GREED

by Veronica Soliman

  "Excuse me ma'am, we're going to need you to move aside." Men in blue scrubs walked in front of me, blocking my view. I sat in the middle of the road, the whole world passing by me as they put him into the emergency car. My vision blurred, tears ran down my face. The only thing I could see was the blood flowing out of him.

  I felt numb. I stared at nothing as cars began honking their horns at me. The world seemed to turn gray and bland, the sounds of the honking cars didn't affect me.

  Aiden. He can't be gone. He isn't. I whimpered silently, staring at the ground where he had been. The ambulance had picked him up.

  "Ma'am, would you like to come in?" A man asked staring at me as I nodded sadly. My legs felt weak as he helped me up and took me inside.

  I stared at Aiden's face as they attached an oxygen mask to it. His body fragile.

  His beautiful eyes were shut, and he had scars all over his arms. I quietly sobbed in the ambulance car.

  He can't be gone.

  Chapter 18: Pain

  Summer Gray

  I sat by his bed, staring at his handsome face. His eyes were shut, his breathing normal as the annoying beeping of the machine beside him steadily went. He was wearing a blue hospital gown in the darkly lit room.

  It's been two months since he's been awake.

  And he won't wake up.

  I came to this hospital every day, visiting him, sometimes sleeping the night if I was allowed.

  I missed homecoming, Ryder hasn't talked to me since. He seems pissed.

  I haven't gone to school in two months. My life has turned into a horrible blur. I wake up every day crying with dreams of him.

  The doctors said he had a 75% chance of waking up within the next week, if not, then they'd have to pull the plug. I know he and I hadn't become the best friends but I missed him. I missed him so freaking much.

  It killed me to walk through that hospital door each day and look at his lifeless body lying there.

  "Is he okay?" His mom walked in. I was going to explode. Of course not you crazy hag! He got hit by a car, how could he be okay?!

  "No." I whispered. I had cried till the tears would no longer come.

  "This is all your fault you know." She said, sitting beside me. I felt unspoken anger belch out of me.

  "No, it's your fault for being a crappy mother. You weren't even there for him, ever. He had to go through life alone. He used to be the sweetest guy in the world but your negligence ruined him. So don't blame me!" I yelled, crying all at once, the waterways bursting.

  Unspoken words stirring in my heart. She stared at me for a second, like I was the strongest person ever and smiled.

  "I'm sorry Summer, I know what he must mean to you." She scoffed, "since you're here everyday."

  I ignored her. Staring at him and wishing he'd just open his eyes. I wanted to get lost in those blue eyes as long as I lived. If only he would let me look at them.

  "Well you should eat. You've lost too much weight darling, when he wakes up, how's he supposed to make love to a skeleton?" His mom smiled, patting me on the back. I glared at her. This was no time for jokes.

  "I'm going to the cafeteria right now, do you want anything?" I asked, standing up. She took my seat and shook her head.

  I quickly went down the elevator and into the cafeteria.

  "Summer, how are you doing?" The cafeteria lady asked, handing me a plate of food. I nodded, unable to form a smile. She handed me a tray of food.

  "How much is this?" I asked, looking at the fries and cheeseburger. Tears began forming in my eyes as memories of the day at the Luzerne played back on my mind.

  "On the house." She smiled, "you need to eat sweety, or I'll make you talk to Dr. Grandeur." She laughed, I nodded, silently thanking her and heading back up to Aiden's room.

  I was about to walk in when I heard a familiar voice.

  "I'm so sorry Aiden," I heard his mom's shallow breathing as she began crying. I peeked into the room, silently watching them.

  She held his hand.

  "Please wake up sweetheart. Uncle Pontiac and his wife are coming to visit you this week." She said, her voice shaky, "remember that one time you threw a water balloon down at him when he came visiting. You were such a rebel." She laughed slightly.

  I stood behind her and placed the tray on the table, she sensed my presence.

  "Oh, I'm sorry Summer, I'd hate for you to see me like this." She smiled slightly, wiping the tears off her face. "I can't believe my baby's gone!" She cried loudly, hugging me. I didn't need this, I was trying to hold myself together.

