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**Emily Rudd as Elaine**

*Shane's POV*

I was with Elaine and our small group of friends at lunch, still in shock about Nolan. Elaine was trying to explain what she could to them; Ava, Becca, Katen, and Sierra.

"He just told me that he was frustrated and he hadn't gotten sufficient sleep in days," Elly sighed.

"So that drove him to take all those pills? That's so unlike him," Becca shook her head.

"He said it was an accident," I whispered.

"We should go see him at the hospital," Elly told me, placing a hand over mine. "He'd want us to be there. Especially you."

"Damn, what're they gonna do to them?" queried Sierra, holding tightly onto her boyfriend's hand.

"Well, I didn't exactly see much since they took him from me..."

"My guess is gastric suction," Katen stated. "They had to do that to my cousin when she overdosed, but they have to do that within like... four hours of the ingestion, I think. Didn't he take the pills at night?"

"I'm so hoping it was like at 3 a.m. or something," Elly said, rubbing her temples.

"They'll figure it out," Ava hoped with a positive outlook.

"I don't wanna sound like a jerk, but I sorta think Nolan was lying. It couldn't have been an accident," Sierra gave her output.

"Why do you think that?" Becca asked with a look of disagreement. "I trust him. He's an honest person, and he'd never do that."

"I agree with Sierra," Katen sided with his girlfriend. "Of course Nolan isn't that kind of guy, and he's truthful... but he's also human. He feels things other than happiness, and he's perfectly capable of... doing drugs or something. Not saying he is, but I don't think this incident was an accident. If it were, he wouldn't have known he overdosed."

"Yeah, guys. I mean, who takes three sleeping pills and their meds without being fully aware of it?"

I shrugged. "I'll take his word for it. Maybe there's more to it. He was trying to tell me, but he passed out before he could."

Ava's eyes rimmed with tears. "I know I'm a positive person... but what if they can't help him? People die from drug overdose."

"Guys, guys, he'll be fine," Elly reassured everyone. "Shane and I will visit him and he'll be recovering just fine and everything will be alright."

***

Elly and I walked into the waiting room where Justin and Nolan's mother were sitting. Ms. Reeds saw me approaching and stood up to acknowledge us.

"I'm so sorry," I sympathized, giving her a hug. Justin stood up as well and smiled at Elly.

"Hey, El." He wore a distraught look.

"How is he?" I asked, pulling away from Ms. Reeds.

She rubbed her hands together and heaved a sigh. "He's ...good. He's good. Um, they had to induce vomiting before pumping his stomach to get all the remaining substances out." She shook her head with her lips pressed together. "When I saw him with the tubes in his mouth and... ugh, I'm a mess."

Justin rubbed his mother's back. "Nolan will be fine. They resuscitated him and he had trouble breathing at first, but..." he shrugged. "He's fine now, promise."

"When can we see him?" Elly questioned.

"Right now if you'd like. Let me go first, so I can tell him you're here, then I'll come get you. I don't want him to get overwhelmed or anything," Justin informed, leaving us.

"I'm so sorry about all this, Ms. Reeds," Elly apologized.

Ms. Reeds nodded. "Thanks, Elaine. I just... Justin and I couldn't talk to him because, I mean, he wasn't in the position to talk and still isn't..." she shrugged.

"Do any of you know what happened? Did he tell you? We only know he overdosed."

"He took about three sleeping pills and his meds sometime last night or before school, but he claimed it was an accident." I explained.

Ms. Reeds' eyebrows pulled together. "Oh, dear. I know he's been forgetting to take his medicine lately. But, if it wasn't an accident, then... maybe he hasn't been forgetting. Maybe he just didn't want to take it for a reason I don't know. Did he tell you anything else?"

Elly and I shook our heads. "He fainted before he could tell me anything else," I informed.

"Thank you for helping him when he did," Ms. Reeds appreciated. "God knows what could've happened if it had been too late."

Justin returned to us a couple minutes later and smiled at us. "Alright, yeah, we can see him. He's awake, but he'd been slipping in and out of sleep, so just be a

bit quick."

"I'll see him later. They only allow two people at a time," Ms. Reeds said to us.

