It Was Exactly Like That

Hi, my name is Joey.

PATRICK: So you didn't die?

This is my ex-boyfriend.

ME: No, the water was freezing. I'm still waiting for one of my jelly beans to drop.
PATRICK: I think one of mine is floating in my brain. The whole thing was so surreal.

I've been spending a lot of time in Patrick's room while he recovers.

I don't remember much about the crash, but Patrick's been telling me about it.

PATRICK: Joey, you were amazing. You pushed open the back door and all of us got out to safety.
ME: Really? I did?
PATRICK: You were awesome. I can't believe I ever broke up with you.

I like where this is going.

PATRICK: Do you think you could ever take me back?
ME: Well--
PATRICK: I know I was--
ME: Yes!
PATRICK: Wow, that was--
ME: YES!

Now that Patrick and I are going out again, I can finally break up with him the way I was supposed to.

I just have to hope he doesn't remember that Jackson was the one who opened the back door.

Otherwise, the same guy will end up breaking up with me twice.

And I can't let that happen.

Just When You Need Her The Most

Hi, my name is Jackson.

VOICE: He's waking up.

The last thing I remember is throwing open the door to the bus--

ME: Jeremy?
JEREMY: I'm here.
ME: Is--everybody--
JEREMY: Just try and rest, Jackson.
PAIGE: You've been through a lot.
JEREMY: Dad's here.

Now I wish they had left me in the water.

ME: Why do I feel like a truck ran me over?
PAIGE: You've been through a lot. Major surgery.
JEREMY: They had to do a transplant.
PAIGE: More than one.

Jeremy and Paige explained to me that the doctors had given them the choice of taking Mom off life-support so that they could harvest her organs for me.

ME: Wow. I can't believe Mom's really gone.
JEREMY: Uh...
ME: What?
PAIGE: We couldn't find her.
ME: Huh?
JEREMY: We couldn't find her.

Couldn't find her? She's a vegetable!

God, how I wish I could scream.

Apparently, her body just disappeared from the hospital. Something tells me Dad was involved.

JEREMY: The important thing is that they managed to find you organs from somebody who didn't survive the crash.
ME: Who?
PAIGE: Murray.

I have Murray inside me?

Please, hold your puns.

Just Like Barbara Jean

Hi, my name is Ben.

ME: How is he?

This is Jeremy.

JEREMY: Well, the good news is there isn't going to be anymore news until we figure out what to do.

And this is Jackson--lying in a hospital bed.

When I heard about the bus accident, I got to the hospital as soon as I could. Nathan, Ritchie, and Davis were already there.

ME: What's the news?
NATHAN: All of them suffered from hypothermia. Billy's in stable condition. Hank and Adam are in intensive care. Joey managed to get out first.
DAVIS: Shocker.
RITCHIE: Davis, please.
NATHAN: Jackson's actually the hero of the story. He got the back door open so they could all get out as the bus was going down.
DAVIS: Not all of them. The bus driver died upon impact.
RITCHIE: They still haven't found Murray's body either.

Then I heard about Jackson.

ME: So what are your options?
JEREMY: Right now, they consider our mother pretty much brain dead. She's living only because of the machines. Jackson needs a transplant. Liver and lung. If we were to decide to take my mother off life-support, then we could--
ME: What? Swap out?
JEREMY: There's really no other way.
ME: So you have to decide whether or not to let Joan die so Jackson can survive?
JEREMY: Pretty cut and dry, huh?

I could see that Jeremy was hurting.

JEREMY: God, I want a fucking drink right now.
ME: Hey, it's okay.
JEREMY: It's really not okay. This is awful. It would be one thing if Mom would just die, but something about pulling the plug so we can harvest her organs is just--
ME: Look, no matter what you decide, you have friends who will love and support you.
JEREMY: I just...I need something stronger right now.

I knelt down and wrapped my arms around him.

ME: I love you.
JEREMY: I know.
ME: No, I love you. I never stopped.

He pulled back and looked at me.

ME: I can help you, if you let me. I can be here for you.

I wasn't sure what he was going to do, but then he pulled me back to him.

And I knew I wasn't planning on leaving for a long time.