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Chapter Twelve

12.

"Either you're absolutely mad, or you enjoy passing out in patches of grass", at the sound of a voice, Edward's eyes snap open, "And I'm going to go with the absolutely mad verdict. Here, you need a hand?"

He looks up and see's Adam's smiling face beaming down at him. He has his hand outstretched and then seems to change his mind and takes a seat next to where Edward is lying in the grass. He sees Adam pull his light ADDIAS jacket round him a bit tighter, when a cool breeze passes over them. Edward stays lying down for a few more minutes, allowing the breeze to brush over his hot face.

"Been looking all over for you," Adam says as Edward slowly sits up, "Then one of the guys said he saw you running in this direction. Took me ages to walk over here. By the way," Adam says, examining Edward's face, "your face is all red".

"Is it?" Edward asks and feels his cheeks. Their glowing and hot. He doesn't know what the time is, or how long he's been asleep in the sun, passed out on this patch of grass. But he doesn't really care. For once he felt at peace, and he hasn't felt that way since he had his little red bottle. He feels hot in his layers of clothes, but he doesn't really mind all that much, not now that the sun has dipped, and the cool breeze is picking up. But he's enjoying being out in the fresh air, more than he thought he would have. And his body seems to be enjoying too. Yet there's the nagging voice at the back of his mind, telling him he needs the pills. And he still believes it. He wants those pills.

"Yeah. I have some cream you can borrow if you like tonight," Adam says then adds, "Take it you had a bad session since you took off running like that."

Edward shrugs, he considers telling the truth but before he can decide what to say, he blurts out, "Not any worse than the others. Just wanted some fresh air".

Adam scoffs and grins, "Bit of a long way to come just for some fresh air."

They sit in silence for a while, enjoying the sun and the cool breeze and the birds cheeping in the background. It's nice and relaxing. And the best part is it's just the two of them, no one else is in sight. Edward likes it that way. He likes Adam the best. Edward loves talking to him and finds himself looking forward to whatever time they have to talk each day. Even if it is a rushed conversation over soggy breakfast cereal or a cold piece of toast.

But what he likes best is art therapy. Even though he hates to admit it. But somehow, he enjoys sitting at the same table each time, colouring in the same piece of white paper multi-coloured. And more importantly watching Adam stick the same leaf onto the same paper each time. Even though Edward knows what Adam is going to do each time, he changes how he describes the leaf. Some days it's "pretty" or "magnificent" others its "boring" or "wet and limp". Edward's since discovered that however the leaf describes, reflects Adams mood. Good or bad. Happy or sad. And Edward rather likes that he describes the leaves the same as his mood. But he likes it best when Adam is in a happy mood. It makes Edward feel something again. Like he can be happy too. Somehow Adam being here is helping Edward. He's not sure how or why, but he likes it. He's not sure how he would cope without watching Adam sticking various leaves onto a piece of paper and sending it off to his siblings. He wonders how many he's sent over the period he's been here. Probably more than Edward would ever know.

He wonders if Adam's siblings keep all the leaf notes he sends them. Edward wonders if his mum or sister would keep notes or drawing he sent them. Probably. And then show them to all his friends, embarrassing him even more. He's not ready for that. He doesn't want to think about the outside world. Not yet at least. He hopes maybe one day he'll be able to see the world as beautiful again. But he's not sure. It's too distorted for him now. It'll never be the same again.