chapter 27
"until death did us part"

christopher owen sturniolo was loved by many.

as he lay, in that hospital bed, the cold air escaping the windows, the beeping from his heart monitor coming to a quick halt, flatlining. his last thoughts before his heart failed him.. we're about dejah.

middle school

as chris walked away after breaking up with tonya, he was on the search for dejah. he searched the whole school and he couldn't find her anywhere. he was about to give up as his legs were aching and he had to get to class, when he finally had found her. she was sat on the stairs, listening to music using her beats that chris had bought her. he smiled and approached her, taking a seat next to her. she doesn't even look at him, doesn't even acknowledge his presence. chris finally speaks up.

"do you.. love me?"

such a simple question yet dejah couldn't bring herself to answer. she heard him, but she pretended like she didn't. "dejah?" he asks again, pulling her headphones off her head, forcing her to now acknowledge him.

she shakes her head, standing up and taking a few steps up, "you have a girlfriend, chris. you know the one that is a horrible bitch and is always out to fucking get me. she's only with you to make me jelous, when will you finally see that?" she shouts, looking at chris who is now stood up too.

he climbs up the steps so he's now stood on the same step as dejah, inches apart from each other, "i see it now." he says. now he's the one wanting to kiss her. if only this moment could have happened moments prior, dejah would have obviously kissed him. but she didn't. instead, she turns her head away and continues walking up the stairs, leaving a lonely chris behind.

moments before, chris lay still. his frail body barely making an imprint on the crisp white sheets. his eyes, once bright and full of life, were now half-open, staring blankly at the ceiling as if seeing something far beyond it. his breathes were shallow, each one a struggle, each one a reminder of how close the end was.

his eyes were red-rimmed, tears long dried on his cheeks, but he had no more left to cry. a nurse entered the room quietly, checking the monitors, adjusting the IV. she gave chris a small, sad smile, one that held no real comfort, only understanding. she knew the signs; she had seen them too many times before. it wouldn't be long now.

chris' voice hitched, a soft ragged sound that seamed to echo in the silence. "call. for. dejah." he struggled to say.

"are you sure you want to do this?" asks the nurse. beginning to dial her number.

"of.. course.." he breaths, "that's.. my.. girlfriend."

dejah immediately burst through the hospital doors, not even checking in with the receptionist. she marched her way to his ward and immediately ran to hug him. tears were streaming down her already puffy face, watching a smile soon creep over his face, "please, we can do this together. once you get out of here we can be together, we can go on our first date, you can choose where we go. just please promise me that." she says, gripping onto his icy cold body that lay there just waiting, dreading, but knowing that it was inevitable. "say something. please, say something. promise me." she says, her voice breaking a little.

his eyes flickered, just barely, as if he was trying to find her, trying to focus on the voice that has always been his anchor. for a moment, there was something in his gaze, a spark of recognition, and his lips moved, though no sound came out. dejah leaned closer, her heart aching with the desperate need to hear him, to hold on to this last thread of connection.

"i will.. f-find you in.. another.. life."

chris' chest rose one final time, and then fell, the air leaving him in a soft sigh. the heart monitor gave a single, piercing tone as the line flattened, a long unbroken sound that shattered the stillness.

dejah stared at the monitor, disbelief freezing her into place. it wasn't until the nurse gently touched her shoulder that the reality of it crashed down on her. a broken sob escaped her lips as she cradled chris' body, as if the warmth of her skin could somehow bring him back.

but he was gone. the room was filled with a suffocating silence, that only comes when something precious is lost forever.

the nurse quietly turned off the machines, their noise being replaced by their mothers quiet weeping. she stepped back, giving dejah a moment to grieve, to say goodbye.

"until death did us part, my love. if you promise to find me in another life, i'll wait for you in the darkness between the stars and count the moments until we are together again. i've seen life with and without you and now my heart is completely inwoven with yours." she sobs violently, gripping onto his blue hospital gown, "you gave me your love. and i gave you my word. i am forever yours christopher."

her words hung in the air, unanswered, echoing back to her in the quiet room. she wanted to believe that somewhere, somehow he could hear her. that he knew how much she loved him, how much she had needed him, and how empty her life would be without them.

memories flooded her mind, crashing over her in relentless waves. the way he would smile at her, that crooked grin that made her heart skip a beat. the sound of his laughter, rich and warm, that could light up even the darkest of days. the way he would pull her close when they hugged, his arms wrapping around her like a protective cocoon. all of it was gone now, leaving behind only the aching absence where he used to be.

dejahs tears spilling over, cascading down her cheeks as she leaned over his body. She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, her lips lingering against his cold skin, wishing with all her heart that she could transfer some of her warmth to him, that she could breathe life back into him.

"i'll always be with you," she whispered against his skin. "i'll carry you with me, always. i promise."

she knew it was true. he had been her first love, the one who had shown her what it meant to truly live, to be truly seen and cherished. he had been her best friend, her confidant, her everything. and now, without him, she didn't know how to move forward. but she would. somehow, she would. for him.

she straightened up, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand, though more quickly took their place. she took one last, lingering look at his face, committing every detail to memory. and then, with a deep breath, she turned and walked toward the door, her heart shattering with each step.

as she reached the doorway, she paused, glancing back one last time. the room felt so empty now, as if all the light had been sucked out of it. but in her heart, he was still there, and she knew that in some small way, he always would be.

"goodbye, my love," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "until we meet again."

And with that, she stepped out of the room, leaving behind the man she loved but carrying with her the pieces of their life together, the fragments of a love that death could never truly take away..

¹²⁸⁷ ʷᵒʳᵈˢ

maisie
💌

did i cry when re reading this chapter over? absolutely. i was bawling. my poor babies had barely any time to truly love each other 🥲🥲🥲

#broken #imemonow #justicefordejah