We thanked her and let Justin take us to Nolan's room. I was a bit nervous to see him. No doubt I loved the guy; he was amazing, and he didn't deserve any of this. He didn't deserve the frustration, anger, and hurt he'd been given. I blamed

myself. Maybe if I had caught it much, much sooner, I could've done something about that.

Once we were in Nolan's room, Justin gave us some space and left us.

"You're okay!" Elly cheered to herself, standing at Nolan's bed. He smiled weakly at her and she squeezed his hand. "We're here for you."

"Hey, Nolan," I whispered, holding his other hand. "We're so happy you're okay."

"I wish you could speak." Elly chuckled. That caused Nolan to smile and roll his eyes playfully.

"Do you know when you'll go back home?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Hopefully tomorrow," Elly wished. "We were so worried about you. Our friends wish you well too."

"Yeah, and I called Jace. I had to tell him. He said he'll try to come as soon as he can."

Nolan nodded in response and I smiled at him. He smiled right back, and I saw happiness enter his eyes. It amazed me that someone who went through all this could still find a sense of joy, and still wear a smile. Deep within my heart, I

wished Nolan all the true love a human being could give. He deserved it.

In seconds, he slipped into slumber as Justin had warned he would.

"He needs to sleep. I hope he gets lots; it's a good thing," I told Elly. She agreed and touched Nolan's shoulder with care before walking out of his room with me.

Justin was right outside, so he nodded at us and I told him we'd find our way, letting him go stay with his little brother.

"He was so happy to see you," she teased, finally at ease now that she knew he was okay.

I chuckled. "I was happy to see him, too, you know. You still like him?" I squinted at her.

She opened her mouth to speak but paused to think about it. "Actually... not like that."

"Lies."

She laughed. "I'm serious. I want Nolan to find someone entirely new. Someone nobody knows so that only he can get to know that person. It's special that way."

I nodded. "Okay, but that has nothing to do with your liking him."

"Yes, it does. I want that for myself as well. It's been a year, so those feelings have dissolved. Now, I just care about him a lot. He's a friend I don't wanna take for granted. If I lose him, in any way, I'd be devastated. And so will many others."

"Well said, El."

She flipped her hair. "I know I'm wise."

I thought over her words and my brows pulled together. "Someone entirely new..." I mumbled.

She looked at me. "Hm?"

My gray eyes roamed aimlessly around the white walls of the hospital area. "Someone new... Elly, you're right. You're so right - that's it." I shook my head at the revelation I had unveiled.

"Wise bitch is lost. What're you saying?" she probed with a funny confused face.

I bit my lip for a second, still working it out in my head. "I don't think Nolan is in love with me," I revealed. "What you said, about him finding someone entirely new, just made it click. And I don't know why the hell we haven't had this

conversation sooner, but that's the answer right there."

"Wise bitch is still lost, Shane, work with me here."

I stopped walking and she stopped with me. Facing her, I took a breath. "Elly, Nolan tricked himself into thinking he's in love with me."

She folded her arms. "Bull. It's been a year, and I'm pretty sure he's perfectly aware of how he feels."

"And I understand that. But, think about it. He loses Dawn and he goes into this 'I don't deserve love' state of mind. He sees his best friend fall in love with me, and

he wants the same love... with me. Not because he liked me but because I was the only guy that was in the picture."

She began to nod, understanding where I was coming from. "Alright, so you're saying, it's like... monkey see, monkey do? He wanted the kind of love you gave Jace, so he wanted to experience that?"

"Exactly."

Elly stared at me for a moment before whacking me in the arm. "You are unbelievable. Do you really think that's a plausible theory? I was in the picture too, right, though I'm a girl? It's not like Nolan labelled himself as gay or bi or whatever."

I sighed. "It sounded much better in my head."

"I'm only saying this because I love you and someone has to do it... Shane, you and Jace are full of crap and I can see why you're compatible."

"Ouch."

"Take it from the wise bitch."

I rolled my eyes. "Elly, I'm serious here. If there were to be another guy or girl in the picture, I assure you, Nolan wouldn't even remember my name."

"I have an idea. Why don't you talk to Jace about this? He might be able to interpret it better since your minds work hand in hand."

"Wow. Fine, don't hear me out. I know what I'm saying though. Or, thinking."

We continued walking.

******

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