18 Days ➳ Riley McDonough/ Before You Exit Fanfic

6.

March 8th

R I L E Y

"What's your connection with Ms. Days?" A paramedic asked me as I was crying my eyes out.

"I'm her boyfriend."

"Does she have any family that we can contact? Anyone blood-related?"

"I'm all she's got." I spat. Then I motioned to the five other boys standing nearby, gawking. "We're all she's got."

The paramedic stared at me for a few moments, before nodding. "Alright, Mr. McDonough. Come with me."

I followed him to one of the two ambulances that was parked right beside the stage area. The tires had left mud tracks all over the beautiful grass and it just sort of ruined the entire mood of the park.

The paramedic motioned for me to get in and I hesitantly took a seat inside, right beside Jade, as she lay motionless on the stretcher. Her lips were still blue and a little gasp would escape them every few moments, like she couldn't breathe. It made my heart break into a million pieces.

Suddenly, I felt my phone ring in my pocket and I took my time to answer it.

"Hello?" I said with no emotion in my voice.

"Riley!" Connor yelled back, which was followed by the screeching of tires. He was probably speeding down the road on his way to the hospital with the others. "How is she?"

"I can't bring myself to look at her, bro. I can't help but feel like this is my fault. I don't know why, I just do."

I let out a loud wail and just sobbed for a while, trying to let out every single emotion that wanted to be free. And the worst part was Connor was on the phone the entire time, listening in on my moment of ultimate weakness, and I hated it. I knew I was on speaker. I knew all five of them could hear me at once. It really sucked.

"Why did this happen to her?" I questioned. "Why her?!"

"I don't know, Ri."

"I don't either. It fucking sucks."

Usually Connor would yell at me for swearing and would probably tell on our mom about it, but I mentally thanked him for just keeping quiet. He knew it was necessary at a moment like this.

After a while, I felt the ambulance stop and another set of paramedics wheeled Jade into the hospital, leaving me there in the vehicle with the back doors wide open. I just sat there on the little stool and cried. Every once in a while I would punch something, but nothing helped.

"There he is!" I heard Toby yell from afar, which made me look up from my bruised knuckles, as I stared at the five boys running towards me, but I showed no emotion.

"Why aren't you in there?" Braiden questioned, looking slightly confused. "Because if I were you, I would bang on the door of the emergency room just to see her."

"I don't want to see her like that, dude. I just want her to be okay."

"We all want her to be okay, Ri!" Braiden cried. "But you aren't man enough to go in there and see if she really is okay."

I clenched my fists and shot him a glare that could've made anyone feel uncomfortable.

"I'm more of a man than you'll ever be," I spat.

"Then prove it. Hit me. Let's see how much pain you can cause."

I kept my glare on him, never breaking eye contact. Then, in one swift movement, I held my fist up into the air and brought it down, trying to make the impact as hard as possible, but someone caught it just when it was millimeters away from Braiden's face.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" Toby yelled  at my face as he made me return my arm back to my side

"Toby James!" Connor scolded.

"Riley swears! Why can't I?"

At this point, everyone was fighting with each other. Connor and Toby were fighting about sibling inequality. Thomas and Ryan — being the peacemakers — were arguing about how they would calm everyone down. While Braiden and I were just giving each other nasty looks.

"Jade can do so much better." Braiden spat, a look of distaste spreading across his face as he examined every aspect of my being.

"Yeah?" I replied, sounding quite amused. "Like who?"

He just stared at me for a good five seconds, before a small smile formed on his face. "Me."

The word so short and so simple, yet it made my blood boil. I just couldn't control myself anymore.

I punched him. My fist to his face, and within moments Connor and Toby were holding me back from completely beating him up, because they knew I was fully capable of that, but one punch was enough for me. At least it was enough for now.

"What the hell, Ri!" Braiden yelled, wiping some blood from his now busted lip.

"Be careful what you wish for." I replied, blankly. "You can't have her. You can never have her, ever."

"Clock's ticking, McDonough. If you're not going in  there, I will."

I stayed quiet. I knew what he said was true. Nothing would stop Braiden from going in there, and I didn't feel like hurting him more than I already had. He was still one of my best friend's after all. It wasn't right.

"Maybe she's conscious at this very moment, and she's wondering where her perfect boyfriend is. Well, he's here, standing right in front of me, and never have I seen such fear in someone's eyes."

"Shut up!"

"You know what's funny?" Braiden questioned, then let out a fake laugh. "It almost seems like you're more scared than she is."

"How could I not be scared? She could be dying in there!"

"But none of us know for sure, because someone doesn't have the guts to go in there and check."

I looked around me and Connor, Toby, Thomas, and Ryan, were all standing behind Braiden, as if they were taking his side on this. It made me feel pretty betrayed, because they didn't know what I was feeling at that moment. I really was scared, and they would've been too if any of them were in my position.

"I mean, I could easily go in there right now, but it's still your move. So what are you going to do, huh?" Braiden questioned.

I looked at the doors of the hospital, then I looked back at Braiden, a blank expression on my face. "I'm going in."

~

a/n: this was so sucky im so sorry ugh.