Chapter 3
I walk into the room and look around. Everything is white, but decorated with pink toys and hand paintings smeared on the wall.
Okay, this lady definitely has children.
I walk into a living room and stop. There is a man and a woman that I know all too well sitting on a couch across from a tall woman with glasses and a suit. I cough in my throat signaling their attention and the man and woman direct their eyes towards me.
“Y/N!” I hear my grandmother scream as she runs to hug me. I step back and glare at her. “You think it’s best I’m sent to a floor where they will give mental therapy?” I make quotations with my fingers and drop my hands harshly, slightly straining my shoulder. I groan a bit and continue, ignoring my increasing pain.
“I get you want what’s best for me, but do you know what happens in these places?” I continue speaking, getting more enraged. “People go insane! They get mistreated in some mental hospitals, and you expect me to be okay with this and let you put me somewhere I don’t want to be?!”
I clench my fists, my nails digging into my hands.
My grandmother sighs and walks towards me, placing her hand on my shoulder.
“Stop.” I say, moving her hand away. “I just woke up and you think you can immediately judge how I am going to act? I may have experienced trauma but you have no idea how I am taking the recent events, or how I am going to react. Just give me a chance before throwing me in a building with psychos.”
My grandmother stays quiet for a minute, clearly thinking, and then quickly speaks. “3 weeks.”
I look at her in confusion. “3 weeks? 3 weeks for what?” I say as I cross my arms.
She sighs and shakes her head. “3 weeks to prove and show us you’re mentally healthy of course.” She says with a sigh, heavier this time.
“Hmm.. alright.”
I don’t dare to say thank you. I don’t show manners to those who wish to hurt me more than love me. Most people would say she has good intentions, but she doesn’t. She never has, and never will. She never liked me, and she never will. She sure as hell never wanted my mom to have me, and she will never accept it.
My grandmother sighs and sits down next to my grandfather again as he shoots me a slight smile. I make a concerned expression and quickly wipe it from my face. Weird.
Time Skip
A/N POV
After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Y/N speaks. “So, who am I staying with, and where?”
“You will be staying with us, Y/N.”
Y/N saddens her expression and shakes her head slowly. “Alright. When will we be leaving?” She says as she stands up and stands by the door. “We will be leaving tomorrow morning. Head back to your room, the nurses already packed all your stuff. Oh! And sleep well, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
Y/N POV
For some reason, that makes me dread leaving. I have been here for 2 months unconscious and the few hours I have been awake, I have been flooded with news and responsibility. I kind of just want to stay in my hospital room and sleep forever. I really don’t want to stay with my grandparents. They’re annoying and judgemental.
“Alright then. I will be heading back to my room now.” I say as I walk out the door without another word.
As I walk down the halls with my now caught up nurse, I continue to examine the walls. This is terrifying. Why are people locked up? They’re being treated like little kids! I am lost in thought when I trip over my feet and make a large thud. The hall goes silent. Oh no. Loud sounds probably aren’t good around people who are unstable..
I look around and there are multiple eyes of patients locked on me. There is one person that catches my eye though. A woman of short black silky hair, large blue eyes, and a light-colored mink stole makes her way toward me.
“Who might you be?” She states, crossing her arms. “I am a former patient here, miss.”
She intensifies her gaze at me and then to the nurse, yelling seriously. “Well? Don’t just stand there. Is she a patient here?!”
“Yes, Ms. Park. Yes, she is.” The nurse bows in
respect and looks up at the nurse. “Did you need something boss?”
“No, I did not. I had business up here, I will be going now.” The woman gives me a glare and turns on her heel, walking behind a curtain.
“Boss?” Is she the owner of this place or something?” I say, furrowing my brows. “No, but she is the wife of the owner.” She pauses and continues speaking. “Whatever you do, don’t disrespect her. The owner doesn’t tolerate crap from anyone, much less a patient. He will do what’s necessary to keep this place in check. No matter who he harms in the process.” She lowers her head.
“Harms? That doesn’t give me a good feeling about this place miss. He sounds controlling.”
The nurse shoots her head up, clearly worried. “Look, I can’t tell you anything about this place. I am forbidden to. All I can say is this is a normal mental hospital. No bad intentions. Just.. please Y/N, don’t show your grandparents or anyone for that matter that you’re not completely sane. They will lock you up in here so fast it will make your head spin. This hospital is one of the best in the country, and they don’t mistreat their patients. Just don’t get put in here. You don’t want to be locked up against your will, do you?”
My eyes widen and I speak calmly. “Of course not. I won’t misbehave.”
“Good Ms. Y/N. I can tell you are a respectful young lady. You have the chance to get yourself out of this situation. Don’t mess it up!” I shake my head and thank the nurse before we start heading back down the hall to the elevator and then my room.
Once I enter my room, I look around and no longer see Jessie there. She probably left. I lay back in my bed and pull off a book from the table next to me. I start to read it even though I have no idea what it’s about.
After a few minutes, Jessie pops her head into the room. “Y/N?” she says as she walks over to me, handing me a pop tart. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes I am, thank you. I thought you left the hospital?” I say, opening the wrapper and biting into the pop tart. “Nope! Sorry I took so long. I drove over to the McDonalds across the street but they were closed. I guess it’s too late in the day? I remember you liking Pop-Tarts so I got a box from downstairs in the hospital cafeteria.” She says cheerfully, placing the box on the counter on the other side of my bed. “Thank you. I will take those ‘home’ tomorrow.” I sigh and roll my eyes thinking of the thought of staying with my grandparents.
“Are you okay Y/N?”
“No Jessie, I’m really not. I don’t want to stay with my grandparents. We never got along. I mean my grandfather was always better than my grandma, but never ideal.” I sigh, taking another bite out of my pop tart. “Yeah, I get that. I wish you could stay with me and my parents, but I don’t know if your grandparents would be okay with that.”
“I mean, maybe. My grandma is giving me 3 weeks to prove I am sane. I assume they want me staying with them.”
“I don’t know, probably. You never know if you don’t ask..” Jessie replies, placing her hand on my unoccupied one. “Please? I haven’t seen you in so long Y/N.”
I sigh and smile softly. “Sure, Jessie. I’m sure I will enjoy that much more.” I pause. “What about your parents? Will they be okay with that?”
“Don’t worry Y/N. I haven’t asked yet, but my parents like you. They won’t care, plus we don’t have anything planned so I don’t see why not.” She smiles at me and takes her hand away. “Finish your Pop-Tart and head to sleep soon. Believe it or not, when people get out of a coma, they are usually exhausted. Even though they just slept for ages.” She chuckles and stands up. “Goodnight Y/N. I am going to head back home. Sleep well.” She starts to walk towards the door and stops, turning back to me. “Remember to ask your grandparents. If you stay with them, we can’t see eachother often. Since they live so far away in all. Just.. please ask.”
“Got it, Jessie.” I smile and nod towards the door. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight Y/N. Sleep well.” Jessie walks out the door and closes it behind her. I pull out my book again and take a bite into my Pop-Tart. I sigh and whisper to the book, talking to it. “Emily, please hope that I can stay with Jessie. Everything will be terrible if I have to stay with those emotion-driven millennials.” I graze my finger over the image of the main character in the book, Emily. I smile and speak. “Goodnight. Have fun in your lonely world, Emily.”
I put the book and the small remainder of my Pop-Tart down on the table next to my bed and lay down on my side, drifting to sleep.
