Boy, Interrupted
III
'Rian?' I whisper, looking over at the sleeping boy, half hoping he's asleep, but half hoping he's awake so he can answer my questions,
'Yes?' he asks, not opening his eyes, his voice is soft and gently and makes me wonder how the fuck he ended up in this place,
'Who is Jack?' I ask softly,
'A sociopath. He's been here for three years. Escapes every now and then. He's just came back, he got out three weeks ago. He's not a bad person. He's just a bit scary. He can be nice. Tony was his best friend, but he got discharged two weeks ago. Jack's just in shock. He'll be fine. Oh, and Zack has a problem in his brain and he's like Jacks little puppy, Zack is absolutely obsessed with him but Jack doesn't treat him like most people, he doesn't push him away. He treats Zack like he wants to be treated - a small child.' Rian explains,
'Why are you here?' I ask before I can stop myself,
'I tried to jump off of the roof of my school. 17 times. Then tried to kill 3 teachers.' He says, eyes still closed,
'Oh my god Rian.' I whisper,
'You ever heard of pseudologia fantastica?' He then asks,
'No.' I mumble,
'It means I'm a pathological liar.' He says, and I can see his smirk in the dark,
'Shit.' I chuckle,
'Why are you here then?' he asks, finally opening his eyes and looking at me,
'They think I self harm and tried to kill myself.' I say quietly,
'And do you? Did you?' he asks,
'No.' I say, far too quickly,
'Sure Alex. Go to sleep.' he whispers.
(a few days later)
I glance up from my journal when I hear a familiar voice, Jack has walked in, making himself known,
'Jack!' Zack exclaims, holding his arms out, Jack laughs and drops himself onto the couch and lies against Zack,
'And how's my little Zacky today?' he asks, which only makes Zack giggle, he tilts his head back and locks eyes with me, 'Let me go Z.' he says softly and Zack let's go, Jack kisses his cheek before getting up and walking over, he sits in front of me and smirks, eyeing me up and down,
'They look fancy. Can I try?' he asks, pointing to my pack of cigarettes, I nod and he grabs one and my lighter, putting it between his lips and lighting it with ease, I watch as he breathes in slowly before blowing the smoke out into my face, slower than he inhaled, 'They're good. I like them.' he nods and I smile softly for a second before it drops.
--
'Jack Barakat?' a nurse calls, walking over and handing Jack a little tub of pills, he sighs and tips his head back, swallowing the pills and opening his mouth,
'Aaaah!' he chuckles and she nods, turning her back, 'Alex Gaskarth?' she asks and I nod, my eyes watching Jack as he smirks at me and shows me the pills on his tongue before taking them out his mouth and putting them down the waist band of his pants, the nurse hands me my pot,
'What is it?' I ask,
'Laxatives dear. Take them. Everyone has to. Eating disorder or not.' she says and Jack winks at me so I put them in my mouth and pretend to swallow, hiding them under my tongue before showing her, she nods before she walks off and I take them out my mouth and shove them down my pants quickly, Jack chuckles and smiles at me,
'I like you kid. Tongue your sleeping pills tonight and meet me at the bottom of the hallway, watch the mirrors in the corners, be careful.' he says softly before standing up and walking off.
'Yes?' he asks, not opening his eyes, his voice is soft and gently and makes me wonder how the fuck he ended up in this place,
'Who is Jack?' I ask softly,
'A sociopath. He's been here for three years. Escapes every now and then. He's just came back, he got out three weeks ago. He's not a bad person. He's just a bit scary. He can be nice. Tony was his best friend, but he got discharged two weeks ago. Jack's just in shock. He'll be fine. Oh, and Zack has a problem in his brain and he's like Jacks little puppy, Zack is absolutely obsessed with him but Jack doesn't treat him like most people, he doesn't push him away. He treats Zack like he wants to be treated - a small child.' Rian explains,
'Why are you here?' I ask before I can stop myself,
'I tried to jump off of the roof of my school. 17 times. Then tried to kill 3 teachers.' He says, eyes still closed,
'Oh my god Rian.' I whisper,
'You ever heard of pseudologia fantastica?' He then asks,
'No.' I mumble,
'It means I'm a pathological liar.' He says, and I can see his smirk in the dark,
'Shit.' I chuckle,
'Why are you here then?' he asks, finally opening his eyes and looking at me,
'They think I self harm and tried to kill myself.' I say quietly,
'And do you? Did you?' he asks,
'No.' I say, far too quickly,
'Sure Alex. Go to sleep.' he whispers.
(a few days later)
I glance up from my journal when I hear a familiar voice, Jack has walked in, making himself known,
'Jack!' Zack exclaims, holding his arms out, Jack laughs and drops himself onto the couch and lies against Zack,
'And how's my little Zacky today?' he asks, which only makes Zack giggle, he tilts his head back and locks eyes with me, 'Let me go Z.' he says softly and Zack let's go, Jack kisses his cheek before getting up and walking over, he sits in front of me and smirks, eyeing me up and down,
'They look fancy. Can I try?' he asks, pointing to my pack of cigarettes, I nod and he grabs one and my lighter, putting it between his lips and lighting it with ease, I watch as he breathes in slowly before blowing the smoke out into my face, slower than he inhaled, 'They're good. I like them.' he nods and I smile softly for a second before it drops.
--
'Jack Barakat?' a nurse calls, walking over and handing Jack a little tub of pills, he sighs and tips his head back, swallowing the pills and opening his mouth,
'Aaaah!' he chuckles and she nods, turning her back, 'Alex Gaskarth?' she asks and I nod, my eyes watching Jack as he smirks at me and shows me the pills on his tongue before taking them out his mouth and putting them down the waist band of his pants, the nurse hands me my pot,
'What is it?' I ask,
'Laxatives dear. Take them. Everyone has to. Eating disorder or not.' she says and Jack winks at me so I put them in my mouth and pretend to swallow, hiding them under my tongue before showing her, she nods before she walks off and I take them out my mouth and shove them down my pants quickly, Jack chuckles and smiles at me,
'I like you kid. Tongue your sleeping pills tonight and meet me at the bottom of the hallway, watch the mirrors in the corners, be careful.' he says softly before standing up and walking off.