A Reason To Live | ✔️

Chapter Twelve

Sounds hit my ears and memories from a short while ago flood into my head. The scissors, the blood, Zander, the paramedics.

My arms are strapped down to the bed and the smell of ammonia hits my nostrils as I breathe in, the smell of a hospital filling my senses. I wiggle against the straps wrapped around my wrist.

"Freya, stop," a warm hand wraps around mine and my eyes flash open to see Miya standing beside me.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, this isn't happening, tears fall from my eyes as I close them tightly, wishing all of this would just go away, but it doesn't.

My eyes flash open at the sound of the door opening and Zander walks inside, a man in a white coat following behind. I say nothing as the doctor addresses me, informing me that I'll be stuck here for a 72-hour psych hold, his words fade in my head as I close my eyes and wish for death once again.

The sound of the door closing brings me back to reality, Zander and Miya stand in the room and all I want to do is bury my head in a pillow but my hands are still strapped to my side and the only option I have is to once again close my eyes.

"Where is my daughter?!" a woman screams from the hallway, my mother's southern voice hitting my ears.

My eyes fly open just as the door does and she comes strolling into my room, dressed in her nice suit and pair of pearls across her chest. "Freya!" My mom calls out as she spots me laying on the hospital bed.

I sigh, wishing even more that I wasn't strapped down to this bed so I could run away.

Her floral perfume fills my nose as she wraps her arms around me as best as she can in a hug, "how are you feeling baby?" Her thick southern accent comes out clearly as she speaks.

"I'm fine," a lie, a blatant lie; I don't want to be here, don't want to live anymore but I know better than to say my most intimate thoughts. "It was just a slip-up." Another lie but if I want to be able to walk out of her in 72 hours lying will help.

I ignore the look Zander is giving me, the words I spoke to him on the roof ring clear in my head.

"Well, you are going to come home with me once you are released."

"No," I say stubbornly. "I'm not going back momma, I'm staying here." I can hear my own accent slowly leaking through as I talk to my mom. "You can't make me go back, momma."

"The hell I can't! You are my daughter and I'm taking you home Freya. Someone is going to have to agree to watch you if you want to leave here."

"She has someone to watch her." Zander's voice rings out and it's like my mother didn't even realize the other two people in the room as her eyes widen and she looks towards Zander.

"O? And who are you?"

"I'm.." Zander pauses and I know he's unsure of what to say but his next words shock me to my core, "I'm her boyfriend."

My eyes widen along with the other two people in the room. Zander is far from my boyfriend, far from anything other than my boss. "Boyfriend?" My mother questions him, a perfectly plucked and shaped eyebrow raised. "Freya hasn't told me about a boyfriend."

"It's new," there's a sureness to his voice and if I didn't know any better I would believe him, but I do know better and this is all falling apart so fast.

"Hm," she hums as her eyes scan the room and find Miya, "and you are?"

"I'm just a friend," Miya answers her, her voice falters just slightly. My mother can be scary when she wants to be and I can only imagine the look she is giving Miya at that moment.