Well, huh, I thought, as I watched him walk off. This was gonna be harder than I thought. Was I getting in over my head? Disappointed, I headed back to the clubhouse.
Back inside, things were heating up. As Coach Saxon had predicted, Emma hadn't lasted long on the soda and now had a bottle of beer open in her hand.
"That didn't last long, Emma," I said, pointing at the beer bottle in her hand. "What happened to only wanting soda?"
"This is a party, Ange," she replied, flashing me a glare. "You know -- fun? Happiness? Good times? Stuff like that?"
"Hmph. I see," I said. I sat down next to her, grabbed my soda and tried to enjoy the vibe. After a few minutes back with the other girls and the guys, I began to feel a little looser, and started to relax. My mood brightened somewhat and my disappointment with how things went with Coach Saxon began to take a backseat in my mind.
Within another half-hour, the alcohol began to have its intended effects on its imbibers, and there was a lot of laughing and joking from the guys, and squealing and running around from the girls, as cool music played and everyone goofed off. It was great fun, and I decided that maybe this wasn't so bad after all.
At about 9pm, people chilled out big time and began sitting around on the sofa and the floor, telling stories, and dividing off into couples to have deep, quiet conversations.
Emma and I stood around viewing the scene.
"Man, it's still only 9:30," remarked Emma. "To think, most parties don't even start until eleven. The way everyone's behaving, you'd think it was 2:00am already."
"It's the Coach Saxon Effect," I smirked. "Better known as 'Coach-will-chew-me-out-and-kick-me-off-the-team Syndrome."
"The guy has an effect on people even when he's not here," she smiled.
I'll say, I thought.
Soon, Caroline was getting hot and heavy with Martin, and they were back on the sofa. Daphne had also chosen someone, and Becky another. Emma was talking to Cameron, who looked a little worse for wear. I was still on the soda, although the bottle was nearly empty.
Desire began to take over, and make-out sessions began, with Becky really going for it, Caroline in an advanced state of undress and Daphne pawing at Mark. Emma was still deep in a convo with Cameron.
Suddenly I heard a bang as Cameron's chair hit the floor. The big quarterback fell heavily sideways, and I saw his head hit the countertop behind the table before he slumped to the floor.
Emma screamed, and there was a confused mass of shouting and consternation. I rushed forward and held his head in my hands. He was out cold.
"Nooooo!" screamed Emma. "CAMERON!"
I held up a hand to her. "What just happened?"
"He just leaned back a little and fell down!" she cried.
Becky knelt down beside him, frantic. "Is it bad?"
"I don't know!" I answered.
John and Brad began shouting at him. "Cam, man! Wake up!" yelled John.
"Dude, get up!" cried Brad.
"He's out cold!" I shouted.
We tried shaking him a little and seeing if he would revive, but it quickly became obvious that he was gonna be like this for a while.
"What are we gonna do?" wailed Becky.
"How many beers did he have?" asked John.
"I don't know -- maybe four or five," replied Emma.
"Quick, we need to get him to hospital," I declared.
"HOSPITAL?" cried Caroline. "Is it that bad?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" I yelled at her, angrily. "We can't just leave him there, though!"
"He might get up in a few minutes," remarked Brad.
I turned to him, annoyed. "What if he doesn't? What if it's really serious and we're wasting time?"
"If we call an ambulance, he might wake up on the way!" cried Emma.
"Well, so what? He'll be better in that case! If not, then he'll get the treatment he needs! Let's go!" I answered. "I'll call 911!"
I did so, and asked for an ambulance to come. Some anguished minutes passed as we waited for the vehicle to arrive. While we were waiting, I got the others to clean up the clubhouse, move some furniture around to facilitate access for the paramedics, and organized what we were going to do afterwards.
"Girls, when the paramedics arrive, go back to the dorm," I ordered.
"What about you?" asked Becky.
"I don't know yet -- maybe I'll grab a taxi to the hospital to make sure he's OK."
"Right," said Caroline.
"Guys, the party's over," I said to the boys. "Once Cam's in the ambulance, let's go home."
Brad looked at me. "Yeah, OK -- that sounds like a good idea."
The other guys murmured in agreement.
I heard a vehicle approach and I went to look out the window. Sure enough, there was the incongruous sight of an ambulance making its way along the sports track beside the football field. I flung open the door of the clubhouse and went outside, waving madly at the ambulance. It sped up slightly as it approached, then halted just outside. Paramedics jumped out of the back carrying a stretcher.
"Where's the patient?" cried the one in the lead.
"In here!" I answered, hurriedly.
They went inside and I saw them heave the heavy quarterback onto the stretcher. After some effort, they transferred hi to a metal bed trolley on wheels, before sliding him into the back of the ambulance.
"Do I need to go with him?" I asked one of them.
"Are you a member of his family?" he asked.
"Er, no," I replied, sheepishly.
"Then no," he replied. "Have his family been notified?"
"No, not yet."
"Who's in charge here?"
"The coach, but he went home."
"Get him to call the family -- he'll probably have the details." With that, he jumped in the ambulance and they drove off.
Right. Back in the clubhouse, I asked the guys for Coach Saxon's number. Dialing it, I heard the deep voice of Jake come on the line.
"Yeah, John, what's up?"
"Coach, this is Angela using John's phone," I replied. "Cameron's fallen over and knocked himself out."
"WHAT!"
"He was out cold, so I called an ambulance and he's on his way to hospital already."
"What on earth!"
"Coach, the paramedic asked me to call you so that you could contact his family to tell them what happened."
"Oh, yeah? OK, right -- I'll get on it. Wait -- I don't have any details about it to tell them."
"The paramedics can fill you in."
"Yeah, I'd better get over to the hospital."