What Lovely Kidneys You Have (An Eyeless Jack P.O.V & Romance)

14 - Pee In A Cup

I arrived at the apartment complex to the scent of barbeque billowing through the air, the smell of meat roasting over hot coals bringing my mouth to a slight water. How long has it been since I've eaten actual human organs? Not quite sure. Nonetheless, I was feeling the pit in my stomach methodically rumble and suffer under the abstinence from food it's been forced to go through. I'd make it a point to find something to eat tonight, even if it was only a single kidney, instead of both. Well, that is, as long as Nadia wasn't planning on somehow screwing it up, forcing me to end the victim which is something I rarely enjoy doing.

Crossing carefully past the bushes, I glanced up at the gloomy sky as night was sure to fall. I reached the front of the building and gazed in before entering and stealthily making my way up the stairs and to Nadia's door, its existence unknown to me just a few weeks ago. Pressing my ear to the door, I listened in carefully, distinguishing two separate voices; hers, and Adrian's. A slight bit of discomfort rose in my chest at the thought of the overly protective man, his presence making it difficult to go inside and indulge in my daily dose of 'Nadia'. It was a strange thing to admit, but it seemed that I actually admired her annoying persona, her meaningless conversations somehow giving me meaning that I would have never expected to be there.

"I think you're lying to me," Adrian's skeptical voice accused, and I could picture him with the sleeves of his white button up shirt folded across his chest.

There was a no hesitation as Nadia retaliated, her voice somewhat convincing, but not quite enough to fool me, and possibly, not him either, "I'm not! I seriously have a lot to do tomorrow, I mean it." Her voice then went slightly more pleading, "Can't you just reschedule it? I'll do it then, I promise."

"That's what you said last time," he seemed to have reminded, his voice stern and stiff against the winds of persuasion, much like a true father's would be, "And your doctor won't accept any more rain checks."

"But-"

"No buts," he interrupted, and it sounded as though he had possibly kneeled, maybe because she was sitting on her bed and he wanted to become eye level, "Now, I understand your concerns but, it'll be alright. The last time we went in, the doctor said it wasn't too serious, remember? He said that with time, and if you've been sticking to your medication as well as your diet, then you should be in better shape by now."

They were having an argument over her next appointment, the same appointment that would surely be centered around the topic of Nadia's kidney health.

She was quiet for a moment, her voice faltering into a pathetic, self-loathing tone, "What if it's worse... like, what if I'm only getting sicker?"

"Shh, shh, shh," Adrian cooed, probably comforting her with a physical gesture of touching her face gently, or maybe even hugging her, "It's be okay, I promise. But if there is something wrong, we need to know that, correct?"

She only mumbled.

"Correct," he assured for her, his voice going stern once more, "Now I've got to go and work on some things for the professor, but I'll be around, alright? Your appointment's tomorrow after class."

"Yeah, I know," she said quickly, a thick slab of annoyance coming through.

He made a small huffing noise, and I assumed he had pushed himself back to complete standing, which was my cue to turn and walk a few feet away, facing another door with my head down, my hand placed on a random door's handle. The hinges of Nadia's door slightly creaked as he pushed the wooden frame open and stepped out, shutting it behind himself. I kept my gaze trained at the door handle in front of me, as though I were prepared to enter my own apartment. I was expecting him to simply leave, much as anyone would do, but he stopped, turning his head to see me as his eyes scanned my clothed form. I knew I must've looked suspicious, but anyone in their right mind would simply leave, seeing as my being here was none of their business. But he stayed, simply watching me, yet hoping not to be obvious about it. There was a sort of grin that caught on my lips as I released the door handle, knowing that simply standing there frozen in place would be even more alarming.