Hold on for the Ride

Part Five

            I looked into Eve's eyes, which were puffy from crying. She ran into my arms for a hug.

            "Eve, eve! What is it?"

            She was sobbing, her chest heaving as I tried to calm her down. She couldn't get the words out and as we were making a scene in the waiting room, the mean check in lady finally let me go into the room just to get us out of there. I couldn't brace myself enough for what I was about to see but I tried my  best to do so. As Eve led me through the hallways, I started breathing more deeply. I didn't know what was behind that door and I couldn't deal with that.

            "Rose, just be prepared, it's really bad," Eve said with the most serious expression I had ever seen on her sweet, young face.

            As we walked into the room, there lay Ryan, unconscious on the bed, His arms were once again bloody, his face gaunt, and his eyes had black circles around them. I stopped in my tracks and had to grab the side table to not fall over. His parents looked at me, both crying.

            "Honey, I don't know how to say this-" His mother said in between sobs.

            His dad had to come in to the rescue, "Ryan, he um, he overdosed on pills. We still don't know why."

            I pretty much wanted to punch his dad straight in his face and scream at him that it was all his fault, but I decided it probably wouldn't be the best idea. I walked over to Ryan's side and brushed his hair to the side, I knew he didn't like it too much in the front. I tried not to cry, but I couldn't help it. Once I let one tear out, they didn't stop. I sat down and just let myself cry, I started to get a headache from crying for so long. I couldn't believe his dad had driven him to the point of wanting to die. The more I cried, the more angry I became. His dad was beating him physically, vocally, and mentally. Ryan wasn't exactly the strongest kid. I don't mean physically, but emotionally. He wasn't very confident and I knew he couldn't take it, but suicide? How did I let this happen? I should have tried to help him before this happened. I was putting my own stupid feelings before his. He just didn't want me to feel any pain, he cared more about me than himself.

            So there I sat next to his bed, crying, for three hours. My parents had come and gone, Eve had taken a nap, his parents had gotten dinner, and I still sat there. He still hadn't woken up but the doctors said he still had a fighting chance. I was just waiting and waiting to see his poor brown eyes open. I needed to know he was okay, and I wouldn't leave until I was sure.

            After another two hours of nothing, I fell asleep with my head lying on the side of the hospital bed. At one point in my dream I was in a cab that kept going over speed bumps. Suddenly I woke up and realized that it wasn't a cab but Ryan's parents trying to wake me.

            "Rose, honey, you've been here for hours. I think maybe it's time to go home. If we hear anything, we'll call you immediately."

            "Even if it's one in the morning?"

            "Well sure, if you'd like!"

            I nodded and started to grab my purse, I took one look back and noticed some shuffling. Before I could even think, I turned back towards Ryan and ran right to his bedside. There before me his eyes opened.