Chapter Two - Nothing Lasts Forever

Wasn't that movie so wonderful? Bloody, gory, horror movie just like Ethan likes it. I left five times during the movie. Jake kept asking if I wanted to leave, but I never did. I couldn't just wait to get out of there! We're outside and no one was out yet. I was just happy to get fresh air. We were walking and all of sudden five teenagers came out and stopped us.

"We were waiting for you." One guy said.

"Uh, can we help you?" Jake asked.

"Ethan, that's who we want." The guy replied.

Everyone turned around and looked at him.

Ethan cracked his knuckles. "Who's asking?"

"Ethan, no you're not getting in a fight." Jake said.

"You're gonna pay for what you did." The guy said.

Ethan stepped up. "You deserved it."

The guy pushed him.

"Don't touch me." Ethan punched him.

"Ethan stop!" Jake yelled.

Sam, Jake, and Ethan all started getting in fights. Mya and I were over to the side. Jake never gets in fights. Never.

"You guys stop!" I screamed. "We have to do something." I said to Mya.

Mya just stood there.

"Aren't you worried?" I asked her.

"No."

"Why not? They could get hurt!"

She looked at me. "I'm not worried, because he never loses."

Those words stuck to me. 'Because he never loses.'

There was a gunshot and my heart stopped. Who got shot? I thought as I looked over. My whole world crashed to pieces and that little light of mine that has been lit for years has finally gone out.

"Jake!" I screamed.

"Let's get out of here." One kid said.

I went to go run over to Jake but Ethan held me back.

"Let me go!" I yelled.

"Sam call nine one, one!" Ethan demanded.

"Ethan let me go!" I yelled at him.

"Give him space!" He said.

"No, let me go!" I started getting shaky as the tears rolled down my face.

I heard the ambulance come because they were just down the street.

"Please." I begged.

The ambulance pulled up and they ran to Jake.

Ethan turned me around and held my arms tight. "Kasie, it's going to be fine, okay?"

"No it's not! He's hurt because of you!"

Sam came over. "Ethan I'll take her." He said.

Ethan took his hands off me and with a sorrow face he said "I'm sorry."

Sam took me away.

We were at the hospital and the Doctor said he might not make it. What am I going to do if I lose him? My whole life is turning into a horror movie.

Ethan left with Sam and Mya a while ago. I'll end up being here all night. Jake's mom is in his room and his dad just went back home. I sat on the bench alone with my knees pulled up to my chest, my hand covering my mouth, and my eyes shut tight. Maybe if I could concentrate hard enough I could picture myself back home talking on the phone with Jake.

"Kasie."

I gasped. That voice would never be in my thoughts and dreams.

"Kasie, talk to me."

I opened my eyes and looked at Ethan

"I know I'm the last person you want to see."

I put up the hood from Jake's jacket that I was wearing.

"My mom said I can stay here all night with you."

"I don't want you near me." I said.

"I don't care; I'm going to stay here with you."

He sat next to me. I got up.

"Fine but I need my space." I got up and sat in a chair and put my feet up on the right side so I can be faced away from him.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? Cold? Do you want me to get you something?" He asked.

"No."

It was silent for a second.

"Remember when we were little and we took all the pencils we found and dug them in the playground. Then Kenny found our stash and had supplies of pencils for two years." Ethan said.

I didn't say anything.

"And the time I cut your hair." He continued.

"That wasn't funny. It took me years to grow my hair back." I said.

"Yeah and I took scissors out in class and you started crying."

"My hair was already short. I didn't want you to cut it."

"I miss that."

The Doctor came over. "Kasie." He said.

"Yes." I said standing up.

"I'm sorry but it looks like Jake isn't going to make it. This would be the right time to visit him, I'm very sorry."

I covered my mouth and started crying. Ethan came over.

"How long does he have?" He asked.

"Thirty minutes tops."

I started crying more.

"There is nothing you can do. No surgery?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I see. Uh, thanks."

The Doctor nodded and left. Ethan got his phone out and dialed.

"Sam, you better get over here . . . Yeah, thirty minutes, see ya." He put the phone back in his pocket. "We better go see him." He told me.

I shook my head.

"Kasie, we don't have all day."

"I can't." I choked out.

He took my arm. "We're going."

He dragged me along. We got into the hospital room and I saw his mom crying. Ethan pulled me toward Jake. Jake smiled at me like nothing was wrong.

"Hey babe." He said happily and he took my hand. "Wanna sit down?" He asked.

I sat next to him.

"I'm going to give you guys some privacy." His mom said rubbing her eyes and left.

"How you doing?" He said while putting the hood down and moving the hair from my face.

I stared at his eyes trying to find a loop hole from his smiling face and happy thoughts. There was no sign of depression, sadness, worried.

"Ethan can you give me a second with Kasie?" Jake asked him.

"Of course." He left the room.

"I know this must be hard for you." He said.

I tried holding back my cry and whimpers.

He kissed me. I felt a lot of tension because me and him both knew it was going to be our last.

"Kasie." He said softly.

"Mm?"

He stopped me from kissing him. He put a hand on my cheek.

"In my closet the top shelf there is a binder. I want you to take a look at that. I meant to give it to you at graduation but . . ." He faded off.