  "I miss him too." I said, feeling the tears pouring out of my eyes. I cried for minutes, hugging his mom.

  "He was such a good boy," she cried loudly, "I'm sorry, I can't. . ." She paused, wiping her face and walking out of the room.

  Something inside me kept buzzing.

  His chest heaved, his breathing became shallow. It was like he was hearing all of this.

  "Doctor!" I shouted as his vitals began going crazy.

  Immediately a whole group of nurses and doctors ran in.

  "He's going into convulsions, Summer, you may want to get out, what you're going to see next isn't going to be pretty." The doctor addressed me, "and please release his arm."

  I hadn't realized I was holding onto his arm like I was holding onto dear life. I stared at Dr. Grandeur, he was the most caring doctor I'd ever met.

  "Is he going to be okay?!" I cried, releasing his arm.

  "We will see." The doctor said as I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. I stood in my place, staring at Aiden's shaking body, wishing he'd just open his eyes. I felt an arm on my back, pushing me outside to the waiting room and took a seat.

  I stared at the ceiling, praying that God will help him survive. I needed him to stay alive. Please Aiden live.

  My eyes shut of their own accord, I was exhausted.

  "I think about you every second every day, every hour, I think about you and all the little kisses we've almost shared, but mostly I think about your smile and I wanted you to know that I really do love you, don't you realize, I've been loving you since we were 10 and to fill that gap, I've made a strip club and it's not working anymore. I can't. No, I really do love you." I smiled as Aiden stood across the room, his voice as smooth as silk.

  I ran up to him, jumping into his arms, a content smile on my face.

  "Aiden, I love you." I smiled, pulling away, my feet were up in the air, carried by his strong arms. He spun me around, setting me down.

  I stood in front of him, staring at his perfect blue eyes for a minute as he inched closer and pressed his lips to my forehead.

  "What about me!" Ryder popped out of nowhere, surrounded by three women wearing towels, "I'm better than him."

  "I love Aiden." I shouted, holding him closer as Ryder disappeared. I searched for Ryder, wherever he may be.

  He instantly appeared in front of my face with a butcher's knife in his hands.

  "Which part of Aiden?" He smirked devilishly. I turned around to see Aiden's body sprawled on the ground, blood pouring out of him. His motorcycle thrown across the street.

  I woke up, gasping for air. I hated sleeping. I kept reliving that nightmare in millions of different ways. I shook off the nightmare and immediately stood up, headed to his room.

  He was gone.

  He was gone! Where was he?! Oh god!

  What if they pulled the plug already.

  No. No way, I'm not thinking like that.

  I crawled up into the bed and sat in his spot, bending my knees and placing my head between them. Tears streamed down my face. He can't be gone.

  No.

  No.

  No.

  "Summer?" Mom rushed to me frantically. "Are you okay?!" She asked, hugging me.

  "I'm fine mom." I whispered weakly, staring at the ground to prevent more tears.

  "Sweety, you look awful!" Mom moved my messy hair out of my face.

  "I feel awful."

&n
bsp; "Come on, let's get you cleaned up, and some food." She smiled. I pictured the day he and I went out to the amusement park, trying to hurdle over my fear of height.

  And the most amazing picnic afterwards. I began balling once again.

  "Mom!" I cried loudly, "He's not in this room and he's not with me and I miss him," I squeaked out that last phrase, choking up on tears.

  "Sweety, he was in the surgery room."

  "Surgery?" I mouthed, staring at the wall ahead.

  "Yeah, apparently one of his broken ribs healed wrong and was jabbing at his lung, he's okay now." Mom smiled reassuringly.

  I felt a new wave of tears entering. He's not okay. He's not awake. He's not.

  "Miss Gray, I'm glad you're awake, I'd like to inform you that surgery went well and he should be awake within the next month." The doctor said.

  "Month?" I breathed. Wanting to run at him and slap his nose off. They said week this morning. Why month?

  "Look Summer, I think you need to take a break and a long nap. This really isn't going well for your health." The doctor smiled kindly and walked away. I stared after him.

