Elijah

17th December

"What a f-" I muttered but controlled myself as the nurse was running Gwen's routine check ups.

I was watching Howard Miler's interview on TV and Gwen seemed to be glancing at the screen momentarily, passing comments on his awful lies and fake statements.

"Mr. Miler, why did you hide the fact that your son was murdered?"

"Were you alright with everyone thinking your son committed suicide?"

The reporters asked him.

"I wanted my son to rest in peace. I would still like to deny that my eldest son was murdered and that my younger son is the murderer on that." He answered.

"A brief investigation shows that there's proof of murder." The reported said.

"That's not enough proof and it's misleading, in my opinion." He stated.

"How would you explain why you meddled with the reports and didn't clean up the room?" Another one asked.

"I'm exhausted. That's all. Thank you." He ended the Q|A with that.

"It's all done." The nurse informed me," I'll let you know about her discharge from hospital once the reports come. She's weak so make sure she eats well."

"Thank you." I thanked her as she left the food tray behind along with medicines. I turned the TV off and sat at the end of the bed. Gwen was staring in the air blankly. She still couldn't believe that Ethan had left and was more in shock after finding out that everything was out in public.

"You heard her. Don't fuss around and eat up, alright?" I asked her nicely.

"I don't have an appetite." She answered in a bland tone.

"This is one of the best hospitals when it comes to meals." I said and pulled up the adjustable table. I placed the plate on top of it and levelled up her stretcher so that she wouldn't have to struggle sitting up.

"Elijah please..." She sulked.

"No, I'm the one begging. Please." I insisted. She hadn't eaten a proper meal since three days and at that rate she wouldn't be able to get discharged from the hospital soon.

"Just leave me alone!" She cried, burying her face within her hands. She was having another break down, for the 12th time, if I had counted right.

"Gwen...how are you going to live without eating?" I asked, keeping my voice soft.

"I don't want to live-" She said.

"Why do you keep saying that?" I asked.

"I want to- I want to see him..." She couldn't even speak properly between sobs. Her voice was muffled but I understood every word that she said.

"Calm down. I know how you feel. But you have to get over it." I said a little seriously.

"It's all over. There's nothing left for me to do. I should just leave this place for good." She said, looking up at me. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying.

For a moment, I wanted to hug her to sleep, but it wasn't the right way to deal with it. It would only have made her more vulnerable and soft. I had to let her know what was 'left for her to do.'

"Enough of that sobbing." I said sternly and the look on her face changed. I could see her turn pale with shock. I clenched my jaw and continued," You've been doing nothing but sleeping and crying for literally over 2 weeks!" I yelled," And not only are you wasting your own time and mine for having to look after you, you don't realize who else is waiting for you."

"Who..." She uttered.

"Ethan." I said," There's no way we're holding his funeral without you. He's waiting that you go see him for the last time after recovering fully." I said and fresh tears flew down her cheeks. I felt very cruel to go on in that tone but there was one last thing I wanted to remind her of, so I kept going," And how the hell do you declare it 'all over?' Nothing is over Gwen. You have to help us and stay by us while we fight against those filthy rich father and son! Edwin is going to get out. We have to prove him guilty and make him pay the price of taking away our precious Ethan's life." I said.

Her lips twitched as she held back from crying out.

"I'm sorry..." she said with her head down," I'm so... sorry."

"It's not too late. Get back up healthy and go see him." I said and she nodded.

She wiped away her tears and looked up at me again. She opened her arms wide for a hug with a smile," This is for taking care of me all this time." She said.

I got up and went closer to her and gave her a warm hug, ruffling her hair," Be brave. You'll have to be, from this point onwards." I said.

After making sure Gwen finished everything on the plate and took her medicines, I put her to sleep and left to tell dad about the positivity of the situation, which seemed to get nowhere earlier and was worrying us out.

I couldn't blame her. She didn't even know that the funeral was on hold for her. Her reaction to whatever was happening was also a given. Having lost someone twice whom she'd loved was a very cruel thing to go through.

Gwen

22nd December

Time seemed to pass by real quick. I had fully recovered after Elijah took great care of me and sometimes even dozed off while sitting at the edge of my bed. Ms. Frost payed me visits often since her office was a few floors down. Sometimes Mr. Cooper too came and sat quietly in one corner whenever Elijah wasn't available. He'd always watch TV with me without speaking a word or just doze off.

After I was discharged, Elijah took me back to my house, where mom and dad were waiting for me. They were supposed to return on 18th, had it not been the sad departure of my grandpa. They finally come home the night of 21st December and were tired from driving all the way.

Elijah accompanied me just in case mom and dad got really angry and scolded me. He could do better explanation since they weren't his parents and I could also introduce him to them.

