This is a short scene from my novel, Delusion. My main character, Haylee is in a mental hospital for some reasons that are tough to explain. She tried to commit suicide (and was enabled by a very attractive, idiotic nurse's aide) and is in the urgent care unit when this takes place.
I opened my eyes and saw Matthew standing there, his eyes were dark and shiny as they were the last time I saw him, a few nights ago. He looked at me, his concern apparent on his face. "Haylee, What were you thinking? Why on earth did you do it?"
I shook my head and closed my eyes, "You wouldn't understand, No one possibly could," I said to the ceiling.
He reached out a cautious hand and brushed my cheek, I looked up at him. He reached out his arm to help me sit up, then he took an extra pillow from the empty bed across from mine and put it behind my back. I leaned back into the pillow and gave him a small nod of gratitude.
"So, What exactly happened?" He said softly, gazing into my eyes.
"I told you, you couldn't possibly understand it," I told him, a little bit harsher.
He smiled just a bit, "Haylee, I was in the bed next to that one 3 days ago, Try me."
He took my hand in his.
I smiled a little, and started "Ok, This is going to sound really weird..."
He grinned mischievously, "Does it involve blue monkeys wearing ties or pink cheetahs from Jupiter?"
I giggled "I said that it is weird, not that I do shrooms".
He stuck out his tongue at me, a little child-like gesture.
"Ok then, talk." He said, "Or should I ask Dr. Reynolds to come and psychoanalyze it out of you?"
I groaned, "Ok,ok, I'm talking"
He eagerly sat on the bed next to my feet, I began "I guess everything started when I was little, maybe about 8 years old,"
"Is that where the cheetahs come in?" He asked, jokingly.
"I'm not going to talk if you interrupt me," I said.
He feigned zipping his mouth shut, and then locked it and threw away the key, he folded his hands neatly in his lap.
I giggled a bit at the childlike expectant look on his face.
"ok," I said, "When I was eight, a girl appeared in my room one day. I named her Lindy. She was my friend, until she tried to end my life."
"Oooh, mysterious," he said.
I gave him a look.
"sorry, I know," he said with a sheepish grin
"Anyway, first she was my friend, and then she went away, disappeared into thin air, for a few years. And then she came back, and she was skinnier and scarier. She made me stop eating and my parents put me in the hospital for 2 weeks. She went away after that, for a little while anyway. She's back now, I don't know what she wants but she tried to kill me, that's why my parents first put me in here." I stopped talking.
He stared at me for a few seconds. "Wow Haylee, I think I was wrong about you," He said "I think you really might be insane,"
I slapped his arm playfully
"But seriously though, What made you try to pull that stunt? They don't let anyone out of the hospital for a week after a suicide attempt" He told me
I sighed, "I know, It just seemed like a quick way to get out of this madness. My parents think I'm insane, my friends are scared of me, and my imaginary friend from when I was 7 is trying to kill me."
He stood up and came to sit on the bed right next to me. He wrapped his arms around me in a tender embrace. I pressed my ear closer to his chest, hearing his steady heartbeat and he held me tighter.
"Matt?" I said.
"Yes?" he whispered
"I love you," I told him
He pulled me back from him and stared into my eyes. I could see something changing in his eyes, unthawing.
"I love you too, Haylee," he said softly.
One of the nurses tapped me on the shoulder. I turned away from Matthew for a second and noticed that the other nurses had left the room. "Are you hungry dear? Would you like me to go get you some food?"
"Yes please," I said.
She winked at me, "Alright, be good you two, I'll be right back,"
She left the room and I looked at Matthew, he smiled at me and put his arm over my shoulders.
"So what do we do now?" I asked him.
"Well, first we need to get you out of here," he said, "You're going to be on suicide watch for the next week, but you need to convince Dr. Reynolds that you aren't going to try to kill yourself,"
"But I'm not," I told him.
"I know," he said, squeezing my hand comfortingly. I leaned my head on him a bit below his shoulder.
"What are you thinking about right now?" Matthew asked me, after a minute or so of silence.
"How much I love the sound of your heart beating right now," I replied.
He looked down at me, "I'm glad yours still is," He said solemnly.
I sighed, "I promise I'll stay alive if you will," I said
He seemed to think for a moment, and then said seriously "Ok, I promise I will,"
He smiled slightly and then tipped my chin up and kissed me lightly.
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