Lovesick ✔

chapter eighteen ; endless torment

AMOS

The next few days passed by with me wanting the Earth to swallow me entirely and never let me out from under its topography. I was so incredibly ashamed, I wanted nothing more than to be absorbed by the black hole and left spinning in nothingness for eternity. 

I'd decided it'd be best for me to ignore his messages. That would be the most professional thing for me to do in such a situation, so it's exactly what I did. I didn't bother responding to the message he'd sent and he didn't send me another message after that. 

However, today, I wasn't so lucky. The moment I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket during my break, I knew I was fucked. 

In slow motion as if I were in a horror movie about to reach for the doorknob to a door which held a demonic entity, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and read out the message I'd been sent on Grindr by the devil himself.

'You have Grindr.' was the message he'd sent.

Yeah, no shit.

'No I don't.' I responded.

I was about to tuck my phone back into my pocket and prepare myself for work since I had five minutes remaining to myself, but I received another message:

'What are we talking on then?'

'This is a dream, an illusion. You have been in a coma for fifty years and this is your doctors trying to reach out to you. If you see this, please wake up.'

'Hm. I'll see you soon, doc.'

I was unaware as to what he meant by 'see you soon', but I didn't dare question it. And with that, I switched my phone off and shoved it into my pocket. 

With a sigh, I set all my things aside and walked back into where I was supposed to be. Today, I had other senior physicians assisting me since Dr. Wang had something else to tend to. The pressure of being watched by older and more experienced people never seizes, no matter how many times you go through it. It's almost as if the pressure increases day by day. 

Clearing my throat, I took my seat behind the desk and set my phone on top of it face-down. I sorted out the things sprawled across the table to make it look more presentable and waited for my next series of patients whilst cracking my fingers. 

A knock came on the door followed by - you guessed it - the assisting nurse stepping in and handing the senior physicians some papers. She then opened the door for my next patient and once again, when I looked up, I wanted to die. I wanted to drop dead. I wanted to seize existing. 

However, I had to stay professional. 

I shot a forced smile to Micah Davis and another man he'd brought along with him this time. 

The man was fairly tall, around Micah's height but just a little shorter. He had dark hair that was a little short but still managed to fall over his eyes, and his face was freckled. He had his hands behind his back as if he were being reprimanded by a teacher and his gaze was fixated onto the floor.

I won't lie, he was somewhat attractive.

"Hi there, how're you doing today?"

"I'm doing well," the stranger stuttered, returning the grin. He seemed awfully nervous.

"You don't have to be nervous, would you like some water?" I offered, shifting in my seat before looking at the computer screen. "..Are you Mr. Miles Kim?"

"I'll take some water," he nodded. "And yes, that would be me."

His grey eyes scanned the place curiously whilst he played with his fingers, chewing onto the inside of his cheek. I assumed he would burst any second then. 

I handed him the glass of water that sat on my desk and waited for him to finish drinking before asking, "Well, Mr. Kim, what seems to be the problem?"

He opened his mouth to speak but let out a cough instead and looked over to Micah, who stood behind him, for assistance. 

"Well, Miles here," he began, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Has been really ill lately. His temperature is unnaturally high and he keeps throwing up all over the place. He even had excessive diarrhea a few days ag-"

"I told you not to tell them that," Miles protested quietly.

"It's alright, Mr. Kim," I interrupted with a warm grin. "I'm your doctor, I'm not here to judge you."

"Yes, and he's also been having intense stomach aches."

"Have you eaten anything from outside lately?" I questioned. 

"Yes," he admitted sheepishly. 

"It could be a case of food poisoning. How long has this been going on for?"

"A few days now."

"You might have to stay at the hospital to get glucose drips, would that be okay with you? It'll take a while though," I started before writing down a prescription. "I'll be giving you some meds as well to help with the vomiting."

"I can stay as long as you want me to," he nodded before letting out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, doc. I don't feel as nervous anymore."

I gave him a soft smile in return before standing up, "Will you follow me then?"

Just then, I looked over his shoulder at Micah who had his hands stuffed in his pockets. In that moment, with the most annoying smirk on his face, he sent a wink my way.

Bastard.