I Hope You Like the Stars I Stole for You

Vic’s POV

Pruitt’s voice seemed to echo around my head, the words she had said not making sense. Had she just said it wasn’t my baby ?

My pulse pounded in my ears and I could feel the blood rushing through my veins. My heart was pounding too fast and I could see Pruitt’s lips moving but I couldn’t hear her. My vision blurred and then I blacked out. The last thing I could feel was my face hitting the soft carpet.

I awoke to the feeling of someone hovering over me. My eyes were greeted by harsh white light, and something felt wrong. As my pupils adjusted, I saw that I was in an unfamiliar bed, in a strange, pale room- a hospital. What the hell ? Then memories came rushing back, and I asked the nurse what was going on. “Where’s Pruitt ? Where is she, I need to see her now !” She leaned over me, waving a hand in front of my eyes; she was the one I had felt hovering. ‘Mr. Fuentes, you need to calm down. You’re in the hospital, you passed out. The doctor is still running some tests, you can’t have visitors yet.” “I need to see her !” I shrieked again, prepared to get louder. She placed a hand on my shoulder, I’ll be back with your doctor.

As she left the room, I thought honestly about ripping the IV’s out and making a break for it, but then there was the chance of my parents finding out about this whole situation. I didn’t want them to know that I was in the hospital because then I would have to tell the story leading up to it….I began to feel sick all over again thinking of what Pruitt had told me. This meant so many things….

I felt numb and cold and I just wanted to go home and start this day over.

The doctor, Dr. Nelson, entered the room and interrupted my thoughts. “Hello Mr. …Fuentes.” He shook my hand. “Vic.” I said with a forced smile. “Well Vic, it seems as though your blood pressure dropped dangerously low this afternoon, causing you to black out. Your oxygen levels were pretty low too. I ran some tests and other than that, you’re the picture of health. We just need to figure out what may have caused your episode and try to prevent it from happening again. Were you doing anything unusual ?” I swallowed hard “I uh, received some shocking news, I’m pretty sure that’s what caused it.” The Dr. looked concerned. “Anything I can help you with son ?” “Uh, not really. Girlfriend problems….” I said vaguely, hoping to placate him. It worked, and he exited the room. I looked to the nurse, “When can I leave ?” She glanced at my chart, making a few notes. “As soon as we get all these paperwork filled out. Has this ever happened before ? Past medical history please.” She droned on and on with more pressing questions, then finally relented and said I could see Pruitt.

The nurse left for about ten minutes, and I was getting worked up again. I was being kept from seeing the one person I truly loved, and we were in a crisis right now. I didn’t care how sick I was or wasn’t, or what I had to go through, I needed to see her, NOW. She was carrying a child, and whether or not it was my child, it was still Pruitt’s. And I would stand by her no matter what. I had to make sure she was okay, she was probably really scared right now. Not only was she sixteen and pregnant, it wasn’t with her boyfriend’s baby and now her boyfriend was in the hospital. Her parents were out of town and she had no one to turn to. I was her safe haven, and when she bared her secrets to me I let her down. If the nurse wouldn’t bring Pruitt in, then I would just go to Pruitt. I started taking out my IV’s and other various medical equipment, and suddenly nurses were flooding my room and trying to stop me. Dr. Nelson suddenly pushed past everyone to see what was going on, but I was putting up a fight. Amidst all the people, I saw Pruitt. But she wasn’t alone.

And she was kissing Alex.

I swear my life flashed before my eyes, and I saw red. I shoved past everyone and let everything go. I lunged for Alex, knocking him to the floor. I sat on top of him and started wailing on him. Now I was really seeing red, because his nose and cheek were bleeding all over the floor and staining my hands. I felt strong arms pull me off of Alex and restrain me. I felt drained, and now I snapped back to reality. I hadn’t heard Pruitt’s cries or anyone else shouts, it felt like I had been in a tunnel without sound or vision without the focus on Alex. How could he do this ?

Alex was the father of Pruitt’s baby.