My mind couldn’t process what happened next. The phone dropped out of my hands; I could barely get oxygen into my brain. How could it be that my only blood family is dead? I mean… Drew is dead?

“Har, are you okay?” Harry asked me, but I couldn’t hear him at the moment. I viciously shook my head, my mouth agape.

“S- stop the car… Stop the car!” I yelled. The car screeches to a stop; I hastily make my way out of the car, ignoring the shouts of my friends. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, or where I was going, but I know I needed to see him as soon as possible.

“Harmony!” I turned around to see Harry running after me. I stopped and waited for him. Once he had caught up, he held my shoulders firmly. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?”

I looked up to Harry; he’s all I have left now… Then, I broke down. The tears I hadn’t known I had started pouring out like a waterfall. I stumbled into Harry’s arms and cried into him.

“Har, look at me. Tell me who was on the phone,” Harry said sternly.

I pulled apart and looked at him with tear-filled eyes; it was so hard not to break down anymore. “Drew is dead, Harry.” My voice was firm, but I wasn’t as confident as I set off.

“Har, I-”

“Promise that you’ll never leave me?” I ask. I can’t risk losing the last person I have to live for.

Harry sighs. “Har, I will never leave you. I promise you that. You’re much too important to me to let go of. Now, tell me exactly what happened.”

“I wish I knew… Talia had left me messages wanting me to call her, so I did but I almost wish I hadn’t.”

“Okay, I’m going to call Talia, and we will take a cab to be there in person to figure out what happened. For now, I need you to go back and tell the one of the guys to go ahead and go. Can you do that for me?”

I nod my head and walk off in the direction of the stopped vehicle. As I reach the open door, I nervously lean my head into the view of the passengers.

“Thank God! Har, what happened?” Perrie asked with concern. I hate concern, but I’m not going to bitch about it now.

“You guys can take off; Harry and I are going to go somewhere…” I tell them. Every one of their worry lines was showing.

“Are you sure? Where are you going?”

Um… I didn’t know what to say. ‘Oh yeah we’re going to see my brother, who, as of now, is dead!’ Yeah right.

“Har, our cab is here,” Harry appeared next to me. He looked at the others. “I’ll explain to you later; just go home.”

“Alright… Take care of yourselves at least,” Lou bid us a farewell. A chorus of goodbyes followed before I was whisked away into the unappealing yellow taxi.

“I would tell you that everything is going to be alright, but I think that statement is a bit overused. I’m just going to say be strong, Har. Whatever happened… is just the way of life. It’s unfair, but it’s life.” I took Harry’s words to heart. He always knew exactly what to say, so I nodded and allowed the tears to fall as I leaned against Harry’s shoulder.

~

When we pulled up to the hospital, the sun was just beginning to disappear from the sky. Normally, I would love the beautiful sunsets in Long Beach, but the dark clouds closing in from the west changed my opinion. It was as if all happiness – the sunset – is about to be taken away by sudden sadness – the clouds. In a way, this is how I felt about losing Drew…

I walked side-by-side, as close as possible, with Harry. You could practically feel the desperation of life and growing sadness that set the tone for the hospital. Longing faces filled the chairs of the waiting room we passed by. I wanted to feel sad for these people, but my already built up sorrow wouldn’t allow it.

I wasn’t even aware of Harry’s conversation with the receptionist until I was being lead down a long hallway. I shriveled my nose at the smell of lemon that got stronger and stronger as I walked along until we reached the end of the hallway where a familiar dirty blonde sat against the wall with her head between her knees.

“Talia!” I shout and rush to her side. It’s the first thing I’ve said since we got into that stupid cab. My arms instinctly wrap around her shaking body. Her head peered up at me; her eyes widened in fear.

“Harmony?” she asked nervously, scooting out of my hold. She turns her head from me. “I’m so, so sorry…”

I shake my head and get up off of the floor. The nurse smiles at me; I inwardly scoff at her sunshiny mood. She nods toward the door before scurrying off down the hall. I take a deep breath and look towards the door.

“Do you want me to wait here?” Harry asked me. I nod my head, wanting the alone time before I open the door and walk in, shutting it behind me.

After some time of just standing there, I look up. There he is, his cold lifeless body lay there on the white hospital bed. There were no sounds of the heart monitors going off, just silence.

I shyly walk towards him; more tears well up in my eyes. I let them fall like the many others shed before. When I reach Drew’s side, I take his hand; the coldness of it lingers in my own warmth. That’s when I break; I let my cries come out. All of my loud crying is finally let loose and I rest my head on the bed in front of me.

“Why did you have to leave me Drew? You were all I had left of my family and you’re gone… I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

I let myself sob more and squeeze his hand tighter, the pressure of it adding more emphasis on my fourth finger. I look towards my hand and realize what else had happened just hours before the unfortunate call. I’m not sure why, but I laugh through my tears.

“Did I mention that Harry proposed? I guess you wouldn’t know that though… You didn’t exactly give me the chance to tell you.” I looked at his face. “Why’d you have to leave? First mom and dead and Gracie, now you? Why is life so unfair?”

I heard the door open and shot up from my place.

“I’m sorry miss, but you have to leave,” one of the men told me. I nod and walk slowly to the door knowing that the white sheet is raised and I will never see Drew’s lively face again.

I wipe my tears with my hand and sniffle back anymore. I go over and sit next to Talia who has her back to me still.

“What happened, Tal?” My voice cracked midway, but I had to know.

I heard her sigh before she turned around. “It’s all my fault, Harmony. You’re going to hate me for what I did…”

“Talia… I would never hate you even if you were the cause of Drew’s death. Whatever happens, you’re still my best friend and sister. I don’t care about the consequences of knowing the truth; just tell me.”

She took a shaky breath before explaining. I can’t even reiterate what she told, because the truth hurts, it truly does. I just shook my head at her words; to say that I still liked Talia would be wrong, but I certainly can’t hate her. So although what happened pained me, I sucked it up and hugged Talia anyway.

Drew is dead…

I never got to say goodbye…

Or tell him about my engagement…

I didn’t get to tell him how much I loved him for all he’s done…

Talia disappointed me…

She let me down…

But I couldn’t let another person leave my life…

Not now anyway…

Everything was so right…

Then my world turned upside down…

I’m so torn…

And I when I say torn…

I mean, completely, and utterly…

broken…

What have I ever done to deserve such a life?