POV Jess
Nine o'clock is approaching, and Cole needs his antibiotic. Eleanor is still in the emergency department for the time being. I'm still a wreck, eyes red and puffy. It's a challenge not to get emotionally attached to some patients. I should be more like Roman and disconnect myself, identify patients by their room numbers instead of acknowledging that they're real people with real lives outside of this depressing building. I envy the ones who can just turn that switch on and off. Maybe in time I'll be able to disassociate myself.
I ready Cole's antibiotic and head to his room. I take a deep breath before entering to seem as though I didn't just cry like a baby for the last hour.
Cole has his phone inches from his face, the white glow reflecting his features in the dimly lit room. I avert my gaze to the city skyline, this has always been my favorite room because of the view. The building lights twinkle like stars and sometimes I imagine that they are. The city's light pollution is so abundant that stargazing is nonexistent.
When I snap out of my daydreaming I focus my line of sight on Cole, how long has he been staring at me?
"Penny for your thoughts?" He asks.
"I was just thinking how creepy it is that you were staring at me," I shrug my shoulders.
He laughs and I want to tell him to shut up because his laugh is genuine and almost contagious.
"Penny for yours?" I offer back his way.
"Just thinking how you took my advice," he smiles cockily and I want to tell him to shove it.
"Well how about you take my advice and take your antibiotic," I shove the oral syringe at him.
"How do I know this isn't something else? Something to ya know..kill me like you threatened?" He eyes the antibiotic cautiously.
I cross my arms around my chest and shrug, "I guess you'll find out soon enough now won't you?"
He inspects the syringe, hyper-focusing on the chalky white liquid inside, shrugs a shoulder, and downs it all in a second flat. I shake my head in disapproval.
"Nice knowin ya," I say unenthusiastically.
The smile that comes across his face is deadly. Although Rylie is almost as attractive as Cole, Cole's girlfriend is definitely downgrading when it comes to attractiveness.
I break eye contact and walk over to the window, look out the large thick glass and go back to my daydreaming where we live in a world where cancer doesn't exist, drugs don't claim lives, people don't abandon their families, and a world where my depression isn't creeping back into my life like a thief in the night.
"I bet you were thinking about Dr. Charming bending you over right there," Cole laughs.
"I'm not in the mood Cole," the lifelessness in my voice evident. I turn around swiping away hot fresh tears from my cheeks.
"Oh shit, you good blondie?" He asks actually sounding concerned.
I'm such an idiot, am I really crying in front of a patient right now? Where are my morals? I'm a mess and I can't seem to get a grasp on myself anymore.
I clear my throat, "Yeah, sorry I'm fine."
I wipe away the excess moisture from my face and straighten myself back up. I'm working, I can save this for when I'm home.
He looks at me so intently like he's reading my soul and I feel the need to cover myself in my arms to conceal the exposure of my weaknesses.
"I'm just having a bad day is all, don't mind me," I try to excuse my emotional behavior.
He nods his head slowly, "Yeah same here."
I give him a small smile that doesn't remotely meet my eyes. The silence between us lasts for a moment longer than socially acceptable but it's a comfortable silence, an understanding without an explanation needed.
"Get some rest, Cole, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."