Distraction

34.

Micheal

I was beyond relieved when Riley finally fell asleep. Today has been a long and difficult day for her and also for us. We knew Riley was struggling, keeping too much to herself and bottling her emotions up but we didn't know it was did bad.

It was affecting her to a point were she was hurting herself to a point of almost bleeding out.

Sure Riley herself already knew she wasn't doing so well. She had suggested therapy and now she told us about what happened. The only thing that she needed to understand was that ackowling that you need help isn't the same as actually letting others help you.

I turned the TV off and looked at my phone to see that I had a coupe text messages from the guys.

Me: she's currently asleep. She refuses to talk about what happened, I'll try again tomorrow.

I texted back to them and shut my phone off. I carefully climbed out of the bed and sat down in the chair next to it. She hadn't granted me permission to sleep in her bed and I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable on any way.

I sighed, leaning my head back to let myself drift off into sleep.

A few hours had passed when I woke up because of Riley's hearmoniter. Her hearrate was incredibly high, there was no doubt that she was having a nightmare.

I gently nudged her arm in an attempt to make her wake up. Normally I've would've let the patient sleep but knowing Riley, waking her up would be the best for her.

She woke up screaming with sweat dripping down her face.

"Get him off, get him off!!" She yelled, cleary still unware of her surroundings.

I immediately called out her name in an attempt to shake her awake from her own thoughts.

Riley didn't seem to hear me, instead she looked panicked at the iv in her arm. "No..no...no" she mumbled as she fidgeted with it.

I immediately put my hand over her arm. It would be bad if she were to rip her iv out. But me touching her wasn't helping her panicked state.

"Please don't...not again." She begged as she tried to rib her arm away.

"Riley i need you to calm down. You're safe in the hospital. Nobody is going to hurt you."

She looked at me, staring for a few minutes until she seemed to realize that I was in fact not the men from her dreams.

With her calmed down i let her arm go and sat back in my chair. Wanting to give her some space.

"You're safe here." I said again to make sure i was getting trough to her.

"I thought....I thought i could forget about it!" She yelled about in clear frustration as she buried her face into her hands.

"What are you talking about Riley?" I asked calmly as I moved closer to her.

"You should've never have asked those questions! I never want to remember it again. "She cried out.

"Can I hug you Riley?"

Sne hesitated but then nodded, letting me embrace her and pulling her head to my chest.

"Why didn't he fucking help me when it happend? I wanted my dad and he just wachted."

Her voice was raspy as she spoke through her sobs. My heart truly felt for the kid. She didn't need to explain much to me to make me understand. There was so much she hadn't told us and that scared me. How much was she bottling up and when was she going to break?