Finding Another Like Me. - 13. Chapter 13

Then it finally ended. Everything just stopped. I couldn’t move. I wanted to but I just couldn’t. I watched as Chris’ body just laid there not moving. It felt like forever.

I watched as the coach and medic raced out to see him. I still couldn’t move. Then finally they started to load him on the stretcher and then I moved. I hurdled over the railing and then sprinted towards the other side of the field where they were taking him.

When I reached there they were loading him into an ambulance. I saw his parents standing over by it talking to the paramedics. I ran over to them.

Mrs. Thomas saw me as I approached and through her arms around me. I gripped her in a tight hug and didn’t let her go. I heard the paramedic say to Mr. Thomas that only one of them could travel in the ambulance with Chris.

He looked at me and I nodded back. I started to pull Mrs. Thomas sobbing away.

“Where are we going?” She asked hysterically.

“Shhh…just to my car. Mr. Thomas is going to go with Chris in the ambulance I told him I’d bring you in my car following. Now just come on.”

The whole way to my car she never let go of me. I could feel her body freaking next to me but I wouldn’t let her go. I felt tears coming to my eyes as I watched her cry but I couldn’t let myself get that way. I held her hand and gave her tissues the whole car ride. It wasn’t long as we trailed the ambulance the whole way.

We rushed into the emergency room and Mr. Thomas was standing waiting for us. He pulled Mrs. Thomas into a hug and she wept.

“Our baby! Our baby!” she exclaimed. Tears were pouring down her face.

He gripped her into a tight hug and just tried to calm her down. You could see he was holding back his own tears for his wife. “They…they just took him in. He’s unconscious. They say he’s knocked out pretty good they are trying to prevent him from slipping into a coma or worse internal bleeding.”

At those words she wept even harder. I couldn’t take it either. For the first time during this whole situation I felt the tears release. I exhaled hard and covered my face with my hands. I walked away from them feeling I couldn’t be near them at this moment. I didn’t want them to see me like this. I walked to the corner of the waiting room and set myself down in one of the liner covered chairs. I curled up slightly resting my elbows on my knees and covering my face. I just couldn’t believe it.

It wasn’t long before, I heard movement fill the emergency room. I looked up to see that Mr. and Mrs. Thomas were in the opposite corner of the room talking to someone from the hospital as the waiting room filled with teenagers. Kids baring the Hightown red and white trampled in. Some in their football uniforms, others in the cheerleading ones. I saw Ben and Deb, but didn’t make a move towards them. I just sat in my corner.

Then I saw her the blonde girl from the party standing there in a cheerleading outfit with the letter C stamped on it. I didn’t make eye contact with her. It hurt me she was here, but I didn’t care I wasn’t letting her get to me again. I just sat and continued to have my head in my hands.

After a few moments I heard a kid shout, “Hey Paige, look who it is!”

I didn’t look up but I could tell everyone was now facing my direction. I kept my hands over my face and continued to act like I didn’t noticed.

“You!” I heard the girl Paige shriek. “What are you doing here!?!”

I didn’t move my hands I didn’t say a word.

“Faggot answer me! Didn’t we already go through this once before?” she shouted.

I still ignored her and didn’t answer. Biting my tongue…

“Answer me! Are you retarded too? Chris doesn’t swing your way!” she attacked again. I heard people agree behind her.

I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of my answer…

“Faggot you hear me! No one wants you here…not me, not them, not his parents, and especially not Chris. Why don’t think he stopped talking to your gay ass? He hates you.”

Fuck this! I looked up at her. I stared straight into her eyes and I didn’t back down. No emotion, no sadness, nothing. I stood up never breaking eye contact. I then spoke inn a snarl, “If any of you or them truly cared about Chris then when you entered this hospital and saw me, you would have ignored me. You would have never made a scene like you just did. You’re an embarrassment. I don’t care if you don’t like me or what names you call me, I care about Chris so I am here for him not you!”

I then turned and broke eye contact walking over to Chris’ parents who were sitting on the opposite side of the waiting room watching what was going on in between sobs. My heart ached that they had just saw that. I leaned over and looked at Mrs. Thomas in the eyes and grabbed her hand.

“Mrs. Thomas. I’ll be back in 20 minutes I promise. Nothing more. I’m just running home.” I told her.

