JORDI ADKINS
My heart was dropping at such a rapid speed and I thought I was going to lose consciousness as well until I realized Xavier's father was already here screaming out loud. It started to sink in to me that everything's actually happening in real time. As soon as the bearded guy saw Mr. Rockwell rushing, he quickly woke his bald friend up. They both rushed back inside their car and eventually drove away like it was nothing.
"XAVIER!!!" Mr. Rockwell sat down on his knees and checked Xavier for his pulse. He looked very much flustered.
Gritting with agitation, I quickly rushed to their side and I was already overwhelmed with panic. "Xavier. Oh my god." It was hard for me to breath and I could feel tears streaming down my face. I could blood dripping out of Xavier's waist and I know I just had to toughen myself out.
"Stay calm, kid." Mr. Rockwell muttered and I could clearly tell it in his eyes that he was figuring things out himself.
"I-I can't." I cried out.
Mr. Rockwell held me by my shoulders and looked at me straight in the eyes. "You can and you will. Stay calm. I'm going to remove the knife."
"Bu—"
He shook my shoulder hard and it was enough to make me focus. "Listen to what I'm going to say."
"O-Okay." I breathed out.
Mr. Rockwell quickly removed his suit and then he slowly pulled the knife out of Xavier's waist. More blood started to rush out that I almost want to barf but I tried my best to suck it all up because I'm very much aware this is a matter of a life and death situation. Mr. Rockwell used the very same knife and ripped a huge portion of his white shirt. He began wrapping it around Xavier's waist and even then, there's still some blood seeping through the thin cloth.
"He might bleed out." I muttered certainly stricken with worry. Xavier's face was just a peaceful image of a guy seemingly sleeping on the side of the road but what's truly going on wasn't in any way a peaceful thing.
"I'm well aware." Mr. Rockwell replied. He was already covered in sweat and that was the moment I started to realize a few people watching and taking photos and videos of what was currently going on. "I'm going to carry him to car and you need to put pressure on the wound so he won't bleed out." He added.
"Understood." I nodded.
"STOP TAKING VIDEOS PLEASE!!!" Mr. Rockwell begged but these curious bystanders seemed like they heard nothing as they kept their phones up.
Mr. Rockwell took the matter in his hands and carried his own son who's apparently just as tall as he was. Clearly, it was not an easy job for him to carry this beefed up guy alone but he managed to do it with his will and strength. Xavier was a heavy guy too and Mr. Rockwell struggled to carry him.
"OUT OF THE WAY, DAMNIT!!!!" He screamed out loud shoving the few curious watchers to the side.
I quickly followed Mr. Rockwell's footsteps as he managed to get Xavier inside this black tinted car. I immediately went inside as soon as Mr. Rockwell settled Xavier. He then quickly jumped to the driver's seat.
"Here's some more cloth!!! Remember to keep the pressure on the wound until we get to the hospital." I grabbed this clean white t-shirt from Mr. Rockwell's hand and then immediately put some pressure on Xavier's wound.
In this crucial moment, I realized this was extremely different than that time me and my mom found Xavier punching a certain wall. I was also scared and worried for him during that time however, this time I felt like my chests' going to explode out of dread. My mind's not really functioning well except for the fact that I had to keep pressure on the wound. It was all that I could think of. I stared at Xavier's face and I was already praying for him to stay alive.
Xavier's estranged father began to drive and for the most part, I was feeling much rather worried for Xavier more than anything else. I kept both of my hand on the cloth and I watched as the white cloth was slowly being drenched in red color. I'm also scared but I noticed how Mr. Rockwell was whipping through the road and then I knew, he surely still cared about his son. No matter how Xavier hated his father, he was still going to be his father whatever happens and today, Mr. Rockwell just proved that.
By the time we got to the emergency room, the medical staff readied a stretcher and they quickly transferred Xavier onto it. I didn't realize I've already spaced out until I heard muffled voices seemingly echoing from a distance.
"You can let go now sir."
"W-what?" The voice slowly cleared up.
"Sir, it's okay. You can let go of the pressure. I'll take it from here."
I let the woman take over and I watched intently as they pushed the stretcher going inside with Mr. Rockwell trailing from behind. I picked up my pace and began following them as well.
The waiting game outside of the emergency operating room was basically a torture not only for me but for Mr. Rockwell who was visibly cloaked with agitation and frustration. I sat on the chair trying my best to calm my nerves down with some technique but even then, I kept on jerking my leg. The constant slow breathing in and out wasn't working for me either.
Mr. Rockwell on the other hand, kept on walking from left to right then back again and I can't imagine him being this uneasy. Xavier's his son and even though they had some history, the sight of him being this tense and anxious made me feel there's still love left. I'm entirely aware that I'm in no place to judge whatever happened but I also know that no matter how little that love is, it's still more than enough to rescue his son from the brink of death.
With his bloody and ripped off shirt, Mr. Rockwell kept on trying to peek inside this glass door just to check on the situation. I believe he's not seeing anything though because it's covered with a curtain.
I don't know how Mr. Rockwell showed up at such a perfect time but I don't have to know why and certainly don't have to question whatever his reason was. I just have to be grateful that he showed up when it mattered the most because I certainly don't know what would happen if he never showed up. I don't know what would I do if I'm alone in that moment. I don't even know how would I handled those guys either.
After almost two hours, the red light above the door finally turned green and soon after that, a doctor came out.
"What happened? Is my son okay?" Mr. Rockwell was quick to approach the doctor covered in sweat.
"Yes, your son's already safe, sir. Thank you for keeping the pressure on his wound by the way. He was stabbed really deep but luckily for him, no internal organs were harmed."
"Oh, fuck. Thank god." The sigh of relief was easily heard on Mr. Rockwell's voice. Just like him, I felt a rush of relief too.
"He's still unconscious though and he lost a lot of blood too so we need to do some blood transfusion." The doctor explained calmly.
"Okay, okay. Thank you, doctor."
"However, the kid's blood type is AB negative and you know that's the rarest blood and we just ran out of that yesterday, unfortunately."
"WHAT?!" Mr. Rockwell's relief quickly vanished away so does mine.
"Yes."
"I-I'm his father. I'm going to donate blood for him!!!"
"Okay, that's great. Are you AB negative?"
"GODAMNIT!!! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME? I'M HIS FUCKING FATHER!" Mr. Rockwell yelled over at the doctor.
"Calm down, sir. I understand what you are feeling right now. You don't have to shout at me."
"FUCK!! ARGGG!!" Mr. Rockwell turned around into a face palm and then quickly calmed himself down before turning back around. "I'm sorry, doctor."
"Follow me so we could check your blood type."
"Okay."
Mr. Rockwell eventually followed the doctor and I stayed on the chair still gritting with high level of anxiety.
A few minutes has passed and they eventually transferred Xavier into his room while I followed in utter silence, dosed in fear. Xavier just wanted to teach those guys a lesson for being such a shitty person and now he's the one lying unconscious on a hospital bed. It really sucks how people can be vile. Somehow, I felt like this was my fault and I won't forgive myself if something bad happens to the person I love.
The words of my grandmother suddenly echoed inside my head.
"Life is short. Spend it with the people you love."
I realized that maybe I should've really put a label on it. Jane was right the whole time. Other people may not steal my boyfriend from me but death surely could.