Trouble

Ryan had been really off when he got home from work in the night, he didn’t speak to me, he just ate and told me he was going to his place for the night, I didn’t know what to think of it, so I let it go.
I got to work early and checked my rounds, sighing as I spotted the ward I was in.
I walked to the rooms and checked the list, a small smile crossing my face as I spotted Nathan’s name, I was happy to be seeing him, it seemed like he always brought a smile to my face, even after everything.
When I entered the room he was in he froze “You’re doing my treatment?” he asked, he shifted his right arm, moving it so I couldn’t see it and frowned.
“Yeah, is that a problem?” I asked.
“Uh, no, but doesn’t the doctor usually do it?” Nathan frowned.
“No” I said “only if there’s no nurses, but we always have nurses on hand” I said.
“Oh” Nathan mumbled, he looked slightly confused.
I grabbed the equipment, I needed to put the drip in his arm, this was going to be the hard part, I always found it hard on patients but on him, it’d be harder.
He pulled back his arm still so I couldn’t see, so I grabbed the left arm lightly, inspecting it.
I couldn’t find a good vein.
“I’m going to need your right arm” I said.
Nathan shook his head “No, uh, do the left” he said.
“Nate, the left is really hard to find the vain” I frowned.
Nathan refused to budge.
I sighed lightly pulling away his right arm, Nathan sighed, letting go.
Instantly I saw the black and blue bruises.
I gasped “What happened?” I asked.
“Nothing” Nathan breathed “I fell off my bike” he mumbled.
“No” I said, shaking my head “This is not that type of bruise” I said, inspecting it.
“It’s nothing” Nathan breathed.
“You have a needle mark, is this from the treatment yesterday?” I asked.
Nathan said nothing.
“Nathan” I breathed.
He still said nothing.
“Who did your treatment yesterday?” I asked.
Nathan still stayed silent.
I frowned, turning to where the file was “Stop” Nathan said quickly, reaching out for me.
“Why?” I demanded.
“It doesn’t matter who did the treatment” Nathan mumbled.
I looked at him in the eyes carefully, then down at his arm “I’m sorry Nate but it does matter, this is really bad, it looks like your veins are throbbing, it must be so painful, whoever did the treatment needs to be spoken to” I said.
Nathan let me go and I grabbed the chart, as soon as I saw the name I dropped the file, seething.
“Ryan” I hissed.
“it was a mistake and…” Nathan attempted.
“Tell me exactly what happened” I said softly, as calmly as I could.
Nathan sighed “He acted normal in the beginning, he did the process, put the needles in, he left me for the treatment, but when he came back to take them out, he got angry, he grabbed my arm and he started moving the needle in my arm he told me he wanted me to stay away from you, that he could hurt me a lot worse if I didn’t” he breathed.
I felt my heart lurch in my chest, instinctively I reached out, holding onto Nathan’s hand, a second passed and I realised what I was doing and let go, frowning “He did it on purpose?” I demanded.
“I think he just lost it, don’t blame him I…” Nathan attempted.
“Don’t blame him? Nathan, he was retaliating because I told him we had breakfast, if course I’m going to blame him” I breathed.
“This is why I didn’t want to tell you, you’re going to overreact” Nathan sighed.
“I’m reacting in the proper way, he shouldn’t have done this, he could have hurt you a hell of a lot more, he could have burst a vein, he could have killed you” I breathed, my voice cracking slightly.
“But he didn’t, and I’m ok” Nathan sighed.
“Why are you defending him?” I demanded.
“I’m not, I just want you to be happy, I don’t want you to throw away your relationship with him because of me” Nathan mumbled.
“I don’t want to be with someone who’d intentionally harm someone for such a stupid reason” I breathed, grabbing Nathan’s left arm “Let me see if I can find a vein” I sighed.
“Sim” Nathan breathed “I…” he began.
“Don’t” I whispered, closing my eyes for a second “Just, stay quiet so I can do this” I said, I tapped his arm, rubbed it, and eventually was able to find a vein to put the needle in.
“I’ll be back later” I said.
Nathan grabbed my hand “Can we talk honestly” He whispered.
“Not right now, I have to get to work” I sighed “Later” I promised.
Nathan nodded, letting me go.
As soon as I exited the room a look of anger crossed my face, I went to the staff room, grabbing my phone.
“Why are you so angry?” Lilly asked, I was seeing red, I barley even heard.
I grabbed my phone, dialling Ryan. As soon as he picked up I let loose.
“I can’t believe what you’ve done” I snapped.
“What?” Ryan demanded.
“I came into work today to do my rounds and I was in the medication ward, Nathan was in for his chemo” I breathed.
Ryan was silent.
“I’m reporting you to the board” I exclaimed.
“Sim, you’re not seriously siding him with him right now…” Ryan began.
“Siding with him?!” I snapped “Ryan, you could have killed him, you could have burst a vein, he’s already in enough pain as it is and you did this to him, you neglected him as a patient and you endangered him, you’re going to get in a lot of trouble for this and no, I’m not going to let it slide” I hissed angrily.
“If it was anyone else you’d never react this way” Ryan snapped.
“No matter who you did this to, I’d still be mad, you can’t do that to someone, you can’t hurt them like that intentionally, not as a doctor, not as a person” I hissed.
“He deserved it, he asked you out to breakfast knowing you’re with me” Ryan muttered.
“It was a breakfast as friends, you need to grow up” I exclaimed.
“You need to choose who you have loyalty to, me or him” Ryan sounded.
“This isn’t about loyalty” I frowned.
“You’re my girlfriend” Ryan reminded me.
“Not any more” I snapped, hanging up.
“What happened?” Lilly asked, her eyes on me.
I had no response.