Cole's P.O.V.
My beautiful girlfriend was being put into an ambulance and take to the local hospital. I should've been a better boyfriend. I should've seen the signs. I guess I just didn't know what I should've been looking for. Dalton pulled me aside after the ambulance drove away.
"Cole," he began softly. I felt the tears in my eyes spill out. Gripping him tightly, I pulled Dalton as close to me as I could. I was crying so hard I began to shake. He rubbed my back until I almost collapsed to a pile of Cole-mush on the floor. He grabbed me and pulled me back up.
"Cole, I know this is hard. I know, but you need to be strong. She needs you now more than she ever has. Can you promise me you'll be there for her?" I stared him straight in the eyes as my waterworks finally stopped. I nodded once, giving him my word. I asked him and Melissa to come along to the hospital with me. Everyone wanted to join, so Gabe took Paula, Jess, Dana, and Will in his car and I drove with Dalton, Melissa and Tyra. As I was driving, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"We're here for you, Cole. All of us." Melissa was such a sweet girl. I was so glad Dalton had her. Tyra was chiming in with supportive words as well. Another kind soul who gave Will a hard time when we needed her to.
Pulling into the Emergency Department parking lot, I felt my cheeks moisten from my tears. I turned off the car and the girls stepped out. I sunk down into my seat, wondering if my baby girl was even alive. She lost so much blood...I felt Dalton unbuckle my seatbelt, bringing me back to the real world.
"Come on, Bud." He pulled me from the vehicle and walked me over to Tyra as the other car pulled up.
Once inside, I asked for Aradia. The receptionist asked my relationship to her, and I told the lady I was her very worried and terrified boyfriend. She looked at me with loving eyes, like a mother would give her son. She took my hand and smiled.
"Go through these doors and make a right. She's in room six."
Dalton's P.O.V.
Tyra, Melissa and I followed Cole back to room six. I was worried not only for Aradia, but for how Melissa and Cole would react. Cole was her boyfriend, and he was madly in love. He was constantly talking about her whenever she wasn't around. He loved her, even with all of her faults. True love, I thought. Melissa was her best friend. My girl would fall apart if she lost Aradia. We turned the corner into room six and Cole dropped to his knees in hysterics.
"ARADIA??? BABY, PLEASE ANSWER ME!" She looked more pale now, and she was unconscious. Melissa pulled me close, digging her nails into me. It hurt and I cringed, but I didn't let on. Instead, I stood there and held my beautiful baby, softly stroking her hair and keeping her close. Moments later, the doctor entered the room.
"Mr. Pendery?" Cole turned around, but didn't get off the floor. He was holding Aradia's limp, cold hand in his.
"Yeah?"
"I'm Doctor Lee. You're Aradia's boyfriend?"
"Mhm. Is she going to be alright? I can't lose her. I really can't." The doctor walked over to Cole and got down on the ground with him.
"She's stable for now. We'll be giving her a few blood transfusions since she did lose a lot of blood. We're admitting her to our Intensive Care Unit. She'll spend a few days here. You're welcome to stay with her until visiting hours are over." He nodded, acknowledging everything the doctor had just told him.
"Can I spend the night with her? I want to be with her if anything...happens." He choked up a little as he spoke the last word.
"No, but one of her parents or guardians can," the doctor stated as Mr. and Mrs. Sialos entered the room. They both looked at Cole down on the floor and half smiled knowing their daughter was loved.
"He can stay with her tonight if he wants to. She'd rather have him here with her than us, anyway." Cole stared up at them.
"Really?"
"Really." He finally got up off the ground, hugging Aradia's parents tightly. They hugged him back and kissed him on the head.
"You take care of my little girl, Cole. I'm trusting you." He nodded, unable to speak, and hugged her father one more time. The transporter entered the room to take Aradia upstairs. We gathered the rest of us who were in the waiting room and headed to room 3207.
