Jarek.

It all happened like a movie in slow motion.

One minute, I was fighting for my breath and struggling with the pain searing just... everywhere. I mean, my entire body felt like it was on fire. And then the next minute, I was going through something worse— shock, fear and panic all at once.

But the most of it all was pain.

Yes, pain.

Now, let me take you all back for a few minutes to let you know how I got to this point... how I got to be in such agonizing pain.

I had woken up a few minutes ago with a massive headache— one that was so severe I feared my skull would crack into two parts.

My body had been feverishly hot, sending shockwaves running down my spine, but at the time, that had been the least of my problems.

Heavens, I didn’t even stop to think about myself or the intense pain I’d been in as all I could think about was Leilani.

Lame right?

Yes... no. Well I don’t care.

However, what I cared about was the fact that she was in danger. And that was the first thing I noticed when I peeled my eyes open only to find Keisha pointing a gun straight at her forehead.

From here, she looked composed. Unbothered even but I could see the almost nonexistent twitching of her fingers. I also couldn’t help but notice the slight trembling in her limbs and the way she would ball her hands into fists every now and then until it almost drew blood.

And when it seemed like Keisha was about to pull the trigger, she moved backwards a little— only a little before her eyes lowered to meet mine.

My heart stuttered.

This was all me.

It was my fault that she was in this situation.

I was the reason why Keisha hated her with such burning passion. I mean, none of these would’ve ever happened if I hadn’t gotten myself so involved with her, especially since I already knew that I had a psychotic ex.

I struggled to stand on my feet but that was proving to be impossible due to how weak I was; But when I heard Keisha say the words: "Goodbye Leilani," I do not know how, but I rose to my feet.

The following events happened in a blur as one minute, I was surprised that I had pushed past the pain and risen to my feet, and in the next minute (second, if I am being honest), the loud sound of a gun going off echoed around the room.

I felt the pain before I realized what was happening. Smelled my blood before I realized that I was bleeding.

My body hit the floor with a loud painful thump and it wasn’t until that moment that I realized what I had done... that I had thrown myself in front of the bullet meant for Leilani. That I had allowed myself to be shot just to protect her...

...and goddess, I would do that again and again if that means she would be protected.

A loud groan slipped out of my lips, tearing through the tense silence that followed shortly afterwards.

I vaguely heard the sound of a heavy object clattering to the floor. Vaguely heard the sharp gasp that sounded not so far off.

But I didn’t stop to check who made those sounds.

Why?

Because I knew that it wasn’t Leilani.

And how do I know?

I know because my eyes were trained on her the entire time. I know because I could still see her with her eyes squeezed shut as she waited for her death.

That image burned itself into my brain, and as I slowly descended into the abyss that called out to me, I hated that it was the last thing I would see.

And... wait. I do not mean that I do not wish to see Leilani last. I just mean that I didn’t want to see her so scared, so worried, so lost... and in so much pain.

I wanted her to be the brave beautiful woman I had made her become after I dragged her out of this messy country four years ago— almost five now.

And I wanted her to be happy.

By the time she finally peeled her eyes open, my vision had slowly become blurry. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes and the pain that lanced through my chest where the bullet had hit was agonizing.

Her loud scream tore me out of my haze only for a second before the pain hit one more time— double the pain this time around. But before I could respond, I felt familiar warm hands wrap around me, pulling me into a chest that I had only ever imagined myself in.

Her fingers, now desperately fast, trailed over the skin of my face, brushing away the strands of my hair as she cried; "J-Jay!"

And goddess the pain in her voice slammed hard into me— harder than this bullet ever could.

"Jay, please stay with me. Don’t close your eyes! Don’t sleep!"

As her desperate ramblings filled my ear, I could only smile.

Why?

Because it took me being in danger to stop questioning her affection for me.

Because I realized too late that she loved me more than I would ever know.

Tears streamed down her beautiful face, most of which dropped on my face and neck. My body which held me trembled as more cries tore out of her lips. She cried;

"Please."

"Leilani..."

"Jay, please..."

"I don’t feel too bad," I drawled with a smile, with the hopes of getting her to be less afraid. But that was futile. Futile in the sense that she only cried harder.

"I hear you," she mumbled, "I hear you, but just don’t close your eyes... don’t sleep, I beg you!"

Don’t sleep means don’t die.

I nodded, but doing that only made my chest hurt like a fucking bitch and with the very last strength I had, I cupped her smooth beautiful face in my hands and smiled at her.

"Okay."

But just as I did that, I realized to my horror that I had dirtied the ethereal beauty that I have come to love. That I had caused streaks of my blood to smear the corners of her perfect perfect cheeks where my hands had just touched.

I frowned slightly, but that frown soon morphed into a smile when she leaned down to kiss my cheek, her voice low as she muttered; "I have so many things I want to say to you when you get better."

That made me hopeful...

"Okay,"

"So hang in there, alright?"

I opened my mouth to respond to her one more time but no words would form... and then slowly... the entire world stopped and everything went black.