꧁꧂

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀᴛʏ-ɴɪɴᴇ: ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ʟʟ ᴄᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪɴᴇ.

ONE DAY LATER
The heartrate monitor beeped, being the only sound to wake me the next day. The nurses didn't necessarily enjoy that I'd stuck around, however, most were too busy dealing with the other casualties now to tell me to bugger off.

Nancy had stayed with me for most of the night, trying to make me sleep while Max was in surgery. "She's going to be okay- her heart is beating." But I couldn't sleep. This was a nightmare that I need to wake from hours and hours ago.

She'd had to call her mom and tell her she was okay and in the hospital, looking after one of Mike's friends. I held back from mentioning that Maxine basically bullied Mike half of the time about his haircut to me behind his back.
But it was Max's mom that worried me, most of all. We'd called multiple times, but no reply. Multiple messages were left on the Mayfield's answer phone, but none were answered. Again, Nance had told me to not panic about it. I continued to panic, though.

The hospital room was quiet. Nance, now no longer in the room, and Lucas passed out in the chair next to mine. Lucas wasn't holding up much better than I was. He had read to her when she'd come out of surgery. Which was a good idea when I thought about it. We took it in turns- which was fun to do, I really got to expand my vocabulary. But we never got a reply from the red head. She never read back to us.
Part of me knew that wasn't going to magically happen, but the rest of me also kept in mind that nothing since I was eleven years old in my life went normal, anymore.

Standing, I took a long look around the room. Lucas' eye needed attention to, with his jacket tucked around his neck like some kind of pillow for his head. Nance's bag was still left at the end of the hospital bed.
Max's drawing put up on the hospital wall next to her of us two on the date on Friday. Her skin was paler than usual, all color drained from her.

Beeping from the heartrate monitor continued, and I stared over at the machine. The sound didn't end, but another noise from outside made me turn my head away from it, towards the door. Shouting. Two voices shouting at each other.
Lucas still didn't move from his chair, too deep into his sleep.

Walking over, I opened the door, seeing who was being so loud at a time like this. Oh. Shit.
It hadn't been two voices. It had been three. A nurse, Nancy and another woman, taller than the other two. Susan. Max's mom.

"Susan?" I called out, confused, eyes squinted at the change of light, slightly. All three's arguing died down when turning to me.

She seemed pissed. I knew about the alcohol and such, but this was more annoyed than pissed drunk. "Parker, there you are." But she didn't reach over to give me a hug, or anything. I could smell the alcohol from where I stood. "Who's this?" She then demanded to me, gesturing over to Nancy.

"That's Nancy, she's... basically my sister at this point." I shrugged, stepping towards the group of women. "Why? What's going on?" I then asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

"They're not letting me see my daughter, since your 'sister'," She makes air quotes with her fingers. "doesn't recognise me, and I don't have any ID." I just nodded; eyes closed. The stench of alcohol reeked. I get where the nurse was coming from.

"I see, uh- nurse, this is her mom," The nurse simply nodded cautiously. "She's got a right to see Max." She gives another look at Susan before agreeing to letting her see Maxine. "I'll go get Lucas, he's asleep in the room, still." And I just left Susan to it, with Nancy following after me.

Lucas barely stayed awake long enough for his parents to pick him up from the hospital. Erica spoke to me outside, but I didn't have many words. Lucas had already fallen asleep in the car before they'd even drove off. "That's Susan?" Nancy had asked me the moment we'd stepped back into the hospital.

I nodded, silent when finding a seat in the cafeteria. For a while we didn't say a word. People passed us by, and I didn't move, my eyes not setting away from one mark on our table. "I'm gonna get something to eat. Do you want something? A drink? A sandwich?" When she stood, I pursed my lips, not full of an appetite. "I'll get you something."

Nancy then left me to it, staring at the same mark of what I assume was from a cup of coffee. Another person passes the table. Time goes by. Maxine was in a coma.
The light above me then flickered, and I jumped, standing up from the plastic chair I was previously sat in. I stare up at it as it continues on as normal. As if it didn't just flicker. I lead my eyes around the cafeteria, seeing a few confused people in white coats staring at me, others not looking away from their newspapers.

