Betting Against the Odds (16 page)

“Love, wait I don’t understand I don’t know what happened she appeared out of nowhere I swear baby please I swear,” my eyes were watery I didn’t even realize I was crying until all our friends appeared taking in the scene it was Elaina that held me to her cussing him out, “I have to leave,” I said out loud which made Matt curse trying to get past all the guys, “Please Penelope let me explain I love you!” my eyes closed in agony hearing him say those words, “You cheated on me you cheated on me,” I looked to him his face filled with tears I felt the urge to comfort him but then I saw Isabella pulling on her panties giving him a kiss as he cursed her, “Call me babe.”

The girl blocked her path as I shook my head, “Let her go she isn’t worth it nothing is worth this,” Elaina gave me a look as my heart broke I told her what it was saying knowing only two people would understand my words, “I made my decision I am not doing it.” Elaina and Anna both gave a cry as they fell to their knees with my words, “I never want to see you again,” I told Matt as he held his hand towards me I turned to leave when my vision wavered, my balance failing as I grasped for something to hold but finding nothing. My body slouched dropping to the floor my mind shutting me down giving me darkness.

Ch. 17: Buy Out a Concert and Smash a Guitar (Matt’s POV)
 

              I don’t know what happened I got a phone call from my brother telling Cole and the other’s that I was going to the VIP room to answer it to let Penelope know. I was on the phone arguing with him drinking my drink when I felt odd. My vision blurred as I hung up the phone rubbing my eyes trying to see. I saw a figure walking towards me it smelt like Penelope as she straddled my lap her hand going into my pants as she kissed me but she didn’t feel right. I was about to push her off when I heard someone cry out loud. I looked up blinking my eyes to see Penelope watching me with a face of pure agony as she glanced at the girl. I looked to it was Isabella. What the fuck? I ran to Penelope begging for her to listen to me but she was just crying shaking her head when she announced that she made a decision she was not going to do it; I didn’t understand but both Elaina and Anna dropped to the floor in pain at Penelope’s words. She just looked at me straight in the eyes as she told me she didn’t want to see me anymore ever and that’s when she passed out we all went to grab her as Elaina called the ambulance and her doctor.

We raced to the Emergency room behind the ambulance no one talking to me except for Jake who asked me what happened. I explained to them what happened all of them with different expressions some with understanding some without. Cole called his buddy the security guard at the club telling him to bag the drink and send it to his friend Austin so they could see what was in it. I gave him a nod as we pulled into the hospital jumping out to meet Mrs. Rose standing there looking scared. Elaina went to her, “She made a decision,” Mrs. Rose bent her head back as she waited for Elaina to continue, “She said no”. Mrs. Rose fell to her knew her head bent down in a pray as she cried well Elaina held her.

I was getting pissed off the more they ignored me, “What is wrong? What decision?” I yelled towards them as Elaina stood her eyes blazing, “Why do you care huh?”

Everyone grew quiet watching me, “Because I love her. I am in love with her I have been from the moment that she walked into my pub. I don’t know what the fuck happened or what Isabella gave me but I will find out and she will pay but I need you to believe me to help me get her back because I will die if I lose her. She is my light.”

Elaina gave me a sad smile as Mrs. Rose cried harder standing up to hold my hands, “When I met you I knew you would be her heart her other half but now I need you to fight for her more now than ever because my girl has given up and I won’t allow it. Sit down all of you it’s time to tell you what is going on.”

I held my breath as I braced myself to hear what was wrong, “Penelope has always been this ball of sunshine no matter how her parent’s treated her or the kids at school she always bounced back. She was fifteen when I took her to the hospital she had been getting these bad headaches well her parents ignored her but I grew tired and worried about her,” she looked down, “She was diagnosed with a brain tumor Glibotoma stage IV the worst kind we fought for three years with Chemotherapy and radiation. It slowed it done but her last appointment wasn’t good.”

