Manage Me
All We Can Do Is Keep Breathing
Brooke POV
I woke up in the hospital with a huge headache. Jack was sitting at my bedside.
"Jack? What happened?" I asked groggily.
"You and Alex got hit by a drunk driver on the way home from picking the dogs up." he told me.
"Is Alex okay?" I asked nervously.
"Not exactly. He has three cracked ribs and a broken arm. He’s really banged up. He hasn't woken up yet and they don't know when he will." Jack told me.
"Oh my God." I whispered.
"You know, he really loves you. He threw himself in front of you when that truck hit you so he would get most of the injuries." Jack told me.
"Why would he do that?" I asked, shocked.
"Cuz he loves you, dammit!" Jack cried, exasperated.
"Then why did he cheat on me?" I asked.
"Everyone fucks up. Everyone does stupid shit." he told me.
"What's wrong with me?" I asked.
"Sprained ankle and a few bruises cuz Alex kinda crushed you." he told me, laughing weakly at the last part.
"What about the dogs?" I asked and his face fell.
"They’re fine. Thankfully nothing flew into the backseat where they were." he told me.
"I want to see Alex." I said.
"Okay. I'll help you to his room." Jack agreed. He grabbed my crutches from the side of the bed and put them under my arms.
I hobbled next door to his room. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. He was hooked up to a dozen tubes. His face was scratched up and there were bruises along his neck. I pursed my lips and Jack let me lean on him.
I went over to him and sat down. His hand was half-curled on top of the blanket and I took it on my own.
“Hi Alex...um it’s me...Brooke...I....you probably can’t hear me...but I love you. God, it took you literally throwing yourself in front of an oncoming truck for me to see it. You know, people are always saying they’d do that shit for other people, but you actually did...I-I don’t know what to say other than you need to fucking wake up, asshole. Everyone’s going to be pissed if you don’t....please, I don’t want that conversation about your brother to be our last....just fucking wake up, goddammit!” By the time I finished, I was screaming at his unconscious body.
Jack pried my hand off of his arm and gently pulled me away as I screamed and sobbed. If it were a movie, he would’ve opened his eyes and heard all of that, but no, he was as lifeless as he’d been when I walked in, totally unaffected by my words.
I woke up in the hospital with a huge headache. Jack was sitting at my bedside.
"Jack? What happened?" I asked groggily.
"You and Alex got hit by a drunk driver on the way home from picking the dogs up." he told me.
"Is Alex okay?" I asked nervously.
"Not exactly. He has three cracked ribs and a broken arm. He’s really banged up. He hasn't woken up yet and they don't know when he will." Jack told me.
"Oh my God." I whispered.
"You know, he really loves you. He threw himself in front of you when that truck hit you so he would get most of the injuries." Jack told me.
"Why would he do that?" I asked, shocked.
"Cuz he loves you, dammit!" Jack cried, exasperated.
"Then why did he cheat on me?" I asked.
"Everyone fucks up. Everyone does stupid shit." he told me.
"What's wrong with me?" I asked.
"Sprained ankle and a few bruises cuz Alex kinda crushed you." he told me, laughing weakly at the last part.
"What about the dogs?" I asked and his face fell.
"They’re fine. Thankfully nothing flew into the backseat where they were." he told me.
"I want to see Alex." I said.
"Okay. I'll help you to his room." Jack agreed. He grabbed my crutches from the side of the bed and put them under my arms.
I hobbled next door to his room. I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. He was hooked up to a dozen tubes. His face was scratched up and there were bruises along his neck. I pursed my lips and Jack let me lean on him.
I went over to him and sat down. His hand was half-curled on top of the blanket and I took it on my own.
“Hi Alex...um it’s me...Brooke...I....you probably can’t hear me...but I love you. God, it took you literally throwing yourself in front of an oncoming truck for me to see it. You know, people are always saying they’d do that shit for other people, but you actually did...I-I don’t know what to say other than you need to fucking wake up, asshole. Everyone’s going to be pissed if you don’t....please, I don’t want that conversation about your brother to be our last....just fucking wake up, goddammit!” By the time I finished, I was screaming at his unconscious body.
Jack pried my hand off of his arm and gently pulled me away as I screamed and sobbed. If it were a movie, he would’ve opened his eyes and heard all of that, but no, he was as lifeless as he’d been when I walked in, totally unaffected by my words.
Notes
Title: Keep Breathing, Ingrid MichaelsonWow...this was devastating to write. Will Alex make it? DUN DUN DUN.
Thanks to:
Britt
SaraBethGaskarth
mkelly
and of course, my dear SociallyAwkwardRocker
comment and rate or I will never update ever again :) xoxo
I've been stumbling across stories I've read, and checking them out again since I seem to forget them after it's been a while. This was one of those cases.
Reading this again, and after reading other stories on here and Mibba, I've realized that with my last comment, I was a bit off. Yes, Brooke and Alex's relationship was cute when they were together/sweet to each other, but reading it again, their relationship was a bit abusive. Neither is completely innocent, but the version of Alex you wrote in this took it to the next level. I realize a lot of it was because of his insecurities, what he dealt with in the past, etc., but Brooke didn't deserve any of that. When she did mess up, she definitely didn't take her anger to the levels he did.
Idk, I'm conflicted because again, when they were together, it was cute, but then it just got sad when they weren't. I'm not sure why she put up with as much as she did.
Your writing is still good, though. Just wish they didn't have so many downs in their relationship. It got really sad at a lot of points, and I just felt Alex didn't need to take it to the degree he did, I mean really.
I doubt you saw my other comment, but just thought I would comment again as an update and to possibly get you to see it.
11/19/17