You're (Not) My Hero | TomTord

Chapter 17

//WARNING: Mentions of self-harm and attempted suicide.//

14 January

It had been a week since Tord was released from the hospital. However, he was submitted to a psych ward for a few weeks. Tord hated it there and he felt small. His problems were so small compared to some others.

Tord rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. He glanced at his bathtub and shook his head. He walked back to his room.

Under no circumstance was he to be left alone for more than thirty minutes. Patryck was still stingy on that and lowered the time to twenty. He wasn't allowed to bring his backpack up stairs and would have to do his homework at the dinner table. Patryck also insisted in buying a baby monitor. Tord had to admit, it was kind of embarrassing, but Paul told him to let Patryck. Patryck was so worried that he took time off of work to take care of Tord.

Tord pulled on his red hoodie, which no longer smelt of cigarettes and alcohol. He rubbed his arm and cringed at the stitches under his bandage.

He grabbed his converse and some socks and started to head downstairs.

"God morgen," Patryck said as he set pancakes on the table. Tord still wasn't up for eating, but Paul insisted.

"Good morning," Tord smiled. He took a seat and started to put his socks and shoes on.

"Make sure you eat breakfast, your lunch is already made and it's in your backpack," Patryck said as he sat in front of Tord. Patryck took a sip of coffee and looked at Tord.

"You promise me you'll tell me if anyone says anything unkind to you," Patryck pleaded. "If anything happens, tell me."

"Okay," Tord said. Patryck smiled.

"You know you don't have to go to school if you don't want to."

"It's fine, dad. I need to catch up on school work."

Tord ate his breakfast, but he couldn't stomach it all. When he ate as much as he could, Patryck drove him to school.

"Text me if you want to come home," Patryck said as he pulled into the drop off lane. Tord nodded. His heart started to race as he saw one of the buses start to drop off kids.

"Okay," Tord said. Patryck smiled and Tord smiled back as he got out and closed the door. Tord watched with a racing heart as the car drove away.

Tord started to make his way to his classes to pick up missing work. In language arts there was a book report, but the teacher told him not to worry about it. Tord didn't go to P.E. because why would there be work?

In history, the teacher gave him fill in the blank notes (which Tord hated), and a book section for Tord to read.