Page 353 of Small Town Firsts

"We're taking her to Central North," he says, as the other maneuvers the stretcher into the back of the ambulance.

I try to follow them, but the paramedic stops me with a hand to my chest. "Not so fast."

"Please," I beg.

He offers a sympathetic look. "Sorry, family only."

Those words are an arrow through my already tattered heart.

"Please take care of her," I whisper.

"Let's go," one of the other workers calls.

He gives me a nod before turning and heading for the truck.

As they pull away, I realize I don't have my car. "Fuck!" I yell for what has to be the hundredth time tonight.

I scramble to grab my phone from my pocket, dialing Gabe.

He answers on the first ring. "Did you find her?"

"Yes, but I need you to come pick me up."

"What's going on, Sterling?"

"Just come get me. I'm outside of her dorm."

"I'll be there in five."

I pace back and forth until I hear the sound of squealing tires. I look up just in time to see Gabe's truck jerk to a stop.

Wordlessly, I run and jump into the cab. "Tell Zach to meet us at Central North."

He whips around in his seat, glaring at me. "I'm sorry, what? Why are we going to the hospital?"

Even as he asks, he's shifting the truck into gear.

"She overdosed."

He curses under his breath and peels out of the parking lot. "If anything happens to her, if she doesn't pull through this, I'll fucking kill you."

I want to argue, to plead my case but, deep down I know he's right, so I don't. Instead, I pull my seat belt across my lap and say, "Just hurry, man."

The driveto the hospital passes in a blur.

Gabe tries to ask me questions, but my mind is completely shut down. All I can think of is the way Emmalyn laid limp in my arms, her breaths so shallow I'm almost convinced I imagined them.

Before I know it, we're pulling up outside the emergency department. "Zach should be here any minute," Gabe says as he swings his truck into a parking space.

I nod to let him know I heard him, and together we exit his truck and head for the double doors beneath the illuminated red cross.

I'm half tempted to storm the desk, but Gabe yanks on the back of my shirt and whispers for me to chill.

"Can I help you?" the nurse asks.

"Has Emmalyn Price been brought in? She came by ambulance."

"Are you family?"

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