Whiskey, On The Rocks

seventeen

Taylor

Travis was late. I kept checking my phone, not wanting to text him and seem like a needy girlfriend. But from what I knew about Travis, I knew he was never late. He was always early, or perfectly on time.

"Still nothing?" Selena asked from where she was making dinner, glancing over to where I leaned against the table. I shook my head. "Maybe he's just stuck in traffic."

"Maybe you should date someone your own age." Mom tacked on where she sat reading on the couch.

"I thought we were past this." I sighed, looking over at her. Mom sighed, not commenting. I decided not to say anything else. She was just opinionated. That's where I got it from.

I tapped at my phone every few seconds for another twenty minutes, and soon it was half past seven, and there was nothing from Travis. My foot tapped as I started pacing, worrying a little. He'd texted me earlier, so what had happened? 

But then I heard a frantic knock at the door and smiled, placing my phone on the table and quickly going down to answer it. When I pulled it open, I smiled when I saw Travis there, but then my smile very quickly fell when I saw him clutching his side. There was blood everywhere, all over his hands and shirt, and he looked seconds away from passing out.

"Baby?" I whispered, terrified. 

"Kitten." Travis breathed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go."

"Oh my god!" I grabbed him as he slumped sideways, obviously weak from blood loss. "Shit, shit!" I shook him gently. "Travis, Travis baby you need to help me out here. I can't carry you inside." He nodded, his head slumping into my neck as he leaned on me. I did my best, taking as much of his weight as I could possibly manage. "Mom get up!" I said as we stumbled into the living room.

"Honey, what..." Mom trailed off when she turned around, and she quickly got up. I helped Travis down onto the couch and he lay back, groaning in pain.

"It's okay, you're okay." I soothed, trying not to panic as I dropped to my knees on the ground next to him. "Sel get the fucking first aid kit!" I shouted, and I heard running feet. "And...and towels or something." I didn't really know what I was doing, but I'd done enough first aid courses that I could try.

Selena rushed back with the big first aid kit from the bathroom and some towels. Then she vanished, coming back with a bucket of water. No one asked any questions, and I didn't stop to pay attention to anything except for the man bleeding out on the couch. The first thing I did was tuck a thick towel beneath his side to keep the blood off the furniture, and then I peeled his shirt upwards.

"Fuck." I breathed when I saw the deep stab wound oozing blood in his side.

"Yeah, not so good huh?" Travis groaned. 

"Don't make jokes right now." I sniffed, holding back tears as I grabbed another towel and pressed it over the wound, applying as much pressure as I could.

"Hey, hey." Travis whispered, and I looked up at him as his fingers brushed my cheek. "The second this happened I knew I had to come to you."

"I'm not a fucking doctor baby." I sobbed. 

"I know." He soothed. "I can't go to a hospital, it's not safe. I know you're not a doctor kitten, but I trust you." I nodded, calming down a little. He was right; it wasn't safe for him to go to a hospital. And I was glad he was here. "You don't have to save my life." Travis whispered. "Just give it a shot okay?"

"I said no jokes." I mumbled, and he smiled weakly. Then his eyes fluttered, closing. "Hey!" I reached out and shook his arm. "Hey, hey open your eyes! Travis!" Nothing. "Shit." I shook him again, but he must have lost enough blood and couldn't stay conscious.