Chapter Twelve: Hospital P1-Lilly and Oliver
-LILLY'S P.O.V-
I groaned and opened my eyes. Everything before me was blurred. I blinked twice and my vision became clear. There was a mask covering my nose and mouth that kind of obstructed my view.
I was staring at the ceiling of a truck or something. People were staring down at me, worried looks in their eyes. I squinted at them, trying to see if I remembered them.
"W-where am I?" I asked quietly. I looked around and saw another stretched beside mine. I recognized the messy dark hair immediately. "Oliver." I stretched out my arm to touch him, but I was too tired.
"It's ok, sweetie. You're on your way to the hospital" some guys said to my right.
"What happened?" I asked quietly.
Then all the memories came back. I was in a school shooting. Blake and Aaron were fighting then they shot us. Before I fell unconscious I saw the bullet holes in Blake's and Aaron's side. Somehow they shot themselves. A new wave of tears came out and I started to sob.
"It's all right. We got the bullet out of you. You're going to be fine. It didn't hit any major arteries and you didn't lose a lot of blood. We're going to stitch you up at the hospital and reunite you with your family" the man said quietly, looking down at me, giving me a warm smile.
"No, you don't understand. This morning before I came to school I yelled at my little sister. I made her cry" I whispered. "I didn't think I'd ever get to apologize. I'm just so happy I'm alive."
"I'm glad too" the man replied.
"How's Oliver?" I asked, turning to my friend.
"Oh, he's just asleep. He's not dead if that's what you think" the man said with a little laugh. "The bullet was removed from his chest and arm. He lost some blood but we're going to get a match from the hospital and get blood donated into him. He'll be fine in a couple of hours."
"Oh good" I replied, relieved.
"You really care about him don't you?" the man asked, looking at Oliver to me, than back. I nodded.
"I was just about to tell him how much I cared about him and ask him out when the first shot was fired" I replied, taking in a shaky breath. "Can you make it so we can share a hospital room?"
"I think I can" the man said with a smile and a wink.
"I hope Miley, Jackson, Jake, Melody, and Lucas are ok" I whispered. Seeing the confused look on the man's face, I let out a little giggle. "Miley Stewart is my best friend. We've been friends ever since she moved here to Malibu. Jackson is her older brother. He's really weird at times but he's really funny. I met Lucas during the whole shooting fiasco. He saved me. Melody is his twin sister, Oliver met her while in the library."
"Would you mind telling me everything that happened to you?" the man asked quietly. "Starting from when you woke up. It would pass the time while we go to the hospital."
"Ok" I said after a moment's hesitation. "But, be patient with me, I'm not sure if I can tell this whole story without crying."
"Don't worry. I'm the most patient guy you'll probably meet" the man said with a little laugh.
"Well, it all started with my little sister, Bailey, jumping on my stomach to wake me up. I love her lots but she's a pain in the neck" I started, taking a deep breath. "Then I stubbed my toe on my computer chair. I knew it was going to be a bad day. . .but not this bad."
For the rest of the ride to the hospital, I told my story. By the time we arrived, the man was in tears. . .
-
I was transferred to a bigger stretcher at the hospital. I said goodbye to the paramedic as I was pushed down the hall. Oliver was next to me on his own stretcher. I looked at him and saw that his eyes were open, staring at the ceiling with glossy eyes.
"Oliver" I called. He turned and looked at me, fear and sadness now in his eyes. I pushed my arm through the bars of my stretcher. Oliver did too. We grasped hands and squeezed tightly. "I'm so glad you're ok."
"Lilly?" Oliver said quietly.
"Yeah?" I asked in an equally quiet voice.
"I heard you tell that paramedic your story. I had no idea what happened to you" Oliver said, stroking my hand with his thumb. "And, I heard you tell him that you cared about me and were going to ask me out when the first shot was fired."
"Oh" I muttered. Despite the predicament, I blushed.
"Lilly?" Oliver asked quietly.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"I really care. . .I love you" he whispered.
"I love you, too" I replied, a smile coming to my face. Oliver smiled back and squeezed my hand again.
