Spider.

Chapter 9 : Madman

I nodded and cleared my throat. "It's okay. I understand". No, it's not okay! He has insulted you on more than one occasion and has put years of friendship on the line. Leave. Leave now and never show your face to him again, my voice of reason shouted. I shook my head to make the voice go away.

Caspar sighed heavily and put a hand on my shoulder. I tensed at his touch, his hands were so cold. Seeing my tension, he promptly pulled his hand away. "Kat," he said. His voice was barely above a whisper. "There's something else I want to tell you", he fiddled with the hem of his shirt-a sign that he was nervous. "What is it?" I tried to sound casual. He looked at me, gray eyes blazing softly. I could tell he thought I was still uncomfortable. I raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to beat it out of you?". He smiled, but not enough to make his dimple show. I missed joking around with him. I would always tell him I could take him in a fight, but we both know I wouldn't touch him even if someone paid me. "You'd think I'm crazy". I waved my hand around. "Well, we are in a hospital"

He huffed and put a cautious hand over mine. I tensed at his touch and tried not to focus on how cold his fingers were. "Promise me you won't run away first?"
"Okay?"
"And promise me you'll keep what I'm about to tell you to yourself" he squeezed my hand and I tried hard not to lace my fingers through his. I prayed that by some miracle, he couldn't feel my palm becoming sweatier each second his skin was on mine.
"Tell me, stop stalling"
He nodded. "I have proof"
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Proof of what?"
"Proof that Amelia is still alive"

I didn't speak. The little hope I had for him was suddenly ripped out of my hands by non other than Caspar himself. I retracted my hand from his grip. I couldn't do this with him again. I had been telling him for two whole months that Amelia was gone, the police had scoured the deepest of corners and found nothing. She was either dead, or didn't want to be found. Anger bubbled inside me. This was a waste of time. Caspar was gone for good and I knew it, I just could not accept it. There was no way I was going to stand around here and listen to him pine over her, over how he 'knew' she was out there somewhere. I stood up abruptly.

"You promised you wouldn't leave" he pleaded, running after me. Before my fingers made contact with the door handle, he grabbed my wrist and turned me around. "I don't want to hear it" I said plainly.
"Please, Kat. You're the only one that hasn't given up on me. No one will listen to me. Not even my parents. Not even Simon."
"Caspar, you need to stop thinking about Am-"
"Kat, you're all I have"
"W-what?" I gasped and he pulled me closer.
"I've lost everything. My love, my sanity and my life. You're all I have left". And that was all it took to make me stay.

He watched me take a seat on the chair again. I didn't know why I was still here. I should have been on my way back to school, back home, back to reality. But here I sit in a madhouse. With a madman.  About to listen to reasons why a dead girl is still alive.