You've Got So Much Love in You

I awoke to Zac, sitting next to me on the bed. I was confused. Where was Kristy?

"Get off me, cow," I muttered, lifting my body from the oh-so-comfortable bed.

"I'm going home to shower. Are you gonna be okay?" he asked, his voice sincere and careful.

"Of course. Where's Krist?" I asked, still confused.

"Hayles, look at your finger."

I looked down, noticing the engagement ring was no longer there.

Everything flooded back, clouding my mind.

She's gone.

I bit my lip as hard as I possibly could, fighting back the tears.

"I'm going to go shower. I'll be back in about an hour. You gonna be okay?" Zac repeated himself. I nodded, my mind elsewhere.

He sighed, hugging me as he got up to leave. I plopped back down in the bed, feeling lifeless. I dozed off only a short while after.

"You're such a dork, Hayley. I love you," Kristy smiled, her hand finding mine and intertwining our fingers together.

"I love you too, babe," I smiled, lightly pressing my lips to hers. She held her mouth to mine after the kiss ended, seemingly content.

"Don't leave me, okay?" she asked quietly, her lips moving against mine.

"Never," I whispered, letting go of her hands and putting my arms around her neck.

She smiled at the gesture and put her arms around the small of my back.

Her eyes found mine, silently telling me how much I meant to her.

I smiled at her, kissing her cheek softly. My mouth lingered there until her body started disappearing from me. It started with her legs, moving up. Her arms were suddenly dissolved from my back, just as quickly as the rest of her was gone.

"Krist?!" I asked anxiously.

I could hear her voice echo in the distance.

"You gave up on me."

It wasn't warm and loving like she usually was, it was cold, almost dripping with hate.

"Kristy! No, I didn't, I promise. I didn't mean for it to end like that. I figured it was just another small fight!" I pleaded to the sky. Thunder clapped at me.

Was I being punished? What did I do to deserve this?

I stepped out onto the soft grass. It felt more like walking on feathers rather than grass. The whole thing was bothering me. I knew she wasn't anywhere to be found and my legs were getting heavier with each step.

"Stop trying to find me. I'm hidden in the last place you would look. Not that you care to look, anyways," her voice had a hint of regret in it, as well as a large portion of raw pain and emotion.

"Just come back to me..." I pleaded, the roar of the thunder drowning out my voice. A mere mortals voice couldn't overpower the volume of the abnormal thunder.

"You'll always be my thunder," her voice faded slowly, mellowing out into a quiet whisper until fading completely. Gone from existence. Just like the rest of her.

"Hayles? Hayles, get up!" Zac called, shaking my body. I don't know how he managed to move me; my whole body felt heavy.

"What?" I snapped viciously at him. As much as my dream was a nightmare, she was in it, clearly.

"Your cell phone rang earlier. I didn't answer it though. It was an unknown number," he looked at me, just staring.

"That would probably be the hospital Kristy's in, dumb ass!" I yelled.

I shouldn't be yelling at him though. It wasn't his fault. Not at all.

"Sorry..." he murmured. He started to get up but I quickly grabbed his arm.

"I'm sorry, Zac. You know this is hard for the both of us. I don't know if my fiance is alive or dead, and it's the same way for you with your best friend," I sighed, knowing my apology was shitty but it'd have to do for now. My mind wouldn't leave my dream.

I'm hidden in the last place you would look.

I grabbed my cell phone off the nightstand, ripping it from the charger.

Sliding through the menu, I went to my call history. I found the number that had called me last night and the area code registered in my head.

614.

They had taken her back to Columbus. Her parents had, no doubt. I'm guessing that was the first place the hospital called when they found her. Her parents. It was the only logical thing.

"We're going to Ohio," I told Zac. He nodded, knowing exactly what I thought.

I grabbed a duffel bag out from under the bed, tossing random articles of clothing into it until it was full, before adding one last possession I knew I'd need.

"Lets go," I slung the bag over my shoulder, making my way downstairs with Zac only a few paces behind.

"I'll drive," he said. He knew I had slight temper problems, so this was probably best.

"Okay," I threw my bag in the backseat of his car, getting myself situated in the passenger seat.

I leaned my head back against the head rest, tired and worn out. I can only imagine what her parents would say when we got there.

I dozed off, lightly for the remainder of the car ride. Zac woke me up when we arrived at the airport. He grabbed my bags and yanked my arm to the nearest American Airlines desk. Thankfully, there was no line.

"I need the quickest flight to Columbus, Ohio," Zac's voice had never been so urgent and nervous in his life.

The teller keyed something in the computer.

"There's one leaving in 20 minutes but you'd have to be there within the next five minutes to be set for boarding," Zac nodded, tossing his bank card at her. She ran it through and handed it back to him, along with two first class tickets.

He drug me all the way down to the gate, shoving me onto the plane.

I had a window seat, which was the worst for me. I knew I'd probably get sick or something.

I closed my eyes, trying to drift off until we landed. Zac was gripping his arm rests tightly, seemingly afraid of what we'd see when we got there.

My mind did drift, thankfully, but not far.

All I could think about was what I'd said.

Call me when you're sober.

How could I say that? How could I say that to her when that was probably the moment when she needed me most?

Sighing, I forced myself to sleep again. I figured I'd need as much rest as I could get.

"Hayley, wake up, we're landing," Zac said, nudging me.

This came all too soon. I wasn't ready for this. I didn't know what to say, if I could even say anything.

The turbulence of the landing scared me slightly, making me grip my seat.

Zac laughed. I hit his arm.

"This isn't the time to be laughing. I'm going to puke from the nervousness."

"Sorry. Just trying to lighten you up before we get there."

The attendants dismissed everyone by rows, thankfully, we were close to the front.

I practically ran off the plane, but I wasn't alone. Zac did the same.

"One problem. We don't know what hospital she's in," Zac stopped me. I set my duffel bag on the ground and sighed, running my fingers through my hair.