Outer Space | Spruceworth 6.3

Chapter 10: Devastation

Chapter 10: Devastation

~Grant~

       I knocked softly on the hospital door before looking inside, making sure Ollie wasn't asleep because I didn't want to bother him if he was. He was awake, just watching a video on his phone. When he looked at me, he gave me a thin smile, one that looked quite weak. "Hey," he said. "You're looking great."

       I looked down at my outfit to remind myself what I was wearing. "Oh, yeah, this is what I'm wearing for my performance tonight."

       Ollie immediately looked down at the mention of today's filming for Sing Loud and Proud. "I'm so sorry I can't be there," Ollie said.

       I walked over to him, sitting down on the chair beside the hospital bed and gently held his hands. "Ollie, you have nothing to be sorry about. I know you would be there if you could. The doctors said it's best for you to stay in the hospital for now. I don't expect you to apologize because you can't make it to the performances today."

       "I still wish I could be there for you," Ollie said quietly.

       "And I know you would if you could," I said, resting my hand softly on his cheek. "All I want is for you to get better. It doesn't matter how many performances you have to miss. All that matters is you soon feel well enough to leave the hospital." I gave him a soft kiss. "I love you."

       "I love you too," Ollie said. "And... You have to leave, don't you?"

       I sighed. "Yeah. I'm a bit late heading out to Vancouver. I just wanted to visit you before I had to go."

       "Good luck tonight, Grant," Ollie said. "You're going to do great."

       I smiled. "Thank you. And I'll come here as soon as I'm done there, okay?"

       Ollie nodded and I gave him one more lingering kiss before leaving the hospital room so I could head to Vancouver for today's filming of Sing Loud and Proud. I really didn't want to go, to be honest. Everyone was going to be there for me and I just wanted one person to be here for Ollie. But Ollie had to be too nice and told whoever offered to stay with him to go watch the filming today.

       I was just going to make sure I got back to Ollie as soon as I could and probably spend the night at the hospital with him. I just really hated leaving him alone.

       When I got to the venue in Vancouver, I immediately went to the greenroom where all of us contestants had to meet. Now that the audition rounds were over, a lot of people were starting to actually talk to each other and make friends. The only person I ever talked to was Alison.

       Who was, thankfully, already there when I got to the greenroom. As soon as she saw me, she walked over. "Hey," she said. "How's he doing?"

       "He's still in the hospital," I said. "They don't even know how long they have to keep him in there for. They only said until he gets better."

       "Do they know exactly what's wrong?" Alison asked.

       I nodded. "Yeah, they do but I'd rather not say. It's more... a personal business for Ollie. It should be his choice to tell people." It was his addiction that was getting to him. His body was reacting well to his withdrawal since he started drinking again out of the blue and then he stopped abruptly.

       "That's okay, I just wanted to know how he's doing," Alison said. "I really hope he gets better."

       "Yeah, me too," I said. "And sorry I had to leave you alone in Spruceworth."