Cognizant (Adopted By Alex Gaskarth: Book 2)✅

Chapter 10

Alex handed me the bottle of acetaminophin, clicking his seatbelt into place before heading home. I thanked him as I took it and focused on popping open the lid. Alex laughed softly as he glanced over. 

"Need help?"

"No," I replied stubbornly, "I can get it." 

Alex laughed again, an amused grin spreading across his face. "I think you're forgetting something." 

I continued trying to twist open the small white top. "What?" 

Alex held his hand out, and I gave him the small bottle. He ripped off the plastic seal and popped open the lid effortlessly before handing it back to me.

"Psh, I knew that." 

"I'm sure you did," he joked. 

.

"Adelpha," Alex called from the kitchen. 

"Yeah?" I began standing up from the couch as he came in, setting my homework on the coffee table.

"You have an appointment to see what we can do about your scars hurting tomorrow at noon. I already called the school and told them you'll be out, so you just have to bring in the doctor's note when you go in Monday." 

"Okay, thanks."

.

"Okay, I think the best thing to let you use is Ultram and Mederma," the doctor explained as she pulled her brown hair into a bun, "It can be taken with your PTSD meds as long as you don't take any narcotics or sedatives." She began writing out a prescription on a small paper. "Take one everyday for the next couple months, and I'll also give you a gym excuse for those two months. Come back after then and we'll see how much it's healed. You may also have to come back if your pain becomes worse."

I nodded at the woman. "Okay, thank you."

She nodded back with a small smile. "I hope it helps. Let's go out and find your parents." I followed her out of the room and into the waiting room, where Alex and Lisa sat. They stood as the doctor approached them and began speaking, explaining her prescription to them. 

"Ultram is for the pain. Mederma will help the scars heal. They can work together with her fluoxetine, and shouldn't cause any effects unless she has allergies to it, which I don't have in my system." She continued explaining her two-month plan about taking the medications and handed Lisa the gym excuse and prescription. 

"Thanks," Alex replied to her. Lisa nodded in agreement. "You ready, kid?" 

"Yeah." 

"Okay, let's head home. I'll go pick up your prescription tonight." 

I followed them out to the car, fixing my seatbelt in place as I hopped into the backseat. I stared out the window as my nails absentmindedly began scratching up and down my arm. I watched houses and trees and people quickly zoom across my field of vision. Pink marks began making themselves visible as my nails ran up and down my pale and scar-ridden arm, vulnerable from wearing no jacket. 

"You okay, kid?" I looked in forward see Alex looking at me through the rearview mirror.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," I breathed out quietly.

"You're messing with your wrist again," he commented softly.

I shrugged and gazed out the window again, trapping my hands between my knees. My leg bounced up and down as we turned onto our street. I watched a cat jump onto a fence and run along the oak wood. Alex slowed down to back into the driveway, then opened the door. I didn't process the sound of the driver's side door opening until the car door next to me popped open. Alex stood right outside, observing me carefully.