just moved here from Sept-Îles about a week ago.” David smiled at Pierre.

Pierre returned the smile. What was it about this boy? He’d only just met him, yet he told him something that Chuck doesn’t even know. The two boys spent the double period talking, Pierre found out many facts about the boy sat next to him. Wow, maybe I could really make a friend here. Maybe, if I’m lucky, a boyfriend. Yes, Pierre Bouvier was gay. Chuck didn’t know, nor did his parents. He wanted to keep it that way.

“So? Any lucky lady?” David asked out of the blue. Pierre shook his head softly.

“Mmm, girls. Not really my area...” Pierre whispered. Shit...Did I just unintentionally reveal my biggest secret?

“Oh,” David sighed. “Got a boyfriend? Which is fine, by the way.”

“I know its fine.” Pierre replied sharply. David looked towards Pierre, a startled expression grew upon the young boys face.

“I’m just saying, it’s all fine!” David giggled softly trying to break the tension that had been created between the two boys. Pierre nodded. I’m sorry...

Pierre smiled at the memory. The first time he’d ever met David. It wasn’t a cliché love at first sight. David was the one who opened Pierre’s eyes to the world, he made him experience it truly. “Damn you, David.” Pierre sniffed sadly. “It’s your fault. If you hadn’t opened my eyes, we wouldn’t be in this mess.” He sniffled, tears trickling down his face at high speed. “But I was driving that day. It’s my fault we crashed. I shouldn’t have driven under the influence of alcohol.” He held David’s hand tighter, tears pooling onto their hands. “It should be me in that bed, not you. God, David. I was so reckless.”

“Hey Chuck!” Pierre yelled as he walked into the cafeteria, David walking slowly behind him.

“Hey, man.” Chuck smiled back, his gaze moving to the young boy behind Pierre. “Who’s this?” David appeared from behind Pierre, smiling softly.

“I’m David,” He offered his hand, as he did with Pierre. Chuck grasped David’s hand shaking it in a welcoming manner.

“I’m Chuck. Nice to meet you.” Chuck smiled, still shaking David’s hand. “You new here?”

“Yeah, just moved here from Sept-Îles last week.” David replied, dropping his hand returning it to his pocket.

“Cool, well welcome to Drummond High.” Chuck smiled.
Pierre chuckled at his friends, he wasn’t used to this. It didn’t take you that long to become friends with Chuck...

Time flew by between the beginning of lunch and the end of lunch, who knew that time really did fly by when you were having fun? All of Pierre’s worries rested at the back of his mind.
Once David had disappeared to his next class, Pierre and Chuck walked to French together. Pierre didn’t really understand why they made him take French, he was fluent in the language, it being his first language and all.

“Hey, you and David hit it off. You don’t normally act like that around new people.” Chuck announced.

“I know,” Pierre smiled, a genuine smile from the boy who rarely smiled.

“It’s great, Pie. You’re finally opening up a bit.”

I’m not opening up, I’ve just found another genuine friend.