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Chapter Eight
The medication went down very smoothly this time. His heart rate increased but settled after three minutes, and he didn't get sick again.
After his heart settled, I sent him to the bed in the infirmary. I didn't tell him what possible side effects he could have because I wanted to see if he was faking it. But after several loud yawns and his eyes drooped slightly, I knew he was feeling the tiredness effect of the medicine.
I set the clock for exactly one hour. He could sleep for one hour, but then he had to go back to his cell. That was the maximum amount of time I had to give a patient for medication that caused these kinds of side effects. And I had a feeling that if I let him sleep until the effects wore off, he would never leave the infirmary.
As soon as his timer buzzed, I jumped from my seat and tried not to trip over my feet to go wake him up. I wanted him out of my workspace. His mere presence was irritating me, and I wasn't really sure why.
"Edward," I said, gently shaking his shoulder. "It's time to wake up."
He opened his eyes and scrunched up his face as if he were confused. I had to admit it was actually kind of cute. I couldn't help but blush and smile a little at the cuteness.
"What time is the meeting?" He asked as he stretched.
"No meeting. You need to go back to your cell." I told him.
He took a deep breath and laid back against the bed for a minute before letting the breath out in a deep sigh.
"Damn. I forgot I was here."
I chuckled. "Sorry, but the effects of your medication have worn off, now it's safe for you to go back to your cell."
He groaned as he sat up, swinging his legs over the side. He stretched out again, this time popping several joints.
"I just need to give you a quick checkup before I let you go," I said as I placed my stethoscope to his chest. I checked his heart rate, his blood pressure, and his reflexes. All were normal, so I was allowed to send him back to his cell.
"So do you have some form of youth arthritis?" I asked him once I finished his checkup.
"Huh?" He asked, his brows scrunching.
"The medication you're taking. It's only used for young people who show early signs of progressing arthritis. I was just curious. I know some other things you can do to help get you through the day when your joints hurt. I even know some medical treatment that's been proven to help that would probably be beneficial to you while you're in here."
He smiled softly. "Damn, I wish you weren't so sweet."
"What does that mean?" I asked, my brows now scrunching in confusion.
"If you weren't so nice, it'd be much easier to lie to you. But you're so sweet and helpful, it makes lying no fun. I actually feel bad about lying to you."
I crossed my arms. "Lying to me about what?"
"There's nothing wrong with my joints. My family's doctor sent over a prescription that wouldn't cause any damage but would get me out of my cell so I can finally get some sleep."
My eyes widened. "You have a fake prescription! That's so—,"
"Wrong?" He said as he looked up at me. "Yeah, I know. But after almost a month of living with a group of idiots who take an obscene amount of speed and spend all day and night screaming, you'd be desperate for sleep too."
I slowly shook my head. "I knew that prescription was crap."
He stood, stretching out his back as he did. "I knew you'd be the first to figure it out. You're smart."
I rolled my eyes. "Get out. And I'm telling the warden about this."
"Oh don't do that to yourself," He said as he slowly walked passed. "You're a good kid, but if you tattle on me to the warden, you're going to find yourself in hot water."
"I am not a kid. You're only four years older than me." I huffed. "And what hot water would I land in? You're the one who lied!"
He smiled. "True, but you have to prove I'm lying. And as sweet as you are and as much as I don't want to cause you any trouble, I can call my doctor and he'll write up an entire medical history with diagnostic tests that prove I have some form of arthritis that requires this medication. It will make you look very badly, and you have a lot of big dreams I don't want to ruin."
I rolled my eyes. "You're an awful person."
"Maybe, but who am I hurting with this lie? You're only an awful person if you're hurting good people."
"Am I not a good person, asshole?" I snarled. "I'm giving you medication that you do not need! I could lose my nursing license!"
"How? I am telling you the truth and I'm advising you against going to the warden because you'll end up looking like a fool. You're not going to lose your license. And if it came to that, then I'd get you a fake one." He winked.
I shook my head sharply with anger. "Get out."
"See you at dinnertime."
"Fuck. You." I hissed.
He paused, looking over at me with a grin on his face. When I glared at hm, his grin widened even more.
"I really like you," He said before turning and leaving with the PO who was walking to the infirmary to escort him.
I looked up when there was a knock at the infirmary door. I didn't know who was knocking because the POs usually just walked in with an inmate. It was a PO, however, he didn't have an inmate with him.
"Can I help you?" I asked as I placed the last cup onto the tray.
"Yeah, you have a delivery." He said as he set the paper bag onto the desk.
"Oh, I didn't order anything."
"It has your name on it." He shrugged before turning and walking away.
