"I got your page," Candice gasp running into the waiting room. Everyone in the room was crying. "I came as quick as I could." She embraced the sobbing women.
"Sweetheart," his father patted her on the back. Candice's mind raced as she looked around and the room and shook her head in disbelieve.
"No," she whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"He's gone," he whispered as more tears flowed down his cheeks. Candice closed her eyes as her heart fell to her feet and broke into a million pieces. She pulled his father and mother closer and cried along with them.

"Honey you should eat," her mother sat on the edge of her bed. She rolled over to face her mother as a fresh set of tears rolled down her face. "I know baby," her mother pulled her closer and patted her back. "I know."
"Mom," she choked out letting out a loud sob. "Mommy."
"Oh baby," her mother pulled her closer as tears now flowed down her cheeks as well.
"Mommy how can words hurt so bad," she asked wiping her eyes as more tears flowed down her cheeks.
"I dunno baby, I dunno." She held her daughter in her arms as she sobbed along with her. Candice sat up and told her mother she would be fine and she just needed some time alone. He's gone, he's gone, the words repeated in her head breaking her heart over and over again. Only yesterday he was fine joking around being normal Pat again, she thought as more tears rolled down her red face. It's all my fault, she thought closing her eyes, All my fault. She opened her eyes and looked over at her dresser and the picture of Pat and her, she grabbed it and traced the shadow of her boyfriend.
"Hello," she answered her phone in a whisper.
"How you doing babe," her best friend Amanda asked softly.
"Ok," she bit her bottom lip trying to hold back tears.
"I'm on my plane now," Amanda sighed hoping Candice would be ok until she got there.
"Mandi, he's dead," she sobbed into the phone.
"I wish I was there to hug you babe," Amanda let the tears in her eyes fall.
"Mandi, I love him. I really do, why'd he die?!"
"I dunno," Amanda wiped her eyes only to have them fill with tears again. "I dunno."
"His funeral is Thursday," Candice choked out hanging up her phone and crawling back under her warm covers.

Candice ran her fingers over the letters of the grave stone as tears filled her eyes. She read it slowly..Patrick Born November 26, 1977, Died June 25, 2000. She pushed back tears as she continued. Here lies a loving son, brother, and boyfriend who we'll never forget; he'll always be in our hearts. I am holding you all through the night. She stopped and sighed loudly. She had asked his mother to put a lyric from their song on the stone; she didn't object.
Candice let out a loud sob and laid next to the grave turning on the boom box she had brought and pressed play as she closed her eyes...

"Sure you're gonna be ok," Amanda asked making her way to the door.
"Yeah I'm better," Candice smiled weakly crawling onto her bed. "I love you Amanda."
"I love you too Candi," Amanda whispered shutting the door as she left. Once her door was shut Candice's mind went back to Pat.
"Why'd you leave me Pat," she cried into the air pulling the covers over her face. "I miss you so much, I blame myself and I love you!" Candice closed her eyes and drifted into a light sleep.
"Hey baby," he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lightly.
"How you doin'?"
"I'm fine, but I wanna go home and just chill with you and eat real food again! They said I couldn't go home today..I have to wait four days...grr..I get out of here Tuesday if you count today."
"Well, I can wait that long, and you'll be home soon enough," she grabbed his only free hand.
"Did I tell you how much I love you yet," Pat grinned.
"Yeah, once on the phone before I got here." Candice kissed his hand. "I love you, too." "You know what song I really like?" Pat looked up at her playfully.
"What?"
"Ok, don't laugh but Backstreet boy's The one," he smiled squeezing her hand.
"That's our song silly," she squeezed his hand back.

The phone ringing woke her up; tears filled her eyes. "Hello?"
"Hey Trouble look in your back pocket, the right one," the voice whispered softly. Candice gasped and dropped the phone. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a ring; Pat's ring.