  Month. That's the only word I heard from him. Aiden. . .a month

  "Come on sweetheart. Let's get you ready for school tomorrow." Mom placed her arm on my back and hugged me tightly. "It's going to be okay." She smiled at me.

  I quietly sniffled and began walking out of the hospital for the third time in the past two months.

  Another month left.

  Chapter 19: Legendary

  Summer Gray

  I turned around over and over in my bed.

  I'd take you anywhere. His words replayed in my mind. I smiled slightly, wiping my eyes at the memory. He'd said it at the amusement park. I'd been complaining about place, his voice replayed in my mind. I turned over again in my bed.

  I didn't feel comfortable sleeping here. I wanted to go back to the hospital and make sure Aiden was okay. What if he woke up and I missed it?

  I shut my eyes, forcing the memories that were trying to creep in, out.

  I couldn't do it. The night of the party flashed in my mind, us sleeping on the roof of my broken down car. It seemed like such a hazy beautiful day. He'd given me his jacket in the rain, we were soaked. And happy.

  I felt tears coming on and decided to try to stop thinking about him and instead about school tomorrow.

  I shut my eyes, thoughts of learning sent me off to sleep.

  "Summer, wake up!" Aiden shouted, throwing me off my bed.

  "What do you want? Gosh! You're so annoying." I giggled as he sat beside me on the floor.

  "You're beautiful." He smiled widely as we leaned in to kiss.

  "You're a kiss up." I giggled as he grabbed my hand.

  "I want to kiss you up." He winked as I slapped his arm, laughing.

  "Watch it punk!" Ryder's voice popped into my head as he tossed Aiden aside.

  "I hate you, you're a demon!" I shouted.

  "Shut up hot stuff, that Aiden you love is long gone. I'm all you have left. He's dead." His devious face snuck up to me as he spat near my face.

  "No!" I shouted not believing a word he said.

  "Oh yeah?!" He snarled his upper lip, gesturing to behind me.

  There Aiden lay on the hospital bed, blood surrounding every part of him.

  I began crying. Again.

  "Summer! Summer! Wake up!" Mom shouted, shaking me awake.

  "What happened?" I asked, horror still striking my face. My eyes landed on my mom's worried face.

  "You were shouting and crying in your sleep!" Mom rushed beside me, "How about we forget about school tomorrow?"

  "N. . .no. I want to go." I said, as my hand traced the tears on my cheeks.

  "Sweety, I think you need to go talk to Dr. Grandeur tomorrow."

  "Mom I'm fine. It was a nightmare, that's all. I'm going to school tomorrow."

  "Are you sure? Get some rest." Mom hugged me and walked out of my room.

  "Good night mom." I tried to smile.

  "It's two in the morning. Not night anymore." She laughed, walking out of my room.

  ¤¤¤

  Small drops of water began pouring on my face. Was arm dog peeing on me?

  Then the water began pouring on my face. I opened my eyes, staring at the gray clouds above me. I sat up quickly, my pajamas soaked as I looked around at the empty parking lot and then the white walls behind me.

  How did I end up here? I looked at the glassy hospital windows behind me, the dark clouds above me pouring down harder.

  I looked at my muddy pajamas. I was a total mess and I knew it.

  If Aiden was here. . .best to not think about him right now, I'd rather not start my day off like this.

  I walking into the hospital door.

  "Can I use your phone please?"

  "Are you alright Summer?" The receptionist asked. Everyone who came here knew me by name by now.

  "I'm fine." I looked around, still confused at what I was doing there.

  "You didn't look fine when you walked right into that door and fell. You've been asleep for the past few hours, I didn't know if I should wake you up. I think Dr. Grandeur is in right now, if you'd like to talk to him."

  "What?"

  "You were walking and then just walked right into the door and fell." She said, "here I already dial your mom's number." The receptionist handed me the phone.

  "Summer! Where see you?Are you okay?" Mom asked frantically.

  "I'm at the hospital." I spoke.

  "Wait there, I'm coming to pick you up." Mom said, hanging up. Aiden would always tell me to stay and I'd never listen. I shut my eyes, wishing these memories would go away.