"Why aren't you upset? You sound so calm and happy." I asked.

"I know where I'm going when I die. I'm not saying goodbye."

"What's going to happen to me?" I tried to say without crying.

"You're going to live your life." He said and kissed me one last time.

"I know I've never said this but I love you." Jake said.

"I love you too."

He took his leather black bracelet off and put it on me.

"You guys can come in now." Jake yelled to the others.

His mom came in and his dad showed up. Sam also showed up and Ethan stayed in the door way leaning against the wall.

"Hey Sam." Jake said.

Sam was in his plaid pajama bottoms and a sweat shirt. "Hey Jake." He said softly.

"My son." His dad said and gave him a hug.

I could tell Jake was in pain. I know he was holding it back.

His dad looked as happy as he did. He had a Bible in his hand. I haven't seen one of those since my parents died.

"There is one more request." Jake said.

Everyone listened closely.

"Ethan?" He said.

I looked behind me and Ethan looked up.

"Me?" He asked.

"Yeah you, come over here." Jake said in a low voice as he was in pain.

Ethan came over.

"Ethan this is a big responsibility, I trust you with this."

I was waiting for the request.

"Take care of her." He said.

I almost screamed. Why would Jake let Ethan take care of me!? I haven't spoke to him in six years till today.

"Jake." I complained.

"You're welcome at our house any time Kasie." His mom said.

"I'll do it." Ethan said.

"What?" I looked at him.

"I'll do it Jake. You can trust me."

"You too Sam?" He asked.

"Anything for you Jake."

I heard the monitor of his heart slow down. Jake pulled me close and kissed me hard.

"Whatever happens. This is not anyone's fault." He said while looking around at everyone.

The monitor went slower.

"Son it's time." His dad said.

He nodded.

"Guess this is goodbye." I said. My heart just broke in half saying it.

"No goodbyes, this is just the beginning." He breathed in hard from the pain. "I'll see you soon Kasie."

I started crying.

"You can't just leave me." I said.

The pain started hurting him more. My thirty minutes of happiness with him is up.

Ethan helped me up off from the bed.

"I love you all my friends, family."

The pain struck him again. His father opened the Bible and read passages. I held Jake's hand until his eyes finally shut looking at me and the squiggly lines on the monitor finally went in a straight line. I set his hand down and my eyes filled up with tears.

Just like my mom said when my cat died . . .

'Nothing lasts forever.'

I finally understood what it meant.

"Ethan, I can take Kasie home." Sam said as we stood out in the hall.

"Actually, can I take her home for tonight? You can have her for the rest of the week since I know you're moving away." He said very calm.

"Yeah." Sam gave me a hug. "See you tomorrow Kasie."

I nodded. "I need to get out of this place." I walked down the hall fast. Ethan and Sam followed me. I kept on going until I got outside.

"Talk to you later Kasie." Sam said.

"Yeah." I answered.

Sam went to his car.

"Kasie . . ." Ethan said.

"Take me home." I said about to cry more but stopped myself.

"The car is over here." He said.

I followed him and he unlocked the door. We both got in without saying a word. He started the car and left the parking lot. Everywhere I go I would smell like Jake. Now I'm going to have Ethan's scent on me.

"I didn't hate him you know." Ethan said. "I was just mad."

"Mad about what?" I asked with my voice shaky from crying.

"I was mad because . . . he took you away from me." He blurted out.

I looked over at him, he looked at me and back to the road.

"Now you got what you wanted. I'm not his anymore." I said.

"Kasie, that's not what I wanted."

"Yeah you're mad now so you don't want me anymore."

He stepped on the brake hard. I jerked forward.

"Why the hell do you always do that!?" He screamed at me "You always turn whatever I say into something that I don't mean!" He hit the steering wheel. He put his hand through his hair and calmed down.

"My boyfriend who I have known for six years just died today in front of my eyes and you're going to yell at me for something like that." I wiped the tears off my face.

"I'm sorry. I'm hurt, frustrated, and sad. I need time to take it all in. I'm responsible for you now."

"You don't have to be."

"Yes I do, I told Jake I would."

"You don't have to. Everyone who I ever loved left me. I don't need you."

"I am not going to leave you. No matter how much you push me away!" He yelled at me.

A beep of a car interrupted our conversation.

"Move your car!" A man yelled.

I looked away and Ethan started to drive again. We kept quiet in our own little world.

As soon as he pulled up to my house I got out of the car. He turned the car off, slammed the door, and ran after me. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me around.

"Kasie, I'll be over tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Sure."

He wiped the tears off my face. "I'm sorry, forgive me."

I pushed his hand off me. I saw something sparkly on his ear.

"What's that?" I said pointing to his ear.

"What? Nothing." He tried hiding it.

"You didn't." I turned him sideways and moved his hair out of the way. "You got your ear pierced!" I yelled at him.

"Ears pierced." He corrected me while facing me.

"How long were you going to keep this from me?"

"Longer than this."

"How long have you had it in?"

"Three months."

I shook my head and I headed inside. "Good night Ethan!" I said angry.

"Night." He said softly.

I slammed the door and turned the lights on. I locked the door fell to my knees and cried hard.