The Snowy-haired Genius

Chapter thirty-two

The bed felt hard. It was louder than usual. I didn't open my eyes, instead I wish that I had Winter's arms around me. Where was he? More importantly, where were my blankets? I was cold.

"No, I don't know! He might be alive, I'll check for a pulse!" An unfamiliar voice said. There was a beep of a car horn and I sat up as fast as I could.

No. No, no, no. No.

"Oh my god, he's alive!" A woman talking loudly on the phone said. I looked at her, scrambling backwards. My back hit a wall. I looked up and saw that it wasn't a wall, it was instead a dumpster.

I was back in Melbourne, in the same alleyway I had been taken from in the first place.

There was a bark and I turned around, staring at the brown and white dog who was tugging at his lead. Quick as a flash, I ran over to him and untied him. "Donut!" I whispered, pressing my face into his fur. "Oh my god, Donut."

"Hey, can you tell me your name?" The woman who had been on the phone was bending down in front of me, a concerned look on her face. "Do you know where you are?"

Without even meaning to, I suddenly began to cry. I shoved the woman away when she tried to comfort me, and instead wrapped my arms around Donut, holding the puppy to my chest and crying loudly. "Get away from me!" I shouted as a crowd began to gather. "Get the fuck away from me! I'll fucking get the dog to bite you!"

Donut began to growl at everyone who even tried to approach me. Finally, police arrived. They pushed the crowd away and tried to talk to me. I refused to listen or cooperate, instead deciding to scream loudly whenever anybody tried to touch me. "Get the fuck away! I'm fucking fine!"

Eventually, the police put a tranquilliser through the dog. I cradled him to my chest, still sobbing. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to go back to Winter. I needed to go back to him.

"We're taking you to the hospital, alright kid?" A police officer bent down in front of me, reaching out and touching my arm. I snarled at him, shoving his hand away. He sighed, standing up. "He's not going to do anything we say."

"Damn fucking right I'm not doing what you say. Let me leave. Just pretend I was never here." I stood up and picked up the brown and white dog, trying to walk away.

Suddenly, two men grabbed my arms. I screamed, trying to tug away from them as a different man pulled Donut away from me. I was led to the police car, kicking and screaming. They put Donut in an animal control car and closed my door. I silenced down once we began to drive. A police officer turned back at me with what I guessed was supposed to be a comforting smile. "You're okay now."

I just began to cry again.

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I ended up falling asleep when we got to the hospital. The bed wasn't that soft and the sheets were kind of tight, but I was really tired from all that fighting. I missed Winter. I missed Donut. I wanted them back.

When I woke up, there was sunlight shining onto my face. I started to cry again, but then I stopped myself. Why was I crying? I never cried in front of people. And yet I had a breakdown just a day before in front of numerous people I didn't know.

Suddenly, the door opened. I numbly stared at the four people standing at the door. My mother, Dan, Jacob and Justin.

My mother burst into tears and ran over to me, hugging my head to her chest. I didn't do anything. Instead, I just sat there. My brothers sat on the bed beside me and ruffled my hair. "We missed you." Jacob said, but he had a strange smile on his face. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't you ever leave again!" My Mother sobbed. She pulled away and looked down at me, tears streaming down her face. "Jason, please. I'm so sorry you didn't like living with us! I really am! But look what happens when you leave? You go and get yourself kidnapped, Jason!"

She gasped, as if realising what had happened. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you? They hurt you, didn't they?"

"Mum, I'm fine. Can you get off me now? I need to go." I pushed her away from me and stood up, looking around for a pair of shoes. I looked down at Justin's white sneakers. "Shoes off."

"Weirdo."

"Take. Your. Fucking. Shoes. Off." I growled at him. His eyes widened and he kicked off his expensive shoes. I grabbed them, as well as the pair of folded clothes that was on the end of my bed. Nobody did anything as I walked off to the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I got dressed quickly, not even bothering to look in the mirror because I already knew I looked like shit.

"Jason, get back here." My father said as I pushed past him. I ignored him. He grabbed my arm and I turned and looked at him with more hatred in my eyes than I think I had ever had for anybody.

Without even thinking I punched him as hard as I could and ran off, slamming the door behind me.

I pulled up my hood, making sure nobody knew it was me.

The police found me in the pound, arguing with the person at the front desk, who said I couldn't just take my dog back and I needed to pay a fine. I was shouting, screaming at him because he was basically holding Donut hostage and that wasn't fair.

I refused to go with the police until my mother came. She took one look of me in front of Donut's cage, curled up, and she asked how much for the dog.

When we got back to the hospital, I was holding the dog on a lead. The nurses wouldn't let me in the hospital with the dog, so I said I would just go home then.

Surprisingly, they did let me. Mum and I were the only ones in the car. I was holding the dumb dog, pushing him away when he tried to lick my face.

The elevator ride up to our penthouse wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. My mother told me they had kept my room exactly the same, and that she really liked the dog. I didn't even answer her. I didn't answer anyone. Jacob, Justin and Dan had arrived home before us. They looked in disgust at Donut.

"There is no way that can be a purebred." Dan said in disgust. I ignored him and went straight into my bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I began to cry.

I wanted Winter back.