Ruby Whitlock
Mr. Persinger
English 9, Period 4
Short Story
Heaven on Earth
I looked up at him. He was fixated in the TV.  I was so lucky. He was perfect. He looked down at me. “What?” He said smiling. “Nothing” I said. Andy and I had been friend since 1st grade. He was always there for me. We started dating the last few months of junior year. He smiled his straight, pearly white teeth at me and kissed the top of my messy hair. Lightning flashed outside of the living room window. I saw the half eaten pizza on the coffee table, and the movie playing loudly. It was a perfect night. My mom and dad were upstairs working and my sister, Casey, was at a friend’s house.
    The TV screen flashed like the lightning outside. I watched the TV as long gold beams flashed from the trident and destroy the prince’s statue. The pieces fell to the floor as Ariel cried on a rock. Man I'm glad my dad likes my boyfriend, I'm planning on keeping him for a while.
The movie ended and we sat there, just enjoying each other. We finally got up. I walked him to the door. Rain was falling fast. “I'll see you on Monday?” I ask.
     “As you always do” he said. I looked into his deep blue eyes. He kissed me. His lips pressing softly to mine. I close my eyes, then he let go. Before I opened my eyes he was gone into the night.
     Rain fell hard as the thunder rumbled. I stepped onto the porch, shut the front door and sat on one of the chairs on the porch. I liked the rain, listening to the pitter patter of it. I mostly enjoyed the thunder that complimented the bright flash of lightning. I thought about Jamie, a close friend of mine. She died after being struck by lightning on April 4 last year. The bright light was so close to us. We were playing in a field and it started to rain. We were jumping in puddles like kids. Then that bright flash jumped from the sky. We all screamed and ran. All of us except Jamie. She laid there still on the wet grass. Ava, my other really good friend, ran to get help.
    That night the whole town heard the news and waited. Not a lot of people are religious in my town, but I'm pretty sure everyone prayed for Jamie. At least I did. You know that feeling you get when you've lost something? I got that feeling right before the phone rang. My mother hung up the phone and walked into my room and told me the news. Though my heart shattered to a million pieces, I didn't cry. I just sat there, not a thought in my head.
    I didn't cry a single tear until the funeral. It was really nice. The whole town as there giving condolences to Jamie’s parents. I was next in the long line to say goodbye. I looked at here lifeless body. I touched her hand. It was ice cold. I looked real hard to make sure she wasn't faking it, but she never opened her eyes. Tears welled up in my eyes. They wouldn't stop. I started to bawl. So I just ran. I ran all the way to the field. I fell to the ground. Next thing I know there's an arm draped over me. It was Andy. He put his jacket over me.
     “Veronica, what are you doing out here?” My mom’s voice brought me back from the past.
     “Oh, nothing.” I say staring at the falling rain.
     “You were thinking about Jamie weren't you?”
     “Ya” I say breathing out a long sigh.
    “Don't worry, I think she's doing just fine up there.” She said probably hoping to cheer me up.
    My mom is a very happy person. Always trying to make people happy. I once told her that she just needs to let people be sad. I guess she didn't like that because she frowned and walked away.
     Monday came around, and Andy picked me up in his old truck.
     “No,” he said.
     “What?” I asked
     “I can't let you go to school looking so beautiful.” I smiled
     “Shut up.” He laughed and started to drive. The rain had frozen and it was snowing. The white world looked like heaven on Earth. It was peaceful. I was happy.
I think it's funny how one thing is happening and the just like that another thing is going on. I'm here looking at this beautiful snow and loving life and then…


     “Her pulse is weak! We need to intubate her!”
They pressed oxygen into her lungs.
     “We need to get her to a hospital!”
      They pushed the stretcher into the ambulance. The ride was fast. When they got to the hospital they rushed her into surgery. “Her heart isn't pumping fast enough.
     By this time her parents had heard the news and were at the hospital. “Are you Mr. and Mrs. Jones?” The nurse asked
“Yes” Veronica's mother responded.
“Ok. She's in surgery. Also Andy is ok and is getting checked out by Dr. Richard. Veronica's heart is really failing, we are most likely going to need to do a transplant, and we don't have any that can get to us that fast.” Her parents were devastated.
    “Do any of you know if you are a match?”
    “We are both type A. we don’t know what Veronica is.”
    “Alright. We are going to test her and find out.”
Andy walks into the waiting room.
    “Oh Andy we're so glad that you’re ok.”
    “Glad to be ok” Andy said. ‘Where’s veronica? “He said looking around.
    “She’s in surgery. They say that her heart isn’t doing well and they’re going to need to do a transplant. They’re testing her blood right now.”
    “We’re the same” Andy mumbled.
    “What?” Mr. James asked.
    “We’re the same blood type. It was for science.” Andy said louder. “She can have my heart. I should’ve died anyway it’s my fault.”
    “No.” Mrs. James said. “She would be devastated.”
    “I know.” Andy said, ‘but I love her and I want her to live.”
    Veronica’s parents knew they couldn’t change Andy’s mind. The nurse came back to confirm Veronicas blood. “They are the same.’ She said.
On the way to the operation room the nurse asked Andy if he was sure he wanted to do it.
“I’m sure.” He said as she rolled him down the hallway. He saw Veronica's lifeless body on the operating table and knew it was the last time he would ever see her. She had a bruise on her cheek and cuts everywhere. He closed his eyes and imagined her differently, before the crash. Her long brown hair blowing in the wind. Her green eyes glistening brightly when she looked at him. He smiled, for the last time. He reached out and took her hand and held it tight.
“I’ll never let you go” he whispered.


I heard the machines beeping loudly. Voices came into my head. I tried to open my eyes, but they were too heavy. My mouth was dry. My eyes lighted but my vision was blurry.
“Veronica, can you hear me?” a loud voice asked. I tried to shake my head yes. My  muscles wer weak and loose. I tried to sit up but had no such luck. My head was so heavy. My vision finally cleared and I saw my mom and dad walk towards me.
“Hey sweetie.” my mom said her voice ringing in my ears. “Do you remember what happened?” she asked.
“Andy and i were driving to school and we slid… What happened to me?”
“You got a heart transplant,” she said. Then I realized something.
“Where’s Andy?” I asked. The room fell silent.The machines were beeping louder than ever. I looked around and didn’t see him anywhere. “Mom. Where is Andy?!” i almost yelled. My eyes filled with tears. I knew where Andy was. His heart was beating fast in my chest as I cried. My parents handed me a note.
“He wrote this before he…” she didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to i already knew what she was going to say. I took the note and read it out loud.
Andy had been wheeled to Veronica's room to tell her the news. When he got there she was opening the note he had written before the transplant.
“Veronica,” she said as her voice cracked from crying.
     “I see the transplant was successful. I know you might be sad, but please don’t be. Know that i will always be with you when you are sad or down. I'll tell Jamie you said hi. I love you so much.
Love,
Andy”
She put the note down on her bed and cried even more.
           “Wow. That was really cheesy. I wonder who wrote that?” Andy said. He sat in a wheelchair.
           “Andy!” She yelled. “How is this possible?” She asked.
           “They had a request for a heart when you came in, and during the surgery someone died and they were a donor. They had their heart sent over as fast as they could. So here I am.” he had his hand over his heart. He wheeled over to my bed. She hugged him as tight as she possibly could.
           “I’ll never let you go.” he whispered into her ear.