I looked around seeing all my friends with tears in their eyes waiting for her to continue, “She was given a year to live her only chance of survival is a surgery that only has a 5% survival rate. She made a deal with her doctor she would have her decision in 6 months that day she went into a pub wrote a bucket list met a man and his friends and went on a journey to learn to live but she has been getting worse forgetting things, her vision wavering, her headaches, and yester she went blind for two hours before her vision came back but my sweet girl made her decision tonight she doesn’t want the surgery.”

I lost it I jumped up pounding my fist into the wall plaster sticking to my bloody knuckles Cole and Luke both held me, “Let me the fuck go it’s my fault she is giving up because of me because what she saw. She will rather die than fight to live it is my fucking fault I broke her.”

Mrs. Rose stood up gripping my face, “No you must save her make her feel that loves again help her live.”

The doctor walked out towards us, “She is awake she doesn’t want to see anyone. She told me her decision but I am letting her cool down before I put in medication that will help her pain ease.”

I shook my head no, “I need to see her I don’t care what she says what room is she in Doctor,” he gave me a look smiling, “Aww you the man who stole my girl’s heart and then broke it. She was going to tell you tonight so she could make a decision. I don’t know what happened but I do know she loves you and you son love her, Right?” I gave him a shake of my head agreeing with him, “Good she is in room 304, go but hurry.”

I ran to her room pushing the door open her eyes sprung open tears falling down her face as she met my eyes, “You know?” she said.

“Yea I know. You should have told me,” I went to her grabbing her face as she tried to pull away, “I know what you saw and what it looked like but I swear on everything I love that she gave me a drug and I will prove it I will fight for you all I ask is to fight for yourself. Fight because I can’t picture a world without you in it.”

She continued to cry, “I will leave you alone for now but I will get you back. I love you. I have the first time I saw you and I will love you until the end of our days,” I gave her a kiss which she allowed.

I left the hospital a plan forming in my head but first I needed to talk to my mama I needed help.

              I went inside my house turning on the lights calling out for my mama, “Mama! Mama?” she came running out of her room my dad racing behind her.

She reached me touching my tear stained face, “Baby boy what is wrong? Why are you crying,” I held her crying more as my hands shook I was going to have a panic attack. I felt a cold glass being pushed in my hand I looked up meeting my dad’s eyes, “Drink” he spoke to me it was one word but it was enough for me to grab the drink and his hand as he lent me his strength.

“Mama it is Penelope she is dying and I messed up I love her,” I told them the whole story as my mama held my hand and my dad rubbed his eyes, “Son I have a solution for you but first you have to tell me honestly do you lover her because of her or because of her illness?”

“No I love her because from the moment I saw her I knew she was meant for me she makes me better and no matter what happens I will fight for her until the end but I need help,” my dad got up pulling something out of his safe holding it out to me, “This was my great great grandmothers wedding ring I want you to have it for her for your light.”

I grasped it holding it to my heart as I cried thanking them as I passed out cold.

              A whole week and a half passed without hearing from her. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t eat. I hardly spoke to anyone at all except for my friends who were helping me finish Penelope’s bucket list well Elaina and Jake kept me posted on how she was doing. Jake says that she is losing weight and she doesn’t sleep he thinks she is afraid that if she shuts her eyes she won’t open them again. Elaina tells me that she misses me even though she tries not to mention me I tell her that I miss her too so much. It was time. Tonight I will win her back and spend the rest of our lives together as long as we have.

I grabbed my keys and my phone walking towards the front door when a voice called my name from behind me, “Matt?” I gave pause as my body stiffened automatically, “Brother please look at me,” I did just that meeting his eyes that didn’t hold the contempt I was use to but sympathy.

I took a deep breath, “What is it Seamus? I don’t have time to be criticized today,” I watched as my brother’s face fell in guilt and sadness, “I heard about Penelope. I didn’t know she was sick but that shouldn’t matter I treated you like shit long before she became a part of it.”

