pink pills - matthew espinosa

chapter x.

"Prince, get up, I have your breakfast," I called, putting the tray down on his night stand. Prince was wrapped in a cocoon made of blankets, his head was the only thing poking out of his warm shell.

I sat on the bed, shaking his shoulder gently before he rolled over, his eyes squinting as he tried to adjust to the brightness of the morning sun.

After he attempted to open his eyes for a minute, he widened them enough to be able to notice me sitting across from him, giving him a big smile.

"I didn't go to school today, it's one of those staff development days," I told him when he gave me a confused look. I've been able to read his facial expressions fairly well, and it helps when I have no idea what he wants at times.

I pulled his breakfast tray off of the night stand and told him to sit up, before placing his cereal and bowl of fruit on his lap. He glances at his Cheerios and his mango slices for a second before reaching for the remote and turning on the television.

I sat cross legged across from him, watching as he pulls up another episode of Criminal Minds. He was so addicted to this show, it was hilarious how much he loved it. He would shake his head when he knew the killer, squint his eyes at the dead bodies, and smile whenever Reid proved someone wrong.

After ten minutes, Dani came into the room looking for me, and she pulled me out of Prince's bedroom before I could even say bye.

"Dani!" As I was pulled into the hallway, a hysteric Matthew comes running to us, wearing a button-down and black slacks. He grips onto his tie, and gasps for air, signalling that the tie was on too tight for his liking. Dani hurriedly adjusted it for Matthew, letting him breathe before he continues to walk downstairs with another nurse.

"Why is he so dressed up? Is there a party downstairs?" I asked, following Dani to the elevator.

"No, today is visiting day," Dani said sadly, pressing the button to go upward. Her expression was just terrible, telling me something wasn't right about visiting day for her.

"Matthew sits there every month, for the last three years, waiting for his mom to come and see him," Dani said, as we stepped into the elevator, "and she never shows up. He gets a call from her on his birthday, and on holidays, telling him she loves him so much, but that's all the communication he gets."

My heart aches listening to her story. Maybe Matthew was always so angry because his mother was never around enough, or maybe it's the fact that he's not out of the institute yet. Whatever the reason was, Matthew didn't deserve all this trouble.

Dani leads me to what looks like a kitchen. Some nurses are sitting at a table, drinking coffee, and others are arranging the breakfast for other patients. A big window is for one of the walls, and it overlooks into the visiting room.

"Every month, I stand here and watch. He doesn't know we're here at all, since all he sees is a mirror," Dani chuckled to me. I smile, and watched as Matthew took a seat at one of the tables. His hands are folded neatly and he looks amazing, even with his extremely baggy eyes.

One by one, other patients come in, and thirty minutes later, those patients are greeted by their families and other loved ones. Matthew looked through the crowd of people, his eyes are widening more and more as he looked at everyone's faces for his mom's.

After an hour, Matthew is by himself while everyone around him is talking and catching up with news on "the outside". By now, Matthew had laid his head on the table and covered his face. I teared a little, and I couldn't watch another moment of his pain.

I walked downstairs and into the visiting room, standing next to the entrance. I watched as Matthew sat up, his face covered in salty tears. His eyes are red, and he wiped his face before looking at me.

I froze, but the tears running down my face don't, and I'm stuck looking into this heartbroken boy's eyes. I know Dani is watching me and him have a staredown, and I honestly don't care.

I continue to look at him, before he gets up, throwing his chair to the floor, and stomping out the door behind me, causing a scene. I don't follow him, and I don't want to, considering that he's most likely going to rip up everything in his bedroom.

So, I sit at the reception desk, with my head down, and I cry for him.