I dialed the number quickly to Mercy hospital
in Tampa Florida, the closest to Nick’s house.
“Hello?” the woman asked.
“My friend is bleeding over at his house” I
said. Why was I caring about Nick after
he ditched us?
“Address, please?”
“220
River View Drive,” I said, my voice starting to tremble.
“OK, an ambulance will be sent over,” the lady
said, as I hung up, not even thinking about saying thank you.
How could Nick be bleeding? Did he cut himself?
I got up off the bed in the hotel room we were
staying at in Atlanta. If I caught a
plane now I could be there within a few hours, I thought as I got my duffle
bag out from my closet and set it down on my bed, as there was a knock at the
door.
“Come
in!” I yelled as I got my clothes that I just washed off the dresser and put
them into my duffle bag.
“Hey
Bri… where you going?” Kevin asked as he looked at me.
“I’m going back to Florida. Nick just called me on my cell, and he said
he was bleeding,” I said as I walked into the bathroom and got my belongings.
“What
about tonight’s concert? You just can’t
blow it off now for a trader who left us!” Kevin said his voice rising with
anger.
“That trader just happens to be my best friend,
and nobody, not even you, will hold me back from making sure he’s alright,” I
said as I walked out from the bathroom and put the belongings in my bag and
zipped it up.
“Brian are
you nuts?” Kevin asked as I picked up my duffle bag off my bed.
“
No, Kev, I’m actually thinking clear now.
I should have been the one who should have called Nick in our free time,
but I wasn’t, so now I’m going to make it up to him,” I said as I pushed passed
Kev and opened my door heading for the elevator. I felt Kevin’s hands on my
shoulders as he turned me around and glared at me.
“Its either us or him, Brian. You make the choice,” Kevin said as Howie
and AJ came out of there rooms after hearing all the yelling.
“Him,” I said as I got out of Kevin’s grasped
and walked into the elevator, pressing the button and watching the doors close
as my three friends disappeared. I
hailed a taxi as I made it out of the lobby of the hotel.
“Brian!” I heard Howie and AJ yell as they ran towards me.
“We’re coming with you,” AJ said, as I smiled
slightly and got into the taxi as it drove off towards the airport.
The airplane landed two hours later in
Tampa. We got off the plane and rushed
to get our luggage. We rented a car and
drove towards Mercy hospital.
“What made you guys change your mind about
Nick?” I asked during the ride.
“We heard what you said to Kev about not being
Nick’s friend, even though he did leave the group,” AJ said as I nodded and the
rest of the ride was silent.
We pulled into the hospital parking lot and got
out of the car quickly practically running toward the entrance. I made it first
to the front desk.
“Hello,
what room is Nickolas Carter in?” Howie asked.
“Um, he’s in an ICU room,” the woman said as I
felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned
around and saw a doctor looking at us.
“Are
you looking for Mr. Carter?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said as the other guys turned around.
“My
name is Dr. Martinez. I was his doctor
when he came in here, and I would like to ask you a few questions before you
see him,” he said as we all nodded and followed him towards his office. He opened the door for us as we walked in
and took a seat in the three chairs in front of his desk.
“Do you know if Mr. Carter has ever had any
thoughts of suicide?” Dr. Martinez asked as my mouth dropped.
“What
do you mean, suicide?” AJ asked as I saw tears form in his eyes, but were hidden
by his sunglasses.
“When Mr. Carter was brought in, he was
bleeding from his wrist, and the wound looked like it had been cut open with a
knife or something sharp,” Dr. Martinez said.
“How do you know its suicide, though?” I asked,
my voice small.
“The wound was directly over the vein in his
wrist, and usually most accidental cuts are not there, either zigzagged or
diagonal.”
“Oh my God, can we see him?” Howie asked as Dr.
Martinez nodded.
“He’s in ICU room 213. Would you like me to show you the way?” he
asked, as we headed towards Nick’s room.