"I'm a bit nervous." I grabbed his arm as we were standing at the porch. He was about to ring the bell but stopped," Relax. They know nothing about your involvement. Just tell them what I told you." He reassured me and I gave a slight nod.

He rang the bell and the door was quickly answered by my mom, dad following up quickly. They had been informed that I was coming home.

Elijah stepped aside and mom and dad pulled me into a group hug.

"What the hell happened to you?" Mom was nearly in tears.

"If you just..." I coughed as I was nearly choking with their arms so tightly wrapped around my neck.

"Oh no." Mom pulled away and started patting my back," Oh, you've brought someone along?" She finally noticed Elijah and welcomed him inside.

We all seated ourselves on the couch and mom brought us drinks from the kitchen. Elijah was sitting on a single couch opposite to us while the three of us occupied the love-seat, me stuck between mom and dad.

"What's your rela-" Dad was about to go off in his harsh tone and terrifying questions but mom interrupted him," What's your good name?" She asked Elijah.

"I'm Elijah Berryman. We're in the same school, just different classes." Elijah answered.

"He's the new friend who stayed here for a night." I told a plain lie because since Edwin was tagged as a murderer everywhere on TV, I couldn't let them know I let a murderer stay at our house with me.

Elijah looked at me cluelessly, then plastered a smile on his face. We hadn't discussed about this topic, but I brought it up to make it clear to my parents.

"He looks pretty decent." Mom whispered to dad but it was audible to me.

"Trust me, it's the decent ones who do-" Dad whispered back. I could understand why he was being overprotective because it was firstly his habit and secondly because someone from my school had murdered his own brother, so his overprotectiveness was a given.

"A-Anyway...mom, dad, I'm sorry for worrying you. I had left the house without my pills because I was excited for my birthday and suddenly witnessed an accident which left a deep effect..." I paused and recollected my thoughts," Thankfully Elijah was with me and took me to the hospital."

"How could you be so careless and worry us and others over something like this?" Mom asked me sternly.

"I'm sorry about that." I uttered.

"Elijah, thank you so much for helping Gwen." Mom said," I heard your father's a detective and worked on the case that's the talk in the city right now."

"Yes, indeed. He'd spoken to you on phone." Elijah replied.

"Oh dear lord," Mom gasped," Who could've thought such a big truth was hidden from everyone? I'm so glad for Ethan Miler. It's all thanks to your father. He's brilliant, isn't he?"

"Sure he is." Dad said with boredom," So, what's your relationship with Gwen?"

"We're friends." He answered and I slowly nodded in agreement.

"Will you stop trying to be a detective for once?" Mom whispered to dad and slapped his arm.

"I'll take my leave now." Elijah stood up," Gwen, please take care of yourself and sir, ma'am, I offer my condolences."

"No need to be so formal. We prefer aunt and uncle." Mom said with a smile and walked him to the door.

The real show is about to start now.

As soon as the door shut, dad spoke," I need some explanations."

"About what?" I asked

"How traumatizing was that accident that you ended up in a coma for two weeks?" He questioned.

"Max, the boy said one week." Mom said as she came back and sat down.

"How bad was it that you needed an extra week to recover?" He asked.

"I was weak from not eating." I answered.

"And that Edwin Miler. Didn't you say he was your junior?" He asked.

"Yes, so what? I never talked to him alright?" I answered a little brashly.

"Come on, don't stress her out." Mom told dad.

"How am I stressing her out? Aren't you the one who always says your daughter doesn't hide anything from you? Then how come she made a new friend that we had no idea about?" He asked mom," And hanging out with this boy whose dad is working on a case-"

"Take a chill pill. She's turned 18. We can't take things for granted and she's so much better than those teens going wild out there." Mom confronted him.

"I'm just worried about her." He said in a tiny voice.

They didn't even notice I was on the brink tearing up. Ethan's funeral was the next day, followed by his memorial service.

"Shhh, look you made her cry." Mom whispered," And I'm the worst mom. I didn't even wish her on her birthday."

"Neither did I. What should we do?" Dad asked back.

"Let's leave her alone for now." Mom said a little loudly, as if announcing it to me to make me feel at ease. Both of them stood up and went to their room, closing the door behind them.

I slumped back on the couch, my head resting on the head-rest and stared at the ceiling with my vision blurry from tears but I didn't let the tears roll down my cheeks. I had remembered Elijah's words. I wasn't going to think that everything was over or that I should just die anymore. We had a lot of fight left ahead of us.

'Be brave. You'll have to be, from this point onwards.'

"Grandpa...and Ethan...both wouldn't want to see me cry like a coward."