Fan Fiction |
by Jazs
Doctor: You’re very lucky, young man. Apart from a few broken ribs and a broken arm, you’re perfectly well.
Ed: *smiles* Thanks.
Doctor: You take care of yourself. *walks out*
Gill: Thank you for waking up, Ed! I was so worried that I might lose you!
Ed: *smiles assuringly* Hey! Everything is okay.
Gill: *tearfully* Everything is not okay, Ed! You were in a coma for almost a week now!
Ed: *surprised* I…I was?
Gill: It was your heart, Ed. The doctor said you stopped breathing and they took a few minutes to revive you. As a result of lack of oxygen to your brain, you slipped into a coma.
Ed: Oh, right. Now, I remember…I had an attack but they kicked away my pills. I’m so sorry for worrying you, Gill. All that went through my mind was to protect you. I can’t lose you.
Gill: When you didn’t wake up, I was so scared. Ed, I can’t lose you either. Please don’t risk your life like that ever again.
Ed: *worriedly* Were you hurt, Gill? Did Shawn do anything to you?
Gill: I’m alright. It was Charlene who got hurt. She took the stab for you.
Gillian’s words weighed a million tons on his head. For the first time ever, Edison turned towards Charlene and realized that she too, was in the same hospital dress as he is. She looked pale and weak, sitting on a wheelchair. He has been worried sick about Gillian that he has completely ignored Charlene’s existence. Charlene smiled weakly at him but quickly looked away when he tried to catch her eyes. She just couldn’t look at him without breaking down. Knowing how close she was to lose him made her realize even more how much she really loves him. It hurts to watch him with Gillian and no matter how hard she tried to be happy for them, she just couldn’t. It just hurt too much. She may look happy from the outside but inside, she was breaking down into pieces.
*Flashback*
Charlene didn’t feel right as she watched Edison speed away in his BMW. She hesitated just for a second before deciding to follow him. However, she lost him near the university area because he was driving too fast and definitely too dangerously. That made Charlene even more uncomfortable. She circled around the university but saw no sign of Edison or his car. She nearly wanted to give up when she suddenly thought of the abandoned warehouse nearby. True to her prediction, she found Edison’s BMW. She took a peek inside and when she saw Shawn and his gang, she immediately informed the police. Her heart broke as she watched Edison being beaten up and really wanted to protect him but knew that she would only caused more trouble if she were to appear.
She waited in the dark for the police, biting her fingernails nervously as she watch Edison getting weaker and weaker. She felt useless for not being able to do anything but the last straw came when she noticed Wilber taking out a flick knife. Going against the police’s advise, Charlene rushed over to defend Edison. She had no other choice because she couldn’t just stand and watch them kill the only one boy she ever loved. She had no plan, no regards for her own safety or whatsoever when she stepped out that night. Edison was the only thing that went through her mind.
Gill: *screams* Char!
Shawn: *laughs* Well, well, well….What do we have here?
Char: Don’t you dare take a step near him, Wilber!
Shawn: Seize her!
A guy grabbed her from behind and no matter how much she struggled; she just couldn’t get free of him. Her heart was beating fast because she knew that time is running out. Wilber is getting nearer and nearer to Edison. She tried to kick the bottle of pills to Edison but someone else saw her and kicked the bottle further away. Angrily, Charlene stomped on his capture’s feet and bit his hands. It all happened so fast. The moment her capture let go of her, she rushed to Edison and block the knife just in time. The knife pierced through her stomach but surprisingly she felt no pain. All she could feel was her worries for Edison who has gone limp and turning blue in her arms. At that time, the police barged in and captured Shawn and his gang, putting an end to their tortures. She held on tight to Edison and refused to let go until Gillian came to her side.
Gill: Char! You’re hurt!
Char: *screams* Go away! Ed is hurt!
Gill: You’ve got to let go of him, Char! The paramedics aren’t able to do anything if you’re holding on to him!
Char: No! He needs me!
Gill: You’ve got to let him go! You’re losing a lot of blood, Char!
Char: No. Ed needs me.
Gill: *cups her face in her hands* You’re in shock, Charlene. Ed will die if you don’t let him go now. It’s okay. He’ll be okay.
It was then that Charlene realized that the blood all over Edison was not his, but rather hers. She then begins to feel the pain in her stomach and slowly starts seeing things spinning around her. She collapsed on the ground with her hand still tightly clasped around Edison’s. Despite the blood loss, the doctors managed to save her. Once she felt better, she insisted on accompanying Edison until he wakes up. It was during this period that she realizes how much she really love him, much more than she could ever imagined. How she wished that God would just take her away so that she didn’t have to suffer so much.
*Flashback End*
Ed: You could’ve get killed, Char!
Char: *chuckles* Well, I was expecting a thank you but this should be enough!
Ed: I should’ve been the one who took the stab, Char.
Char: *laughs* If that happens, you’re probably taking a stairway to heaven by now! Plus, you wouldn’t want sweet Gillian to turn into a murderer right?
Ed: *smiles* What do you mean by that?
Char: Well, if she knew that I could’ve saved you but didn’t…. she would come after me, right?
Gill: *rolls her eyes* Please, don’t exaggerate! I wouldn’t do that!
Ed: *giggles* Fine. Thank you, Ms Choi.
Char: Finally! You’re welcome! What are best friends for right?
Ed: *laughs* Best friends are for people to stab?
Char: *giggles* You know what I mean!
