For the Best

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^*Saylee’s POV*^
The next day when I went back to the hospital, I kept trying to avoid Matt, I didn’t look at him, I didn’t even acknowledge him. He opened the door to Shannon’s room, muttering a small, nearly silent ‘Hi’, but I didn’t reply. I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head as I sat down next to Shannon on her bed.

“Doing okay today?” I asked her and she sighed.

“I had to be knocked out again last night.” I looked at her concerningly.

“What happened?” I asked, and she sighed.

“I had a relapse. I was doing so well, and then all it took was a few thoughts and I was flipping out.” She whispered, and I realized what she was talking about. “You know, tomorrow makes two years exactly.” She whispered and I sighed, and rested my hand on her shoulder, seeing her becoming upset already. “I so sorry for what I did to you, Saylee.”

“It’s okay, Shannon, you couldn’t help it. It wasn’t your fault.” I said, and she sighed.

“I really didn’t mean to hurt you.” She whispered. “I’d never hurt you.”

“I know you wouldn’t. Don’t beat yourself up for it. That was two years ago, everything’s okay now.” I said and went to grab her hand, but she twitched away, and I already knew what was about to happen. She pounced, blocking the exit and taking a chair from over in the corner and jamming it under the doorknob.

“I’m sorry Say.” She whispered, and I backed up.

“Shannon, fight it, you can’t let this happen.” I said, and she went silent, just staring at me. The door rattled as Matt banged on it and tried to unlock it. I tried to walk slowly around Shannon as she stood in her daze, but she quickly turned back towards me, making me turn my back to the door to watch her.

“HEY, SHANNON! LET ME IN!” Matt screamed, and I looked up at him as he banged on the glass, then looked at me in horror. “SAYLEE, WATCH OUT!” I heard his words a little too late, because by the time I had looked back at Shannon, she had her hands wrapped around my neck. I grabbed her wrists. “GUARDS! SECURITY! GET DOWN HERE NOW!” I heard Matt screams through my gagging. I tried to pull Shannon’s hands from my neck, but I never was much of a strong person. I felt her hands tighten each time I tried to tug at her arms. I felt her lift me off the ground, a sympathetic look flashing repeatedly in her eyes, but each time it would come around, it would quickly be replaced with the other side of Shannon; the side that at some times, I think wants me dead.

“Shannon…please…” I muttered, my voice nearly being cut off. The door burst open behind me, and three people rushed in, Matt followed quickly after. Two guards quickly got Shannon to drop me, and she started freaking out and screaming again as I fell to my knees, Matt right beside me.

“Are you okay?!” Matt asked frantically as I coughed, taking in deep breaths as Shannon’s screams died down from the other side of the room. An alarm went off from somewhere else in the hospital, and the guards and the nurse rushed out, but Matt stayed. I looked up at Shannon, out cold on the bed, and I felt tears tugging at my eyes as Matt helped me to my feet. “C’mon, I’ll give you a ride home.” Matt said softly, and ushered me gently out of the room, locking it behind us. We walked down the hallway in silence, and into the front lobby of the place. “Hey, Rose, I’m taking her home, I’ll be back in about thirty minutes.” He told Rosie behind the counter and she nodded, giving him the okay. I really wasn’t in the mood for walking down the street and through town in fifty three degree weather, so I didn’t really have a choice but to let Matt lead me out to his car, and open my door for me. I got in, and he shut my door and walked around to the driver’s side, and got in, closing his door and not bothering to put his seatbelt on before driving out of the parking lot. Matt had taken me home once or twice before after a few incidents like this, so he knew what my address was. “Hey,” He snapped me from my thoughts, and I looked over at him. “Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked again, sounding concerned, and I nodded.

“I’m fine.” I said and we drove in silence for a good five minutes before he sighed.

“Look I’m…I’m sorry about what I did yesterday. I don’t know what came over me.” He said, his voice soft.

“Don’t be sorry.” I whispered.

“I am. You’re practically just a kid, and I feel like some kind of pervert for doing that now.” He said, and I looked over at him, getting caught up in him for a minute. But I soon emerged from my spaced out state of mind and took a deep breath.

“Would it make you feel any better if I said I may have wanted you to do it?” I asked and he glanced over at me.

“Don’t try and make me feel better, Saylee. It was wrong and I don’t expect you to be okay with it.” He said and I shook my head.

“What if I was okay with it?” I asked, hoping that he’d maybe catch onto the fact that I liked him.

“Are you?” He asked, and I nodded.

“I am.” I said as he got closer to my block. We fell quiet for another good five minutes before he turned onto my street. He parked on the curb in front of my house, and looked over at me.

“Would you be okay with it if I did it again?” He asked and I was hesitant to answer. I wanted to be in a relationship with him, but on another hand I couldn’t. Because my parents still keep me locked up like a child. But, I was beginning to not care.

“Yea.” Fuck my parents. “I would.” I said quietly, and he smiled lightly as we both leaned in over the console towards each other, nothing else existing at the moment. It was just me and him, there wasn’t a world around us, there wasn’t any air, there wasn’t any sound, just us. He pressed his lips against mine, and I saw sparks behind my eyelids. Just as he was wrapping an arm around me, and pulling me closer to him-

“Young lady, get out of that car right now.” We both pulled away from each other quickly, and I stared at my mom, glaring at us through the passenger’s side window, complete and utter terror surging through me. I and opened the door, my mom stepped out of the way.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I said and he nodded.

“Alright.” He gave me a sad smile as I got out.

