Broken Dolls Asylum

H.R.C. classes didn’t last long, nor did we have to take them every day. Every class was held twice a week, for about one hour, and then we could leave. Of course, only within perimeters of the building, if we had that much freedom I would’ve left Maryland a long time ago. Half the time, I would take a nap outside in the patio where I knew no one could bother me, and the other I would spend hanging out with Tom when he was off duty or not working at the bar.

“You have classes like... math, science, and those kinds of things?’ Mona asked, looping her arm with mine.

“No.” I stepped to my left into the O.Y.H. class. “It’s way worse.”

Unlike the hallways on the other sections, ours is especially long and wide to fit rooms, the cafeteria, yoga room, bathrooms, showers, and classes. You got used to it after a while.

“Freddie! Thanks for joining us.” Mrs. Hoods smiled at me kindly. “And you brought company?”

“Uh... they’re from S.S.” I muttered walking over and sitting down on one of the blue chairs lying around.

She raised her eyebrows and mouthed an ‘oh’. They grabbed three chairs and sat next to me, keeping close. “Well then... welcome to Open Your Heart.”

“Open your heart...” Ozzie muttered and gave me a look.

“It’s mandatory to take it twice a week. It’s the sob class.” I rolled my eyes. There were two blue boxes of tissues on each corner.

“I’m so sorry for you...” Mona murmured, placing her head on Val’s shoulder and sighing.

“So, class, why don’t we start with the newcomers?” Mrs. Hoods smiled like it was a good idea. I don’t think she knew what S.S. stood for.

“Uh... can I go first?” I raised my hand, slapping myself mentally.

“Well Freddie! You’ve never wanted to go! Of course you can.”

I never wanted to go for a reason. Mrs. Hoods exaggerated everything.

“Uh... well...” I looked around.

“Actually, may I go first if you don’t mind? I mean, I know Freddie was about to speak but I really feel like expressing my emotions... out loud.” Ozzie spoke up, looking at me.

“If you don’t mind Freddie.” Mrs. Hoods spoke up.

I frowned at him. “Actually I do.”

“I don’t need your fucking pity for being in the suicide section so shut up.” Ozzie muttered angrily only letting me hear.

“Who says I’m giving you any?” I spat, smiling at Mrs. Hoods. “When I was about five years old people threw rocks every day at my house.”

“My mother was abusive towards my father and me.” Ozzie cut in.

“My dad used to hit my mother.” I glared at him.

“My dad killed himself.”

“So did mine, honey.”

He glared at me. “My mother tried shooting me down.”

“My mother shot three people down.” I wiggled my eyebrows.

“I tried killing myself drinking arsenic along with nine other people, all of them my friends. In that group was my girlfriend. If the police and paramedics hadn’t come any sooner and pumped out my stomach, I would’ve been long gone with all of them.” He spat, leaning his face close to me.

I kept silent.

“Um... Ben... how about you go now?” Mrs. Hoods broke the silence, turning towards nerdy little Ben.

“Sure...” He muttered.

After that, I spaced out completely. Not that it mattered. For once, Mrs. Hoods wasn’t going to butt in my silence.

† † † † †

“Come on you guys! Smile and be happy! You’ve been mad at each other for the whole day ever since we got out of O.Y.H.” Mona pouted her bottom lip, as I looked away and to the side.

“He’s an asshole. I have a strict ‘No Talking to Assholes’ rule.” I answered, back passing my hands through my knotted hair. I had forgotten I could’ve tied it up a long time ago and avoided the knots.

“Can I... can I braid your hair?” Valentine spoke up, cocking her head to the side. There was a faint blush on her cheeks.

“Val is actually really good at hairstyling. She gets really happy when she sees someone with such pretty hair as yours. She’s just very shy. She sometimes does my hair, but since I have it short she can’t really do much.” Mona popped in, beaming.

“Really? That’s awesome! I wish I could be more creative with my hair.” I shrugged, smiling. “Sure you can do my hair. I don’t mind.”

We were currently on the patio connected to the cafeteria having some lunch. Thankfully, they actually had real food, which included tuna sandwiches, a bottle of water, and chips.

Valentine crawled behind me on the grass and sat down, passing her hand through my hair.

“So, anyway, please talk to each other.” Mona whined, pouting her mouth once again.

“We’ve only known each other a couple of hours. It’s not that big of a deal if we don’t talk. We are pretty much strangers.” Ozzie shrugged his shoulders, biting into his sandwich.

“I agree.” I muttered.

“Okay... but... but we’re friends! We’re not strangers. At least I’ve tried to be friends. I mean... Okay.” Mona paused. “My name is Monique Linley, also called Mona. I will be sixteen years old on April 1st, gay, and I love the feeling of being hurt. I love the sensation of a razor cutting through my skin. If I unwrap my wrist bandages you will see Valentine’s name carved into my arm and on the other, many, many slices.”

Valentine sat on my side, doing a side braid along with my bangs. “My name’s Valentine Stone, also called Val. I was born on February 14th and am currently seventeen years old. I’m a drug and sex addict who is in love with Mona, my sponsor as well as my best friend. I haven’t gotten high in a few months, and am not planning on doing so again. Although, sometimes when I really focus, I can still feel the acid running through my veins when I close my eyes.”

Ozzie sighed. “My name is Oziel Richards or Ozzie, born October 20th and currently seventeen years old. If I lift up my shirt right now, under my heart would be a tattoo with the words ‘cross my heart’. I got this three days before I tried to commit suicide along with my friends and my girlfriend.”

“Our lives were fucked up, and we thought that it would be awesome to go together, simply because we knew that once we grew up, our hearts would die and we would become as fucked up as our parents. So we had the same tattoo done as a promise of going together so none of us would back out.”

“You didn’t take enough or you took it after all of them did.” I muttered, as he leaned in closer.

“What the hell do you know?” He sneered.

“You would be dead if you had taken it at the same time, or taken the complete dosage. The paramedics got there at the exact time where everyone was pretty much gone. Except for you.”

“Shut up.”

Valentine finished braiding the front as I tucked it in behind my ear to keep it in place. “Don’t give me attitude when you know I’m right. You fucked around with your drink. You were scared.”

“Shut the hell up.” He grabbed my face.

“Just admit it.” I answered back staring right into his blue eyes.

“Shut. Up.”

“Are you such a coward that you can’t even admit it?” I snickered, as he grabbed my chin tighter.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

“Make me you coward or can’t you even do that?” He let go of my chin and pushed my head close to his. He leaned in, his lips almost touching my ear as I could hear his breathing perfectly.

“Before Alice died, she grabbed my shirt and whispered, ‘I mixed water in your cup, you moronic idiot. No way in hell you deserve to die.’”

He paused and leaned back a little our noses touching. “I’m no coward.”