The Institution For Young Adults

Chapter Nineteen

Warning: This book is entirely fictitious. Mentions and actions of self-harm and anorexia. Do not romanticize mental health disorders. 

      Knock... Knock... Knock... I opened one eye to the sound of polite knocking on my door. I was snuggled up comfortably in my bed. I had gone for a run in the early hours of the morning, over doing it a little. Therefore, exhausting myself to the point where I wanted a redo to my morning. 

   Knock... Knock... Knock... I groggily sat up and groaned at the fact that I couldn't simply sleep in. I glanced at the clock to find that it was only eight. Meaning I had only been asleep for an hour or so. I sat there in my bed, trying to come to an appropriate state of awareness. I closed my eyes and almost fell asleep sitting up before the knocks sounded once again on my door. Only this time they were accompanied by the deep rasp of Ash's voice. 

  "Oliver? If you don't answer this door I'll go get Alex to help me," He threatened. Which was honestly a good threat. Good enough to get me to drag my tired body off of my bed and over to the door. As much as I love Alex, I don't think I can handle a bubbly person right now. I opened the door, almost smacking Ashton in the face, and grumbled out a quick sorry followed by a good morning. 

   "Morning Ol. Can I come in sleeping beauty?" With a slight glare I moved out of the way to allow Ashton entrance. Once he was fully inside my room I closed the door. Making my way back over to my bed and burrowing myself under the covers. Ash took one glance at me before rolling his eyes and flicking on the lights. 

  "Hisss. My eyes," I said in turmoil before throwing the covers over my head. A little warning next time, please. Ash rasped out a chuckle before making his way over to my bed. Having a feeling that he would try and snatch my covers away I weakly tightened my grip in preparation. "We have a busy day today Oliver. Don't make me force you out of that bed." Ash once again threatened me. Only this time it didn't work. I was fully prepared to make my burrow my forever home. 

   I heard the deathly silent clunk of Ash's Doc Martins as he made his way towards me. I gripped my covers instinctively. "Don't you want to know what's so important today Oliver? If you come out I might just tell you." Ash tried to bribe me out. But it just wasn't going to cut it today. Nothing could remove me from my cocoon of warmness. "This is your last warning Oliver. If you don't come out right now I'll drag your Disney pajama ass to our destination for old ladies to coo at." Little did he know I was fine with old people. I thrived in that environment. But nonetheless I started coming out of my cocoon. 

   I popped my head out of the top of my blanket burrito. Ash gave me a small sigh as he ruffled my rat nest of curls. I sat up, still wrapped up in my blankets, and finally tried giving Ash my undivided attention. Key word; tried. I was still fantasizing about sleeping soundly. All nestled up. Quietly snoozing away. Dreaming of cotton candy clouds and origami cranes. Before I knew it my eyes were closed and my head was resting against the head board. 

   I heard Ash sigh somewhere in the distance. Too groggy to really make out my surroundings. I heard him walking away from my bed. He went into one of my joined rooms. Coming back shortly and setting something down. Part of me feared he went into the bathroom to grab a cup of water to splash me into awareness. After setting whatever he did down he went into the bathroom. I could tell by the water of the sink turning on. He returned once again and this time made his way towards my bed. I gave into my possible fate of being splashed by water and continued dozing. 

   Instead of getting a cup of water spilled on my curls, a hand gently swept through them. I nuzzled into the hand. Finding it nice and comforting, pulling me further down into a sleep filled state. "It's time to get up Ollie," rasped out Ash once again. His deep voice did nothing to my state of awareness. If anything it just made me more sleepy. "You leave me no choice, little dude," Ash sighed before I felt a dip in the bed. I slightly opened one eye, confused as to what was happening. Ash had knelt one leg on the bed and was reaching towards me with his arms.