Unfamiliar Feelings - An Emblem3 Fan Fiction

Chapter 15 ~ The Bombshell

Riley POV

"Ma'am? Ma'am can you hear me?" a distant male voice asks. I try to open my eyes but my vision is blurred. I see a bright light above me and there is something covering my mouth. I try to talk but my voice is muffled. I try to move my right arm but I feel an intense pain. Tears start to roll down my cheeks. What happened? Where am I? "Ma'am?" the same voice calls again. I look up and my eyes adjust to a face hovering above me. "My name is Jeremy. I'm a paramedic. You've been shot. We're taking you to the hospital. Try not to move okay?" I nod slowly trying to take in all of this information. Shot?! Honestly it was probably only a matter of time before this happened in my neighborhood. I actually used to spend some nights hoping I'd catch a stray bullet and this could all be over. Funny how the universe decides to step in and remind me how cursed I am right when I'm finally happy. I hear something start beeping and I start to get dizzy. "No. Hey stay with me!" a voice yells as I black out again.

When I wake up again, I'm surrounded by people in a hospital room. I recognize one of the faces sitting by my bed, "Laraine?" Wes's mom jumps at the sound of my voice and grabs my hand, "Oh my god Riley! We were so worried! Wes called me in a panic and I drove to 3 hospitals and no one would tell me anything and I...how are you feeling dear?" I look down at my shoulder and find that it is wrapped in gauze and my arm is in a sling. "Like I've been shot," I respond. Laraine's face twists in pain and she squeezes my hand. "Ms. Dawson?" a nurse says, interrupting our moment. "Yes?" "My name is Heather, I'm one of your nurses. Do you remember what happened to you?" I think for a minute. I was talking to Wes and then I heard a gunshot and then I was here. "I know some dude told me I got shot..." I finally answer. She smiles warmly, "Yes the bullet went through your right shoulder and you lost a lot of blood. Luckily we were able to stop the bleeding but we're gonna keep you a few days for observation and your arm is gonna be in that sling for a month or two." Wait a month or two? How was I supposed to work? How was I gonna pay my rent? Holy shit...how was I gonna pay this hospital bill?

"I'm gonna leave you here with your mother to rest," Heather says as she leaves the room. My mother? What the hell? I look up at Laraine, completely bewildered. Laraine looks at me sheepishly, "they said family only and I had to make sure you were okay..." I smile at her. She has been more of a mom to me than my own mother ever was. "It's okay...It's nice to see a familiar face," I say warmly. "So...what happened? Wes called you?" I ask, remembering what she said earlier. "Yes Wes said you guys were on the phone and he heard gunshots and you didn't say anything so he panicked. He actually called 911 in New York and talked to 3 different operators before they finally transferred him to the right department. He convinced them you were seriously hurt and got them to send an ambulance to your apartment. The nurses told me that if Wes hadn't called...with all the blood loss...they uh...well let's not think about that the important thing is that you're okay!" My mouth dropped open and tears started rolling down my cheeks again. Wes saved my life. Again.

Wes POV

"There are no earlier flights to L.A.?! Money is no object!" I scream angrily at the airport representative. "Sir I told you the earliest flight I have is tomorrow at 10:00 AM. I'm going to ask you again to calm down," she responds coldly. My girlfriend has been shot! I'm on the other side of the country! Calm down?! "Thank you ma'am we'll come back tomorrow morning," Drew says as Keaton pulls me away from the counter. I'm still shaking. I haven't heard anything. She could be dead. This is all my fault. If I was in California she would've never been at her apartment. I'm supposed to protect her! I sit down on the bench with my head in my hands and just start to cry. I don't even care that I'm crying in front of Drew, if he gives me any shit right now, I'll fucking kill him. Surprisingly, Drew sits down next to me and puts his hand on my shoulder, "Hey dude she's gonna be okay...we're gonna get you there," he whispers gently. I wanna lash out at him but I hold my tongue. He is just trying to help. I nod at him and sink further into the bench. "Wes let's go back to the hotel and try to get some sleep...there isn't anything else we can do here," Keaton says. Ugh I feel so helpless...again! Except this time I should've been there. I follow Keaton and Drew out of the airport and into a waiting taxi. I'm not getting any sleep tonight.