Flee

Chapter 5: You Gotta Help Me I'm Losing My Mind

"I'm not Jace." The Jace doppelgänger says. He sounded almost mad when he said it. 

"Oh my bad," I say. I realize that I still have my wig on and rip it off immediately.  

"Yes. It is your bad." he says looking at the wig in my hand. He makes a confused face and brings his eyes back to mine. 

I scowl at him.  He scowls back.

"If you'll excuse me." He says and pushes past me. 

"Wait." I call after him. 

He turns around and looks at me. "I saw him get hit by the car." I say really quietly. 

"What?" He asks shocked. 

"I saw him get hit by the car." I say again. 

"I heard you the first time." He says. 

"You said what. Usually when someone says what they mean what." 

"Well of course they meant what. They obviously didn't mean to say chicken." he says annoyed. 

"You aren't funny." 

"No I'm not funny, I'm Jason that is right. Good job." He smirks. 

"The stupid things that are coming out of your mouth they aren't humorous, comical, funny, or whatever you want to call it. So stop trying. You are like one of those boys who think they are funny, but they are actually just annoying. " I say. 

"Okay whatever you say," he says as he brings his hand to my mouth and turns it upwards so it looks like I am smiling. Well awkwardly smiling. I flick his hand off my mouth and give him a face of disgust. 

"Okay, but remember I wasn't the one smiling just now." He says and begins to walk away again. 

"Wait." I say again.

"Again?" He asks. I nod and say, "Can I see him?" 

"Uh I guess, but I don't see why you would want to look at him when you can look at me." 

"Shut up." I say. 

He gives me an amused look. I turn back at Gwen, whom I forgot who was standing beside me the whole time. "You don't have to stay here you know." I tell her. "I can walk home." 

"Okay." She says. 

I follow Jason back into the hospital. "What is your name anyway?" Jason asks me. 

"Arden." I say.

"That is one weird name you've got there." He says. 

I ignore him and keep following him to Jace's room. When we finally get there only his mom is in the room. 

"Hi," I greet her. 

Their mom just stares at me. I stare back. She looks strangely familiar, but I can't exactly remember where I have seen her before. I break the stare before their mom does. I look over at Jason and he looks confused, but he doesn't say anything.

I look over at Jace. He doesn't look nearly as bad as I thought he would. He only has a few bruises here and there and probably a concussion, but I think that he will be all right. My mind has the tendency to exaggerate things. 

While I am examining Jace I could feel their mom's stare on my back the whole time. Eventually the tension in the room becomes too much for me. I thank Jason for letting me see him and walk out of the room as quickly as possible. 

Jason follows after me. 

"Hey, sorry. I don't know what was wrong with my mom. She is nice. Sometimes." he says.

"It's fine." I say.

"Can I drive you home?" He asks as we reach the parking lot. "Because it looks like your ride has left." He says reaching out to the empty parking spot where Gwen's car once sat. 

"Sure." I mumble. Jason leads me to his car. When we approach his car I recognize it immediately. 

"Is this by any chance your mom's car?" I ask him. 

"It is. Why?" 

"I know why your mom is familiar to me now. She has been at my house. Multiple times actually. I think she and Tim have a thing." 

"Tim?" Jason asks.

"my stepdad." I inform.

"No." He says. "She wouldn't cheat on him. Not now."

"Your dad?" I ask.

"Yes." he says quietly.

"Tell him to divorce her."

"He can't, Arden. He's dead as of the night Jace got hit by that car." 

"Oh my god. I didn't know. I'm sorry." 

"It's fine. I just don't want to go to his funeral. I don't think I can." 

"You should go." I say. 

"I'm not going, but can we talk about this later. We need to figure out this parent thing. Okay?" He says.

"Okay." I say.