“Yea you did big brother,” I angrily spat at him as he flinched, “I was jealous. I am jealous everything came easy to you and me being older I had the responsibility dropped on me well you got to fuck around and do what you wanted so I made you feel like shit; like a loser because it made me feel better. It’s sick and dumb but jealousy doesn’t look good on anyone. I know you have to go and get your girl back I just wanted to tell you sorry. I am so damn sorry,” he stood there his hand raised for me to grab but I didn’t take it slapping it out of my way so I could hug him. He stiffened at first soon relaxing as I held my brother close. My family was healing because of Penelope but it wasn’t complete yet not until I had my heart back.

I left my house meeting with the group at Luke and Nate’s shop. They all gave me sad looks which I waved away, “No time for pity let’s do this shit. I am tired of waiting to hold my girl.”

Cole gave me a wide smile, “Everything is ready and in place all we need is for the girls and Jake to get her there at 9 p.m.” the girls smiled as Elaina held my hand squeezing it in comfort, “Oh she will be there I promise,” for the first time in almost 2 weeks I smiled.

              It was almost 9 o’clock and she still wasn’t here. What if she doesn’t come? What if it doesn’t work? Luke gave my back a slap pulling me out of my head smiling, “Dude look she came,” I followed his finger as my gaze landed on her she was wearing jeans and a basic black shirt. I took in her appearance it looks like she lost about a whole jean size, the bags under her eyes glowed, and yet she looked like the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. I heard her voice waver as she stared at the stage a look of confusion as she spoke, “What is this?”

That was my cue I walked out onto the stage her eyes landing on me her eyes glowing as she hungrily took me in but then her brain clicked on making her eagerness to see me pull back into her cage. But that was fine because I saw her eyes before she veiled them she still loves me I have a chance. I cleared my throat looking straight at her, “Hello love I know you may still be mad at me but I wanted you to know that I still love you even if you don’t love me. We booked this place for you to give you your very own concert. Enjoy love.”

I took my seat with the boys across for the girl’s aisle as the first performer came out. I heard the girls clap as Ed Sheeran took the stage singing “The A team” as the girl’s song along Penelope smiling her face brightening up and I knew I did the right thing. The music changed as “Everything has changed” started playing Taylor swift joining the stage waving at the girls. The concert continued as the girl’s jumped on the stage singing and dancing to the song, “Shake it off” as we boys sat there laughing. Jake stood up doing the running man as Penelope grabbed him holding him as he twirled her around. Everyone was winding down when I took the stage again, “We have one last group here today I know they are your favorite love please welcome Paramore,” Penelope got up clapping wildly as Haley William’s lead singer of Paramore took the microphone singing her song, “Decode”.

I looked towards Penelope her eyes meeting mine waiting for her to give me a sign when she smiled for me a genuine happy smile so I smiled back as we watched the rest of the show. The last song was starting when I walked up to Penelope, “May I have this dance love?” she gave me a shy look taking my hand as Paramore sung, ‘The only exception” our friends smiling as we spun around holding each other until the last chord was played. I let her go reluctantly as I went up the stage, “I want to thank ya’ll for coming and making this night perfect for my girl but now I want to call my love up to the stage so we can cross one more thing off your list,” I held my hand to her as she took it pulling her up to the stage where Haley Williams handed her a guitar. Penelope held it looking around at everyone, “I don’t understand what you want me to do with the guitar, “I smiled,“ Smash it love, smash it.”

She gave me a wide smile as she lifted the guitar over her head slamming it on the stadium over and over again until there was nothing she left. She took in the broken guitar as we all watched her and then she started crying as she fell to her knees. No one moved as we watched her heart breaking tears falling on the floor next to the broken guitar. I moved towards her slowly making sure she was okay with me being near her a put my arms around her gently pulling her towards my chest. She came willingly relaxing into my arms as she cried I kissed her forehead crying with her our tears mixing together as we fought for comfort. By the time we were done the stage was clear of performers and our friends giving us the privacy we needed.

I pulled her head back looking into her eyes, “I am sorry love. I didn’t cheat on you I have the test results to prove that she drugged me I just don’t know how,” I gave a sigh as she swept her hand through my hair, “You should have told me love. Why didn’t you tell me?”