Chapter 10

                                    

                                          
Louis's POV 
Everything was dark around me and my mind was completely blank. It was literally empty, and I had no thoughts; it was as if everything had been washed away. 
It took me a few minutes to realize my eyes were closed. I slowly tried to open them and was immediately blinded by the bright fluorescent light that hit my irises. I winced, unable to handle the harshness of it. I kept my eyes closed for some time while I tried to remember where I was.  
It took me several minutes to recall the what, when, and why. I remembered the football match, striking the ball and scoring the first goal, and then all I remembered was the feeling of unbearable pain.  
I felt someone touch my hand but I still didn't want to open my eyes again. 
"Boo Bear, did you wake up, honey?" 
Mom? I slowly opened my eyes. It was her alright. I tried to say something but I couldn't. I realized that there was an oxygen mask covering my mouth. 
"It's okay honey... I know, I'm here. You have been unconscious for about two days now. Let me get the doctor, alright? Need to tell them that you woke up," she said, stroking my hair. I nodded slowly. 
Apparently, I had something called Atrial Fibrillation? And I also learned that it causes dizziness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest pain. That explains a lot, I suppose, I thought with a mental chuckle. I mean, it explains the chest pains I've been having for the past few weeks, right? And I thought it was just my heart breaking. Ugh, could I be any more dramatic? 
Hours that followed were a blur of immediate tests and assessments that had to be done to check my motor and sensory functions, GCS, pupil response, blood tests, toxicology screenings (which clearly wouldn't go well when the results came back with all the substances detected), and scans.
Just as I had predicted, my age (obviously), heart conditions, other medical conditions, and genetic predisposition were ruled out as causes or risk factors, making the only possible cause for my condition to be my own lifestyle choices: excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, and the newest addition, high levels of stress.  
Mom looked disappointed beyond comprehension. She looked like she wanted to cry, scream, and also whack me, all at the same time. Even when I apologized and pinky-promised that I would be more careful in the future, she still refused to talk to me. Well, she had the right to, given how reckless I had been. 
The final chest x-ray for the day was done, and I was being taken back to the room after what felt like a million light years. Mom finally spoke to me to tell me that she was going to go downstairs to have a cup of coffee and would be back soon.  
When we were getting closer to the hospital room, I sensed some sort of commotion. A few people were walking in and out of the room hurriedly and loud conversations filled the air. I couldn't make out what was happening, though. 
Upon entering the hospital room, I saw a few nurses and a doctor standing inside, all gathered around a person who was sitting on a chair, his face buried in his hands and elbows resting on his knees.
"Oh my lord, there he is! Told you, son," a very kind-looking, elderly nurse said when she saw me being taken inside the room.
A very disoriented Harry looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. 
"Lou!!!" he said, immediately standing up from the chair, and more tears started to fall down his cheeks. He looked like a complete mess. His eyes were red-rimmed and snot was coming out of his nose.  
"He came looking for you and panicked a little when you weren't in the room. Well, a bit more than little," the nurse said, chuckling. "We tried to tell him that you had been taken out for some tests, but he wouldn't listen."