Love Heals All Read online

  I felt like crawling in a dark corner and bawling. She was barely breathing. How could flipping do that to you? One moment she was in the air, the next she was on the ground, unconscious.

  I heard the sirens and then the ambulance was here. My mom was on the phone with Autumn’s mom. Her dad was in China for a business trip. Apparently, Autumn’s mom was on a plane taking off to New York for a month for work. This was great. Just great.

  The paramedics came and put Autumn on the gurney. My mom, Nash, and I were going in the ambulance with her, while Will and Skylynn were going to drive behind us.

  By this time I was bawling my eyes out. I really didn’t care who saw me cry. Nash had a few tears trickling down his face, and my mom was crying pretty hard, but nothing like me.

  It’s hard to see the girl of your dreams lying unconscious, knowing you can’t do anything but watch.

  “She’s gonna be okay, buddy. She’s one of the strongest people we’ve ever met,” Nash told me uneasily. He knew he was just talking. He didn’t know. We didn’t know what would happen.

  “She can’t leave me. I love her. She just can’t leave. Not like that. I need to tell her that I love her; I need to tell her about every single feeling I have for her. It’ll probably take a billion years, but I don’t care. I love her to the ends of the earth. She can’t leave me!” I bawled.

  All the paramedics were giving me sympathetic looks. I didn’t need sympathy. I needed Autumn.

  Autumn

  I can’t see anything. Everything is black. I can’t feel anything. But I can hear. I can hear feet scrambling around the room. Where am I? I better not be dying. I can’t die. I have to tell Hayes I love him.

  I walk around in the darkness, trying to find a way out of this place. The next thing I know, I’m in a white room with monitors surrounding a bed. A girl is lying on the bed, asleep. That girl was me.

  I looked at everyone and gasped—they all looked awful. Hayes and his mom were the worst. Everyone had dark circles under their bloodshot, puffy eyes. They looked dead, almost.

  Hayes and his mom were each holding one of my hands. His mom was crying, Hayes was bawling. My heart broke in half just looking at him.

  Hayes

  It’s been three days. Three days since I’ve heard her angelic voice. Three days since I’ve seen her bright smile that could light up a town. Three days since I’ve seen those beautiful green-yellow eyes that make me melt every time I look at them.

  I haven’t eaten. I haven’t slept. I haven’t moved unless I it was to use the bathroom. I haven’t spoken to anyone. All I do is sit here and hold her hand, waiting for the day she’ll wake up.

  And it hurts. It hurts to know that the love of your life could be on her deathbed. I know I’m only thirteen, but I know what love is and I am in love with her. I’m not falling in love with her. Because when you fall you always hit the ground. And I don’t want to hit the ground.

  It’s hard to know that she could die. She can’t die. I don’t want her to die. I need her with me. I need her in my arms so I can hold her and tell her she’s beautiful. She’s the only one I want. I love her with all my heart. I just want to know that she’s okay.

  Three Weeks Later

  Autumn

  I’ve been starting to show some progress. I can move my fingers and wiggle my toes, but that’s pretty much all.

  I felt my eyes starting to open, and I shut them tight again before opening them all the way. The first person I saw was Hayes, and I felt terrible at how bad he looked.

  His hair was everywhere, his eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and he looked skinnier than ever. I felt awful for doing this to him.

  Hayes

  Her eyes opened. Those beautiful eyes I’ve missed for three weeks. The eyes I love—they’re open.

  “Autumn!” I screamed, and jumped off of my chair. I tackled her into a hug. Oh, how I missed those hugs!

  “Hayes!” she screamed back with just as much enthusiasm. I laughed, and so did she. God, how I missed that laugh!

  “Autumn!” everyone screamed. She held her head in pain, so I told everyone to quiet down. Everybody moved closer to the bed to give her a big group hug.

  “Now, to introduce you to the guys!” I said, with one arm wrapped around her shoulders. Goodness, I missed her so much.

  “This is Bart, Carter, Aaron, Daniel, and Jonah.”

  “Hi! I’m Autumn!”

