A Guide To The Opposite Sex (Discontinued)

Strangers

Riley POV

As soon as my eyes took in the bright, plain ceiling and fluorescent lights, I knew where I was. Smacking my hands to my forehead, I groaned and muttered under my breath how stupid I am. 

"Miss Cooper, how do you feel?" I bolted upright at the sound of a stranger's voice. At the foot of the lumpy, stiff bed stood a tall man. He was in his late twenties, and had a square jaw and light stubble. He wore one of those white doctor jackets over what looked to be like a white button-down shirt. Oh, and an amused smile as he watched me openly stare. 

There was something familiar about him but I couldn't quit place him. "Fine."

"Really?" he asked in a skeptical voice as he stared down at the clipboard he was holding. 

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine."

"So fainting is normal?" he said lowering the clipboard. I avoided his gaze and instead threw my legs over the side of the tall bed. 

"Kind of goes along with being, you know..."

"Anemic?" he said finishing my sentence. I nodded and made to get up but froze when he pushed my shoulder down. 

"You're results kind of surprise me, considering you knew you're anemic." he said in a tone that suggested I explain to him what he already knew. Caving in, I sighed and hunched forward to lean my chin on my palm. 

"I haven't taken my medication. Or vitamins or whatever they're called, in a few days."

"Iron supplements," he said correcting me. "Why haven't you taken them?"

"I just came back from overseas. I was diagnosed there and have been getting my medication from a little pharmacy. I ran out the day after I came home and haven't had time to run to get more."

"I realize that you may have been busy but it's no excuse to not take care of yourself, Riley." I nodded guiltily and frowned. "Now, you seem to be fine."

"So I can go?" I said in an overly enthusiastic tone. He chuckled but shook his head. "I'll discharge you if you make me a promise."

"Sure, just say so." I hated hospitals. I would do pretty much anything to leave here.

"As soon as you leave here, go buy the supplements. And rest, please. I don't want to see you in here again." I mock-saluted him and stood. 

"Remember that anemia isn't a joke, Riley. You have to--"

"What?!"

The doctor and I both turned to stare at my mom. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me with disbelief. 

The young doctor and I shared a look before he turned to her and offered his hand. "Hello, I'm doctor--"

"I don't care! Tell me what's wrong with my daughter!" I let out a tired breath and raked my fingers through my hair in frustration. 

After giving me one more unsure look, he said, "Your daughter suffers from anemia caused by iron deficiency."

Then, all hell broke loose. 

"You knew about this?!" she shouted at me in the middle of the hospital. I nodded and tried telling her to not shout, but it only got her more mad. 

"When the hell did you find out?!"

"A few weeks ago."

"Why didn't you tell me, Riley?" her voice cracked then. She sounded like she was about to burst into tears. 

"Because I knew you'd freak out like this! I was in Austria at the time! You would have made me come back." 

"Of course I would have made you come back, so I could take care of you! My God, Riley. How could you not tell me?"