I woke up to an empty bed, staring up at the ceiling. I didn't like waking up alone, there was this emptiness in my heart that I never wanted to experience but this was my life now.

"Hey! Breakfast!" Josh called.

Josh moved in with Jamia and I last week. He was having trouble affording his rent and we invited him to take one of the extra bedrooms. Frank was still paying rent and the bills and although I had argued with him on it over the phone, he told me that we already have jobs and should be working to pay off tuition debt, not to try and keep a roof over our heads.

I got up, yawning as I rubbed my eyes. Josh loved to cook, which was a benefit to both Jamia and I because now we have someone to cook for us.

"Morning," Josh said with a bright smile as I came into the kitchen.

"Why are you such an early bird?" I asked. "Your perkiness is irritating."

"I've been told that," he said with a shrug.

He handed me the pancakes and eggs with the same cheery smile that never fades. Jamia joined us and we all ate at the counter.

"So, it's been a month since you and Frank broke up," Jamia said. "You ready to forgive him?"

"Maybe when Mikey wakes up," I mumbled. "I don't wanna talk about frank right now. This is a break and I'm supposed to not be thinking of him."

Jamia nodded and I cut up my Pancakes. For a moment I just thought about breakfasts in Paris with Frank but I quickly pushed the memory away.

"Do you have classes today, Gee?" Josh asked.

"No, it was canceled," I said. "Professor sent an email that he was sick so thankfully I'm free for today. I'm just gonna go visit my brother and then head to work."

"He still the same?" Jamia asked.

"Still in a coma," I mumbled. "Hasn't stirred yet."

"Well, I'll run by the corner store to get some flowers for him," Josh said. "I'm sure the ones by his bed need changing."

I nodded and we finished eating. I went back upstairs to take a quick shower before I got dressed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Josh was downstairs, smiling with a bouquet of bright yellow flowers.

"Got yellow this time, thought they'd be extra cheerful," he said.

"Thanks, you're the best," I said, giving him a hug.

I took the flowers and put on my shoes.

"Did Jamia head out already?" I asked.

"Yeah and I'm leaving too just after I grab a shower," he said.

"Alright, see you later after work," I said.

"I'm working a late shift too so I won't be making dinner," he said.

I nodded, hurrying downstairs. I drove to the hospital and went to Mikey's room. I changed the flowers in the vase before sitting next to him.

"Hey," I said quietly.

I held his hand as I sniffled, the guilt building up again. The guilt was slowly eating me away, I don't know what I would do if he didn't wake up. He had only just turned sixteen, far too young to go through any of this. He was just about to get his driver's license, he was so excited for it.

"I miss you, Mikey, please wake up," I whispered.

He didn't stir and I felt the hot tears running down my cheeks. I broke down sobbing, laying my head down on the bed next to him. I cried quietly, my whole body shaking as tears wracked my body.

"Mikey, I'm so sorry," I sobbed. "It's my fault you're here. I'm sorry."

I sat up and sniffled, wiping my eyes as I tried to gain my composure with a deep breath.

"It's okay," I whispered. "It's okay, Mikey, you're gonna be okay and you're gonna wake up soon."

I ran my fingers through his hair. His glasses were on the bedside table, looking so lonely not being on its owners face.

"You're gonna be okay," I said. "P-please be okay, I need you to be okay."

I sniffled as I got no reaction out of him. I sighed, interlocking my fingers and closing my eyes as I looked down, trying my hardest to pray.

"I-I know it's been a while since I've prayed," I whispered. "B-but Mikey needs help and I don't know what else to do. Please just...please make sure Mikey is okay, I promise I'll do anything. I'll start praying more. I'll start going to church again. I'll even read the Bible cover to cover. Please just make sure he's okay."

I heard something behind me and I gasped as I turned around.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" A nurse asked. "I didn't want to disturb but I just need to check his vitals."

I shook my head, letting her in to work. She didn't stay long before writing on his chart and leaving to go check on another patient. I went to find the doctor and went up to the desk.

