Death's POV
I become bored with this sappy romance and we skipped forward three months.
Prom is less than a month away and Michelle still cannot walk. She can now feel her legs, a drastic recovery, and she is still confined to her wheelchair.
Jacob is with her every step of the way, as they are now a serious couple.
But I'm with her during even more of my free time now, as Jacob has finally gained closure. Or so we thought. Michelle had grown very fond of calling him "her dearest Jacob". Disgusting, yet some of you may 'ooh and aah' over this behavior.
I do not approve of it. It only makes my job harder.
Anyways, her dearest Jacob had been in therapy. Something had made him worse, yet he hid it from her. I have known the truth longer than Jacob himself had known. I was looming in the dark corners of his warm home, bringing the cold draft though the rooms I walked through. He'd kiss his grandmother goodnight every single night at the same time. His consistency made me smile. As she had taken care of him, he took care of her, if not any better. I stroked her cheek while she slept, comforting her when she breathed heavily. Each time her breath stopped, mine did as well. I did not want to take her from Jacob, not yet. Not while his life was so, well, just as he'd started to recover.
Then she would breathe again, and all was made better for my conscious.
We're going to go to Michelle, as Jacob's grandmother has put a heavy burden on my heart.
While Jacob was not around, she practiced trying to walk. She wanted to surprise him at prom, and had been practicing for the long three months. Her legs would not ever cooperate, but she still tried. Her hopes fluttered around her home like butterflies in a meadow warmed by spring. Her mother and father helped her diligently, never giving up. The three hearts sank and broke a little whenever she would fall into their arms, yet never once did Michelle even think about giving up. Her spirit was stronger than any I'd seen in my entire existence.
It was extremely sad knowing that Jacob didn't have that strength. His eyes never met Michelle's anymore. He seemed to be holding back, and then finally, it happened.
He snapped. His grandmother had passed during the night, and I'd taken the little old lady by the hand and comforted her. "But Jacob," she'd cried. "Who will take care of my Jacob?"
I'd assured her that he was in excellent hands. Michelle would heal him like she'd done before. I couldn't swear by it, but I'd told her to rest assured. She followed me, hesitantly, but trusting. Death doesn't lie. She knew. Death is the ultimate truth.
***
Jacob had ignored Michelle's calls for a month now. Michelle had confided in a new student, Melissa Daniels, crying her heart out to her. Melissa hugged her. "Now, now, honey," Melissa murmured. "You'll find another boy. Jacob just wasn't the one. Prom won't be a problem, you're such a catch!"
Michelle didn't believe a word of it. Jacob lurked in the shadows, avoiding being caught in Michelle's eyesight. He didn't want her anymore. He loved her, really he did, but he didn't think he deserved happiness if his mother and grandmother couldn't have it. He stared after her every day, opening his mouth to call her, but closing it when no sound could find an escape. It was pitiful. Yet I slowly pushed Michelle's chair, sighing and staring off to see where I was needed now.
