Will You Still Love Me After This Mistake?

Verge of Death

Chapter 17

Patricia Kelly

I feel a strong urge to tilt my head sideways and scan my surroundings. I have a feeling that Jessica and I are being watched. I wouldn't be surprised, Jessica is screaming her lungs out after all. It had started to rain a few minutes after Jessica started wailing and I didn't mind it. I could cover my tears better this way and I felt like every where the rain touched, I was shedding and becoming a new person.

I think I hear something to my right, like sneakers on asphalt, so I turn slightly. A black lump on the ground catches my attention. I block out Jessica's screams and focus on the large pile a few feet from us. It looks like a person. Suddenly it jerks, then lays still again.

"Patricia..." I think I hear it say weakly.

The rain falls harder, and as if on cue, so does Jessica.

"I'll be right back." I shove Jessica over lightly and make my way towards the pile of cloths. As I get closer, I start to recognize the body. Blood is seeping out everywhere like a halo, except all around his body. "Justin!"

I kneel beside his shoulder to check his pulse on his neck. Panic fills me as I realize it's fairly weak and he's starting to have tiny seizures. I want to say he's in shock, but I'm no doctor. His hands searches mine, then gives them a tiny squeeze. His breathing gets slower and it sounds like there's mucus blocking the air pipe.

"Jessica!" I whip around violently. "Call 9-1-1 right now! Say Justin Carter is bleeding out." I have to repeat this a few times before Jessica snaps out of her depressed trance and actually calls an ambulance.

"Please, stay with me," I whisper into his ear before he's carried into the back of the ambulance. Justin's pale and non-responsive. He's lying in a pool of his own blood and the paramedics seem distressed. "I can't lose you, too..." Maybe my prediction was right.

I'm going to lose everyone around me and I'll be the only one left.

I feel lightheaded and I have the slightest sense that I'm shaking all over. The paramedic taps on my shoulder. "Hey, are you related to Justin in any way?"

I blink. Stop shaking. "Yes."

He raises one eyebrow. "No, you're not." He places his hands on his waist. "But you can ride in the front of the ambulance. You seem to really care about him if you'd lie to emergency crew just to stay with him."

I look down, embarrassed. "Really? I can?"

He nods.

"Thank you! Jessica, you can go home." I rush into the passenger seat just as the paramedic gets in the driver's seat. Wow, he's fast. Just as he begins to drive in the direction of the hospital, I ask, "He is going to live, right?"

The paramedic hesitates as he evaluates my question. I hold my breath and count down the seconds it takes for him to answer. If more than a minute, then Justin probably isn't going to make it.

1...

2...

3...

His mouth twitches and I think he's going to answer, but then he just closes his lips and rethinks what he's going to say.

29...

30...

31...

He combs his hand through his hair nervously. Maybe I shouldn't have put him on the spot like that.

57...

58...

59...

"I really don't know," he finally answers. Less than a minute, so according to me he'll live. "He's in a pretty dangerous state but I can't answer your question."

"It's okay. I have hope."

It's been three hours since Justin disappeared behind the swinging double doors. In that time, I called my parents and explained what happened and have been waiting on a hard chair. Patients have been rushed in and some were able to go home, but Justin is a no show. Justin's parents came rushing in half an hour after the paramedic dropped us off and they followed a nurse in and are probably with him right at this very moment. Doctors are ignoring me or pretend to not even notice me sitting here.

The more time passes, the more anxious I get. I still don't know what happened to Enrique and I wish I had his number so I could make sure he's okay. I think he was the only one keeping me upright and I was the only one keeping him from crashing down into oblivion. We were helping each other and suddenly he doesn't show up. And now Justin in the hospital. Enrique would want to know his best friend is in the hospital, right? Maybe I could tell the nurses to try to contact him.

I lift my body off the uncomfortable chair and make my way towards the main office. A sitting nurse behind a large counter instantly looks up from the computer. "Yes, can I help you?"

"I was just wondering if you could try to get ahold of Enrique Fernandez?"

"For what purpose?"

"Justin Carter is in the hospital and he isn't aware of it."

She scrunches her nose then turns to her computer. "What is Enrique's relation to Justin?"

I'm about to snap at this woman, but I answer coolly, "Best friend."

She eyes me from the corner of her eye. "Justin didn't tell the nurses he wanted Enrique here."

I feel like yanking my hair out. "Justin is bleeding out and last time I checked, he was unconscious!"

"We can't call someone without the patient's permission." She stands up and stalks away so I can't tell her off. Stupid woman.

I'm worrying about two people and I don't even know if they're okay. I'm going to lose my mind. If Sammie and me hadn't went to The Bar that night, none of this would've happened. Sammie would still be alive. I wouldn't be pregnant. Justin would be perfectly fine and Enrique wouldn't be heartbroken. I close my eyes. If Justin lives, I promise I'll stay out of his life. I don't know who I promise this to but just as I done, a nurse yanks me back to present.

"Justin has woken up and has asked for you!"