×
"Meds!"
Its like the announcement was a trigger word for a stampede. Every patient who is desperate to feel nothing at all, complete numbness from their illness, immediately drops what they are doing and rushes towards the glass window. Natalia hands out the small paper cups, some almost filled to the brim with colorful capsules.
I, who doesn't take many meds to begin with, makes my way over slowly. I see Sadie, placing the edge of the cup to her lips, lips that had been placed on mine only a few days ago. I watch as she tilts her head back, swallowing the pills without any water and looking proud of it too.
Then next up is Caleb, who has to take many breaths before attempting to take his meds. Then Maddie, who easily swallows her dosage and walks away, not caring enough to stand around anymore than she has to. And then Noah, who swallows his without any water like just Sadie, winking at Caleb who scoffs in response.
"Millie, come on sweetie," Natalia says, her voice gentle as she hands out the paper cup in offering. I snap out of my thoughts, looking away from the other patients and start towards the glass window. I accept, taking a small sip of water from a similar cup that is placed on the counter.
Then I place the pills in my mouth, swallowing seconds later and showing Natalia that I did in fact take them. She nods, gesturing for me to move along as she shouts, "Next!"
I move out of the way fast, the patient behind pushes me out of the way before my feet even begin to move. I stumble, catching my balance as I brush myself off. "Millie!" I hear a feminine voice shout. I look over, my short hair hitting the side of my face as I do. My eyes meet a group of three: Sadie, Caleb, and Noah.
"Come here!" Sadie shouts again. A warm smile makes its way onto my lips as I walk over, only now realizing how cold the ground is beneath my bare feet.
The group sits on a couch in the corner, its pattern way before my time but perhaps not my mother's. It looks like her style anyway.
I approach them, Sadie scoots over and offers a seat next to her which I accept gladly. I put my hands in my lap, my knees touching and my eyes going back and forth between the bunch. They all stare at me with raised eyebrows.
"What?" I question. Noah immediately starts laughing, "You can relax," he says in between chuckles. I scrunch my eyebrows, opening my mouth to say something but i'm cut off by another soft voice. "I'm not gonna kiss you again," Sadie states.
I look over to her, her blushed cheeks raised into wide smile. I nod, laughing off the comment as everyone else did. Noah's eyes move away from everyone, back towards the meds counter.
"Oh but he might," Noah teases, me already knowing who he's talking about. I turn my head slightly, enough where I can get a full view of the meds window and the boy who stands in front of it. His hands pressed against the counter, face almost touching the glass as he's slightly bent over.
I smile to myself slightly, knowing the others would notice. "Okay, Millie-" Noah starts. I turn back towards everyone, Caleb (who's been mostly silent) lifts an eyebrow as Noah leans forward, setting her forearms in his lap. "Don't spare me the details; what's it like?" Noah asks.
I scrunch my forehead, a smile dancing across my lips at his question. Then my cheeks heat up like clockwork, the mere mention of such a thing turning me into a giggly school-girl. "What do you mean?" I ask innocently, smiling into my words to pull it off.