  "Thanks Vanessa." I said to the receptionist and began heading toward Dr. Grandeur's office.

  I quietly knocked, he had great hearing so he had probably heard.

  I began walking away when the door opened.

  "Summer? Is there something you wanted to talk about?" He asked.

  "Um no actually, sorry for your time."

  "Summer, come with me. Let's get you a CT scan to see what's up with that noggin." He smiled as I stared at him.

  "No thanks doc, I'm fine." I smiled, "I was just wondering. . ." I took a deep breath, trying to say the next part without any tears, "Why Aiden's recovery time got moved to a month?" The doctor stared at me.

  "Summer, he had a broken rib, it's going to need time to heal, and possibly a bit longer since his helmet had jabbed into the side of his head."

  "Uhm. . ." I said, biting my lip to stop tears, "thanks, I have to go." I began rushing to the bathroom, wiping away angry tears. I turned on the facet so nobody would hear me.

  His face burned in my mind. The weak eyes looking at me and his voice whispering my name.

  Memories of my nightmares came flooding back in.

  "Summer? Are you alright?" Someone walked out of the bathroom stall, rushing to hug me, "I haven't seen you at school for two months, I'm really sorry about what happened." I looked at the short blond. Her name was Amelia Island, we had been friends since elementary school but Ryder ruined our friendship.

  The hatred I had for that man was astounding. He ruined everything. Or maybe I was thinking that because of my nightmares.

  "Amelia? What're you doing here?" I asked, staring at her curiously. School starts in three hours.

  "My gramps had a stroke a month ago, I'm here to see him. He's okay now. And other family members." She smiled. Amelia was the only person who I'd ever told about my meeting with Aiden when we were ten. I felt like it was a big secret between him and me and I wanted to keep it that way.

  "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." I said, running a had through my knotted hair. "Um. . .I was actually going to school today." I said, a small smile on my face.

  "So I'm really curious, but disregard my question, were you two dating?"

  I thought back to two months ago, our beach trip. I felt my nose burn in the manner to which tears would come next.
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  I sniffled. Yes. I wanted to say.

  "No, he was just a really good friend." I said, forcing a small smile on my face.

  "Oh," she paused, probably thinking that Aiden doesn't do friends, knowing she'd hit a sensitive point, "We haven't talked since freshman year and honestly I'm glad you dumped that asshole." She smiled.

  "What?" I asked.

  "You didn't, did you?" She asked, a concerned look on her face. "Ryder?"

  I was silent for a minute, trying to process what she'd just said. I hadn't talked to anyone except for the doctors and my mom for the last two months.

  "I have to go." I said. Rushing out and into the elevator and up the stairs.

  I ran into his room. He still wasn't there.

  "Mom!" I shouted across the hallway as I say her. "Where did they take him!" I wasn't asking anymore. I'd been worried and frustrated all night and I was demanding to know where he was.

  "Summer. Sweety." She took a deep breath and let it out, "He's awake," she said worry still on her face.

  She should be ecstatic! She should be bounding off the roofs right now. Why wasn't she happy.

  "Where is he?"

  "Sweety, he has amnesia."

  Chapter 20: The A in Aiden

  Summer Gray

  I barged into his room. After minutes of asking my mom where he was I'd finally found him. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes met his.

  He sat up in the bed, staring at me as I stared at him. He had a confused look on his face.

  Our eyes locked for a minute as I felt tears rising to my face. He's awake, but he had no clue who I was.

  I couldn't have cared less, I ran into his arms. "Aiden, I missed you so much, I can't believe you're finally awake" I felt small tears trickle down my cheeks,

  "Are you the nurse?" He asked, his blue eyes staring beautifully at me. Except now there was no recognition or emotion.

  "No, no Aiden, it's me." I said, pulling away from our hug, keeping my hand on his shoulder.

  "Aiden?" He repeated, "is that my name?" He thought out loud. "What day is it?"

  "Thursday." I said.

  "Who are you and why did you hug me?" His silky voice brought back memories that I craved to relive.