the transfer (18+)

twenty two

MARIANNA

* *

I wake up to feel tracing on my thigh. My first instinct thinking it's a big making me immideatly slap my thigh making me groan and someone else as well.

My eyes fly open to see Clyde sitting up on the hospital bed with a non amused face.

"Your up."

My eyes stinging from the lack of sleep ive had for the past two days. My mother begging me to go back to the dorms and focus on school. Yet his aunt has let me see him. Everything is going too fast. Now it's the middle of the night. And I'm sitting next to him as he has needles going into his skin. His skin looks pale and he looks so...weak.

My first instinct is to get a nurse but he grabs my hands making me sit down and put.

"Clyde."

"I'm tired of lying to you."

"This isn't the time. You had months clyde." I smile forcefully knowing he has been passed out for two days.

"Yes it is. I can't see you after this."

"What does that even mean?"

"Marianna I'm eighteen."

"I know."

I know.

"Just listen please?" He asks placing his hand on the side of my face. His thumb caressing my skin gently. I lean into his touch. Making him smile.

"My childhood was based off living around my older brothers and my uncles. Wasn't the best experience. No fun really. I was still smart. I learned how to lie so well from them. They made me still attend school to not blow their cover. But it's not like my parents were caring enough to even claim me. There death didn't hit as it should."

"I got my first arrest at fifteen. I stabbed someone nearly to death. They put me in therapy and pills for months but it didn't change. I started selling sixteen. Got house arrest and parol for eight months? That was my second strike. Robbery and assault. By then I was seventeen. I became smarter. But was faced with charges and other things I did. Stealing, fights, broken property. Just a lot. My older brother got life. He ran it all."

"I didn't want any of it. So I agreed to stay with my aunt. She enrolled me here. And she was more of a mother then anyone. A guardian. I wanted to breathe from the craziness. She kept me away from all of it. But I still had another brother. He's twenty one now. He's the one who makes me do the selling here. Because I owe him. I never did drugs. Then I just started. I tried to stop but I couldn't. "

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what?"

"Clyde. You made me lie to her. And your aunt knew this didn't she? I lied to the head master. Knowing it breaks every rule. Knowing you're the reason students are doing drugs on campus and probably going to start becoming adults. Because you owe your brother? You lied to me this entire time."

"About everything. if you aren't going to change for yourself then why would you change for me?"

"I'm nothing without you."

"You are something. You know that. You just said you didn't want any of it. I shouldn't be the reason. And the worst part is I don't know if you're lying again. Or leaving out parts? "

"I'm not lying."

"Is there anything else you want to tell me clyde. Because I can't take anymore of your lies. "

He's quiet.

I look over at the door seeing his aunt walk in. I stand up as I feel his burning eyes staring at me.

"Your up!" She smiles grabbing his face before hugging him. I smile ignoring all the emotion riling inside me as she start crying. I take it as a que to finally leave. Ignoring my name being called I just turn my back and walk out the hospital. Just needing to know he was okay.

MARIANNA

*   *

I sit in the large office across from my mom. Her eyes glare into my soul as I'm biting my tongue from saying anything.

"He was going to kill himself. You have to tell me everything now."

I shake my head no as my tears pour.

"He's going to hate me."

"Marianna. He needs help. He isn't sane."

"Stop saying that. He's fine."

"Is that what you want to believe? Is him overdosing on multiple substances near his death not a red flag for you? Because if that's not horrible enough. I wonder what other things he has made you endure. Clyde has been through so much yes. But I'm trying to help. He's eighteen. You're forgetting he's just going to be tried for as an adult. He's still a kid though. And it's all because his brother. But he won't throw his family under the bus. He's smart. But you can't keep protecting him. You're just hurting him more. Unless you really want me to make you give out a case. It's either me or officers so pick because you're not getting out of it now." She threatens.

"So tell me everything from the beginning , and do not dare trying to leave anything out even if it throws anyone under the bus."