• Ice cold water splashed on the backs of my legs as I attempted to run from the truth, but I wasn't fast enough. Glancing back, I picked up speed when I saw that he wasn't far behind. My lungs burned and my legs screamed for me to stop. I stumbled as he called out to me. My ears registered his voice, but my mind was far too gone to listen. The overcast sky above us flashed angrily as the first icy raindrop landed on my tear streaked face. I stumbled again, my vision blurred, but this time my foot caught on something. I fell onto the muddy earth. I spit out a clump of mud, just as I felt him land atop me. "Addison," he huffed. He rolled me over, holding my arms down with one hand and straddling me. He had no need though. All my energy was gone. "You need to stop running from me." Garrett leaned over as he spoke, his brown hair plastered to his forehead and his hazel eyes pleading. I attempted to thrash, even though my body was spent. I had to at least try. His weight held me to the spot, and I wondered how a figment of my imagination could feel so real. But then again, he felt just as real before they told me that I had a problem. I stared at his guilt-filled face, looking for anything to back up their words. As I subjected him to my scrutiny, his eyes grew sadder and sadder. "You believe them, don't you?" His voice was quiet, wavering slightly. I could almost feel his pain. I searched and searched, but I could find nothing to support their convictions. As I looked into Garrett's eyes, I remembered all the times we were together. Warm summer nights on my roof, just him, his arms around me, and the stars. His lips against mine, warm and inviting. But most of all, I saw the love that he held for me. The pain hit me like a brick crushing my heart into dust, and I sobbed. His hands left my wrists, and I felt the familiar touch of his fingers on my cheek. Squeezing my eyes closed, I wished for once that they were wrong. My parents, siblings, friends. They were all wrong.
    His breath tickled my face.
    What would be so bad about just believing in an imaginary boyfriend? The pain of knowing grew into an unbearable monster that wriggled around inside my chest. I opened my blurred eyes and looked into his. Garrett's nose was just barely touching mine. He had tears in his eyes as he searched for something in my face. I knew he was looking for something that would tell him everything would be okay. Something that told him I still loved him. As if on cue, he whispered to me in a haunting tone. "Please love me. Believe in me, because I am real. Believe in the love that we shared." He was begging me. I looked up at him, and felt an unconscious smile form on my lips. The confusion on his face was palpable. His lips parted to say something, but I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. And then there was nothing but darkness.

    I became aware of a pair of voices murmuring somewhere off to my left. Prying my eyelids open, I was blinded by a flash of white light. The murmuring stopped abruptly. I squinted, trying to get used to the light. I was laying on a bed of sorts, and had a pillow beneath my head. "Addison?" I recognized my mother's voice instantly. My eyes had finally adjusted. Looking around, I took in the room. I was in a hospital. Glancing to my left, I smiled at my sister and then looked to my mother. Silent tears cascaded down her too-white cheeks. I was happy to see her, but there was one face that was missing. "Where is Garrett?" My voice was raspy and barely above a whisper. This surprised me. I shrugged it off, thinking that maybe I had gotten sick from the rain. Her look of pure happiness faded, and she looked at me in confusion. "Who is Garrett?" She turned to my sister quizzically, but Lynn returned her confusion. I stared at them both incredulously. "Garrett, remember? You all told me he wasn't real. But, I think I am okay with that." My mother moved to sit on the bed beside me, her confusion turning something I hadn't seen on her before. "I was just with him a little while ago- couldn't have been more than a few hours or so." As soon as the words left my mouth, my mother let out a sad sigh. New tears sprang forth as she placed a hand on the side of my face. "Honey, you couldn't have been with anyone. It was a dream." I felt anger rising inside me. How dare she tell me that it was all a dream. How can she deny four of the best months of my life. "It wasn't a dre--" I tried to tell her, but my voice wouldn't come out. The only sound I managed was a small squeak. Obviously she knew what I was trying to say, because she nodded and scooted closer to me. "Addison.... baby. You have been in a coma for a year and a half" ~