Lyric’s P.O.V
Lydia’s operation was scheduled exactly two days after we arrived at Mayo Clinic. Thanks to the recommendation by the doctor who had previously seen Lydia and also thanks to her fathers’ influence, everything went by smoothly. Well, almost. Lydia had experienced that searing pain in her throat and tongue at least four times already and everyone was getting increasingly worried.
It was one thing knowing that she had a bullet inside her brain that was preventing her from showing emotions on her face, but seeing her suffer…we had never felt so helpless in our lives.
For the past two days, the doctors here had run continuous test and scans on her day and night and now, finally, it was time.
“Don’t get your hopes up.” Lydia said as she sat up in the hospital bed, ready to head off to the operating room. “The doctors said there’s a 10% chance that they can’t remove the bullet safely. We need to be prepared for the worst.”
“The only thing I’ll be preparing,” I told her firmly, “is my room, where you’ll be staying with me for the rest of our lives. I’m not letting you out of my sight, Lydia, never again.”
“Fine, then I want bright pink walls.” She said stubbornly. “And I’m not staying in the same room you took all your conquests to.”
“Agreed. Anything my girl wants, she gets.” I knelt down in front of her and took her hands in mine, kissing each finger with deliberate slowness. “I promise you, everything is going to be okay.”
“I have a hunch too.” She told me, but her voice stuttered. “But, I want us to stay in our apartment. It’s home…for me at least.”
“Honestly, I feel the same way too.” I told her, but she wrinkled her eyebrows, that little crinkle thing she did that represented a frown. “What?”
“Are you agreeing to everything I’m saying on purpose?” She asked.
“Yes.” I told her truthfully. “I’ll agree to anything right now. Just you ask for it.”
“Then promise to stay by me forever?” Her eyes held the unspoken questions she couldn’t ask, the emotions she couldn’t express. But she didn’t need to worry.
“I was going to ask you the same thing.” I held her hand tightly in mine. “Forever and always.”
There was a knock at the door right then and before any of us could answer, someone stepped into the room.
“Lydia?”
I turned towards the door at the unfamiliar voice to find a man of our age stepping inside the room. He didn’t enter fully but stayed close to the door so he could make a speedy exit. Guilt and nervousness were painted all over his face and it made me curious as to who this pretty boy was.
And he was definitely one of those pretty boys with blonde hair and blue eyes and that quarterback physique. But who exactly was he and why was he looking for Lydia?
“Calvin?”
Lydia’s P.O.V:
“Calvin?”
Although my words were barely above a whisper, Lyric had heard them.
“Calvin?” He frowned at me in confusion before realization dawned on his face.
“What the hell!” Lyric stood up to face Calvin, taking up a protective stance in front of me, blocking me from view.
“Please…I just want to talk.” Calvin’s voice was hoarse, hesitant. “Can I please talk to Lydia?”
“You have some nerve showing up here after all this time!” Lyric snapped at him. “Lydia is suffering because of you! That bullet was supposed to be for you!”
“Lyric!”
“God, you have no idea how much I wish it was me every single day!” Calvin cried before I could stop Lyric from saying something he’ll regret later. “If only it was me, I wouldn’t have to live with this guilt. I know it’s nothing compared to what Lydia had been through, but I hope I can do something to make up for it. I’m not apologizing because I know it’ll never be enough. I’m asking for punishment. Whatever you wish for, I won’t say a word.”
Lyric and I both looked at each in shock. This wasn’t something we had expected from the boy who had vanished after the incident without saying a word.
It was then that Lyric moved aside and I finally saw Calvin’s face after three whole years. He looked older, aged and mature. His blonde hair had even gotten darker but his pretty blue eyes were still the same. What I noticed last however, was the fact that he was wearing scrubs.
“You’re a doctor?” I asked in surprise.
“First year resident.” Calvin told me. “I decided to study medicine…help people for a change.”
“I’m glad you’re doing good.” I told him sincerely, our friendship now a distant memory through a faded glass. “I’m not going to take any actions against you, Calvin; we both know it’s too late for that.”
Calvin lowered his head in shame.
“I can never forgive you for what happened in the past…but I’m glad you’ve decided to help people. So it’s enough for me.”
He looked up at me with wide eyes and I saw them haze over with tears.
Calvin left after that and Lyric and I decided not to bring him up ever again. That chapter of my life ends today.
Roy can never come back; my three years of suffering can never be reversed…but if there was one thing I could do, it was to move on. So when my family came to see me one last time before the operation, I knew a new chapter of my life was about to begin.
“Ms. Lydia McKenzie?” The doctor entered the room with his files and reports. “It’s time.”
“I’m ready.” I told him firmly, giving Lyric’s hand a tight squeeze before I went off to the operating table.