We're All A Little Bit Crazy

Chapter Two

Maddie's P.O.V

After dinner, everyone has an hour in the recreational room and then it's lights out. Although girls aren't supposed to interact with boys, we can during this hour. It makes no sense to me but whatever, I'm not complaining. I want to talk to the new guy.

The recreational room is a large ballroom with sofas and board games. Nothing too fancy. Normally, I spend this hour in the library because it's quiet and calm in there.

I walked into the room and scanned it for the new guy. I spotted him sitting in the corner. He seemed overwhelmed, which I guess is normal. Not everyone here acts normal. I shyly approached him.

"Hi," I said quietly. "Mind if I sit with you?" Normally I don't talk to people, but this guy had a strange aura of safety coming off of him. I felt like he was someone I could trust.

He nodded and I sat down next to him and gave him a smile. "I'm Maddie. Admitted for schizophrenia," I said. That's how we greet each other, our name and diagnosis.

He looked at me shyly. "Liam. Nightmare disorder."

I nodded. "Did you just get here?" I asked.

"Yesterday," he said.

"I've been here for four years,"

He looked at me shocked. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," I said. "You?"

"Twenty one," he said.

"Well, you might get lucky and get out of here before me," I said. "I'm pretty messed up,"

"You can't help it," he said. "No one can. It's just who we are,"

I liked this Liam. He was calm. In my mind, calm equals good. It kept me calm, which kept them away.

"What's your favorite color?" Liam asked randomly.

"Royal blue," I said. "Yours?"

"Purple," he said.

We did this for the rest of the hour. It was nice. I liked getting to know Liam. I think we will be good friends.

Once the hour was up, I was taken back to my room. I was really tired. I changed into my pajamas and curled up under the blankets. The lights shut off automatically, leaving me in complete darkness.

I was about to drift into sleep when I heard a laugh. It was his laugh. They were here.

"So, you made a friend today?" I heard Niall say from within the darkness.

"Are you replacing us?" Zayn said.

"Y-you guys don't even e-exist," I said into the dark.

"Oh yeah?" Zayn scoffed. Before I knew what was happening I was shoved into the wall. "Could someone who doesn't exist do this?"

"Stop it!" I yelled. "Leave me alone!"

"Shut up you slut!" Niall growled at me. They both started to scream things at me. By now I was so blind with fear that I didn't hear the door open or the light go on.

Niall and Zayn disappeared as nurses held me down on my bed. There was a sharp pain in my arm and everything went black.

~*~

When I woke up my head was killing me. The sedatives worked, but ended up giving me major headaches. It must have been early in the morning because Lacy hadn't woken me up to give me my medication. No matter how sedated I was, I was still woken up to be given my medication. Same time, everyday.

I heard a loud scream come from the room beside mine. It made me jump. Then I heard sobbing. The walls here are paper thin, so I crawled out of bed and over to the wall in which the scream came from.

I knocked on it. "Hey, are you okay?"

"M-Maddie?" Liam. It was Liam who screamed, and was now sobbing.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?"

I heard him sniff. "Yeah, it's just a nightmare. It's nothing unusual,"

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. I didn't know how to comfort him, but I also didn't want him to feel alone. I know what it's like to have demons.

"N-no," he said shakily.

"Okay," I whispered. "If you need me, I'm here for you,"

"I heard you last night," he said. "Are you okay?"

I sighed. "I don't think any of us here are okay,"

"You're right," he said. "If whoever you were talking to last night bothers you again, talk to me. I'll try to help,"

"Thank you Liam. I'll be here for you," I said.

"Promise?"

"Promise," I reassured him. "I know what it's like,"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"They tell you it's just in your head," I say. "But it's more than that. It's not as easy to overcome as they say. I would know, I've been trying to for four years,"

"Thanks Maddie," he said. "I feel like you're the only one who understands,"

"We all have our demons," I say. "We just have to find the person who keeps them away,"

A/N:

Hi! Thanks for reading! It means a lot to me! I hope you have a great day! :)