• Here I am, lying here and dying. I am only 18 years old. The last thing I remembered before coming to the hospital was the sound of a horn and rain, moist on my face. Everything is aching, despite the pain killers I’m taking into my body by the pint load. My arms, my legs, I can’t move a thing without crying out in pain. This is how I will die.
    I remember only weeks before the accident, I was just moving into the 5th house that year. Mom got a new job so I went to a new school. Nothing new. Blended in as much as possible. Because I knew in the next 2 months I would be moving again.
    The first day of school was the same as the other schools I went to. Hop from class to class, eat lunch, hop again, go home. It was only until I was walking to my car did I notice someone staring at me. His stare was intense and it freaked me out a little but I stared back.
    He was broad shouldered, a good 5’7, and had short blonde hair. After a few seconds I turned away to my car, got in, and drove home.
    The next day at school I went to my classes, hardly listening to what the teachers were saying. The bell for lunch rang and I went to my locker to put my books away. There at my locker was the blonde haired guy. Alright, I said in my head, what the hell man? I went to my locker and said, “Can you please move?”
    Apparently he didn’t hear me. He kept standing there, looking at me.
    “Excuse me,” I said once more, “Can you please move?”
    “What’s your name?” The guy asked still staring.
    “What’s it to you?” I asked in reply, getting really annoyed with this guy. But he just stood there. Right in front of my locker.
    “It’s Ashley. Ashley Jill Heart.” I finally confessed to the boy. He turned to leave. I yelled after him, “Hey don’t I get to know your name?” But before he could answer he was gone. Freak. I went to the Caf and ate alone, not thinking once again about the blonde haired boy. After last period I went to the parking lot. Out of nowhere the blonde guy came up and started walking with me. I didn’t notice him until I was halfway to my car, and when I did I jumped a few feet in the air.
    “Jesus Christ! What the hell do you want!?” I asked scared shitless.
    “It’s Kyleigh,” he said in a whisper.
    “What?” I asked bewildered, still scared shitless.
    “My name is Kyleigh Jones.” He said in a tone of mysteriousness and boredom. I just looked at him. I mean I really looked this time. From up close he was pretty damn fine. He was wearing good hugging jeans and a shirt that said “My dog ate my homework”. But besides his goofy shirt and nice a**, his eyes were an amazing and sparkling green. I could see straight into his soul, so deep and meaningful with life, it sent shivers up my spine. As I tried to recover myself I noticed that there were hardly any cars in the lot. I flushed with embarrassment.
    “Well I guess I’ll see you…” I started to say as I started to walk away. He followed.
    “I’ll walk you to your car.” He said in a determined tone. I couldn’t argue, it wouldn’t have turned out well. So I just kept walking, Kyleigh tagging along. He didn’t say anything the whole way there. When we got to my car he opened the door like a true gentleman.
    “Um…Thanks…I guess I’ll see you later then.” I said as I awkwardly got in the car. He shut the door and stood there while I drove away.
    That night as I finished my un-packing, I remembered his bright green eyes. Why did those eyes astound me? They were just eyes. Nothing more. But his were keys to the soul. The key to the meaning of life. What am I thinking? I’m being stupid, was what I thought, simply stupid. Even though the last thing I remembered thinking before falling into a deep sleep were his green sparkling eyes.

    A few days passed and I hardly saw Kyleigh. And whenever I did his head was always bent down, looking at his feet and not the world. I didn’t give a ********. Although I would have loved to see those bright green eyes again.
    First week of a new school. Done. As I walked over to my red Honda truck, I saw a note. And flowers, on my window. I questionably went to the note and it read, “Have a good weekend, Kyleigh.”
    “Alrighty then…” I said to myself as I picked up the green daisys. I smelled them and tossed them in the back seat.
    That weekend I did nothing of importance. Homework, sleep, watch TV. On Sunday night I decided to go for a walk. It was raining and I loved the rain. I put on my black jacket and combat boots and started to walk. I didn’t know where I was going and I didn’t care if I got lost. I turned a corner and there was a main road. It was late at night and there were no cars on the road. I kept walking until I came to a flower shop. It was open.
    “Why is it open at 12 in the morning on a Sunday night?” I asked myself out in the rain. It was pouring harder now. I decided to take shelter for a little bit and went on in.
    “Ding, Ding,” went the bell as I walked inside. It smelled amazing and spring like in there.
    “Hello?” I asked to what seemed like no one. A few seconds later a voice called out, “Just a minute.” I couldn’t believe who it was. Walking through the back door, in a white floral apron, was Kyleigh.
    “Oh,” he said in a surprising tone, “What are you doing here?”
    “I was just walking and I wanted to get out of the rain,” I answered. We both just stood there awkwardly. “So um thanks for the daisies,” I said trying to start up a conversation.
    “No problem, I thought you would like them,” he said giving me a sweet smile. I smiled back, trying to be polite. “Please sit down,” he said pulling up a chair for him and I. I looked out the window and it started to pour harder. Oh, might as well, I thought to myself. I sat down and we started to talk.
