Barely Holding On

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I got home from school exhausted. Apparently being Cameron Dallas’ girlfriend took a lot of work.

All I wanted to do was go lie in bed and take a nap. As I was walking up the stairs I heard my mom call my name. I walked into the living room so see her drunk and sprawled across the couch.

This was a normal thing, and I was used to it. I could handle her by myself, but for once I wished that I could be the kid and not have to worry about taking care of her.

I looked at her normally tan face which was now ghostly white and dripping with sweat. Something was wrong…

I snapped my fingers in front of her face, but she was unresponsive. He eyes kept moving around, but they weren’t focusing on me. This wasn’t normal.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called for an ambulance. Then I ran next door to grab Maria, Nash’s mom. I needed help.

I was beginning to panic. I couldn’t lose my mom; she was the only family I had left after my dad had bailed. I banged on the door.

Finally the door opened with Nash standing there, “What?” he said bitterly.

“Is your mom here?” I said really quickly, it didn’t even sound like English.

Nash caught on, “No, why? Is something wrong?”

“Fuck. No, never mind.” I turned around and ran back to my house. I could hear him calling after me, but I ignored him.

When I got back into the living room my mom looked even worse than she had minutes before. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a towel and ran in under cold water. I put it on her forehead, hoping to cool her down.

What was taking the fucking ambulance so long?

I stroked her hair, trying to keep her awake.

Nash came barging into my house, “Violet, what the hell’s wrong?” He looked down and saw my mom, “Oh. Did you call for help?”

I nodded. I could feel tears forming in my eyes, threatening to spill. I looked anywhere but him trying not to cry.

We finally heard the sirens and Nash ran outside to help them.

“You’re going to be ok, mom.” I said kissing her on the forehead as the paramedics came in and put her on a stretcher.

I followed her outside where they loaded her up in the ambulance. They asked me questions about how I found her and I numbly replied as best as I could. They also asked me if I wanted to ride in the ambulance with her, and I declined. I don’t know why, I guess I thought she deserved to be punished for what she had put me through and I REALLY didn’t like hospitals. 

Before I knew it they had packed up and left and I was sitting on the front steps all alone. Well, until Nash showed back up.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked angrily.

“What?” I looked up at him and the tears just came like a waterfall. Instead of comforting me like a normal person, he grabbed me and threw me in his car.

Next thing I knew we were walking into the hospital. I had managed to stop the tears, but I was still all red and puffy.

They wouldn’t let me go in and see her because the doctors were running tests so Nash and I sat in the waiting room.

We just sat in silence.

I started shivering because the AC was on so high. Nash took his sweatshirt off and gave it to me without saying a word. I put it on and I was instantly warmer. As bad as it was sitting there, just waiting, I knew it would have been worse without Nash there. “Thanks for forcing me to come here and staying with me. I couldn’t do it alone,” I mumbled.

He put his arm around me and pulled me close. I rested my head on his chest. My head moved up and down as he breathed.

“Where’s Cameron?” He asked out of nowhere.

“Cameron?” I repeated, lifting my head up and looking at him. Why was he asking about Cameron?

“Yeah, your boyfriend… Shouldn’t you call him or something?”

As strange as it was, I really didn’t want Cameron there. Partly because I was embarrassed about my mom, but mostly  because I knew he wouldn’t hold me and take care of me like Nash was doing, and at the moment I really needed it. Shockingly, I just really needed Nash. “I’ll call him later,” I whispered as I laid my head back on Nash’s chest.