Erika still felt groggy, and more than slightly dizzy, but she had still arrived at school without too many problems. Less than a block away she could see parents dropping off children, smiling warmly to each other and waving before going their separate ways. On some small level, Erika was jealous that these kids before her; she shook her head, keeping her thoughts from wandering to dark places. As it were, she found herself looking about much more than what she considered normal, and not a moment later she met the eyes of an extremely startled… and albeit darkly dressed, Dominik.
"you..!" he started before catching himself 'make them fear you' Sylvia's words hung suspended in his mind like spider's silk. For a moment her waivered, but without another word, Dominik regained his composure and brooding expression before sneering at Erika, and lifting the collar of his jacket to hide his face.
Erika raised an eyebrow in defiance, but felt herself wither inside at having made such an enemy for trying to help. She shook her head slowly as if to dislodge the thought from her brain but found no solace in the slow rhythmic movement. When she looked back up, both Dominik and the car were gone.
She didn't see him much that day, and in the one class they shared he didn't bother to look anywhere in her direction. She disliked this childish boy, who seemed to look down upon those he felt were unworthy of his attention and spread unearned disgust.
...but she also saw the way his former friends looked at him now, the same way he had once dared to look at her. She almost felt sorry for him, and for one instant Erika thought she may have seen pain beyond his usual aggressive demeanor.
She hadn't thought much of it then, her mind preoccupied with returning to her afternoon job at the local hospital. She had been forced to put it aside when delivering Dominick's book, and it would be silly to work at a hospital when you yourself is sick.
She had been volunteering at the local hospital since she was able; it seemed to help put her life into perspective when she was helping those who weren't lucky enough to be of sound body…. and occasionally sound mind.
Though she was only a candy striper, she got to know many of the patients fairly well, though she never really bothered memorizing the names of her dozen recipients; most were quite kind, the old especially. She wasn't sure if they were fond of those younger than them, if they admired youth with their own death so close, or if maybe they were just from a kinder time; even though there was the occasional sourball, Erika thoroughly enjoyed her work… That was, she had until today.
Erika grumbled as she carried her tray of carefully arranged pills down the hospital's corridors to the psychiatric ward. Another volunteer who usually covered this route had gotten called away for a personal matter, leaving Erika with a run she wasn't entirely comfortable with. She had never been in a psychiatric ward before, and didn't really have a reason to feel the chill that slipped down her spine, but as she walked down the hallways lit with the yellow tint of the fading fluorescent light she couldn't help but remember all the movies and horror stories that started out eerily similar to this. Only 3 more rooms to go. Only three more little cups of colorful pills to be delivered before this whole silly situation can be forgotten for a long, long time.
Room 311 was a poor fellow in his late thirties, suffering from severe depression. He had a long nose and unruly dark hair, he would have been attractive for a man his age if not for the redness from crying recently, and sunken bags under his eyes. Erika delivered his medication without so much as a word, it seemed as if any noise and he'd just… Break. She gave the sad man a soft smile, and quietly asked if she could get him anything else before she left. He looked down, and Erika would have sworn she heard a small whimper, but he shook his limp head and resumed staring emptily out the window.
With a small sigh, Erika resumed her walk for another ten feet to room 312. She kept her eyes to the ground, pity for the sad man still flooding her system, when a familiar and overly irritating voice broke through her thoughts.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
Erika's eyes snapped up, a sharp retort barely restrained. That's when her eyes met Dominik's. Suddenly all pity was gone, all Erika wanted to do was drop her tray and unload all her unspoken misgivings, to aggressively point and scream her resentment.
But Erika was too professional for that-
And too scared.
But Dominik wasn't.
"The hell are you doing here, you fucking stalker?!" He snarled at her, and for a moment Erika was too dumbfounded to really reply'
"Y-you're kidding me." She finally breathed out, one of her hands coming to rest against her forehead
"That's what I said, now get the hell out!"
"...NO!"
And that was it, all the power Erika had built behind her thoughts thrust out in that one word.
That one…. Stupid word.
"The hell you mean no?" Dominik sneered recoiling, the disgust plain on his face which only served to fuel her anger more
"I mean no, I'm here doing my job. Not all of us have as much spare time as you apparently have."
She huffed, feeling like her little outburst was justified. Dominik's face scrunched up his face, and Erika thought he was about to roar at her, but he sharply turned away. Very quietly he added
"You don't know anything about me."
And Erika couldn't really argue with that. She walked over beside him, her anger quelled for the moment, on guard for his next snide remark.
She checked his report attached to the side of his bed, double checking that she gave him the right medication, she did so at almost every room.
What she saw on his charts shocked her, and for a brief moment her eyes flicked to the bandages swaddling his wrists, but she kept her face stoic, she wouldn't care. Not for him. She sighed and nodded to herself, picking up the little bowl of pills and giving them to dominik.
"What are these for..?!" He eyed her suspiciously
"Their supplements. You apparently went for a time without eating, these are to help you gets your strength back." She held out the cup
"I don't need them." He turned away, crossing his arms
"Yes. Yes, you do." She held her arm out further, pressing it, knowing he needed the vitamins, he was in a worse condition than he was letting on.
"I'm not eating those."
Erikas brows knit in frustration and determination "well you need to have something, you won't last long without anything to eat."
