We all started to get worried that something bad might have happened to him, but kept the news low since were not sure if he was really missing or messing around with some girl and turned off his phone. That was until I got a call from an unknown number.
"Hello. May I ask if this is Mr. Wittikarn Sermsongwittaya?" asked the lady on the other end of the line.
"Yes, this is him." I replied, feeling tightness on my chest that stole my breath.
"I'm calling from Bangkok hospital. I regret to inform that Mr Max Winitchai Phongsai was involved in a car accident and was in a critical condition when he was brought in. We called to inform you to come to the hospital as he is still undergoing surgery but we are not sure if he will be able to pull thr... Crack!"
My phone fell from my hand before she could finish making everyone to turn and look at me. My brain went blank, tears started to swell in my eyes, my whole body went numb causing me to lose balance and hit the table. Everyone rush to me and helped me up.
"Wit, what is wrong? Did something happen?" P'New asked, trying to find out what was wrong, but it was no use.
Khai took one look at me and immediately knew something had happened to Max.
"Ai Wit, which hospital is he in? Tell me! Which hospital did they take him?" he demanded, grabbing my collar, tears streaming down his face.
Seeing Khai in that state finally jolted me back to my senses.
"Max… Max was in a car accident. I have to go to the hospital to check on him. Khai, hurry up! Max needs us. Where are the keys? They were here just now…" I muttered, frantically searching for the car keys, my hands shaking as if I'd lost my sanity.
The moment they heard me say Max was in a car accident, they grabbed all their things and rushed us to the hospital. When we got there, we rushed to the reception to ask where was Max's OR then rushed there. After waiting for hours outside the OR, the doctors finally came out. I rushed to them and asked about Max's condition.
"We regret to tell you that Mr Max Winitchai Phongsai has passed away. Please accept our condolences," he said, frowning as he bowed his head.
"Hahaha! You are joking right? Did he put you up to this? Hahaha! Very funny Max, you can come out now," I said refusing to believe that Max had left us.
"Mr Max Winitchai Phongsai was admitted a broken rib that had pierced through his heart plus the accident had damaged his blood brain barrier, this caused blood to escape into his brain leading to brain death. We tried everything but his heart gave in leading to his death. Please see him for the last time so that he can be taken to the morgue,"
He said, his voice calm but heavy as he moved to the side to make way for the nurses coming out of the OR.
They wheeled him out on a silent, cold stretcher, covered with a white sheet.
"I don't really suggest that you open the sheet, that way you can preserve those happy moments with him," she said, warning us but we didn't listen.
We had to see it for ourselves that he was longer with us. I stretched out my hand and gently lifted the sheet from his face. The moment I saw the state he was in, I fell on my knee, crying and hoping that it was all a dream. How did that arrogant handsome Max turn become like that? His face was so damaged showing that he had landed on his face, a small portion of his skull had been pushed in as if he got hit by a heavy reinforcement rod. I reached out to touch his face, but pulled it away because I was afraid that I might hurt him.
"No, this can't go on or else they might end up with a PTSD. Nurses, please take away the body. Mr Wittikarn, please let go. It is time to take your friend's body to the morgue," he said, slowing reaching out for my hand on the stretcher.
"Don't touch me, I'm not letting you take away Max. He is not dead, he is just sleeping. P'New, please tell them.
Max is not dead, he is just sleeping. P'Pharm, Lay, Som, Kit please tell them," I said, pushing his hand away and held tight the stretcher, tears falling down my face as I refused to believe he would leave us like that.
Seeing me break down like that, Kit also broke down, tears falling down his face as Som and Lay tried to calm him down.
"This won't do. Nurse Pam, get the sedatives," The doctor said, seeing the situation they were in.
The nurse came back with the sedatives but we refused to get injected.
"Don't touch me, you want to take him away from from us. Max is just sleeping, why do you want to take him away from..." Before I could finish talking everything went blank, making me collapse on the floor.