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28.

Ryan's Point Of View

I think Reid almost blacked out. I got really scared. I mean this hasn't happened in a long time.

By a long time I mean the first time I met him. He got a concussion and, obviously, ya know blacked out. I was able to drive him to the hospital then. Now I'm suspended for 6-8 months because I didn't pay a few fees.

I look over at Reid. He's answering another question. He looks a little uneasy. He's stuttering.

Oh shit.

Thump

Shit. Shit. Shit. He's down. I run to him. I can't find a pulse. Shit shit. Shit.

I see other people on stage. Paramedics? I don't know. I don't know a lot of things. One thing I do know is that Reid could die.

****

Ugh. God I don't know what the hell is going on. I just hope he's okay. Nathaniel has been gone for a while. He said it was for some tests or something. I didn't question him or anything. But it's been a while. I don't know how much longer I can take this. My legs are shaking even though I'm sitting down. I check my phone. People keep tweeting with the hashtag "#PrayForReid".

"He's gonna be alright," Someone says. I look up. It's Nathaniel. He is holding his elbow.

"Yeah, I hope," I say. He sits down next to me.

"He will," he says. He takes his hand off his elbow revealing a bandage. There's blood coming through it. "It's from an IV," he says. Shit. I was staring.

"Is it supposed to bleed?" I ask.

"Actually I'm not really sure," he says shrugging. He then puts pressure where the IV was again.

"Do they hurt?" I ask nervously. I don't actually mean for me. I'm just worried about Reid and can't think straight.

"Ryan, he's going to be okay," he says.

"How'd you know that that was what I was asking?" I ask.

"You've asked me that before," he says.

"Oh," I say. What am I doing with myself. I'm paranoid about my own boyfriend and asking stupid questions to an 18 year old. He probably thinks I'm insane.

"Nathaniel? Ryan?"

I look up. There's a doctor standing there. Nathaniel takes a glance at me. I do the same. I don't want to talk I just want to know.

"Yes?" He says.

"Well there's good news and bad news," the doctor says. Then pauses. "The good news is that he's going to be alright. The bad news is that he needs surgery for his heart condition."

"What heart condition?" I ask. Reid never told me...

"You may go see him now, he's in room A19," the doctor says, completely ignoring me. He then walks away.

"C'mon," Nathaniel says.

"Okay," I say. At least Reid's going to be okay right?

We start walking down the hall. And we get to room A19. I walk in. I look back. Nathaniel doesn't follow.

"I'll let you two be alone," he says. His phone goes off. "Besides I have to ask Dakota a couple of things," he says as he looks at his phone.

"Okay," I say. Then I turn my head to see Reid in the hospital bed with wires everywhere. He has a breathing thing that goes through his nose. Oxygen? I sit in the chair next to him. I hold his left hand. The one without the wires. "Hey," I say softly.

"Hey," he says, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," I say. My eyes start to water. What if he wasn't alive. What if he died. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I... I didn't think it was important," he says.

"Why would it not be important. Of course it's important if my boyfriend has a life threatening heart condition," I say, "You could've died."

"I didn't tell you because I didn't know. I didn't know I had it. I never showed symptoms before," he says.

"What about the surgery?" I ask as I wipe my eyes.

"It's a fairly high survival rate," he says, "They planed it for tomorrow."

"We're supposed to be on the field tomorrow," I say.

"I know, but this is more important," he says.

"I can't think straight," I say shaking my head.

"It's okay, I'm going to be okay. Besides, the survival rate is like 80% or something for surviving," he says.

"And what's the other 20%?" I ask.

"Coma, heart attack, paralysis," he says. I stay silent. I can't think about this right now. "I'm kidding," he says, "it's 10% coma, and 10% death."

"Reidan," I say.

"Don't call me that Ryan," he says laughing.

"It's your full name," I say.

"Yes, but I don't like it," he says.

"I know," I say, "But if you're having the surgery here then how are you going to go back home in a few days?"

"That's what they're not sure of. I might be able to go home on the flight and have the surgery back home, but it's risky," he says and pauses, then says, "I want to go home."

"I know," I say.

"I really do," he says squeezing my hand.

"Um, Sir?" I hear Nate say from the hall.

Thump

"Who the hell are you?" This guy says. I don't know who it is. Reid seems to know. He's silent. The guys is buff and kinda reminds me of Reid. I don't want to mess with him.

"My friend," Reid says. Then he whispers in my ear, "Go, now."

I don't second guess him. I walk right out and see Nathaniel getting up from the ground.

"Whoa, you okay?" I ask and help him up.

"Yeah, yeah, fine," he says

"What the hell happened?" I ask.

"Nothing," he says. He says rubbing his wrist.

"Hey, you know we can get that looked at right?" I say.

"Yeah, I know, it's nothing," he says.

"Hold out your hands," I say.

"Why-" he starts.

"Just do it," I say cutting him off. He does what I say. I take a look and compare. They don't look the same. Something's wrong. His right wrist, the one he was rubbing, has something out of place. "We're getting that looked at," I say.

"Ryan, I'm fine," he says and we start walking down the hall.

"You sure?" I ask again.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he says.

"Sure about what?" I hear Dakota's voice say. And sure enough she's standing right in front of us. "Nathan, your wrist," she says when neither of us answer her.

"Hey, Dakota I'm fine, really," he says. Then he starts rubbing it to show that he's 'okay'.

"I'll check it out when I get back from checking on Reid. Okay Nathan?" She says. He nods. She starts to walk pass us. Nathaniel stops her.

"Don't," he says.

"Why?" She asks.

"He's in there," he says.

"Oh," she says. She seems to know who. "Okay then. Um. Nathan you're coming with me to get that checked out," she says.

"I'll wait outside," I say, walking to the exit.