  Autumn

  Cam came and tackled me in a hug. I hugged him back. I missed my big bro so much.

  “I missed you so much, Auts! I didn’t know what I would do without you!” A tear rolled down his cheek.

  “Aw, Cam! I missed you, too! I would never know what to do without my big bubby!” I said, and my own cheeks felt wet with tears.

  He kissed my cheek and let go. Hayes wrapped an arm around me again, and I put my head on his shoulder. God, I love him so much. When do I tell him?

  Now Hayes kissed my cheek, and I blushed. What’s up with all the cheek kisses today? All the guys awwed, and that just made me blush more.

  “SHE WANTS IT!” Jonah yelled. I threw my water bottle at his face, and everybody laughed. I feel a really close connection with these guys. Now I have eight “big brothers”!

  Autumn

  Doctors are officially annoying. Why do they have to ask so many stupid questions? They even asked me what my favorite color was. . . . Jonah started laughing at that. It was pretty funny, though.

  “Okay, Autumn, you’re doing much better,” the doctor said. “You had a concussion. We’ll continue to limit your activity: no physical exertion, no playing sports. And you’ll have to limit any activities that require you to think or concentrate, like playing video games, reading, texting, and so forth. If the concussion symptoms last through the summer, we may have to delay your first day of school. You’ll need to be put on medication, which I’ll prescribe. Do you have any questions?”

  “What? What about FAM Tour? And cheerleading? I have to get on a team before school starts!” I said, and began bawling into Hayes’s chest.

  “FAM Tour should be fine—you’ll just have to take it easy. But I don’t know about cheerleading. We’ll have to see.”

  Why does this have to happen to me? First I go into a coma, then I come out of a coma and find out I had a concussion. This is great, just great.

  Just then, a gorgeous girl about Cameron’s age walked into the room. “Autumn . . . ?” she said. I looked up at her. “I’m your sister.”

  “What?” I said in confusion. I looked over at my mom, who had returned from New York and was sitting next to my bed, my face showing many different emotions.

  “Explain, now!” I knew I wasn’t being polite, but I needed answers. Everyone left the room to give us our privacy.

  After a tearful moment, my mother spoke. “Autumn, this is Ella, your sister. Your father and I could not afford to raise two children when you were born, and we couldn’t just give up a baby, so we sent Ella off to live with your aunt . . . Ella can tell you the rest . . .” I looked over at this girl who was supposedly my sister, my eyes filled with questions.

  She coughed awkwardly. “I left for Florida to live with our aunt Kate, and then she sent me off to boarding school. Senior year, I was thinking about coming back to California, but then I got a scholarship for college and didn’t come. But when Aunt Kate told me about what happened to you, and I felt I really had to see you again.”

  “See me again?” I was utterly confused.

  “When we were little, we used to be really close.” She smiled.

  “Wow. So I’m not an only child . . . ?” I was angry with my mother and father for not telling me that I had a sister.

  “Autumn, I’m sorry. Your father and I—” Mom started toward me.

  “No, don’t come any closer. I don’t want you to touch me. Who
knows what else you’ve lied about,” I said.

  “Autumn, don’t do this. We can work this ou—”

  “Get out! Now! I need to clear my head. Come back when you’re done lying to my face!” I yelled. My mother walked out the door, tears streaming down her face.

  I know I seemed harsh, but she lied to me. Thirteen years of my life she told me I was an only child, and I had believed her.

  Cameron

  I can’t even comprehend the fact that Ella is here. When she first left, I cried every night for five years. She had been my best friend. After that was when Autumn and I got close. I treated her like I had treated Ella.

  She reminded me so much of Ella every day—her hair, her smile, her personality. But if Ella hadn’t left, I would’ve never gotten close to Autumn, so I’m kind of thankful for that. Although, if I could go back and change everything, I would do it in a heartbeat.

  Autumn’s crying into my chest right now. I feel so bad for her. Miranda got rid of practically everything that had to do with Ella. All of the pictures of Ella and her are locked up in a safe, and all the pictures of Ella and me are in my mom’s room. Well, all except for the one, which Autumn thinks is actually a picture of her.

