Prologue

PROLOGUE

I stare down at his moon lit face, worried.
He's shaking underneath my grasp.

"Livia," he says. His voice is soft.

I run the palm of my hand down his cheek, feeling the cold tears that have managed to escape without me knowing.

I smile bitterly.

"It's alright now Jere." I kiss his eyelid lightly as more tears threatened to fall. I tasted the salt.

"Liv," he calls again, his voice wavering this time.

I continue to stroke his cheek, trying to ignore the amount of blood coming from his side, where I press my free hand onto.

"Just breathe Jere, are you still breathing? In and out just like I told you."

He struggles to take staggering breaths, obeying me.

I look around, seeing if the ambulance had arrived yet. Faintly I heard sirens, but they still sounded far off.

I allow myself to drop my calm charade and panic a little. Jere's forehead is beaded in sweat. The life in his eyes that once blazed brightly is now dark and sullen.

I'm scared of how his each breath seem to grow more difficult then the next.

I'm scared to look down at my bloodied hand, which determined his lifeline.

I'm scared my Jere will drift off if I don't keep him awake.

I must at all cost keep him awake.

"Livia, how long?" He manages to croak out. "How long do I have to wait?"

Feigning a smile I continue my charade.

"Not that long baby I promise."

Any other human being would have passed out by now, unlike my Jere.

My Jere laughs, somehow managing the energy to do so.

He then breaks into coughing spasms from exerting himself too much.

But he continues to laugh, not knowing how to stop.

"I'm going to die aren't I?" He laughs.

I frown at him.

"Don't say that."

He laughs hysterically now then coughs up blood in response.

I gasp.

"Jere stop!"

He goes on.

"I'm better off dead anyway. I've always wondered what it would be like." He says this all dream like, his eyes narrowing.

Forgetting all about being calm, tears stream down my face, as I yell at him frustratingly.

"Jere stop it you're not going to die! I won't let you!"

Jere chuckles a little but his eyes don't. He stares up at me bitterly and reaches to brush away my tears.

"Don't laugh." I tell him again softly.

"I won't."

He obeys, watching me soberly.

"I don't want to leave you." Jere says in a barely audible voice.

All the laughing has put him in an even worse condition than before.

I don't even try to hide my distress face from him anymore.
Specks of blood covers his daunt face from his coughing spasms earlier.

His already weak body sinks heavily into me while I try to keep him comfortable.

"Livia. I don't want you to leave me," he says a bit louder.

"Shhh I know baby, just don't leave me okay?"

He tries to nod but he can't.
He continues to try but I hold him steady so he wouldn't overdo himself again.

I look into those beautiful, moss green eyes that I love so much.

He looks up into mine.

"Don't leave me." He whispers.

"Stay awake." I tell him.

"I'm tired, how long?" He asks.

The siren lights are visible now. They'll be here in any moment.

"You're almost there baby, just hang on okay?"

He doesn't reply.

I hurriedly check if he's still breathing. It's shallow now, faint.

Looking at him, I lay my hand on his cheek again and gently swipe my thumb across it. His eyes are nearly closed.

"Jere, answer me. Jere!"

His eyes open slightly at the desperation in my voice, ready to obey but unable to find the energy to comply.

"Stay awake." I told him softly.

"I will." His mouth reads, but he closes his eyes anyway. He's smiles briefly as I struggled to see through my tears.

"Kiss," he whispers inaudibly.

I shake my head not knowing whether to laugh at his corniness right now or cry.

"Kiss me," he repeats.

I don't waste time, I need to keep him awake until the ambulance gets here.

With one hand still holding his wound, I use my free hand to cradle his face.

His eyes open briefly before I dropped my lips down on his.

I kiss him gently, ignoring the metallic taste of blood.

Using energy I didn't believe was still in him, he wraps one arm around me and deepens the kiss.

He passionately draws me in, almost making me forget that he was still in pain for a second.

Electricity races through me and lingers.

I cling to him for dear life, knowing that I can never let go.

But reality hits me hard when his tug on my lips slows.

I can literally feel all the energy drain out of him as we break apart.

He suddenly goes limp in my arms.

"Jere?" I call to him as my eyes widened.

"Jeremy?"

I shake my head, not believing.

"Jere, talk to me, Jere?"

Soon the ambulance pulls up in front of me in mass heaps.

The siren noises was deafening, but I was too numb all over to hear, or feel what was going on around me.

I have no chance to react before Jeremy's limp body is taken away from me.