Chapter 5 – Sleep Deprived
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"911, what's your emergency?"

Rena Koboko began to whine a bit, her face turning red from a fever. She had taken too many pills, and the exhaustion and overdose was taking an intense toll on her body.

Luckily, she wasn't alone, and was in the midst of getting help. Arthur Roma was above her, kneeling at her side as he dialed up emergency services. She couldn't make out everything that he was telling them, but from what she could vaguely hear, Roma was telling them the school's address and other amenities.

As they traded conversation on the phone, it was to Rena's groggy surprise to feel her body lifted from the ground, and after a few adjustments, slumped over Roma's back, the male carrying her in a piggyback style. Her physical and mental state were still far too jaded to realize what was happening,  and the girl whined very quietly when she felt him start to move.

"Hang on as best you can, okay?" Roma spoke to her gently, trying to offer a comforting smile before he ventured out of their dorm, back towards the courtyard.

They didn't go unseen though. Though the ambulances were quick to arrive, paparazzi never slept, and no matter when or where, there were always eyes on the First-Seat and whoever was unfortunate enough to share air with her. That's why the sight of seeing her on Roma's back caused a massive uproar among those also in the dorm building.

Confused whispers, shocked gasps, and a massive uproar occurred at the sight of the two, but before any of it could really effect Roma, he made it outside, approaching the loud sirens from the ambulance on campus.

A few paramedics met him in the middle, prying Rena from his back, and rushing her inside the vehicle, while another looked towards Roma with a determined expression, "You're the only one who can tell us what happened. Hurry, get in, and let's go!"

Roma didn't have any protests, also jogging into the back of the loud ambulance. He took one of the seats provided, right next to Rena who clearly had been straining, going by the sweat on her forehead. A couple personnel came to her aid, just trying to keep her alive until they reached the hospital, and Roma watched silently until he was spoken to,

"Why did you call 911?" The same paramedic from earlier asked, "What was she doing?"

"...well all I know was that she was taking these weird pills," Roma replied sheepishly, trying to make sure that he was properly recalling the information that he was relaying to these officials, "But she wasn't just taking them, she was fucking downing them, starting from this morning, and even more a few hours later. Too many to count..."

The medic prepared to turn to her coworkers, but before she got the opportunity to, Roma instinctively reached out and took her wrist, "A-And one other thing..."

He cleared his throat, and she looked at him attentively, not sure what else he had to add on, but wouldn't have to wait very long to find out. The boy pointed to his own forearm, obviously in reference to Rena's. "She does this weird thing where she chronically pinches herself. Like constantly- multiple times in a five minute span..."

The medic carried the same composed expression as that information was relayed to her. She just nodded to him, and then finally faced her team, all of them nodding in unison. Finally, some proactivity was taken up.

"Take off the jacket and check her arms. Alert the hospital and phone psych."

Not a breath was wasted, and neither was a moment by her team, all of them carrying out what was asked.

Rena whined quietly as two sets of hands pried her jacket from her exhausted frame, leaving her forearm bare... and all three medics winced at the sight...

Rena's arms were covered in bruises from the pinching, and nail marks from the frequency. It was a... horrifying sight, and nothing that any young person should have undergone.

"Well," She finally spoke to Roma again, "The hospital will identify the pills.. But I'm sure that this was an attempted suicide..."

"..." Roma sat in silence at the realization. It was a conclusion that he mentally avoided... but when everything lined up properly - the lack of sleep, the abrasive attitude, the pinching, and finally the pills - a sinking feeling came over him. Had he gone against her wishes?... What reason did he have to do that?

But more importantly, what reasons did she have to want to go?...

Those were questions he'd ponder for hours. Even after they reached the hospital, Roma sat alone in the waiting room, replaying those same three questions within his head, but failing to form an answer at every stop. It was a nearly mind-numbing experience.

"I'm looking for someone I can update about Rena Koboko?"

