Hospital Dreams || Newtmas

Backstories

(Brenda ^^)

After the poetry slam, Janson said we had three hours of free time to get to explore the ward before we went on a field trip. A field trip. We are all between 17 and 27. None of us want to be here in general, and field trips are the last thing we would want to do. As of now, Gally, Minho, and I are in a lounge room in the middle of the ward. There weren't many people in the ward. Like, at all.

"So...where do you think the field trip will be to?" I asked. Minho shrugged.

"Maybe to Build-A-Bear workshop. We can make each other teddy bears." he said, his words bubbling with sass. I rolled my eyes and Gally snorted.

"The next time I'm found in a Build-A-Bear, I better be an old man with Alzheimer. I hate that place! I went when I was seven, and the lady working there made my teddy bear thing explode. Of course, it just had  to be after we payed." he said. Tommy walked in through the doorway with a huge bowl of ice cream, which happened to be half empty.

"I'm sorry for your teddy bear, Gally. Would you like some ice cream?" he offered handing him the bowl. Gally sent him a look, clearly not amused. 

"I'm lactose intolerant. I'll pass." He said. Tommy put a hand over his face.

"I'm genuinely sorry this time. Shit, that was a joke, I'm sorry." He said. Gally laughed. His laugh wasn't what you'd expect from him. It was a light and airy, not what you'd expect. He was a big guy, probably around 6'2", broad shoulders, and muscular. 

"It's cool, Thomas. I never said anything." he said. And then the silence was back. We sent each other each awkward looks, none of us overly compelled to break the silence. I looked over at Tommy, who was hanging upside down on the couch. I blinked, it not even phasing me. He sent a wave in my direction to which I raised my eye brows.

"Tommy, what the hell are you doing?" I asked him. He shrugged, grinning.

"I have literally no clue, but I like the nickname."he said. Oh right. That dream wasn't real. I forgot that he hadn't been in my life longer. I heard a groan coming from my right, Minho.

"You know what I want? A beer. You know what I can't have? A beer." he said. I never was big on drinking. Alcohol wasn't ever a priority of mine. Ever since my uncle died from alcohol poisoning, I avoided it. But, I can imagine the toll the with drawl would be. 

"Sorry mate." I said, not really knowing what to say. He waved it off.

"It's not your fault. It's hers." he grunted. Tommy sat up right.

"What do you mean?" Gally asked.

"Well, my ex." Minho began. I leaned forward. "Her name was Callie, she was big on alcohol. She had me whipped, and got me into drinking. And then one too many drinks and she's hooking up with some dude like, seven years younger than her." he said, shaking his head. "Broke it off with her that night, and fell to drinking. I thought she was the greatest thing ever." he said. 

"Damn, bro I'm sorry." Gally said, patting his knee. Minho rolled his eyes.

"But it's whatever. She's in jail now, so at least I don't have to worry about seeing her again." He said. Tommy sent him a smile.

"That's the spirit, man." he said as Teresa and Brenda walked in. The room fell quiet again.

"What? Heard stories about why we're here, wanted to join in on the fun." Teresa said. Quite frankly, I hadn't heard her say that much at once, even in the poetry slam.

After a good forty five minutes of story time, I had learned that:

Brenda's parents died in a car crash and she moved in with emotionally abusive relatives.

Teresa was the child of said abusive relatives, dealt with similar shit.

Minho had a girl who was a shitty influence.

Tommy was picked on a lot in school, resorted to self harm.

Then I told my story.

"Well, I dunno. My parents didn't especially like me, so they kinda dismissed my existence. So, I had to much on my shoulders. It got to my head, and slowly started eating at me. I couldn't get anything right whether it was applying for a job, paying bills, getting through school, or even getting some damn groceries. I was sick of failing things. Hell, I even failed at killing myself." I told them. "They always say 'If at first you don't succeed, try again.' So I did. And here I am." 

I felt the silence settle on us yet again. But I felt an arm wrap around me. It was Tommy. I wrapped an arm around him too.

"You're pretty fucking great, Newt. Don't forget that." he whispered to me. 

"You are too, Tommy." I whispered. As he pulled away, it fell quiet. Again. For the ninety fifth time. Minho sat up, realizing something.

"Uh, where's Tia?" he asked. All of us shrugged. He stood up, me and Tommy behind him. "Hey Tia!" He called. Nothing.

 Tommy walked down to their shared room and went to open the door- but it was locked. He shoved his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a shiny key. He wedged it into the door. As soon as we opened the door, we saw her. Tia was in a ball on the bed on her bed, same white ear phones as before wedged into her ears, loudly blaring a song I recognized as Come As You Are by Nirvana. She had her back facing us and didn't notice we were here yet. Tommy leaned over her and saw two things. One, she had a letter in her hand. Two, she was crying.

I put a hand on her shoulder, letting her know I was here.

"You have legit four seconds before I go off on you. Get out." She said in a voice that was terrifyingly calm. And so I practically tripped over Minho and Tommy getting out of the room.

A few minutes later, the door reopened and Tia stepped out, recomposed and ready for the field trip.

"I'mreallysorryabouthatIjustgotreallyfuckingemotional." she spit out really fast. I blinked.

"Again, but not on sonic speed." Gally said. She nodded.

"I'm really sorry about that, I just got really fucking emotional." She said, much slower this time. 

"What happened?" Tommy asked. Anyone could tell that he cared for her, despite the fact they barely know each other.

"Well, my family kicked me out of the house ten years ago because I had a girl friend, okay? So I stayed on the streets for a few years, but then a girl, Helena, brought me some food or money. At first I thought it was an act of kindness, but she came back. Everyday. Eventually, she came with her mom, Terrie, and told her about me. Then she offered to let me stay at her house and give me school lessons for three hours a night every night." She said, smiling softly. "Of course, I accepted. But then, two years ago, Terrie passed away from cancer." She continued. "I had to go back to the streets, and I rarely ever got to see Helena because she was always having to work to keep the house. I was uneducated, so nobody would hire me. I was loosing everything in such little time. Iresortedtocutting." she said, rushing the last sentence. Of course, we knew what she said. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"I just got a letter saying that Helena died in a car crash. I was too selfish to realize that she didn't really have anyone else either- her dad left before she was born- I was only focusing  on the fact that I had nobody." She said. Minho pulled her into a hug and just held her there for a bit. 

"Don't worry about it, Tia. Now Helena can be with her mom and watch over you." Tommy said. I nodded.

"She's in a better place now. Both of them." I said. 

"Besides, now you have us. We may not be as good as Terrie and Helena, but we're not that bad." Gally said. She smiled.

"True. Now, lets go on that field trip."