She looked at me and nodded. I looked at Mr. Thomas and he nodded at me. At that I turned and walked right out of the emergency room door and to my car.

It wasn’t that I was giving up, it was I wanted to do something nice. It was Thanksgiving Day and the Thomas’ were stuck in the emergency room. I couldn’t let that happen. They’re like family to me. I speedily drove to my house making a 15 minute drive in 5. I ran into my house to see my whole family gathered in the dining room with turkey being served.

As my mom saw me she hopped up and gave me a huge hug. “Kyle where have you been? I have been worried sick.”

At this moment in my own house I again let out the tears. “I was…I was at the hospital. Chris got injured and I took his mom there. Then I sat, but I don’t want them to spend Thanksgiving there.” I was blubbering all this.

“It’s okay son. It’s okay. He’s a strong kid. He’ll pull through it,” she said patting me on thee back.

“He better… I’m in love with him.”

“I know. I know. Son why aren’t you still up waiting for him?”

“I…I…I thought I’d grab some food for his parents.” I stuttered. “No reason for them to eat crappy on Thanksgiving…”

“Oh course! Of course! I’ll make them plates!”

My mom then began rushing around and filling multiple plates with multiple portions of everything! Once she was done she shoved them in my hand and then looked at me like and any Italian woman would, “Go go! Make them eat everything! No reason to go hungry. And Kyle tell them they are in our prayers! He’ll be okay, I just know it.” She gave me one last hug and basically pushed me out the door.

I sped back to the hospital and went in through the ER entrance ready to face everyone. As the door opened I was shocked to see that it was empty. There was no one sitting in it besides the Thomas’ at a small table. They were just sitting staring at each other. I saw a bag of ships in front of them.

I walked over and laid the different plates in front of them without saying a word. I took off the tin foil on them and set down the silverware and napkins I had brought. I then pulled up a chair and sat in-between them.

We just sat in silence until finally I got up the courage to say, “Its Thanksgiving. ”

They looked at me.

Then I said, “Chris wouldn’t want you to just sit here. You’ll feel better if you eat.”

I finally saw Mr. Thomas pick up a fork and start to dig into a piece of turkey. As it touched his mouth he gave out a low hum, and then said, “Thank you” with a full mouth.

“No problem it’s my pleasure.”

I watched as they slowly started to eat. After a few minutes of silence Mrs. Thomas finally spoke, “We are so sorry Kyle for what those kids said to you. You know Chris would never…”

“I know… I know. I didn’t let it bother me.”

Then Mr. Thomas spoke, “We kicked them out Kyle. Right after you left. We couldn’t have someone talking like that. Chris would never…”

“I know…I know.” I responded again.

“Kyle, he honestly loves you. I know he does,” Mrs. Thomas broke down saying.

At these words I couldn’t hold on any longer I let go. Tears rolled down my face and I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Then is stuttered. “I love him too. I love him so much. I screwed up so bad. I shouldn’t have pushed my views on him.” I cried and cried.

Mrs. Thomas came over wrapped her arms around me and started crying too.

At that moment the doctor came over and gave a slight cough to get out attention. “Mr. and Mrs. Thomas your sons condition hasn’t changed. He is still unconscious. However before we give him any medication to try to take him out of this, we need to ask you a question. Is there any medication or drugs or anything Chris might be on that would effect this process?

There was a pause . And then Mr. Thomas spoke, “No there is not…”

“Okay,” the doctor said turning around.

Then it hit me. “Wait! Doctor! He could have steroids in his system.” I paused. Taking a big gulp because I doubted his parents knew this. “I’m not positive but I know the coach asked them to start taking steroids… but I don’t know if he did.” I reassured.

The doctor looked at me and said, “Son thank you. That information is very helpful even if it isn’t for certain.” He then hurriedly walked away.

I turned back to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and they were staring at me. I decided I had to explain, “Back when Chris and I were together he told me that the coach had approached all the seniors and told them they should take steroids to give them the edge into college. Chris was considering it but one night me and him fought over it and that was when we broke up. I told him not to but he said it was his big shot into college. I’m sorry I never told you I just was so broken up after we broke up I didn’t think about the consequences….Now I wish I had I love him so much…” I started to cry again.

“Mrs. Thomas grabbed me again and said, “Kyle its not your fault, you just did the right thing by now telling us….”

“Excuse me. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas…” The doctor began.