asylum [rafe cameron]

one

Sometimes I feel as if I can't breathe in this place ; my chest feels like sand.

How was a mental asylum going to help me if I felt like a bird in a cage constantly. The four walls stared into my soul as I gathered up thoughts in my brain. Today was the day.

I hear a buzz. Francesca ambles towards me, looking directly into my eyes.
"You're free to go sweetie."

A grin appears on my face without me realising. I've been waiting for that sentence since last summer, and to finally hear it made me overjoyed.

Before I knew it, I grabbed all my bags and I was outside the asylum, seeing JJ Maybank in-front of me with a huge smirk on his face.

Since my parents don't like me because of my old habits with drugs, JJ was always there for me. So was Kiara, my half sister.

"Bring it in." he laughed, bringing me into a hug and squeezing me tightly.

"I can't believe it." I looked at the environment around me, pulling away after some time.

"It's really you huh." he smirked, trying not to laugh.

Only the pogues knew about what happened and why I was put here - in this mental asylum. They never told anyone, that was our agreement and it would always stay like that.

The rest of the island just thought my parents made me move for the school year.

"No way."

JJ looks at me, confused until he sees me looking straight at the Twinkie.

"She's back." I smiled.

"Oh she's back baby." he chuckled.

He insisted on me giving him the bags to put away, so I leapt into the passengers seat, ready to finally go back home. Ready to finally go back to Outer Banks. But that also meant I had to go to my mother's house.

~

JJ reverses the Twinkie, parking the car outside of my mom's house.

I sigh, knowing she's just going to be shouting at me the whole time, not giving a single shit about my feelings.

"You want me to come? Cos I'll come." JJ says.

"I'll be fine J." I reassure him.

I hop out of the car, making my way inside of the house, looking back to see JJ driving away.

I soon become face to face with my mother with Kiara, laughing. How I wish I had that relationship with her. I take a deep breath before speaking.

"Hey, um I'm back."

They turn around almost in sync and Kiara runs up to me, hugging me tightly as I smile.

"Why?" my mom shouts.

"I swear mom, I'm clean." I say.

She looks at me dead in the eyes, laughing in my face as if I was some sort of joke to her.

"Why don't you believe her?" Kiara starts.

"She's a liar." she replies.

"You don't know that." Kiara argues back.

"Look, I know I've lied sometimes but I'm better now and-" I get interrupted.

"No you're not." she laughs hysterically.

"I went to rehab mom! I've gotten better."

She doesn't answer, just giving me a blank,
dull stare.

"Why does no on ever believe me?" I say.

"I believe you Gia." Kiara says, smiling at me.

"Whatever you do, I want you to stay away from this house." my mother exclaims.

"And this family." she adds.

She only ever made things worse, and referring to me as not her family? I was holding back tears at this point.

"Ok." I give in.

"What the hell mom?" Kiara shouts.

My mom gets up out of her seat, banging the arm rest as she does, making me wince.

"She's still our family!" Kiara yells.

"Not anymore Kie." my mom looks at me, her eyes watering.

"Where do you want me to go?" I ask.

"Anywhere but here." she replies.

"Or what?" I say.

"Or I'll call the police on you!" she yells at me.

"How are you gonna tell your own daughter that?" Kiara argues.

"Get out!" my mother yells.

"Now!"

"You're crazy." Kiara laughs, which soon fades into tears.

I wanted to comfort her, but I would just get more shit for that too. It's like everything I do is wrong to my mom. How could you hate someone so much and love them at the same time?