  “Is that picture in your room of you and Ella?”

  “Yeah. Sorry I didn’t tell you, Auts. I just didn’t want anything to get between us.”

  “It’s all right, Cammy. I don’t want anything to get in between us, either.”

  I just hugged her tighter after that.

  Hayes

  I feel so confused about what’s going on right now. Autumn’s sister just left the room, and Cameron is sitting with Autumn. What hurts the most is that I want to be the one to hold her and comfort her. I want to be the one to tell her at the worst times that it’ll be okay. I know it’s kind of selfish, but what can I do?

  We’re all just sitting here, and everyone’s upset. Then Autumn raises her head and looks at me. I stare right back, of course. That goes on for about five minutes, and then she says, “Hayes, can I talk to you alone?”

  Oh gosh, this better be good. It hasn’t been the best day for any of us.

  “Uh, y-yeah, s-s-sure,” I stuttered. I did not mean for the words to come out like that.

  “I promise, it won’t be bad,” she reassured me as my mom, Will, and Sky walked out of the room. Phew.

  “Oh,” I said. She just giggled, and then turned serious. Uh-oh, she’s never serious.

  She waved me over to sit with her on her bed. I walked over and sat down. Right when I sat down, she did the most magical thing ever. She kissed me. Autumn Brown kissed me, Hayes Grier.

  I immediately kissed her back and put my hand on her waist. You could hear screaming and cameras clicking in the hallway. She then smiled into the kiss and started laughing. I did, too.

  That was the most magical moment ever. Fireworks everywhere. It’s like we were at Disney World or something.

  “I love you, Autumn.”

  “I love you, too, Hayes.”

  I smiled and kissed her again.

  Autumn

  “I love you, Autumn.”

  He loves me. He actually does love me. And I love him, too. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

  “I love you, too, Hayes.” We kissed again. I’m so overjoyed.

  “I know this isn’t the best place or the best time, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is you and me. Autumn, I’ve loved you from day one. I love everything about you—from your hair to your eyes to your smile to your personality. And your adorable laugh, and your braces, and your pretty little glasses that you have no reason to hate!” He smiled at me while I blushed.

  “What I’m trying to say is: Autumn Nicole Brown, would you do the honor of being my beautiful girlfriend?” Hayes asked nervously.

  My face lit up with a smile. “I would be honored to be your girlfriend, Hayes.”

  Hayes

  She said yes. She actually said yes!

  “Yes!” I jumped up and did this weird happy dance. She was smiling and laughing. It was pretty funny and stupid, if you ask me.

  Then all the guys walked—more like ran—back into the room and hugged Aut and me.

  “Congrats, guys!” they all said.

  “Thanks!” we said. I walked over to Autumn and put my arm around her. She’s actually mine now.

  “If you hurt her, you’re dead meat, Hayes,” Cameron said with a serious face.

  “Ditto!” all the other guys said.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” I told them, looking into her eyes. She blushed and shoved her head against my shoulder.

  “Aww, look! Baby girl’s blushing!” Jonah screamed.

  “Jonah, shut up! And I told you not to call me that!” she yelled, and threw yet another water bottle at him. But this time it hit him in the balls. Everyone started laughing.

  “TORTURE! PURE TORTURE! And that’s my nickname for you!” He lay on the ground, pouting. Everyone was still laughing, but we had to be quiet because a nurse came in to tell us to quiet down.

  “Where did Mom and Will go?” I asked Nash. They weren’t in the room, and Sky was sitting on Autumn’s lap. They’re like two peas in a pod.

  “They went to Chick-fil-A to sneak us in some food. It’s almost lunchtime,” he said.

  I looked at my phone and saw it was almost one p.m. Dang, time goes by fast when you’re having fun.

  “Real food! We don’t have to eat that fake slop that’s in the cafeteria!” Autumn screamed. The nurse came in again and told us we needed to change rooms because we are being too loud. Other patients were complaining. Um . . . oops?

