Chapter 22: Hospital Bills

                                    

                                          
Eddie's POV
The heart rate monitor beeped on the side of me, warning me to get up. I snapped my eyes open, a strangled scream escaping my hoarse throat. The beeping began to increase rapidly as I gasped for air, looking around in frantic confusion at my friends.
"Woah! Eddie's awake!" I heard Mully say as I snapped my head in his direction. "Calm down, mate! You're okay!" Josh stood up from his chair, holding his hands in front of me to calm me down. I wasn't able to calm down, however, only stuck with the urge to leap out of the hospital bed and find Gaege. The only thing I could remember was the bullet flying into him and his lifeless eyes staring past me. 
"Gaege!" I asked them, "Where is he?!" "Eddie, you need to relax," Grant said calmly, "The doctor is going to come see you in a few minutes. Gaege is in the other room." 
"Is he..." I asked quietly, feeling tears forming in my eyes, unable to finish the question. Josh nodded, "He's alive. Barley."
 I let out a relieved sigh anyway even though I knew we weren't out of the forest yet. "What about everyone else?" I asked again, "Did everyone make it out?" 
Mully exchanged a glance with Narrator as he said, "Luckily everyone is okay." 
The door then opened, causing everyone to turn their heads in the direction of the doctor walking in. "Eduardo, right?" The doctor smiled at me, pushing the tip of his glasses up, "Thought you'd still be knocked out after that. It must've been very tough on you." I avoided his blue eyes even though I could feel him study me. "You're body went into shock after witnessing the gunshots," He explained to me, "Fortunately for you, you didn't undergo any fatal harm to your body. Although the lasting mental effects may bother you for some time." 
I pressed my lips into a line, "What about my friend Gaege? Gaege Gibson?" The doctor looked down at his clipboard, stoking his chin as he flipped a page up. 
"Oh, Gaege Gibson," The doctor looked back at me, "He's lucky enough to be alive. The bullet didn't hit any of his vital organs, but he may have some trouble moving around for a bit." 
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, feeling the knot in my stomach unwind a little. He was alive. Hurt, but alive. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him again.
"When can we see him?" Mully asked, biting his lip in worry. "I'm afraid it may take a few days before you all could visit him," The doctor answered, "Do you know if he has any family members that can help pay for the surgery?"
"Surgery?" I gasped, "When is he having surgery?" 
"Today," The doctor replied, making us all freeze, "They're going to attempt to remove the bullet." I rubbed a hand over my face, feeling worried all over again. 
"No, we don't know if he has any family," Grant shook his head, "I don't think they're close anymore." 
"I can pay for him," I then said, not thinking twice before continuing, "I just need some time." The doctor raised an eyebrow at me, his eyes scanning my face as he said, "What relation do you have to him?" 
I hesitated, not entirely sure what to say. "I'm a..." I licked my lips nervously, "I'm his boyfriend." The other boys didn't mention anything even though I could see Mully exchange a glance with the other boys. 
"Well, since no one else is willing to pay, we'll figure something out. In the meantime, the nurse will come in and make sure you're alright and ready to be released, okay?" 
I nodded, watching him leave before letting out a shaky sigh. "Eddie, you know we don't have the money to pay," Josh said with a worried expression, "We might be able to scrap up a few bills but the whole thing? I don't know where we can get that money from, mate." I pressed my lips into a line, "I'm going to find a way. As long as he's safe, that's all that matter to me." 
"Aww that's so cute," Grant chuckled, "I've never seen you so worked up about someone before." I blushed a dark shade of red, "This is Gaege we're talking about. Let's just hope he'll be okay."