Out of This World

Chapter Five

 I had never been one for holidays, seeing as how I was usually in a sedative state during them. But the Fourth of July came around, and I couldn't help but get a little bit excited for it. Not for the fireworks - I hated those. But for the idea that something, anything, was happening around here. Almost a month had passed since arriving, and all I had done was sleep, take my meds like clockwork, and avoid Toby and his stares that seemed to look right into my mind.

The nurses had decorated, against my wishes. It wasn't like I had asked them not to, but I made it pretty clear by the extra hour I spent in bed every time someone brought it up.

There were paper fireworks taped to the walls that we had made in one of our groups - rather, that other people made. I made sure to sleep through that one. That, along with the red, white, and blue bullshit plastered everywhere, the unit looked like America threw up all over it.

"Hey Mars."

Toby appeared out of nowhere, joining me at the nurse's station.

"Toby."

"What are you doing?" he asked, leaning against the counter, out of breath like always.

"Looking at the decorations, obviously." I wasn't in the mood to banter.

But apparently, he was.

"They're pretty cool, right? I helped the nurses put it together."

I just stared at him.

"Do you wanna watch the fireworks with me?"

"I don't like fireworks."

"Why not?"

I shrugged. "I just don't really like holidays."

Toby grabbed my hand and started to pull me out the back door. The staff had laid out blankets on the grass, and patients were scattered about, waiting for the show to start.

We found one near the fence and sat down awkwardly, looking around at everyone having a good time.

That was the thing about psych hospitals - it wasn't a scary place filled with people who were trying to die. Most of the people here were happy, they just needed some help to get there. Most of them left within two weeks.

That was the thing about depression. No matter how much help I got, I wasn't ever really happy. That was part of why I wasn't a fan of holidays.

I had thought at first that Toby had chosen a random blanket that happened to be open, but from underneath it he pulled out sparklers, a bottle of something, and two cups.

"What the hell?" I asked, slightly concerned. I was pretty sure we weren't allowed to have fireworks, and I was almost positive that whatever was in the bottle was alcohol - something we definitely weren't allowed to have. "You're in recovery."

"Calm down, Sherlock," Toby smirked, "it's sparkling apple cider. I swiped it from the nurses station earlier. They never saw it coming."

I read the label, and he was right.

"Well that's...sweet," I said hesitantly, looking around to see if there was anyone watching us. There was a couple nurses walking nearby, but one of them was Duncan, so I wasn't too worried. "We're probably not supposed to have those sparklers though."

Toby just shrugged.

"How'd you get them, anyways?" I asked.

"Trade secrets," he said, winking at me and lighting them.

The sparks flew, and I felt sparks flying in my stomach, too. What was that about?

"Here you go, sweetheart," Toby said, handing one to me.