*-*-*

I sit up in bed the next day and smile down at Melody. Her brown hair is spread over her face and she is wearing pajama shorts and a top.

She's so beautiful.

I move the hair off her face and lean down to softly kiss her lips. Why do I have to love her so much? Why does she have to go? I'm terrified and I'm not even the one that is dying.

"Melody." I whisper and shake her shoulder softly. She doesn't move. "Melody." I say, louder. I check her heartbeat by pressing my fingers to her throat.

Nothing.

I run to the room next door and bang against the wood. Jonathan opens the door, still looking groggy, "Hmm?" he yawns.

"We have to get Melody to the hospital. Sh-she's not waking up."

*-*-*

Everything started to go really slow, like it was all in really slow motion as I stood outside the hospital room door.

Three words.

"It's too late."

Four words.

"Melody Carson is dead."

Five words.

"There's nothing we can do."

I stare at the doctor as I start feeling dizzy. It feels like I'm falling, like the floor has disappeared and it's an endless darkness.

"C-can I see her." I ask the doctor.

Melody's mom and brother are already in there but people that aren't family weren't allowed in yet.

The doctor nods and I push past him, opening the door. There's only two sound I can hear; my heartbeat and the lonely sound of the monotoned heart rate monitor.

Melody's mom is sobbing and gripping tightly onto Melody's pale hand. Her brother is just standing, not blinking. He's just staring at nothing.

Melody's mom looks up and nods then drags Jonathan out the room with him, leaving me alone with the only girl that has meant something to me in a long time.

The last girl I loved died too; my mom.

I choke on my tears, "Melody please, if this is revenge for when I pretended to die then I'm sorry." I sit down on the chair next to her bed and lean my head on her, tears dripping down onto her still body.

"You win." I whisper.

Nothing.

"Wake up!" I scream, shaking her body. Please, I'll do anything.

"Melody!" I scream, "Cupcake, please?" I beg.

It's too late. This isn't an act. This isn't some prank where she wakes up smiling. This is the part where she doesn't wake up. The thing is, she's not the only one that's dying right now.

The pain in my chest. It's killing me. It's like I can't breath and everything feels so real. It is real.

"Come on," I wipe my finger across her cheek. Her skin is cold and pale and she isn't moving, "Melody if you wake up I'll buy you pizza and I'll watch any Disney movie you want. I'll can't let you die, I need you. I need to kiss you and I need you to fight with me and cuddle with me and stay with me." I stand up and look away from her.

It's not real.

Maybe it's just a nightmare.

"Please stay. I want you to stay with me forever, you can't be taken away from me. Not now. Not today. I'm begging you please stay."

Down on my knees I'm begging you please don't leave me.

"We have to get old and you have to survive because you still haven't given me my hoodies back," I turn to her and laugh through my tears. I need a reaction.

Nothing.

I back up against the hospital room wall and slide down. My cupcake is gone.

Melody is gone.

She's dead.

Forever.

*-*-*