Take Me Beyond Your Heart (sequel) boyxboy

*8*

**Emily Rudd as Elaine**

*Shane's POV*

I was with Elaine and our small group of friends at lunch, still in shock about Nolan. Elaine was trying to explain what she could to them; Ava, Becca, Katen, and Sierra.

"He just told me that he was frustrated and he hadn't gotten sufficient sleep in days," Elly sighed.

"So that drove him to take all those pills? That's so unlike him," Becca shook her head.

"He said it was an accident," I whispered.

"We should go see him at the hospital," Elly told me, placing a hand over mine. "He'd want us to be there. Especially you."

"Damn, what're they gonna do to them?" queried Sierra, holding tightly onto her boyfriend's hand.

"Well, I didn't exactly see much since they took him from me..."

"My guess is gastric suction," Katen stated. "They had to do that to my cousin when she overdosed, but they have to do that within like... four hours of the ingestion, I think. Didn't he take the pills at night?"

"I'm so hoping it was like at 3 a.m. or something," Elly said, rubbing her temples.

"They'll figure it out," Ava hoped with a positive outlook.

"I don't wanna sound like a jerk, but I sorta think Nolan was lying. It couldn't have been an accident," Sierra gave her output.

"Why do you think that?" Becca asked with a look of disagreement. "I trust him. He's an honest person, and he'd never do that."

"I agree with Sierra," Katen sided with his girlfriend. "Of course Nolan isn't that kind of guy, and he's truthful... but he's also human. He feels things other than happiness, and he's perfectly capable of... doing drugs or something. Not saying he is, but I don't think this incident was an accident. If it were, he wouldn't have known he overdosed."

"Yeah, guys. I mean, who takes three sleeping pills and their meds without being fully aware of it?"

I shrugged. "I'll take his word for it. Maybe there's more to it. He was trying to tell me, but he passed out before he could."

Ava's eyes rimmed with tears. "I know I'm a positive person... but what if they can't help him? People die from drug overdose."

"Guys, guys, he'll be fine," Elly reassured everyone. "Shane and I will visit him and he'll be recovering just fine and everything will be alright."

***

Elly and I walked into the waiting room where Justin and Nolan's mother were sitting. Ms. Reeds saw me approaching and stood up to acknowledge us.

"I'm so sorry," I sympathized, giving her a hug. Justin stood up as well and smiled at Elly.

"Hey, El." He wore a distraught look.

"How is he?" I asked, pulling away from Ms. Reeds.

She rubbed her hands together and heaved a sigh. "He's ...good. He's good. Um, they had to induce vomiting before pumping his stomach to get all the remaining substances out." She shook her head with her lips pressed together. "When I saw him with the tubes in his mouth and... ugh, I'm a mess."

Justin rubbed his mother's back. "Nolan will be fine. They resuscitated him and he had trouble breathing at first, but..." he shrugged. "He's fine now, promise."

"When can we see him?" Elly questioned.

"Right now if you'd like. Let me go first, so I can tell him you're here, then I'll come get you. I don't want him to get overwhelmed or anything," Justin informed, leaving us.