The nurses that were pushing our stretchers got us in an elevator. We rode up a couple of floors and the doors opened with a loud 'DING.' They pushed us down the hall and transferred us over to hospital beds.
"Miss Truscott, Mr. Oken. I'll be your nurse while you're here. My name is Nurse Sandy" a kind lady with auburn hair and green eyes and a soft smile said. "Would you like anything to eat or drink?"
Oliver and I looked at each other and exchanged glances. We shared a smile and turned back to Nurse Sandy.
"Twinkies."
Don't ask. Every since I could remember, Twinkies was Oliver's and my favorite snack food. Nurse Sandy let out a little laugh and left the room.
-OLIVER' P.O.V-
-Twenty Minutes Earlier-
Where am I? Why is everything so dark? I can hear people talking, arguing.
Blake and Aaron.
Someone's crying. It's. . .Blake. He's crying. What is he saying?
"I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry. I didn't meant to."
I know you didn't. You would never hurt us. It was just an accident. Or was it?
Was it an accident that he agreed to the shooting? Maybe his shooting me made him realize what he was doing was bad.
"Help me get them outside."
Blake's helping us? Yes he is, I can feel him lifting me up. Or maybe it's Aaron. Please let Lilly be ok. And Lucas. And Melody. And Jackson. And Miley. And Jake. And everybody. Let them be ok.
I can hear sobbing. Blake is still crying. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids are so heavy. I'm so tired and I have a throbbing pain in my arm.
I hear lots of voices now. Screams. Shouts. Sirens. I can feel a cool breeze on my skin. I'm outside.
"Are you boys all right?" a gruff voice asked.
"Yes, sir. These four. . .they've been hurt" Blake replied.
"We shot them" Aaron added. There was silence. I felt the itchy grass below me. I was lying on the ground. I heard a jingling noise. "Please sir, help them. Help us. We got shot ourselves."
"You'll be going to jail for a long time because of this" the gruff voice said somewhat angrily.
"Yes sir" Blake and Aaron said in unison.
I was being carried again. Now I'm lying on something. It's moving. A stretcher I think it is. I can finally open my eyes. I'm looking up at the sky. The sun was still bright, but none of this felt real.
A mask was placed over my nose and mouth and I was slowly falling asleep. Man, am I tired. I see people staring down at me, tears sliding down their faces. Just before I was fully asleep, I was loaded into the ambulance. . .
Someone was saying my name. I couldn't open my eyes, but I could hear everything everyone was saying. Lilly. She was in the ambulance next to me, talking to some guy.
"How's Oliver?" I heard Lilly ask.
"I'm. . .o. . .k" I whispered. I doubt she heard me anyway.
"Oh, he's just asleep. He's not dead if that's what you think" the man said with a little laugh. I fet like laughing myself, but I was too tired.l "The bullet was removed from his chest and arm. He lost some blood but we're going to get a match from the hospital and get blood donated into him. He'll be fine in a couple of hours."
I need to get blood donated to me? Everything is happening so fast. I forgot I got shot in the arm. The pain in my arm disappeared as soon as I got really scared.
"Oh good" Lilly replied. I could tell she was relieved. I was relieved too.
"You really care about him don't you?" the man asked. Please say yes, Lilly. I care about you too.
"I was just about to tell him how much I cared about him and ask him out when the first shot was fired" Lilly replied, taking in a shaky breath. "Can you make it so we can share a hospital room?"
You like me back? Were you trying to ask me out back at Miley's place this morning?
"I think I can" the man said. Thank you sir.
"I hope Miley, Jackson, Jake, Melody, and Lucas are ok" Lilly whispered. I herd Lilly giggle. "Miley Stewart is my best friend. We've been friends ever since she moved here to Malibu. Jackson is her older brother. He's really weird at times but he's really funny. I met Lucas during the whole shooting fiasco. He saved me. Melody is his twin sister, Oliver met her while in the library."
Lucas is very brave. I have to thank him.
"Would you mind telling me everything that happened to you?" the man asked quietly. "Starting from when you woke up. It would pass the time while we go to the hospital."
It was quiet for a moment. I didn't think Lilly would answer.
