After being disowned by her parents, fifteen year old Serena Verlice finds herself in a toxic relationship with a much older man. She undergoes four years of emotional and physical abuse until one day she goes to the doctor and receives a devastatin...
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I flick through the leaflet a tenth time, reading the extensive list of side effects Serena will undergo.
Eventually I pull myself off the armchair, discarding the leaflet and walking over to the window. I slide it open, the cold wind rustling my hair as I lean against the frame and pull a cigarette from my pocket.
I press it to my lips, inhaling the smoke deeply in an attempt to calm my nerves ever so slightly.
Serena's been gone for around an hour now and it's driving me crazy not being able to be there with her. According to the leaflet, administering the treatment should only take half an hour so every minute that ticks by makes me more anxious.
"Alright take your time," A reassuring voice echos from behind the door.
I immediately ash out my cig, straightening up and inching closer to the door. It creaks open then slightly closes again, almost as if the person is struggling to open it.
Finally a man in scrubs enters, along side Serena. He's holding her up, most of her weight leaning against him as they shuffle into the room.
She looks tired, pained.
I instantly approach, already mad that they even made her walk in this state.
"I would stay back she's just been sick," The nurse warns, trying to get Serena over to the bed. I ignore him, my strides quick as I rush to her side.
She reaches out for me and I gently hold her, effortlessly picking her up and taking her to the bed.
"Thank you," She breathes out as I place her down. I smile at her, doing my best to hide the gut wrenching feeling I get when seeing her in distress.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, my eyes finding their way to hers. "You should lie down," I hurriedly add, motioning for her to lean back.
She shakes her head weakly, "I feel alright just tired," She yawns.
"Is that normal?" I snap my head towards the nurse who's still standing in the centre of the room.
"Yes she'll most likely feel very weak and nauseated for a day or two," He confirms. I suck in a deep breath, returning my attention back to Serena.
"I'll go fetch a wheelchair so you'll have an easier time getting downstairs," He announces, leaving the room.
I don't look at him, being too focussed on her. Her head is hung slightly lower than usual, as if keeping it up requires a considerable amount of effort.
"Emilio?" She questions, sounding completely out of it. "Yeah?" I reply instantly.
"It's really hot in here could you.." She trails off sleepily, weakly waving her arm in my direction. I stare at it for a moment, utterly confused until I spot the hair tie on her wrist.
I peel it off, letting her rest her head against my torso as I tie her curls into a bun, not questioning why she's sweating in a relatively cold room.
"Thank you," She mutters, attempting to move but wincing. "What is it? Tell me what hurts," I instruct, hurriedly scanning over her body.
