Whatever Happened to Happily Ever After? (combined version)

Kaya bit her lip as she played the message over for what had to be the tenth time. She couldn’t believe it. She just couldn’t. Just last Christmas he’d flashed her one of his famous grins when he’d come for a surprise visit. Last Christmas… Has it really been a year? Kaya double checked the calendar. It seemed so unrealistic; impossible. He’d always been so lively. Sure there were times when he’d been a little too serious, but those bouts never lasted long. It was hard to imagine that it could happen to him.1

He’d been her first love. They’d grown up together. He’d always been there. He’d protected her from the mean kids that had at one time picked on her. He was only a year older, but the age difference had never seemed important. At least it hadn’t until junior high. He’d started to fill out. Girls had been all over him. Who could blame them, though? With his blond hair, blue eyes, and soccer star status, he was a dream guy. He never forgot about her friendship, but that was all it had ever been. She’d harbored feelings for him since the day he stood up for her in fifth grade. Even though he was a year older, they were still in the same grade. Something about being held back in kindergarten for causing mischief. Kaya hadn’t been surprised. He’d always been a trouble maker.2

To Kaya, his mischievous personality was part of his charm. She found everything he did charming in some way. She adored his odd little quirks and habits. Yet, that had never seemed to matter to him. He’d never cared that she knew everything about him and there would never have to be any secrets. He’d never cared that she loved everything about him. She’d only ever been the best friend. In her mind, it was because she wasn’t pretty enough. In middle school she’d been so thin and awkward.3

He’d moved before she changed. He and his parents left Santa Monica for a place in northern California called Stockton. It had been right after 8th grade graduation. She’d finally gotten up the courage to tell him how she felt. Only, he’d then decided to drop the horrible bomb on her that he was moving. He’d come to visit at least once a month every year. Last year he’d even come up for a surprise visit. Last Christmas had been the best one she’d ever had. It had been perfect. Not only was it a white Christmas, but it was a white Christmas spent with her favorite person in the world. To top things off, he’d caught her under the mistletoe. It had been the best kiss she’d ever had. She’d gotten her Christmas wish that year. Him.4

Kaya let the tears stream from her pale blue eyes at the hospital. It was so strange to watch him lay there, pale and helpless. There were scratches and bruises all over his body. His clothing was torn and his pale blond hair was matted and messy. His usually gorgeous torso and abs were stained with blood.5

“What happened?” she asked quietly.6

“He was hit by a car. He was walking home from soccer practice,” His mother replied, her voice shaking.7

“Will he be okay?”8

“If he wakes up. He’s still breathing, but he’s unconscious. We’ll find out in an hour. If he wakes up during this hour, he should be okay. If not….” Her voice trailed off.9

Kaya anxiously toyed with a strand of pale blonde hair. She could only hope that he made it. 10

****11

Silent tears streamed down her face as she stroked his pale hair. Kaya tried to convince herself that he’d make it; he was a fighter. He was spirited and bright with a powerful desire to live. Someone with his kind of energy would be able to bounce back in no time.12

And yet those unsaid words seemed empty and meaningless. No amount of comforting words could soothe the constant fear that remained strong in her mind. What if he didn’t…? Kaya couldn’t bring herself to even think those very words. She was sure that if she thought them, then it would all become too real. She wanted to cling onto that last bit of hope while she could.13

An hour. It was amazing how such a short time would be able to determine the difference between life and death. He was too young to have his fate decided. He was supposed to play in a soccer tournament next week. She was sure he should be practicing instead of lying in the bed hooked up to tubes and monitors. He’d always been so healthy and strong; nothing had ever seemed to bring him down.14

God, what had he been thinking? Hadn’t he seen the car coming? Hadn’t the car seen him? She knew the police were working on finding who had hit him, but somehow that just didn’t seem good enough. Nothing would seem good enough until he was better. If he got better.15

Shaking her head, Kaya attempted to remove all doubts from her mind. She couldn’t be thinking like that. He needed her to be strong and somehow convey to him that everything would be okay. Maybe if she kept her composure and didn’t cry, he would awake. He never did like it when people were sad.16

The ends of her forced smile quivered and turned into a frown. Wiping stray tears away from her eyes, Kaya exited the room. There was no way she’d be able to hold it together if she stayed in there. Just the thought of him in that helpless state nearly reduced her to sobs.17

For what seemed like hours, she and his mother paced. The doctors had assured them that they’d let them know as soon as they knew anything. So when Kaya saw a solemn faced doctor emerge from the ICU, her face, and her stomach, dropped. Something was wrong. As he came to stand before them, his hardened angular face softened.18

“I’m very sorry Ms. Callahan, but your son didn’t make it.”19

She was too shocked to cry. It had to be a really bad dream. Yeah, that was it. The whole thing was a nightmare. It wasn’t until a pinch on the arm did not wake her up that she cried. Tears fell and fell until her body seemed like it was nothing but a hollow shell.20

Dazed and distraught, Kaya slipped to the floor and buried her head in her hands. Why him? What had he done to deserve that? He was only seventeen and he'd had dreams.21

She was temporarily distracted from her grief as a uniformed police officer approached the horrified mother. They’d caught the person who’d hit him and, according to them, it hadn’t been the boy’s fault.22

Anger surged through her body as the officer’s next words registered in her head. A drunk driver had run the stop light and hit him. So that was why the driver hadn’t seen him; he’d been drunk. She slammed a slender hand against the wall. Why did he have to pay for one person’s stupid mistake? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?23

No matter how many times the question was asked, an answer was never found. Why had that stupid eighteen year old boy decided to drive drunk? Why did he get to continue living while her best friend and lover did not?24