"Ok" Lilly replied. "But, be patient with me, I'm not sure if I can tell this whole story without crying."
"Don't worry. I'm the most patient guy you'll probably meet" the man said with a little laugh.
"Well, it all started with my little sister, Bailey, jumping on my stomach to wake me up. I love her lots but she's a pain in the neck" Lilly started, taking a deep breath. "Then I stubbed my toe on my computer chair. I knew it was going to be a bad day. . .but not this bad."
I fell right back asleep. . .
Then I woke up when I was being pushed down the halls of the hospital
"Oliver"
I turned and looked at Lilly. I watched as she pushed her arm through the bars of her stretcher. I did too. We grasped hands and squeezed tightly.
"I'm so glad you're ok."
"Lilly?" I said quietly, staring at her.
"Yeah?" I asked in an equally quiet voice.
"I heard you tell that paramedic your story. I had no idea what happened to you" I said, stroking her hand with my thumb. "And, I heard you tell him that you cared about me and were going to ask me out when the first shot was fired."
"Oh" Lilly muttered. I watched as a blush crept up her face and hid back a laugh..
"Lilly?" I asked again.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"I really care. . .I love you" I whispered.
"I love you, too" Lilly replied, a smile coming to her face. I smiled back and squeezed her hand again.
-Present Time-
I watched Nurse Sandy leave with a smile on my face. It immediately slipped off my face as she disappeared down the hall.
"Nothing's going to be the same is it?" I asked quietly, sitting up in my bed. Lilly sat up straight and gave me a confused look.
"No, I don't think so" Lilly replied just as quiet. I've noticed. We've been speaking softly for a while.
"Jackson, Miley, Jake, Melody, and Lucas could all be dead or dying or whatever" I said quietly.
"Don't say that, Oliver" Lilly said sharply. "You have to have hope."
"Too be honest, Lills. I don't think I'll ever get my hope back" I said, turning to look at her. She had an understanding look in her eyes. I knew she felt the same way.
"Twinkies" Nurse Sandy said in a sing-song voice as she walked back in with ten Twinkies. She gave Lilly and I five each. "We're going to have to take some tests before your families see you and before you leave."
"Ok" I replied unwrapping a Twinkie and happily taking a bite. I glanced at Lilly and we chewed with smiles on our faces.
For the next thirty minutes, the doctors ran tests on us. I really don't want to describe them because some of them were disgusting. But, I had to get stitched in my arm and chest. It hurt at first but think of the scar I'm going to get. I averted my gaze when Lilly got stitches in her chest. I didn't want her to think I was a perv.
"Would you like to see your families now?" Nurse Sandy asked with a knowing smile.
"YES" Lilly and I yelled in unison.
"OK, I'll be right back" Nurse Sandy replied with a nod. She left the room and her shoes click-clacked down the hall.
"Are you scared?" I asked Lilly. "About seeing your family I mean."
"Yeah" Lilly replied with a nod. "You?"
"Yeah" I repeated her answer. There was a knock on the door and I looked up. "Mom. Dad."
"Oliver" my parents cried in unison as they rushed to my side, smothering me with kisses and hugs.
"Lilly.
"Mom. Dad. Bailey."
I watched, tears of joy coming down my face as Lilly's sister, Bailey jumped onto her hospital bed and gave her a big hug.
"I'm sorry about yelling at you this morning Bailes" Lilly said, hugging her sister.
"Don't worry about it, Lills" Bailey replied with a smile as she wiped away her tears. "I'm just glad you're all right."
Nurse Sandy cleared her throat as she walked back into the room.
"You're allowed to leave now" she said quietly. Lilly and I got out of our hospital beds and gave each other a hug. I kissed her on the cheek and smiled.
"Thanks Nurse Sandy" we said in unison.
"Come on, Mr. Stewart says Miley is almost out of surgery. Her friend Jake too" Mrs. Truscott said as Bailey forced herself in between Lilly and I and wrapped her arms around out waists.
"Exactly what happened when you were in school?" dad asked quietly.
"How about we sit down and tell you. You're going to be blown away" Lilly suggested. . .