"Hey, you okay?" A hand then lands on my shoulder and I turn abruptly to the voice close to my ear, staggering backwards. A few chairs move along the cafeteria floor, making a large sound and giving me way too much attention. It was only Nancy.
Glancing around again, all of the nurses and doctors were starring at me and the girl. Shit.

Nancy holds two cups in her hand, both steaming with something hot. "Come, let's go find somewhere else to sit."

⊹˚˖⁺

I held the coffee tightly, as if I didn't hold it tight enough and looked after it enough something might happen to it. It was far too hot to drink, still, burning my tastebuds and tongue if I did begin to drink it now. "The light flickered." I murmured next to Nancy. "I'm sorry... I didn't-"

"It's okay." The older girl nods over at me. We were sat outside Maxine's room now, but Susan was still inside. Nancy said she didn't want to intrude, but I wondered if she just didn't want anything to with Max's mom after the shouting. "I get it." When looking at Nance in the eyes, I could tell she meant it. She cared. Thank God someone cared.

I turn back to face the vending machine opposite our seats and Nancy does the same, both of us suddenly finding a great interest in the different bags of chips in the machine. "... Do you think she's gonna wake up?" I asked her, voice down to a whisper.

I feel her eyes back on me for a second, then turning back to looking in front of us. "I don't know." Nancy's voice cracks. "But there can be a good chance." I nod at her words, glancing down at the coffee cup. "Robin stopped by last night." Nancy tells me, picking up her bag off of the floor and rummaging through it. "She brought a few things, toothbrushes, deodorant- that sort of thing. But she also said Dustin had found something in his bag for you." She then holds it out.

An envelope, with neat handwriting on it's front. Maxine's handwriting.

GOOD-LOOKING PERSON

"She'd want you to have it, Park." Nancy tells me, while I stare at it. Taking the letter from Nance, I don't dare to look at her, stuffing it into my inside jacket pocket. I wasn't opening it, that was for sure. "Johnathan called." Nance continued on, trying to catch me up.

"Yeah?" I had forgotten about the group in California.

"Yeah." Nancy's voice was delicate. She must've hated the situation she was in with Johnathan and Robin. "He's bringing El, Mike and Will with him tomorrow." Where was mom? Maybe she had a busy phone call to make. Across us, above the vending machine, a clock ticks away. It keeps on going. "I don't know how to tell him." She admits next to me. "I never thought about girls, but with Robin-"

"It's different." I finished her sentence for her. "And although it's an odd feeling at the beginning, it's addictive. You feel as though everything that people say about gay people is utter bullshit because all it is is love. I get it, don't worry." Only nodding, Nancy then stays quiet. "I'm not going to push you, ever, to tell him the truth." I say to Nance. "But know that he's fine with me and who I am. So he's at least going to be understanding to a certain degree."

The older girl had tears in her eyes, and I hadn't even noticed it. She grips onto my hand and gives it a tight squeeze, making me turn my head over at her. "Thank you, Park."

And, instead of letting go, I just say; "Theoretically, your secret is safe with me, Nance."

⊹˚˖⁺

ONE DAY LATER
The hospital room was home. Sure, it wasn't much, one telephone connected to the lobby and a window with a kind of shitty view- but it was enough for me.

"He forgot about the need to sick up that horrible parody of wine." I read. I had no idea what I was reading. Lucas had left it for her when visiting earlier on with Erica. I'd fallen asleep around the half an hour mark of their stay. "He forgot about his mother, and Uncle Morgan, and his father, and almost everything else." I slam the book shut. "That's literally the most boring book he could've left, huh." I murmured, placing it behind me. "It's just words."
I'm met with the only sound of the heart monitor.

She looked peaceful. But I wasn't in peace about her state myself. Would she remember everything if she woke up? Or was I just being paranoid?
"You better wake up." I tell the red head. "Can't be stuck here all alone in this place forever. Especially with Michael Wheeler." She would've laughed and agreed. She would've made some comment about his haircut, or perhaps his posture.
"When you wake up," I say. "I'm gonna get my driver's license. I'll drive you up to California." I nodded, ignoring the feeling of a tear trickle down my cheek. "And we will..." I think. "Do all that shit we didn't get to do as normal teens. You remember that? I promised you. I promised you that we'd be normal teens. Doing stupid teen things?" Once again, I don't get a response from Maxine.