  So, while they assigned Autumn to a new room, we had the task of getting her into a wheelchair. The guys plus a wheelchair: not a good combination. Let’s just say Security had to wheel Autumn to her room instead of the guys. Autumn had to take medication for the pounding headache the guys gave her, and I was very stressed out.

  Autumn

  Why couldn’t Hayes have just wheeled me to my room like a normal person? Not running Sky and me around the hospital hallways like a lunatic. Poor Sky must have a pretty bad headache and a stomachache like me. We’re just lying here watching Cinderella on Netflix that we don’t have to pay for.

  “Autumn?” Sky said, in her adorable little four-year-old voice.

  “Hmmm?” I asked.

  “Will you stay with us forever?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Like, will you be here while I grow up? And will you still be in love with Hayes and be my big sissy?”

  “Aww, Sky! I’ll always be your big sister, no matter what happens. And hopefully, Hayes and I will be together forever and always.”

  “I want you guys to be forever and always like Cinderella and Prince Charming!”

  “Yeah! Just like Cinderella and Prince Charming!” I kissed her forehead, and she snuggled up into my side and fell asleep.

  “We’ll be together forever and always. I’ll make sure of it.”

  I looked behind me and saw Hayes leaning against the door. I blushed. “Did you hear that whole thing?”

  “Yeah. You’re so good with Sky. I don’t get how she warmed up to you so fast. She barely warms up to people she’s known for three months, not three weeks! You’re perfect, Autumn!”

  “Well, I wouldn’t say perfect, but Sky and I do have a really tight bond. I would do anything for her,” I said, looking down at the sleeping beauty at my side.

  “You’re perfect to me,” he whispered in my ear.

  I patted the seat next to Sky, and he sat down and cuddled with us. I’m cuddled up with two of my favorite people right now. What could be better? I then felt my eyes getting heavier and heavier. Then I was in a dreamland, with Hayes and Skylynn right by my side.

  Hayes

&
nbsp; Autumn is so good with Skylynn. It may not seem like it on Vine, but Sky is the shyest person I have ever met. She’s even shy with me sometimes, and I’m her own brother.

  It’s cute how they always do stuff together, and they are inseparable. I like it that way, too. It’s nice to know your little sister loves your girlfriend almost as much as you do. Yes, I said almost. No one, and I mean no one, loves her more than me.

  I noticed that Autumn was asleep. She’s so beautiful inside and out. I felt my eyes get droopy, too, and then all I could see was darkness.

  Nash

  The guys and I walked into Autumn’s room, seeing the cute couple cuddled up with Sky on Autumn’s hospital bed. That just makes me miss Shaelyn more than I already do.

  You see, Shaelyn is my girlfriend. We met at FAM Tour, of all places. She had VIP passes, so we took a photo together. Then later I was walking around looking for the bathroom and I saw these girls bullying Shaelyn, saying she was ugly and to stay away from me. They kept throwing punches at her and kicking her. Of course, being the kindhearted person I am, I took her to my hotel room and helped her through it all. I cleaned up all her wounds, and we watched movies the rest of the night to get her mind off of things.

  But the downside of it all is that she lives in a small town in Canada, so I don’t get to see her as much as I would like to. It’s hard not getting to see your girlfriend of eight months on a daily basis. It’s really horrible. She used to self-harm, and that made it even harder. I absolutely hate that. I’m so glad that I was there for her and we talked it through and she realized self-harm can never be the answer. Thank God she stopped. But with all the “fans” out there who are mean and bully the ones we love, I will be there for her, because I don’t want her to go through that ever again.

  I decided to go outside and call her.

  Shaelyn

  Hi, I’m Shaelyn. I’m fifteen years old and I live near Toronto, Canada. I have strawberry-blond hair and blue-green eyes. I love going on long walks in the farmlands, since I don’t have a penny board. Sorry, don’t kill me! I’m about five feet five, and I’ve been dating Nash Grier for eight months. Yes, the Nash Grier with 10.7 million followers on Vine! I love him so much. He’s just my perfect match. We do everything together, when we actually get to see each other. It’s hard having a long-distance relationship, but love doesn’t know what distance is.