Stay Away From My Friends (Jenna McDougall and Vic Fuentes)

Chapter 14

**hospital and suicide triggers**

"Mr. Fuentes, we've done everything we can."

"Then why isn't he waking up?!"

"Mr. Fuentes, your brother did a lot to himself. It was hard to catch everything and help in time. We're just going to have to wait and see."

"P-Please..."

"I'm sorry."

I can hear voices. They sound so far away. It sounds like... Mike. And another man. An older one.

I can't move. I can't open my eyes. It feels like I'm floating in darkness. What's going on? What happened?

Oh right. I tried to...

I must be in a hospital now. Some sort of coma or something. I guess Mike found me and brought me here. But I thought he hated me?

"Hey," I hear Tony's soft voice. "He'll be okay."

He sounds closer now. Like we're definitely in the same room.

"What if he's not?" Mike asks, voice breaking. "I'm the one who pushed him over the edge. What if my last words to him were me saying I wished he wasn't my brother? I couldn't live with that," I hear him start to cry. "My big brother..."

"Hey..." I hear Tony scoot over. He's probably hugging Mike now.

"He's been out for hours. He should be up by now," Mike keeps crying softly. 

"He's been so strong," Tony assures him. "He's always pulled through. He'll pull through this time too."

Mike sniffs. "I hope you're right."

Tony whispers quiet enough for Mike to not hear him, "Me too."

But I can hear him. I can hear everything. All I can do is listen. It sucks.

"I'll text the others," Tony says. "You just rest."

I hear footsteps and a door shut. Tony must've gone outside.

I can feel Mike shift. He lays next to me, wrapping my body in a gentle hug.

"I'm so sorry," he says. "We had no idea any of that was going on. We should've been better. You're the best brother ever, Vic," his voice breaks. "Please. I don't want to lose you."

Mike clings to my shirt, crying harder again. "I'm so, so sorry."

I want to sit up and hug him back, and tell him it's okay. I want to apologize for trying to leave. I see now it was a mistake.

Mike lets go after I don't know how long. I hear some sniffles and some shuffles. He must've sat somewhere. I don't hear anymore crying, so he probably fell asleep.

I hear the door open. I assume it's Tony coming back in.

The room is silent. Nothing's happening. I don't know how much time passes until the door opens again.

I hear a gasp. Someone stumbles backwards.

"Kellin, love," Oli says. "It's- It's okay," he doesn't sound too sure.

I can hear Kellin hyperventilating. "H-He looks so lifeless..."

"The hear monitor is going," Oli assures.

"Oh Oli," he cries. "This is all my fault. I should've known something was going on. I should've been a better friend."

"It's not your fault," Oli tells him. "It's that bastard Ronnie's. He fucking ruined Vic."