I rolled my eyes at his back. I think the POs gave less of a crap than the inmates did.
I walked over to the bag and opened it. As soon as the smell hit me, I rolled my eyes and huffed, but wasn't surprised.
I had a feeling after I gave Edward my lunch that he would arrange for lunch to be delivered to me. I knew as soon as he asked me what kind of food I liked that he would do this. I wasn't sure why I even told him my favorite kind of food if I knew he was going to do this.
I tied the bag up and placed it in the microwave. Before I could eat lunch I had to deliver meds to the pod.
When I got to the first pod, the inmates were already lined up. The PO let buzzed me in and stayed at his seat. He never got up anymore and stood at the doorway. He just let me go in and watched from the camera. At least, I hoped he was watching the cameras in case something happened, but the POs were lazy.
Passing out the medicine wasn't a big deal anymore nor did it make me nervous. The inmates took their pills and walked off. The moved fairly quickly until it got to the last inmate, which was always Edward.
"Good afternoon, nurse Swan," He grinned, not bothering to reach for the cup I held out.
"Please take your medicine," I said. "And you didn't have to send me lunch. I don't want it."
"Aw, but I got your favorite kind of food. Take it." He said as he finally took the cup. Of course he didn't take the medicine that was in the cup.
"I knew you were going to order me lunch. I don't even know why I told you my favorite kind of food." I rolled my eyes.
"If you knew I was going to order lunch for you then why did you tell me your favorite kind of food?" He asked, his grin growing wider.
I blushed and pursed my lips. "Because I… well, I—"
"Because you were hoping I'd send you lunch?" He asked before finally taking his medicine.
"Whatever," I hissed. "Why are you even doing all of this crap? You know I don't like you. I can't stand you, in fact. Why are you trying so hard to win me over?"
He shrugged. "Eh, I like you. I like the attitude you pretend to have, but deep down, you're not as mean as you try to appear. You're sweet and kind. You have many layers that I am dying to find know about."
"Leave me alone," I snapped before beating loudly on the closed, metal door. "Open it, I'm done!"
"See you at dinner," He grinned before turning his back and looking over his shoulder. "Enjoy your lunch."
"Fuck off," I hissed back before banging on the door again. "Open the door!"
"You like me more than you'd care to admit," Edward said in a quiet tone that was somehow still loud enough for me to hear.
When the door finally opened, I stormed through it with the cart. My head snapped over at the lazy PO who was still watching TV.
"When I tell you to open the damn door, open it!" I snapped at him.
He looked over at me. "I didn't hear you the first time, it's loud."
"Why don't you fucking pay attention then you idiot! Jesus Christ why are you all so damn lazy!"
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, psycho."
"Fuck you." I snapped as I stormed out of the office. I heard him mutter something else, but I was worried that if I turned back around, I'd rip his head off.
When dinner rolled around, I was both very hungry and very irritated. I was hungry because I refused to eat the lunch Edward had delivered to me and I was irritated because I knew he would be coming in right about now.
As predicted, he sauntered into the infirmary with his dinner tray and a grocery bag. The PO, again, left him in here alone. I rolled my eyes at the computer screen.
"Eat your dinner. Tell me when you're finished." I said in a clipped tone without turning to Edward.
"Did you enjoy your lunch?" He asked as he opened his grocery bag.
"It's in the microwave if you want it." I said through my grit teeth.
"Take your leftovers home, you can have them for dinner. Or you can pull them out now and join me."
I felt my anger rupture inside of me like a volcano. I spun from my chair and jumped to my feet; my fists balled tightly.
"I didn't eat the food you had delivered because I don't want it!" I said, practically yelling. "I want you to stop talking to me as if we're friends! I want you to leave me the fuck alone! You are a patient, and I am your nurse, that is all that is between us! I want you to stop flirting with me and stop making excuses to come in here when I'm here!"
"Well, I'm sorry if—,"
"Shut up!" I snapped. "I don't care if you're fucking sorry! I don't care about you! We are not friends. You're an inmate, you're a fucking criminal! Once you leave in a month you and I will not be hanging out outside of here because I would never, ever want to be seen with you! Do you understand me? How many ways can I tell you to leave me alone! Do I need to tattoo it into your arm, along with all of your other prison tattoos? Jesus Fuck! Leave. Me. Alone."
He stared at me for a minute, both in shock and amusement. His stupid expression pissed me off even more. I wanted to throw something at him to wipe the stupid look off of his face.
He licked his lips before speaking. "Do you truly not remember me?"
Remember him? What the hell is he talking about? Why would I remember him, I've never met him before.