Natalie

Introduction

"I've never known him to be anything but crazy."

"Then why are you so shocked he finally got admitted?" Demitria never was one for sympathy, but I did expect her to be supportive of my uncle's recent breakdown.

"Because he never hurt anyone. He was never a danger to society or himself."

"He tried to steal a plane with no license to fly, Tal, that's literally the definition of a danger to society," I knew she was right, but Uncle Cornelius was of the few family members I enjoyed having in my company.

"He took flying lessons and got good. Look, I drove the roads of this city for two years without a license and I never became a danger! A piece of laminated paper doesn't matter."

"Except he got caught. Tal, I know you're upset, so tomorrow go down to the hospital and support him. But don't think on it too much. You have exams in three weeks, sort out your priorities. I have to go, see you tomorrow babe."

She left me standing in front of my dorm room thinking about everything I had on my plate. Demitria was unfeeling and cold but had an uncontrollable need to protect everybody she loved, she was the worst person to go to for comfort. But I knew she would show me how to be strong.

The warm breeze woke me from my thoughts, I realized the sun was setting and remembered I needed to meet with Ashton anytime soon to study. In that instance I decided my education was my priority, I couldn't help my uncle as a homeless person.

...

"What?" he asked me, sitting up from our books on his bed.

"What what?" I asked him, looking up from my art theory textbook.

"You bite your lip when you're thinking hard about something, and I doubt it's Vincent van Gogh," his hazel eyes stared me down.

I wanted to tell him, he was my best friend, I needed to tell him. But I'd already decided on my priorities and I was not going to distract myself with petty feelings. It would have to wait until after exams.

"My uncle got sent to the mental institution this morning," I couldn't hold it down. Ashton knew everything about me, things not even my boyfriend of a year and a half knew.

"Cornelius?" he asked with a frown. He knew my family as if it were his own. He stood by me every day for six months after my father died and hasn't disappointed me since.

"Yes, and I'm so worried about him," I said, pulling my already short hair into a small pony tail, feeling tense and flushed. Ashton stood up and walked towards me, he then pulled me off of the bed to embrace me in a hug.

"He can take care of himself," he said into my hair.

"Except they won't let him, that's the whole issue here," I said, still in his arms.

"Then we get him out."