"I remember it all. You teaching me to skateboard, me failing ever-so-slightly. Coming out to you in my bedroom before Will rushed in..." I murmured, wiping away a tear, again. "And-" I went to list every memory I could hold of her. It could've gone on for hours. The construct of time in that hotel room didn't exist in the same way it did outside of it.

Then, just like there always seemed to be, there was silence. It was my only enemy, right now. On top of the heart monitor, the letter to me laid.
Reaching over, I read the front again.

GOOD-LOOKING PERSON

I couldn't read it. I'm not going to sit here and just accept that Maxine was dead, when she was alive. I had a heartrate monitor telling me so every second in this room. But what did Nance think? Did she give me the letter in a sense of hoping I'd open it? Or in the sense of "this is yours" ?

Opening it up wouldn't be so difficult. It would be reading it, that was difficult. Understanding what she means by each and every word. Everyone can have a different point of view and a different interpretation of something.
I mean, what was the worst that could happen? I could open up the letter to absolutely nothing. That was the worst that it could be. One of Maxine's pranks.

Hands slightly shaking, they flip the envelope over to its back, opening it up delicately. Nothing had matter as much as this envelope did, currently. The world could wait another day.

Dear the good-looking person,
If you're reading this, I'm dead. What about that, huh? That stupid Vecna dumbass somehow got the better of me. I mean, the likelihood of you reading this is low, to be honest- we always find a way out, anyways.

I've put off doing your letter until last, Parker. Don't take it personally, it's just I don't know how to tell you everything in a few words on a piece of paper. You've always been good with your words- getting As on your English essays every time, and whenever I've asked you for advice, you've always just told me to reflect on what's in your heart. So that's what I'm gonna do in this letter.

I know the last few days have been full of what happened last summer with Billy, but when I think of last summer that's not what I'm thinking of. I'm thinking of that night in your bedroom. You coming out to me, and then us biking with Will up to the mall. You deciding to not leave me when Joyce returned after everything had went down. You stayed, even if you were in California.
Something shifted in me when you came out that night. A revelation, overnight. I couldn't stay with Lucas forever, when you were my best friend.
Not when you were out there giving me and El free ice cream when Steve wasn't looking.
Not when you comforted me every moment you had to spare July 4th.
Not when you specifically ran to me first, instead of anyone else.

I'm Bi, Park.
I didn't know what it meant at first- bisexuality- but I went into the local library one day when Lucas was trying to get my attention for the millionth time and did research for over two hours. Turns out it can be kinda normal for a person to like both boys and girls.
You probably already know what it means though, so I don't know why I'm wasting Wheeler's ink writing all of that down.

I also like you. No. That's not the correct word choice.
Like would make you assume that I have a crush on you. It isn't a crush. It is far more than "I want to go get ice cream with you" in middle school.
It's more of the "I want to spend the rest of my days with you" kind of "like you". I didn't know why I reacted the way I did at Christmas until now. I'm sorry for acting like that. You've seemed pretty fine since being back here, now, but I should probably apologise for once again making it weird in that 7/11. It was the first thing that came to mind.

I hope you find a girl that makes you smile like you make me smile. I still mean what I said that night you came out to me- I'll find you a girlfriend. Even if I will be in spirit. She'll be everything you need, much like you're everything I could possibly need. Funny, a great smile, caring, perfect.

I'm probably fine, and the only reason you're reading this is either out of curiosity or on a dare from Dustin, so if you could keep those last two paragraphs private, I'd appreciate it, good-looking person.
I hope it doesn't change anything between us, though. I can't imagine loosing you like I lost Billy. Even though he was a jackass.

