Mental

Chapter 22- Long Branch

I pulled up to Madeline's house after school immediately feeling bad I hadn't been able to go at all last week. Stupid after school detention.

I walked up to the door and knocked a few times but no one answered. Her mum's car was in the driveway but maybe they went for a walk.

Just as I was about to leave the door opened and her mother stood there with a red face. "Sorry dear, I was all the way down in the basement doing laundry. How have you been?" She asked ushering me inside.

"Uh, good. Sorry I didn't stop by at all last week I had after school detention." I told her, taking a seat on the couch.

"Yeah, Cameron told me what happened. Thank you for standing up for her, kids can be so mean." She placed her hand over mine, sympathy in her eyes.

Some kid tried to act all tough and start talking shit about how Cameron had a crazy sister and I knew Cameron couldn't punch the kid otherwise he'd be suspended from the soccer team, so I did.

"Has she come out at all recently?" I asked and her mother shifted a little.

"Harry dear, uhm, Madeline is back at Long branch."

My eyes widened as I stared at her mother. "What?"

"I had to. She wasn't eating, barely sleeping. It got to the point where she was afraid to shower alone so I had to sit in the bathroom with her. She needed an immense amount of help and that's the only place that can give her the full attention she needs."

"No, no. You have to go get her. She doesn't want to be there." I pleaded with her mother and her eyes welled up.

"I know but it's what she needed. She was home alone last week while I went to work and the neighbors had to call the police cause they said she was screaming so much." Her mother put her head in her hands.

I just sat there. I didn't know what to do or say but I do know that Madeline is even more miserable there, if that's possible.

Madeline's P.O.V.

I sat in the cafeteria all the way in the back corner observing everyone. No one was the same, except for Itch. She was still here unfortunately, for her.

I never saw her though. We didn't have any of the same scheduled time activities. 

"Madeline, almost done?" I jumped, startled at the sound of my afternoon caretakers voice. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay." I mumbled picking up my tray and following her out of the room.

Being here is worse than I remembered. I forgot how scheduled everything was and how little freedom you have to go at your own pace. They're a lot more forceful too but I think that's just cause there's a new president of the hospital.

We walked into my room and I sat on my bed, the springs squeaking beneath me. "Here you go." I looked over as she held out to small cups with my pills in it.

"I don't like taking these, they make me drowsy." I told her but she just moved them closer to me.

"C'mon now Madeline. I thought we were past this disobedient stage. Remember what Dr.Geoff said,  these pills will make you better in time. We really hate disciplining you." She told me in a fake sincere tone.

I sat there for a little longer before taking the pills. I knew I wasn't going to get out of it but it was fun to frustrate the nurses. "Okay, now you can have your 30 minute rest and I'll come back to get your for art therapy." She exited the room and closed the door behind her. I don't know why they bother even having doors, they're all glass and don't lock. We have "curtain stalls" to change in.

I sat on the bed and turned around to look out the window. One thing that hasn't changed is the great view. Long Branch was so isolated which meant it was surrounded by pure uninterrupted nature. Every once in a while I'd see a deer feeding on the wild grass.

I stared out the window a little longer just absentmindedly counting all the flowers I could see until something clicked in my brain and it was impossible to stop. I felt like if I stopped counting before I had counted each one of them that my head would explode.

The 30 minutes went by and I heard the door open but I was no where near done counting the flowers. "Madeline, let's go." Nurse Lilian said but I blocked out her voice as I continued to count. My hands gripped tightly to the window sill as I desperately tried to count each one as fast as I could.
She came over and pried my hands off.

"Stop, I need to finish." I whined nudging her off of me.

"We must go, Madeline." She grabbed my arms and gently pulled me back.

"I need to finish!" I jolted out of her grip, my eyes refocusing on the flowers.

"Dr.Geoff is not going to be happy when he hears how compulsive you're being right now." That's what nurses said when they knew the doctors were going to up your medicine dosage because of your behavior.

Right now, I didn't care. I needed to finish. Right as I was about to finish she closed the blinds right in my face, my eyes losing focus of the last flower.

My head started to pound as my mind seemed to be spinning with frustration. "I wasn't done." I shook, holding onto the window sill.

"Let's go, we're already ten minutes late for art."

"I don't care about art!" I shouted turning around quickly, accidentally hitting Nurse Lilian. "I'm sorry."

"Madeline, you don't learn. Comply and there will be no problems. Dr.Geoff is not going to be happy when he hears you assaulted a caretaker." She led me out of the room and down the long hallways.

"No, it was an accident. I didn't mean to." I told her, turning to face her.

"I think we both know you got frustrated and overwhelmed and needed to take out aggression. It's okay." She placed her hand on my shoulder, lightly squeezing it. She ushered me into the art therapy room, the worst class.

Anyone here will tell you that or you can walk in and look at their faces. The teacher was an over chipper ex-hippy who played music with no words. It was torture and then on top of that we had to "draw our feelings."

I took a seat in front of my easel and picked up my paint brushes. I was dreading leaving this class cause I knew that meant I go to Dr.Geoff. My report for the day was not going to be good.

Art came and went to fast as I saw all the nurses come back in and get the high risk kids, including me. The other kids got to leave on their own and do what they wanted.

I tried to walk as slow as possible to Dr.Geoff's office but Nurse Lilian was just tugging me along.

"Hello, Madeline." Dr.Geoff smiled, gesturing to the chair in front of him. I took a seat and Nurse Lilian left the room. I watched as he glanced over my report, his eyebrows furrowing. "Not the best day, huh?"

I just looked to the side, avoiding his gaze. "We'll address this in a minute. I have someone here who I think you should talk to." I followed his hand and looked at the door. My heart stopped and my breath seized as I watched none other than Harry Styles walk in the room.