“Bye.” I said, but before he could answer, my mom slammed the door and motioned for him to leave. He drove off, and my mom started with the speech, her voice carrying throughout our small neighborhood.

“What in god’s name has gotten into you?! What in the hell was that, Saylee?!” She demanded to know and I sighed and walked inside, and she followed. “Was that Matthew?” This was the moment I regretted him ever dropping me off about seven months ago and meeting my parents. I turned sharply to look at her.

“What if it was? What if that was Matt?” I asked, wondering what she was going to do about it. “What if that was him?”

“I don’t want you around him anymore.” She said sternly. “He’s nearly nine years older than you and I think you two are becoming a little too comfortable around one another.”

“What?!” I asked, shocked by the fact that she would say such a thing. “M-mom, you can’t do that! He’s one of my best friends! My god it’s not like he’s going to kidnap me or something!”

“I am your mother, I am allowed to tell you who you can and cannot be around!” She yelled back. I gritted my teeth, walking to the door

“Fuck you.” I spat, and slammed the door, hearing the old house creak with the slam. I turned and walked down the drive way and once I walked a good fifteen feet away from my house, I called my uncle Benji.

“Hello?” He answered on the third ring.

“Benji, it’s me, Saylee. I need you to come pick me up.”

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I loved my uncle so much. He didn’t really like my parents because they kept too close of an eye on me, and my parents didn’t like him because he was the complete opposite of them, but him and I were like father and daughter. He’s one of those guys that stay outdoors rather hunting or fishing over ninety nine percent of the time. He has deer heads, and stuffed wildlife, and fish all throughout the walls of his house that’s way out in the woods. He was one person I can count on in a situation like this.

“So, I take it your folks have finally gone off their rockers?” Benji asked as I got in his old pickup, the smell of fish automatically hitting me in the face like a rock. I looked over at him with a sigh as I shut my door.

“They’ve really gotten to me this time.” I said, and he drove off down the road.

“What’d they do?”

“My mom told me I couldn’t see one of my friends anymore.” I said softly, and he nodded.

“Well, your friend is in a loony bin, it was only a matter of time bef-” I cut him off.

“No, not Shannon, another friend.” I said and he glanced over at me curiously.

“Another friend?” I nodded. “Is this friend a guy?” He asked and I bit down on my lip as I looked over at him.

“Yea, and my mom caught him and I kissing.” I muttered, not afraid at all to tell him anything. If there was one thing Benji knew best, it was trust.

“Oh, there’s your problem. Didn’t your parents tell you that you couldn’t date until you were eighteen?” He asked and I nodded.

“But that’s not all. He’s…he’s twenty five.” I said, and he shrugged.

“So? Honey, age is just a number.” He said with a slight smile.

“I really like him, Benj.” I said, and he nodded.

“What’s his name?”

“Matt.”

“Is he nice?”

“He’s the nicest.”

“Okay, let’s get down to business. If you want me to really approve of him I need details.” Here we go. “Criminal record?”

“No.”

“Piercings?”

“I think his lip’s pierced.” I said, not exactly sure.

“Tattoos?” This is where I got scared. Benji’s an old fashioned guy, he hates piercings, but tattoos are even worse in his book because of the permanent factor.

“Well…” I trailed off.

“Oh boy, let me hear it.” He said.

“Sleeves, I know for sure, uh...back and chest probably the same.” I said, and he nodded.

“Devil worshiper?” He asked nonchalantly.

“Benji!” I exclaimed, and he started laughing.

“I was just kidding, can’t you take a joke?” He asked forcing a smile from me.

“You’re such an ass.” I said, looking out the window as we left town and the buildings were replaced by trees. He lived out of town, so the drive was about forty five minutes long.

“The ass that unwillingly got out of the creek and drove all the way into town to pick your rebellious ass up.”

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I poked at the food on my plate, beginning to wonder if it was actually edible.

“Wh-what is this again?” I asked, looking across the small table at him, skeptical about the dinner he had fixed, or as he said, ‘scared up’, which scared me.

“That’s deer meat, black eyed peas, cornbread, and catfish.” He pointed at each food, and though it sounded good, the black eyed peas looked like eyeballs, the catfish actually looked like a fish that had jumped right out of the creek and into the fryer, the deer meat was just…gross, and the cornbread was black. I don’t think bread is supposed to be black. But, he called the cornbread the, Benji Vaughn Specialty. I told him to drop his last name out of the title, but he said it makes it look neat. I had to disagree.

“Oh god I think I’m going to be sick.” I muttered, and he let out a chuckle. I got up from the table, but before I walked towards the back of the house he stopped me.

“Hey, you still have a pair of pajamas in the top drawer of that old dresser.” He said, and I nodded.

“Thanks.” I said and he nodded.

“No problem hon.” I walked out of the kitchen and to the hallway, where I went straight to the end and opened the door to my cousin Seth’s old bedroom that had become my room. I came over here whenever my parents were unbearable. All I had to do was call Benji and he’d come pick me up. He was awesome like that. I walked over to the dresser adorned with deer antlers, and opened the top drawer. There were two pairs of my pajamas, just like he said. Though, they were shorts and a short sleeve shirt. I grabbed them and walked into the bathroom, hoping that I didn’t freeze my ass off in the cold house. Tomorrow I’d have to see if Benji would drive me over to the hospital, though I didn’t know if Shannon would want to see me or not, seeing as tomorrow will mark the second year she had been in there. …Tomorrow’s going to be a hard day.