               I love you
              Maxine,
- The better-looking person next to you in Mr Clarke's class

The beeping of the heart rate monitor was louder than usual. Maybe the fact it was only the two of us in the room, now, that made me realise it was louder. Folding the paper shut, I placed it back in its envelope, then on the side, on top of Lucas' book.
The beeping continued as I sat forward in the chair, staring over at Maxine in the hospital bed.

I love you

Taking in a sharp breath, I continued to watch over Maxine in the room, my vision getting cloudier the longer I let the thoughts of her letter settle in. My head bowed down, my hands reaching up to my face as I did my best to fight off the thoughts any longer.
Max wasn't going to die, Park. Don't be ridiculous.
She was in the room, right now, after all.

"Wake up." She had to. She was going to. "Please," Another set of tears stream down my face when I looked up at the red head. "wake up."

When I next woke up, we were no longer alone in the hospital room. My first thought had been the nurse, but they'd been warned by Nancy that taking me out of the room was the last thing they should be doing. But it wasn't a nurse, doctor or any medical person.

In front of me, three teens stood with Nancy and Robin. Will, El and Mike. I had no idea what had been happening with them, the group had apparently called another dozen times, but we'd gotten no reply.

"Oh my god." Slowly standing, I just glanced in between the three of them. "Where'd you-" Before even knowing where I was going with that sentence, my twin rushed forward, tackling me into a hug.

While the heart rate monitor continued to beep, I didn't let go of my brother. "I'm sorry." I heard him whisper into my shoulder, which didn't make any of the emotions I was feeling any better. The unsettling feeling in my stomach that none of this was fully over, along with the current state of Maxine had me anything but at ease. "We came as soon as we could-" I only nodded, pulling away from his embrace.

"She uh..." I take in another one of the sharp breaths. "she is gonna fine." Was I trying to convince them three? Or myself?

Will nods before moving to the side for me to look at the other two. Michael. Wow, there was a lot I could say to him right now. Some did include him making out with my brother, though, so I guess some of it could wait a while.

Taking an awkward step towards him, I give him a half smile. When going to speak, so does he, which only made it more awkward. Great. "You first." I nod, glancing back over at Max for a second before up at him. When did this bitch get so fucking tall?

"Right..." More awkward silence. "Will told me on our way here... about how you feel about Max." I nodded. "I can't believe I didn't realise." He chuckled for a second. My eyebrows shoot up before I roll my eyes. Was I that obviously a lesbian? "It's cool." Mike then nods. "You're still cool." Choosing to nod with him, I continue that half smile.

"My go?" I ask, getting a mirrored half smile in return. "We've always had our disagreements." I began. "And I do believe we forever will have disagreements... But...." Think of something good to say, Park, for fucks sake. "you're a smart guy, most of the time." Think. Think. Think. "And even though you can also get on my nerves... like... all the time, you're still my friend and I should still... respect you as much as the others." Silence. Then a beep. Silence. Then a beep. "So... are we cool?"
Wait. Would Maxine be hating me right now for apologising to Michael right now?

Mike smiled, again, nodding. "We're cool."

Awkwardness was still in between the two of us, and I didn't know how to settle it down so that I wouldn't feel like taking my eyes out within the next moment. "Can we like... I dunno... shake hands on it, or something-?" But instead, without me realising it was going to happen, Mike hugged me. It was odd. I hadn't felt a hug from Mike in years. And it wasn't like he had BO or something (maybe he did, but I couldn't tell from the fact that none of them had seemed to have showered in days), it was that Mike was never the hugging type. Instead, he'd spend hours a day with Will and the others playing DND in that stupid basement.

When he pulled away, I kind of stood there, astonished for a moment. "It's cool that you're gay." He then says, which made me cringe. Michael Wheeler, please step away from my lesbian ass before I kick your bisexual one. And thankfully, he must've heard my internal monologue, because he then did decide to move his ass out of the way.
I will in fact, be ignoring what he just last said to me.

El, with a hood over her head, raced towards me.
Her hair? Where the fuck was it? Oh my god.

Holding the girl tightly in my arms, I heard her let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry." She then says to me, but I just shook my head while she didn't pull away. Another tear or hundred in my eyes, once again.
People kept saying they were sorry as if it were their fault for what had happened.