Chapter 1
Shelby walked into her daughter’s room and over to her bed, the 16-year-old Stephanie lay clenching her pillow. Shelby shook her head, ready to throw it at any moment.
“Stephanie!” she bellowed. Who would have thought she would be a mother. It was an cinch at first but as soon as she was a teenager. She wondered how Peter dealt with them.
Stephanie threw the pillow, which Shelby caught then bonked her on the head with it.
“Get up it’s time to go to school. Billy will be here any minute.” She then walked out of her daughter’s room.
Stephanie rolled her eyes getting up mumbling then walking towards her window throwing a baseball in the window.
“Billy get up, my mom thinks you’re gonna be here in two seconds” She then turned and got dressed fast.
“Sam.” Shelby said in the kitchen.
“What?” The 6-year-old boy asked from his cereal.
Shelby put on some coffee “You need to hurry up because your bus will be here any minute.”
The little boy jumped off the barstools and ran out of the room. Shelby stood making some toast at the counter when two strong arms snaked around her waist. She smiled as he kissed her cheek. “Can I help you?” she asked. Scott flipped her around giving her a kiss “More than you know it.” He then kissed her again.
Stephanie walked into the kitchen clearing her voice “Okay that’s enough of that both of you, children are still in the house.” She walked over to the cupboard pulling things out making herself some breakfast. Scott spotted a bus driving up out the window “Not for long. Sam your bus is here!” he called. His son ran into the room hugging his parents goodbye then ran out to the bus.
Billy walked into the house without even knocking, mostly a habit. He spotted the family in the kitchen, Scott was getting some coffee and Shelby was buttering her toast. Both of them had seen him come in, but Stephanie hadn’t. He walked up behind her putting his hands over her eyes.
She sighed, “Hi Billy.”
He chuckled “Oh come on you’re no fun!” he said walking around standing by her. “You ready yet?” he asked.
“Do I look like I’m ready yet? Give me a second.” She walked across the kitchen over by Scott and took some medicine and a syringe out of that cupboard.
Scott glanced at her “Need help with that hun?” She shook her head, taking her shot.
“Nope got it just fine dad.” She then walked back over and picked up her food heading out of the kitchen. “I have a game tonight so I’ll be late.” Shelby glanced at her.
“Okay hun, hope you win. We’ll try to make it.”
“Okay! Children are leaving the house now! Your can go back to making out!” She called as she left the house with Billy in tow.
Shelby laughed at her daughter, walking over to Scott and kissed him. He smiled but pulled away from the kiss, which was very hard to do. “I have to go to work, and if this continues any further I won’t and I’ll get fired.”
Shelby whined “Come on whose gonna fire you?”
“My boss for one!” He said smiling.
“Yeah right like the principal is going to fire you for being an hour late and I’m pretty sure that all them kids would like a day off.”
“I can’t argue with you anymore, you always win, but I still gotta get to work!” He kissed her deeply. They broke it off and Scott went to work.
Stephanie and Billy sat in his car making out. He pulled away laughing, she looked at him funny. “What?”
“Just at how you were ragging on your parents this morning about doing this.” He said.
“Of coarse I am! I mean they’re old, it’s gross.” She said.
“Come on, we’re just like them to say your brother. You’re just a hypocrite.”
She shook her head “No I am not, I just don’t think they should do that in front of my brother or me for that matter. Come on let’s just drop this subject.”
“Okay!” he said smiling at her then pulled her in to kiss her again.
“Come on Steph!” Billy rooted her on from the stands. Stephanie glared at the pitcher, baseball still stayed her game, the school district would only let her play softball for girls but it was still the same game she thought. The pitcher threw the ball and she closed her eyes hitting it clear across the field, she ran with all her might around the field and slid into home. She jumped up being safe and celebrated with her teammates.
Scott, Shelby and Sam had been watching and cheering from the bleachers. They walked over to her after the game was won.
Scott gave her a big hug “That was incredible hun!” Steph smiled hugging him back
“Thanks dad!” She then hugged her mother.