"I-I'm looking for the doctor of Michael Way," I said. "I'm his brother and I just have some questions."

The lady behind the desk smiled softly. "You go wait back in the room and I'll page the doctor, he'll join you shortly."

I nodded and sat back in Mikey's room. An older man appeared and I quickly stood up, shaking hands with him.

"You had questions?" He asked currently.

"W-will he wake up?" I asked.

The doctor sighed. "It's hard with comatose patients. But Michael has shown some brain activity in his scans so he is not brain dead."

"Will he wake up?" I asked.

"I cannot say for certain," he said.

"But there's a chance," i said.

"Yes, there is still a chance for him to wake up," he said.

"How likely do you think it is?" I asked.

The doctor sighed and picked up Michael's chart. "He suffered a gunshot wound in a robbery but wasn't found until a friend came over a little bit after, we aren't sure how long it was. He lost a substantial amount of blood and the blood was circulating properly throughout his body, most likely his heart had stopped but his friend gave him CPR."

"Well, What does that mean?" I asked.

"The blood wasn't flowing to his brain because his heart had stopped pumping," he said. "Michael has sustained a rather significant amount of brain damage."

My eyes watered as I shook my head. His pager began beeping and he excused himself with an apology. I cried, holding Mikey's hand. I played music and sat talking with him for a little bit before I changed into my work clothes and headed off from the hospital.

I was currently working at a McDonald's, which really sucked but they had flexible hours and it was the best thing I could find on such short notice, no one else really wanted to hire a busy college student.

"Hi, can I take your order?" I asked as I sat behind the register.

"Um, do you have fries that aren't in the stick shape?" The person asked.

"No," I denied.

"Waffle fries?" He asked.

"No," I repeated.

"Smiley fries?" He asked.

"Sir, we only have the normal stick fries," I said.

"Do they have salt on them?" He asked.

"Yes," I stated.

"Can you make them without salt?" He asked.

"In order to do that we would have to make a whole new batch," I said and he looked at me expectantly. "No, we can't make a whole new batch of fries."

"Can you take the salt off?" He asked.

"No, you can't just take the salt off," I said.

"You can just wipe it with a napkin," he said.

"Well then why don't you fuckin try that yourself?" I asked.

"Gerard," my manager scolded.

I sighed, taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we cannot wipe the salt off of your fries," I said.

"Okay, I'll just take a quarter pounder then," he said.

I got the order down and he handed me the cash.

"Do you have anything else to say, Gerard?" My manager asked.

"I'm sorry for overreacting and I shouldn't have yelled at you," I said. "I'm very sorry."

The man nodded and walked to the other side of the counter for his food. The manager gestured for me to follow him to his office and I sighed as I did what he asked.

"You cannot yell at the customers," he said.

"I-I know, I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I-I just found out my brother had a lot of brain damage and now I don't really know if he's ever going to wake up from his comatose state."

I tried my hardest to not cry, taking a few deep breaths.

"That's awful," he mumbled. "I am so sorry that all of that happened but as the boss I have to tell you that you can't take your anger out on the customers and I know how heart broken you are so I'm sorry."

I nodded, looking anywhere but at him.

"I-I should start working again," I said. "I don't want to spend my whole shift in here while every else is out there working trying to cover for me."

He nodded. "Why don't you work with food packaging for now, okay?"

I nodded and headed out, trading places with the girl there. I looked at the orders in the screen and placed the food into the bag. Simple task and I wouldn't have to talk to any of the customers. If any boy with glasses came in I thought I might just break down crying again at the reminder of Mikey.

By the time I got home I was tired and hungry, holding a bag of food from McDonald's. Jamia was there and I was silent as we ate together.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I-I don't think Mikey is doing all that well," I mumbled.

"Do you wanna talk?" She asked.

"No, I think I'm just on a go to sleep," I said.

I threw away my half eaten food, going up to my room to cry myself to sleep.