It was the voice of a nurse that finally broke up the monotony. Roma slowly and reluctantly raised his hand. He had seen this bit one-too-many times in the movies, so he took a deep breath, preparing for the tragic news he was about to receive. The nurse had noticed his hesitation, and couldn't help but smile a little,

"No worries, sir. She's alive."

"Oh thank god." Roma exhaled and hunched over, needing a moment to catch his breath after having come to accept what would've been the worst-case scenario.

Her smile slowly faded, and her expression became serious again, making him hush a bit, "However, she overdosed on sleeping pills. We... don't believe it was a suicide attempt, but she does need to be transferred to the psych ward for a few days. This may or may not come as a shock to you, but the doctors ran tests, and believe she hasn't slept for about..."

She couldn't help but glance off to the side while Roma stared a bit more attentively.

"...Three months." She finally stated, making the boy's eyes widen in shock. Despite it, she continued, "It's truly a miracle she's still alive, and it's probably due to those sleeping pills. She needs to be evaluated at psych because of the pinch marks on her skin, and we're hoping to find the cause of her self-harm..."

~

It had been a few hours since the nurse came to visit him. A glance to the clock above the television told him that it was 2 in the morning, and he tiredly stood up, preparing to go home for the night. As he made it to the hallway, there was something that ended up catching his eye, and ears.

Down the hallway, he could see two large, buff men taking Rena by her arms. She only wore a hospital gown, with numerous IV's and needles within her arms. Another medic rushed behind them, carrying the liquids to Rena's IV's, but The First-Seat was making it abundantly clear that she didn't want to be here.

"NO!!! LET GO OF ME, I DON'T WANT TO GO, STOP TOUCHING ME!!"

She cried out frantically, kicking her weak, shaky  legs, and breathing so heavily that she was nearly hyperventilating. She was truly a fighter to a fault.

They had tried to put her under after successfully reversing her overdose, but even after so much time had passed without rest, she still had it in her to fight them. The girl trembled thanks to the fashion in which they gripped her, and though her bang covered one of her eyes, the other had a visible fear instilled deep within it.

Alongside it, there was a fatigue that was clearly worn on her face now that she couldn't use makeup to mask it. Roma frowned at the sight, and for a split second, his distraught brown eyes met her terrified golden ones.

But a moment was all it was. Rena was suddenly forced to the ground, being held down while her arms were pinned to her back.

"Hey, get some sedatives right now,  this girl took out five of us before we could get a hand on her and we can't lose anyone else!" One of the brutes exclaimed to a nurse passing by.

"NO, DON'T DRUG ME, DON'T!! I DON'T WANT THEM, YOU CAN'T!! STOP IT!! STOP IT NOW!!"

Roma was frozen in shock by Rena's desperate cries, and he didn't even notice a third nurse come over and place her hand on his shoulder.

"Sir... I think you should head home now... You won't see her for quite some time after they take her away.."

The brunette slowly turned his head to the woman with eyes that were completely wild and lost.. Almost void with uncomfort. He slowly nodded, willing to leave, but not without making a request first.

"Please... don't hurt her..." He requested in a very weak, shaky voice, "A-And if there's something she doesn't want... to the point that she's screaming, don't give it to her... even if it's required, plea-"

"I'm sorry..." She spoke to him, patting his shoulder twice, and lowering her own head, "It's a procedure we have to adhere to. She's so exhausted, and a danger to everyone around her. For both our safety and her own, we have to do what's best, though it's an uncomfortable conclusion."'

Roma's expression slowly changed as she explained herself. Worried fright slowly became a defeated disappointment, and with a sigh, he also nodded, accepting this outcome since his hands were tied, and influence was officially snuffed out.

The walk home was a heavy one for Arthur Roma. The hospital wasn't a great ways away from campus, and though the sinking feeling of defeat weighed down on the chef, it didn't take him more than a half-hour to make it back.

With tears in the corners of his eyes, he looked up at the cloudless night sky.

"REMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

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