“Listen can I go to the party? They’re celebrating for us!” she asked excited.
Scott and Shelby agreed to let her go, she hadn’t really ever been into trouble. They trusted her.
Billy walked over “Hey.” She smiled turning around giving him a small kiss.
“Congrats!” he said smiling.
“Thank you, are we ready to party?” she asked him.
“You know it!” he said he then looked at Scott who was watching him sternly. Even after watching this kid grow up he was still a protective father.
Billy nodded and spoke quickly “Don’t worry! I’ll have her home by midnight!”
Scott smiled laughing “Just making sure! Have fun kids.” They then left.
Stephanie smiled playfully at Billy then ran through the field doing a leap as if she was dancing. He walked over and started twirling her. She stood up face to face with him.
“You are unbelievable.” He said to her.
She blushed “Only because of you.”
Shaking his head “Nope, I think you can do anything you wanted to do in the world. This coming from someone who has known you your whole life!” he wiped a strand of hair away from her face.
“My parents have! Well not actually my father but my mother, and yet she doesn’t know everything about me!”
“They could if you gave them a chance to learn all I have. Let’s see here they know you play ball,” he said walking around her as if pondering.
“They know you love to dance, because they just see you leaping down the stairs and through the house all the time. Is there anything you can’t do and all with this illness?” he asked taking her in his arms.
“I don’t let it get me down, I am just going to live my life to the fullest with you by my side through it all. I love you.”
“I love you too!” He kissed her deeply.
“Come on, to the party we will go!” she said taking his hand pulling him with her.
After The Party
Stephanie and Billy hadn’t really been drinking, Stephanie couldn’t and Billy chose not to. They were laughing on the way home.
“Come on you are like so scared of him!” she said.
“Can I help it that your father intimidates me? I’ve seen his temper, you it have by the way.” He said driving. IT was raining and sort of hard to see but he was driving slow and careful.
“I do not have his temper!” she slapped his arm slightly.
He glanced at her “See you’re getting all worked up hun! Just like he does at times.”
She rolled her eyes “Okay when have you seen my fathers temper. I mostly see it when I don’t take the trash out until the next day or when I throw trophies because I don’t want to wake up.”
He sighed “Our first date. You were still upstairs getting ready and he like just reeled me about taking care of you and making sure you’re all right. Then the rest of the time he just sat there and stared at me. If I made one wrong move he would’ve blown up. Not to mention I’ve seen the way he reels us in the game. He once got in the refs face then moved to the other teams coach.”
Stephanie laughed “That’s dad for you, I bet you with my brother he’s gonna be all go for it!”
Billy laughed “Even my dads not like that!”
They had stopped at a red light that was taking forever to turn, Stephanie scotted over to him giving him a kiss.
“Wanna sneak in tonight?” she asked.
“I probably will anyway. As soon as the coast is clear, just think of your fathers temper if he finds me in your room all night!”
Stephanie sighed “Like he’s one to talk him and my mother are doing it all the time they can’t keep their hands off each other.”
He put his arm around her neck as she laid on his shoulder “I know how they feel because we’re the same way.” He said.
Steph chuckled leaning up giving him a kiss “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He said the light had finally turned green and he went.
He was in the middle of the intersection when he saw head lights coming towards him, he steered his car away but there was stil a collision. Stephanie screamed “BILLY!!”
Chapter 2
Scott, Shelby, Bob and Susan ran into the hospital looking for someone to talk to. Shelby ran over to a nurse frantically "Stephanie Barringer? Where is she?" The nurse sighed, "She's in ICU so is the boy she was with."
"What happened?" Scott asked sternly, they were both so scared as soon as they got the phone call.
An officer came up to them "Are you their parents?"
They all nodded their heads the officer continued, "Do you know where your children were tonight?"
Shelby nodded "Yeah they went to a party, my daughter she plays softball for school and they went to a party after wards to celebrate their win."
"Do you know if they were drinking?" he asked.
