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Chapter FourAdamGet Lily away from here as quietly as possible.
That’s the plan. The problem is, I have no idea how to implement it.
Lily is one of the most emotional, stubborn and determined people I’ve met, which means she’s unpredictable. If I walk up to her and demand she leave, chances are she’ll cause a scene big enough to fuck the both of us over.
So how do I approach this, then?
I’ve been trying to figure this out for hours, but I feel like I’m going in circles. Everything brings me back to the fact that I can’t be sure how she’ll react.
My phone rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. At first, I’m glad for the distraction, until I see that it’s Mom. I let it go to voicemail, because I can’t deal with her now. Not while I’m trying to sort out Lily. She’ll only suck dry the little energy I have left in me for the night. That sounds horrible, but everything with Mom is an effort.
“Fuck.”
I tense as the guilt over not answering her sets in. I try to ignore it, but in the end, I call her back, because the irony is I’m not going to be able to focus until I speak to her now, anyway.
“Adam? They’re trying to get me again,” she whispers.
“Calm down, Mom. Everything is fine. You’re in the Bayside Psychiatric Facility, remember? They’re just getting your meds stable,” I say softly. “Then you’ll be able to go back home.”
“No, they said that, but I know they’re after …” Her voice trails off, as she breaks into a sob. “Adam, please. Help me. I need you. You, me and Tom.”
I close my eyes, the pain in her voice nearly breaking my heart. I hate it when she talks about Tom, because it means she’s really bad. I run my hand through my hair and sigh. I wish I didn’t feel so useless.
Even if I were right there with her, it wouldn’t make a difference.
“You’ll be home soon, okay?” I repeat softly. “I love you. I’ll speak to you soon.”
As the line cuts out, I stare at the phone. I’m angry and frustrated, then I feel guilty for feeling angry and frustrated. It’s the same story, every time. Schizophrenia is a hell of an illness.
“Shit,” I hiss.
Why does everything have to be so hard?Grunting, I sit upright, taking a moment to remember where I am. Someone knocks on the door, reminding me that’s what woke me in the first place.
I sigh and get off the bed and wander over to the door. I force my eyes to adjust to the semi darkness along the way, narrowly avoiding walking into the desk. I turn the handle and pull open the door, expecting Alberto or Julian to be on the other side, I frown when I see that it’s Andrew.
Andrew?
He gives me an awkward smile.
“Hey A … um.” He swallows, looking green. “Frederick.”
I smirk at how uncomfortable he is, then I cock my head.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Uh, this.”
He hands me his phone, nearly dropping the thing when it fumbles out of his grasp. He catches it just before it hits the floor and then straightens up, flustered. He hands it to me again, while I try not to laugh. I stare at the screen, not sure what I’m supposed to be looking at. Whatever it is, it better be worth waking me up over. I glance at him thoughtfully, because I’m pretty sure that’s Julian’s phone he’s holding in his other hand.
“Can you tell me what I’m supposed to be looking at?” I ask, impatience creeping into my voice.
“Sorry. Click into my messages,” he mumbles, flushing. “It’s the first one.”
I click on the message and raise my eyebrows, a smirk creeping onto my lips.
This is what you’ve been missing?
I make a face. Do I really want to find out? Apparently, I do.
I click on the attachment, then I wander over to the bed and sit down. I wait for the video to load, motioning for Andrew to come inside. He does, closing the door so he can stand against it. He shifts awkwardly on his feet, for the most part, avoiding eye contact, but he glances my way every so often. It’s like he’s waiting for a reaction.
The video starts, and I see why. I chuckle. No way.
Katie Harris?
She smiles playfully, her short, black dress rising dangerously high up her thighs as she dances on the spot. I shake my head and smile. Wow. She was cute ten years ago, but now she’s fucking incredible. Her long, dark hair hangs loosely, in waves around her shoulders. But it’s that smile that gets me. That’s the reason I can’t look away… I swallow the lump forming in my throat and sit forward. There’s something so pure about her beauty. She’s not trying to be someone she’s not, she just …Katie.