    Apparently his dad owns the flower shop, which is called “Last Minute Flowers”, hehe, and Kyleigh’s been his right hand man since he was 12. He’s a senior, like me, and he has lived here his whole life. He liked to play with his dog, Stella, whenever he had free time. He was obsessed with that dog.
    “But enough about he,” he said after he told me about how Stella always jumps up on anyone that comes within 100 meters of her, “Tell me about you.”
    “There’s nothing really to tell,” I confessed, “I move around a lot. I live with my mom and I have no pets or siblings. Nothing really special about me.”
    “But I find you very special,” he said in a seducing tone. He then grabbed my hand and very lightly kissed it. I couldn’t help but flush. I mean yeah there’s been a few boys here and there, but Kyleigh was different. Before I could say anything foolish I looked at the rose clock, half past one.
    “s**t, I’ve got to go,” I hastily said, releasing my hand from his grip. He frowned but got up with me and said, “I’ll walk you to the light.” I didn’t argue, I didn’t want to argue. We walked in silence, just the noise of our footsteps and the pitter patter of rain drops keeping us company. We went to the light and stopped. I turned to him to thank him but he just took my hand and pulled me to him for a hug. He smelled like a garden. He buried his face into my neck, then lifted his face to mine. Wow he was tall. He then grabbed my chin and very lightly kissed the tip of my nose.
    “Good night, Ashley,” he proclaimed and left. Wow, was all I could think. I didn’t even look if there were any cars coming. I didn’t even see the headlights coming. All I could feel was the pitter patter of rain on my face. I heard the horn, and everything went black.

    So here I am, room 296D. They added a pint of blood next to the pint of pain killers. I look around the room taking in all 4 white walls. I think there’s someone next to me, my roomie. I look at the TV and it’s showing Scrubs re-runs, how ironic. But on my night stand is a vase of green daisies. I look over and try to get the card tucked in the bouquet. I lift my arm and scream. It hurts so much. A nurse runs in.
    “What is it? Did you break something again?” She asked in a concerned voice.
    “I don’t think so,” I told her, “But can you get that card and read it to me?” I nodded to the vase since I couldn’t really point. She smiled and picked it up, it read, “I’m sorry about leaving you. I should have never left your side.”
    “The nice gentleman who gave you those flowers is right outside, would you like to see him?” The nurse asked in a very polite tone. I thought about it for a second. Do I really want to see the boy that left me alone in the rain, and didn’t even shout at me that a car was coming, just leaving and not looking back? Yes.
    “Yes please,” I replied in the sweetest voice I could. She told him he could come in. I saw Kyleigh in the doorway, hesitating. He was wearing a white T-shirt with dark jeans today. His hair seemed darker and longer but all the same. He finally came in and sat on the chair next to my bed.
    “Hi,” he said in a depressing voice.
    “Hey,” I said as strongly as I could. We sat there in silence. He then tried to take my hand. I winced a little at the pain but held his hand anyway.
    “I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry,” he began, “I couldn’t hear the car, I couldn’t warn you, I couldn’t try to push you out of the way.” He sounded so sorrowful, I thought he might cry.
    “Don’t blame yourself,” I interrupted when he tried to start again, “It was dark, I was distracted and it was raining, please don’t blame yourself for this.”
    “But Ashley, you don’t understand. I know this sounds ridiculous but I love you, I knew from the first moment I saw you I loved you. I can feel inside that we were meant to be soul mates forever, don’t you see? Don’t you feel the same way?” Kyleigh said with the most certain voice I’ve ever heard. I knew it was ridiculous. But I loved him too. I tried to deny it at first but now I was certain. They way his eyes bring out my soul, his goofy style, his amazing features. I loved him more than I have ever loved anyone.
    “Yes I love you too Kyleigh, I-“ I began but stopped. My chest was tightening up, it was getting hard to breath.
    “Ashley? Ashley!” I heard in the distance. I also heard Kyleigh asking for a nurse. I heard many voices now. Everything was hurting. I was in a cave, closing in on me, only one way out. I looked at the light, thinking how much easier it would be to just release this pain and go.
    “Beep, Beep, Beeep, Beeeeep-“ I heard my heart stopping. I heard the doctors moving. But the loudest voice I heard was Kyleigh’s voice.
    “Ashley please! Oh God no this can’t be happening! Ashley, listen to me. Ashley I love you, I love you with all my heart and I don’t want to lose you. Please don’t go Ashley, please don’t leave me…” I tried to reach out and touch him, I tried to see. My head was turned and my eyes met his. His green and beautiful eyes, his soul was sadden and scared. As was mine. I tried to smile the strongest I could, showing him it would be ok. He smiled back with tears in his eyes, holding my hand to his face kissing it now. He then bent down and kissed my lips. Sweet, moist, warm. I looked into his eyes one last time, before all I could see was white.
    “Beeeeeeeeeeeep-“…