Scott shook his head getting up in his face "Look our daughter doesn't drink she cant and we trust her, we just want to see her right now."
"I need to ask you these questions to get some facts straight." The officer said. Scott got up in his face.
"Look I just want to see my daughter, if you have a problem with that you're going to have to deal with it later." He then grabbed Shelby's hand walking towards the ICU with the nurse.
Stephanie lay in bed hooked up to machines, Scott and Shelby were finally let in they ran over to her. Shelby had been crying and started crying harder seeing her daughter Scott started crying now too. A doctor came inside "Mr. and Mrs. Barringer?" he asked they walked out of the room and over to him.
"How is she?" Shelby asked her voice shaky.
"Your daughter and her boyfriend were in a car accident, they had been crossing an intersection I guess and they were hit by a robber who was trying to get away from a crime scene. The boy suffered more than your daughter did he was closest to the collision. Does you daughter have any other medical needs to tend to?" He asked Scott nodded his head "Yeah she's diabetic."
Stephanie opened her eyes, they hurt from the light she looked around realizing she was in a hospital her voice was hoarse but she spoke anyway. "Billy?" A nurse came over to her checking her out "Hello Stephanie how are you feeling?"
She didn't answer her "Where's Billy?" she asked instead.
"He's alright. How are you?" she asked again.
Stephanie was getting sick of this she sat up the best she could clearing her voice to speak up "Look lady where is my boyfriend? Is he all right I have to know!" she sounded desperate.
Before the nurse could answer her the door burst open, Shelby and Scott ran over to her. Shelby grabbed her giving her a hug the best she could.
Stephanie hugged both of her parents back crying, Shelby pulled away looking at her daughter "Are you okay hunny?"
Steph nodded "I'm fine mom, where's Billy? What happened?"
"Hunny you were in a car accident with Billy what happened?" Scott asked.
Stephanie lay her head back on her pillow "We were coming home from the party and it was raining and hard to see the road. We were laughing and joking about things and were stopped at a red light. I then leaned over and curled up to him as he drove across when the light turned green when we saw head lights coming towards Billy's side and he swerved the car but it was too late and I think we were hit because I don't remember anything after that." She was crying she looked at both of her parents.
"Where's Billy? Is he all right? He's okay right?" She asked them.
A Week Later
Stephanie had recovered from the accident quickly she only had a broken leg, and was banged up and a few scratches. She used her crutches down the hall to Billy's room for the first time since she'd been there. He had been in a coma since the accident her parents had left her brother with their Aunt Jess so they could stay with her. Friends from school had been showing up bringing flowers and gifts.
Stephanie walked into his room fighting with her self to not cry seeing him hooked up to all the machines. He had been the healthiest boy she'd known and him looking so pale now was scary. She sat down beside his bed taking his hand in hers talking to him.
She put on the best smile she could "They wouldn't let me see you until now. I hope maybe I'll have better luck in waking you up." She chuckled but it turned into a cry she continued. "Please wake up Billy, you're not supposed to die like this. You're supposed to die an old man in bed with me on the same day remember? Not like this…" She didn't know what else to say, "You know how you said that you know me because we grew up together? I know you the same way, you are the only one I ever want to be with and that's why you have to wake up so we can be together forever. Please Billy I can't live without you." She was sobbing and laid her head by his stomach not to disturb the machines.
Stephanie then felt a hand running through her hair she looked up to see her mother standing over her. She cried.
"Why won't he wake up mom?" she asked getting angry.
Shelby just shook her head "I don't know hunny."
Stephanie looked back at him "He's the only one who really knows me, he made me know too. I love him so much mom, as much as you love dad. Knowing each other so well, soul mates, friends."
Shelby stood crying for her daughter Stephanie had decided to leave the room. It was getting too hard for her to stay here she was getting too mad and was ready to blow up any minute now. She had hobbled back to her room with her mother in tow, she walked over to a table with a vase full of flowers smelling one, and it smelt bitter to her. She pushed the vase on the floor watching it smash into a million pieces Shelby was crying watching her daughter in so much pain.