Rose Red

Friday = hug day

August's POV

She pouts and gives me a sad look. "Once a day? Please? Just once a day let me give you a hug?" She's been trying to convince me to let her hug me for about 4 minutes. She's really arguing with herself. I haven't even said anything. I was going to say no but I guess the look on my face said it all because she spoke up again. "Once a week? Please?" I thought about it for a second. She looks like she's going to cry if I don't let her but I really don't like hugs. But if she starts crying I won't be able to handle it. I nod my head at her. She quickly backs up and squeals. Right at that moment a doctor who was walking passed pokes his head in the room. "Bella, inside voice" He didn't even have to look up to know who it was. She must do this a lot.

She immediately stops her happy dance and squeals quietly. So quietly that she's just blowing air out of her mouth.

"Okay. August, I have other people to take care of but I will be right back!" She sounds so excited. I would find it cute if I wasn't written as a hardass.

Bella's POV

I leave August's room and go down two floors to see my patients. He's on floor 3 but I work on floor 1. Floor 3 is Danny's floor and floor 2 belongs to Clare.

Clare isn't very good at her job so she gets what we call "easy" patients. It's not a very nice term. Scratch that. It's not nice at all. Easy patients are the ones in comas and ones who don't need a lot of care or don't need to be watched all the time. Danny gets the harder patients. Most of the ones on his floor have some form of ptsd because his floor is modified. They have no ceiling fans, no loud vents, (I'm not sure how they got quiet vents) most of the walls are soundproof and his floor doesn't have elevators. Only way to get up there is stairs. Those are the only modifications I know about though.

I get the rest of the patients. I have older patients, amputee patients, paralyzed patients and some other forms. There are other nurses and doctors here. It's just the floors all have head nurses and that's me, Clare, and Danny. The only reason Clare is head nurse is because the real head nurse left but she was training Clare and they figured she would know how to do things.

She doesn't.
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"Thank you miss bella" I love this woman. She never fails to make smile. She is the kindest woman in the world even after all she's been through and never fails to say thank you for things as simple as pulling her blanket up and fluffing her pillow.

I was finishing up with rounds and was now headed back to August's room. I happily made my way up the stairs but I bumped into Clare 5 feet away from his door. "What are you doing up here Bella? This isn't your floor." I could've asked her the same thing. "Well Clare, this may not be my floor but he is my patient." I paused to gauge her reaction, "what are you doing here?" She gave me such a dirty look for such a simple question. A question might I add that she just asked me. It quickly turns smug. "Apparently the new guy is super hot so I'm here to confirm. Not like you would be able to tell me."

What's that supposed to mean?

"Um, what's that supposed to mean??"

August's POV

I have been listening to Arabella and the girl she called Clare talk for a few minutes and all I have deduced from the conversation is that I really really don't want to meet Clare.

But I can no longer listen to her treat this sweet nurse like this.

I take long strides to the door and throw it open. Their conversation quickly stops and they both look at me. Arabella with a very surprised look and Clare with a big smile.

I guess she confirmed it.

"Miss Quinn," at the mention of her name she snaps her eyes up to mine and awaits the rest of the sentence. "I would like it if we could get the first hug out of the way" She looks even more surprised. "Right now." Then it hits her.

And then she hits me.

She throws her body into mine and gives me what I sincerely think she hopes is a bear hug. She's squeezing me pretty hard but it doesn't hurt as much as I know she believes it does. I catch a glimpse of Clare's face and to say she's pissed is an understatement. So I do the only logical thing.

I throw my arms around the small girl clinging onto my body and lift her. She immediately crosses her legs behind my back and I slowly walk back into my room and close the door. She slides back down my body as I let her go and she grins at me. "I told you I would be right back" I resist the urge to crack a smile and instead decide to simply nod.

Bella's POV

I'm on my way home now and I can't help but let my mind wander to me and August's first hug. Why did he ask for it? I thought he hated hugs. Maybe he's starting to love them. Even though we've only had one hug I have a feeling I can get him to love them. Since today is Friday I decide that Friday will be hug day.

Friday would soon become both of our favorite days. I can feel it.

August's POV

This Friday has been shitty.

She's been gone for all of 5 minutes and I wish she was still here. The night shift nurse has me ready to commit murder. With her loud yelling. And her loud shoes. And her loud gum popping. Ooh the gum popping. First time I heard it I almost had a heart attack. Second time I heard it I almost had another heart attack. It just kept happening and getting louder. And louder. And louder. And then it was here. In front of my face as I dove behind my bed to protect myself from whatever weapon was getting closer and closer to me. And then she began to yell. Someone come help! I lost the patient! He was just here and now he's not! I don't know how I lost him! And the yelling continued for another 10 minutes. And I swear I could've cried but I didn't and I won't. I just pulled my legs into my body and covered my ears and hoped the loud popping would stop.

And that's where I would stay for 5 more hours.