Demented

Tears Don't Fall, They Crash Around Me

Frank was crying into the mattress, telling Dr. Eston to go away. Dr. Ottoson told Frank that he could finally go back to his room. Frank couldn't do that.

The week before, Gerard said he didn't love him. He couldn't face Gerard. He didn't even want to hear his name. "I don't wanna!"

"Why not?"

"He'll be there!"

"Gerard, you mean?" Dr. Eston sat on the end of the bed. "You don't have to share a room with him anymore, if you'd like. I can put you in another room. Would you like that?"

"Yes, please," he agreed, feeling his conscious being weighed down with guilt. His cries slowly stopped. He sat up and wiped his red eyes with his sleeve. "But, I- part of me doesn't want to leave him. I kinda wanna s-stay in there with Gerard. But I'm scared..."

"Hm." Dr. Eston tapped his nose twice, trying to come up with a solution to Frank's dilemma. "You can go back and forth to each room. Whenever you're uncomfortable with Gerard, you can fleet to the other room."

"I-I like that idea."

"That's great," he smiled. "Let's go to your new room."

Frank got off the bed and grabbed his Christmas presents (drawings, a charm bracelet, a paper hat, and a book on the Jonas Brothers). Dr. Eston led him to a room right down the hall from the original one. Frank put his items on the top bunk. "Thank you," he beamed.

"You're welcome. It's time for lunch." Frank nodded, slowly. There was a pit in the bottom of his stomach. Someone had to watch him eat. Gerard was going to be in there too. "You already met Jenny," Eston pointed to the lady outside the cafeteria doors. "She knows what you need to eat. And she'll be monitoring you. We got to make sure you don't become malnourished again."

"Okay." With a pat on the back, Frank was off to go see Jenny again. "H-hi."

"Good afternoon, Frank. It's great to see you again, sweetheart," she greeted with a huge smile on her face. She was a medium-sized woman with thin brown hair. Her brown eyeliner brought out her brown eyes. She appeared to be in her thirties. "Follow me."

Through the lunch line, Jenny told Frank what foods to get. She was aware of his disinterest in meat. She too, was a vegetarian. Frank ended up with mashed potatoes, peas, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a cookie. He also retrieved a Capri-sun.

As they walked to find a seat, Frank saw Gerard staring at him. Gerard was sitting in his usual seat. He mouthed, "sit here," to Frank and patted the seat next to him. Frank ignored him and went on. They found a place by the window. It was the table Frank sat at on his first day.

"Was that a friend?" Jenny asked.

"That's Gerard. He's my boyfriend. Or was my boyfriend. I'm not sure," he shrugged.

"Oh."

Frank poked the straw through the hole and took a sip. "Jenny?"

"Yes?"

"How long have you been working here?"

"I don't work here, necessarily. I've been helping out here for three years. I come in and out."

"Oh."

"You've been here for a little over a year, huh?"

Frank nodded. "Yep."

"Awe. You must miss home."

"Yeah."

"Your parents must miss you so much too. I couldn't imagine being away from my little girl for so long."