Psycho

Chapter 16:

HADLEYS POV

A few weeks had passed since Harry's outburst in the hospital but I was still uncomfortable about what Harry had said about a girl being dead.

His behavior had been growing worse as the schizophrenia grew stronger. All he talked about anymore the girl dying before 10'o clock. The doctors had moved him to solitary because he had started trying to harm himself again. I had begged to see him to at least check on him seeing as how the only human interaction was the small metal hatch opening on the bottom of the door and hand sliding his food in.

No doctors had been to check on him. Not one. They all thought he was disgusting and barbaric. They truly believed that the weak man that now lie on a burlap sack on the floor was capable of murder, and all because he had been tied to one of the victims.

My thoughts were scattered like the leaves on the ground as I walked to the coffee shop that was about a block from my apartment. I was freezing and thoughts of Harry sent a chill down my spine. I was utterly convinced that the man I had fallen in love with and the man that lay in the dank cell were two different men and the transformation of my sane Harry to my crazy one was the fault of Ashwood.

I pushed the glass door open to the small shop called Cool Beans.

"Hi Hadley!" The barista, Liz, called to me.

"Hi Liz, can I please have a cappuccino?" I asked, my voice coming off a little hoarse from being out in the cold for so long. I would need to remember to pick up some medicine from the drug store on the way to work. I sat in one of the tall stools that lined the marble counter and rubbed my throat.

I sat until Liz walked over and handed me my beverage. I began to reach for my wallet but Liz swatted my hand.

"Consider it a welcome back present. We haven't seen you in ages!"

"I wish I could come by more often but I got the night shift with Mr. Styles."

She made a disgusted noise," That scum doesn't even deserve to be called scum. He's the lowest of the l-"

"I uh-gotta go! See you soon!" I ran out of the cafe fuming. Sure she didn't know him like I do but she didn't have to be such a bitch about it. I stormed to the hospital, stomping my feet hard against the pavement again and again, so hard that my heels began to ache.

It took about 15 minutes for me to get to Ashwood, plenty of time for any regular person to cool down, but I must not be normal because when I arrived I was still furious. I guess dating a mental patient had it's disadvantages.

I stormed up to Harry's cell and prayed that when I arrived he would be sitting there but, unfortunately he wasn't. I began to tend to my other duties like straightening up his sheets and pillows and dirty laundry. I immediately got super consumed into what I was doing and my anger finally began to cool down when about halfway through Tuesday walked in and perched herself on top of the bed I had just made...twice.

"So I hear your boy toy is in solitary. That's gotta be rough, but I guess dating a mass murderer is pretty rough too so you must be used to it." Her voice was so filled with glee, like tormenting me brought her some sick pleasure that I could never even begin to understand.

"He didn't kill anybody." It was weak but it was all I could say, otherwise I might rip her head off.

"Oh honey, did he tell you that? Well he must have because it is so utterly obvious that he is guilty but you are just to involved trying to unravel what he is to see what he has done."

"Well at least I'm not too involved in trying to get every male in this hospital to have sex with me. I would much rather be blind than be a prostitute.  At least everybody here likes me, with the exception of you, and they don't think I'm some mega-bitch on steroids that only got a job here so that she could get more male attention. You aren't anything special Tuesday. I'm not either but at least I recognize that. Oh and one more thing, if you ever call my boyfriend a murderer again, I'll have to become one." I retaliate.

"At least the entire hospital doesn't think I'm sleeping with my patient. Bye bitch." And with that she stormed out.

I threw myself onto the bed and huffed. I hated that bitch and nothing could change my mind. She was a slut that was only tormenting me because she had tried to get with Harry and he had rejected her because he had me. He has me. And she needs to get over that and move onto some other douche here that will willingly be with her.

As I grabbed a pillow and screamed into it I heard a faint voice that was coming from the end of the hall that sounded like Harry. I leapt up and ran to the open door, peering out and spotting my one source of light in this dark hell that I practically lived in.

I walked briskly down the hall and met up with the guards that were dragging him.

"I'll take him back to his room," I said, taking his arm. The guards didn't say anything, they just walked away without giving it a second thought.

"Hadley!" Harry exclaimed as soon as we reached the room.

"Harry! How are you?" I asked regarding more his mental state than physical.

"I'm okay, I guess. The schizophrenia has finally stopped and I actually feel somewhat sane now. I just wish I could have seen or talked to you. I missed you so much," Harry sighed.

"I missed you too. But we have to talk. Tuesday came by just a few minutes ago and we had a little-um-chat. Well apparently the entire hospital thinks we're sleeping together, but  she also called you a murderer and I cussed her out and told her not to call my boyfriend anythi-" He cut me off with a kiss, "what was that for?"

"I love it when you call me your boyfriend," I smiled and kissed him again.

"Well since you're technically better now, I have other duties to tend to that I was assigned and I only get to stay here for maybe one or two nights a week," I told him.

"Well, you better go do those duties," He sighed.

"Today I get to monitor the common room and it's my first task to take you down there, but you have to kiss me first." He leaned down and kissed me and I tugged on his arm to lead him down to the large room.

As we arrived I noticed something new, a record player, and there was currently a seemingly endless and annoying tune. It was a never-ending cycle of lyrics that I didn't understand and frankly, didn't want to.

I glanced around at the diversity of these patients that had once been so familiar to me and now felt immensely separated from my life. So much had happened since Harry had arrived but I had spent most of my time in his cell. All the patients looked so different now.

Janice had most of her chopped off.

Luke had the scars of electroshock on his temples.

Taylor had new bows in her hair.

They were such small details but they mattered so much.

I had spent so much time in a cell that rejoining the universe felt off and vastly uncomfortable.