Ed: So, if you were given a choice, you would do the same thing again?
Char: *confidently* In a heartbeat!
Gill: Well, you’re truly one of the kind, Char. Not many people could do what you did back then. I’m not even sure I would!
Ed: What? You would just let me die?
Gill: *laughs* No, I’ll karate chop them before they can get to you! You said if I was given a choice, right?
Ed: For a moment there, I thought Charlene loved me more than you!
Gill: Well, maybe she does.
Both Edison and Charlene turned to Gillian in surprise with her words. How did she know? Charlene’s heartbeat quickens its pace as she waited for Gillian to continue. Were her feelings for Edison so obvious that even Gillian notices it? Charlene prepared herself for the worst, knowing how hurt Gillian would be. Edison looked from one girl to the other, swallowing the lump in his throat. So it is all true then? Charlene really have feelings for him all this while? Can he still then leave his feelings for Charlene unexplored?
Gill: *laughs* Why are the two of you looking so weird! Beware of your eyes, guys! They’re about to pop out!
Char: *nervously* What do you mean?
Gill: Well, you were holding onto him like he was your life! *turns to Ed* After she was stabbed, she held on to you and refused to let anyone near her! The paramedics couldn’t even near her to save the both of you!
Ed: *amused* You did?
Char: Don’t flatter yourself too much. Ed! I went into a shock at that time!
Gill: *laughs* You should’ve seen her! If the doctors didn’t confirm that she went into a shock, I would’ve thought that she fell in love with you!
Somehow, that statement from Gillian didn’t make either Edison or Charlene laugh. Edison looked over to Charlene and it was obvious that she was trying to avoid eye contact with him. Sensing her discomfort, Edison begins to question her feelings for him and also for his feelings for Charlene. He was confused for reasons that he could not even explain. When Gillian excused herself to go to the bathroom, there was an awkward silence between them and it lasted for a few minutes. Finally, Edison decided to ask her right out of her feelings for him. Suddenly, he felt as if he needed to know.
Ed & Char: *together* I…
Ed: You first.
Char: *thinks* I’ve got to say this before I lose my courage *takes a deep breath* Ed, about our phone conversation the other night…you know about umm…us….Well, I….
Ed: Yes? You what, Char? Please, I’ve got to know…
Char: *lies* I never felt the same way as you did, Ed. Not then, not now, not ever. To me, you’re only best friend. I want to apologize for my weird behaviour lately but that’s because I really didn’t know how I should act around you. Don’t mistake that to mean that I feel the same way about you as you did. To know that my best friend were once in love with me…I don’t know…it felt weird.
Ed: *smiles* Guess I was lucky in not expressing my feelings for you, huh? You would probably break off our friendship then!
Char: *force a smile* Yeah. But we’re cool now, right?
Ed: Yeah, we’re cool. You probably should go home and ponder over this. How could you not fall in love with the cutest guy on earth, me?
Char: *giggles* Oh please! I was going to suggest Gillian to do an eye check!
Just then, Kenny walked in and Charlene almost jumped out from her wheelchair to greet him. She was relieved that he came to rescue her from Edison because a minute longer alone with him, Charlene knew she would break down into tears. It was hard hiding the truth from Edison but she felt that it was the right thing to do. She knew Kenny was merely a replacement for her but she really hoped that she could learn to love him as well. Many a times, Charlene tried to break the whole thing off with Kenny but she just couldn’t. She didn’t have the heart to crash his dreams that he had built for her. If Edison could love Gillian, why couldn’t she love Kenny? It is after all in the best interest of everyone.
Kenny: Yo, buddy! You’re up! How are you?
Ed: *smiles* I’m fine, thanks. You better take care of Charlene.
Kenny: I will if she lets me! You better help me advice her! She thinks she’s a superwoman or something! She insisted on coming here everyday even though she herself is not really that well yet!
Char: *pouts* I need to be there for my best friend when he wakes up!
Ed: *laughs* Yeah, we come in a package. It has always been Edison and Charlene.
Kenny: I know. I expected that when she goes on and on about you!
Gill: *teases* Hey, Kenny! You’re here for your princess?
Kenny: *smiles* Gillian.
Char: *fakes a yawn* I’m tired…
Kenny: Come on, I’ll take you back. Take care, Ed! *winks * I obviously don’t have to worry when Gillian is here!
As Edison watched Kenny wheeled Charlene out, he felt something he has never felt before in a long time. Jealousy. Yes, he actually felt jealous when he saw Charlene and Kenny together. It was unexplainable but somehow, he also felt disappointed to know that Charlene never felt the same for him. However, right at the back of his mind, he doubted Charlene's confession. He noticed her eyes getting red when she told him that she did not feel the same for him as he did for her. She was on the verge of crying and from the way she kept avoiding having eye contact with him, tells him that something is up. Could that mean that she was lying? He needed some time to himself to sort out his feelings and thus requested Gillian to go home first. At first Gillian refused but Edison managed to convince her otherwise. He felt guilty but he really couldn’t face her now. After all, she is tired and was all stressed out when Edison was in a coma. At least, now she could sleep without worrying about him anymore. She kisses his forehead and waved him goodbye. When he was finally alone, Edison began to ponder again on his feelings.
Ed: *whispers* Do I still love Charlene? Why am I having all these weird feelings when I’m around her? Is it possible that I’m in love with two girls at once? I can’t lose Gillian but neither can I lose Charlene or, can I?