Teach Me

twenty four

ariana's pov

same night

i had just left ryan's and i didn't know where to go. i was so hurt but i couldn't cry. i still loved ryan, even when it felt like i wasn't enough for him. i feel like i can change him but i don't wanna get hurt trying to do so. i knew ryan loved me but i was just unsure about where his head was right now. he's taken such good care of me these last few weeks. i couldn't just be done with him.

i start to drive aimlessly making my way to ryan and mine's old spot. i took in the view for a while, just thinking about things. mostly about ryan. i just couldn't stop, i was thinking about the way his lips curled when he laughed super hard or how he checks on me when he's at work. he would come eat with me during his lunch and come give me a kiss on his break. he was just everything i never had in a man, everything i never knew i wanted.

as i sit and smile, thinking of ryan, my phone rings. it's an unknown number so i decline it, thinking it might just be scam likely. but the number texts me.

—-

216-763-4857: answer it's about ryan!!

—-

what the fuck? the number calls again and i answer.

"hello?" i say, confused.

"ariana? is this you?" the person speaking seems to be a female.

"yeah, who's this?" i ask.

"it's marina? are you in the city?" she asks me, she seems panicked but u stay calm.

"u-uh yeah. why? what's going on?" hearing the panic in her voice causes me to think the worst.

"ryan's been shot. we're on our way to the hospital but we're like 3 hours away. could you please go be with him? we need to know what the doctors say." her voice cracks as she finishes.

my hands went numb. i couldn't feel my fingers and i dropped my phone. i start my car, driving to the nearest hospital i assumed he'd be at. i pick up my phone.

"where is he?" i say, my voice trembling from holding bad my tears.

"he's at the county. closest one to our house. please let us know what the doctors say when you get there." she says, hanging up the phone abruptly.

my heart was beating out of my chest as i drove illegally fast to the hospital. i was so scared, what if he was badly hurt or worse, what if he died? i tried to clear my mind, thinking about his smile and his laugh but that only made it harder for me not to cry. by the time i arrive at the hospital, my mascara has run down my face noticeably. i don't even try to fix it before running inside of the hospital.

"hey- hi. do you have a patient named ryan walker?" i ask.

"are you family?" the receptionist asks.

"y-yes." i stutter. "i-im his wife."

"alright mrs walker, ryan was shot in his back. the bullet is very close to his heart, we're working to get it out but we need to put him in a medical induced coma if we can get the bullet out. right now he is unconscious but we need him to stay that way. there is a very strong possibility we won't be able to. we're trying out hardest but we can't make any promises. we need your permission to start this procedure as soon as possible." he says.

"what happens if he doesn't get the procedure?" i ask, clenching my hands together.

"the possibility of him surviving would be slim. it would cause the wound to heal. the way the bullet is positioned, any wrong movement once it's healed will cause it to go straight into his heart. he would die. it's a 50/50 gamble." he looks at me with a serious look of concern.