Stockholm Syndrome

Netflix and Pepperoni

I yawned as I sat up, trying to reposition myself on the couch. I was still a little groggy from the pain pills that Dr. Hank had prescribed to me for my knee. I couldn't even pronounce the name of the drug, but I wasn't really concerned. I wasn't concerned with much at the moment. I felt good, really good in fact, but I just couldn't find the right position for me to sit in and watch Netflix.

I guess it was kind of hard for me to not find a good position, considering that Max had one of the biggest flat screens that I'd even seen. He also had one of the nicest leather couches, super nice. I giggled to myself as I patted the leather armrest beside me affectionately. It was just too tempting not to reach out and rub the material, so I did.

"You're sooo soft," I cooed as I stroked the leather. A few seconds after doing so I felt terribly embarrassed. I frowned as I tried to figure out what the heck was I doing. Had I seriously just talked to a couch?

I shook my head at the realization that yes, I actually had. Not only that but I'd enjoyed it. I bust out laughing at myself, like Louis had told the funniest joke I'd ever heard, because it seemed hilarious.

Of course it was at that particular moment that John and Max walked back into the room. They had left me alone for.... I wasn't exactly sure, but it was sometime after I'd taken my pills. Maybe half an hour? It sure felt like they'd been gone for a long time.

"Niall?" John coughed as he exchanged a quick glance with Max.

"Hi John!" I called out loudly with a cheery smile plastered on my face. For some reason I was really happy to see him, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside, like I wanted to hug him.

"Hello...Niall...?" He responded with a confused expression on his face. I wanted to hug him and explain how happy I was to see him, but I couldn't just walk over to him.

"I missed you guys! You were gone for practically forever," I pouted as I readjusted my position yet again. I just couldn't seem to sit still.

"It's been five minutes Niall," Max frowned as he walked over to me. His eyebrows were furrowed as he examined me. Why was he looking at me like that?

"What? I don't have anything on my face," I grumbled as I tossed a pillow from the couch at Max's head. That would teach him to stare.

"Are you feeling okay?" Max asked me, a serious expression on his face. It reminded me the scene in Batman when the Joker asks his famous line.

Giggling, I tried to put on the most serious expression I could muster. "Why so serious?" I asked in my best Joker impersonation.

Sighing Max just shook his head as I laughed at my own joke. I mean, it was hilarious. I didn't see why no one else had thought so, so I tried to save it. "You know, Batman?"

"Yes, I know Batman," Max muttered, apparently unamused, as he reached for the small orange medication bottle sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"You KNOW Batman, ha that's impossible, because he's just a character," I tried explaining. I felt bad that he didn't know Batman wasn't real. If he was like Liam, he idolized the guy. It would be hard for him to come to grips with.

Max frowned as turned the bottle over in his tanned hands. "How many of these did you take Niall?"

"Umm..." I bit my lower lip as I pondered over the question. How many had I taken? Two, I think, because that's what Dr. Hanks had told me. Take two once a day. Yup that's what he told me.

"Niall?" Max repeated, trying to get my attention.

"Two," I said in a bubbly sing-songy voice as I reached for another pillow.