"It's too bad that you can't do your job then."
Erika scowled at him, biting back what she oh-so-badly wanted to say back.
She growled lowly "please."
Dominik eyed her, the mirth plain on his face, he thought he was winning.
"What was that you fucking creeper?"
Oh if looks could kill
"Please. Take. The. Meds."
"Hmm… Okay, but only because you asked nicely" he took the paper cup from her hands and eyes the colorful pills boredly. Erika gave a small smile of relief and turned to go; she was three steps from the door when she felt something hit the back of her head. Erika stiffly turned to inspect what had hit her, Dominik sat triumphantly, smirking for all his worth, and she looked down to find the crumpled paper cup.
With a sour scowl, she bent down and picked it up, then left without another word, making a point to shut his door on her way out.
The next day, Erika felt uncertainty tingling on her fingertips as she reached Dominik's door.
What would he say today? Would he be more agreeable? …Certainly not.
She took a deep, shaky breath and stepped inside.
Dominik was reclining on his hospital bed today, he looked thoughtful, maybe even solemn until he took notice of the girl in his room.
"Oh... You're back." Though he definitely didn't sound amused, he didn't seem as angry as he was yesterday today either.
"...Yeah." she answered lamely as he sat up. "... How are you feeling today?" The words were out before she could bite them back, an automated response for the patients she saw every day.
At first Dominik looked surprised, then apprehensive, until finally his features settled on suspicious.
"... I'm feeling no better than I did yesterday." His comment was sarcastic, but his eyes followed her as if Erika might try to bite him, and she observed him just as skeptically.
This new ground they had happened upon was unknown territory for the both of them, and neither of them were sure of what the other was playing at. Their words weren't hostile, they were common, even bordering on friendly.
"Okay… That sucks."
"Yeah. Thanks for noticing." His words were sarcastic, and held a barb of apprehension, but were overall joking to Erika's surprise.
She handed over the paper cup and waited to make sure he took what was given to him; Dominik stared emptily into the small container holding his supplements, he looked tired.
"Don't they have anything more… Appetizing..?"
"Well, yeah. We call that food, but you've refused to really eat anything since you got here."
He cast her a defiant glare "the food here sucks, even you have to know that if you work here. Besides, I want to die."
Erika looked up at him sharply "first of all, I volunteer, I don't get paid for doing this. Secondly, I don't believe you want to die."
"Yes I do, I know you know how I got here, it's not like it's a big secret."
"Yes, I know, but if you really wanted to die you wouldn't have been so careless" Dominick's eyes widened, and Erika took the chance to sit down as she continued "we don't get many like cases yours here. Sure, we get the occasional drug addict, and I've heard stories of mentally troubled patients, but not many our age try to commit suicide so suddenly like that."
"How would you know about this?"
"I may not have as many friends as you Dominik, but that doesn't keep me from seeing what goes on around me… And I do have a computer."
"So you've seen what they say about me now."
"Yeah." She guiltily looked away, his piercing stare making her feel like she had found out about something dirty and private.
A silence stretched between them before Dominik spoke again in a voice so quiet Erika thought she might have imagined it
"...what do you think of me…?"
Erika gaze fell back on him to find he had looked away, his eyes already red and bloodshot from tears yet to come.
She shrugged and took a moment to look away and think before meeting his gaze once more
"I think… I think people can be cruel."
Dominik grimaced "you didn't answer the question.
"I don't think what they did to you was fair Dom."
"Don't call me that."
She nodded, trying to hide the smile that crept up at the childlike indignation in his voice.
"Stop smiling like that, you look like an idiot."
"Yeah, sorry, I know." She eyed him playfully
"Ahem" a third voice caught both their attentions, and they quickly turned to see who had joined them.
It was Beata, Dominick's mother
"Shouldn't you be continuing your run?" She asked
"Y-yes mam." Erika stuttered, ashamed at being caught distracted. " I'll, I'm… I will just be going then."
Erika grabbed the tray of medications and scurried to the empty hallway as fast as her skirt would allow.
Dominik looked on after her, more than a little understanding. His mother was often very blunt and intimidating to her workers and often family, to a small girl like what's-her-face she was probably terrifying.
"Wasn't that the same girl from the other night?" His mother asked claiming the now vacant visitors chair
"Yeah. Apparently she works here."
"Strange, she seems a little going to work in such a depressing place.
"Forgive me, she volunteers here." Beata decided best to overlook his attitude, given the situation.
"She seems like a nice girl, though. Are you interested in her?"
"Wha- NO. God! mother, she's one of The most annoying people I've ever met."
"Don't tell me takes Dominik, I saw you two smiling at each other."
"I wasn't smiling."
"Oh, I think you were. In fact I think that's the most fun I've seen you have since that party."
"Mom."
"Fine fine. How have they been treating you here? Are you cold? Those sheets look so thin. And you look half dead! Haven't they been feeding you at all?"
"I've been fine, mother, really. I'm fine. Bored, but fine."
"If you say so baby."
"Don't call me that, I'm not a baby..!"
"Okay then, Dominik" her tone was a bit shorter, showing his attitude was getting the better of her, and she stood up to leave. "Then I guess I will come by again next time I get the chance."
"Yes Mother."
Candy Striper - person who divies out meds in case you were curious ;) and didn't already figure that out…
