Angel [BoyXBoy]

Chapter 11: How to Save a Life

Chapter11: How to Save a Life

The last time Cole felt so helpless is when he was 9 years old and his grandmother died. His grandmother had always been so soft. She sat on her knees in the front garden of her home- Cole sitting on the front steps. She would be sweaty- covered in dirt- and still tell Cole, 'if you treat the earth gently- she'll be kind back'

He must had treated the earth wrong because right now it was tossing him around like a violent storm. His legs shook nervously as he sat with his fingers tightly wound around each other. Rudy was driving shakily- his own panic was obvious in the way he tapped the wheel with his hands. Cole hadn't even gone inside the house. He left his gym bag in the car and went with Rudy to the hospital.

Cole felt like he wasn't really there- like he was watching some film. He was disassociating from the entire situation. It had been a long day- a rough day. But none of that mattered. It didn't matter he broke Laura's heart. It didn't matter he told Vinny about angel. It didn't matter he got his things back. It didn't even matter that he had cried that day. All that mattered was that the boy in the hospital bed was alive and a pain in the ass. Angel was all that mattered.

Rudy mumbled under his breath- tears welling in his deep brown eyes. He let one hand fall to his leg and he clasped it in a tight fist. Cole reached over- taking it and squeezing. Rudy cast a sideways glance.

"He's been doing so much better since the summer- I guess it was you" Rudy said, "He'd been so happy. He'd sit on my couch and ask me what it was like to have a crush on someone" Rudy laughed, "He cried once- so angry he'd gotten himself attached to someone"

Cole gulped.

"He hated being attached- he is a wildfire- no one can really keep him contained. He knew that life could change in an instant and everything could be ashes. He didn't want to burn you" Rudy rambled, "he thinks he ruins everything" Rudy looked at Cole for a second at a red light, "He's never ruined anything"

"Does...does he think he'll ruin me? Is that why he left?" Cole asked quietly.

"He doesn't know what he's doing- he's a mess. We all are: me, Matt, Angel are all just caught in the cross hairs of life being unfair. He's hurt. He's broken. He doesn't know what it's like to be held- to be loved" Rudy croaked, "I think you started showing him what it meant to be cared for in a way Matt and I can't. I think you've made him better"

"Drive faster" Cole choked, "faster"

--

Arriving at the hospital was like running face first into a brick wall. Both boys sat in the car for a moment. Silent and slightly unwilling. Rudy held onto a small duffle bag of stuff he'd brought from his apartment for Angel.

"is anyone there with him?" Cole asked.

"Matt, this probably isn't the way he wanted all of us to meet" Rudy said, "I have to talk to the police when we get inside- his room is 443." Rudy handed Cole the bag, "he's a little hard to look at right now but- it's still him"

Cole nodded, and the two boys finally got out of the car. Rudy lead Cole to the receptionist's desk and told the woman Cole was family to Angel. Rudy walked Cole to the floor and Matt stood outside the door- with three policemen. He looked exhausted- Cole didn't even have the mental capacity to be intimidated by the man in a black suit and covered in tattoos. Matt's sky-blue eyes caught Rudy and Rudy ducked to Matt.