the world is ugly » one shots

It's Kind Of Not A Funny Story

Marie never anticipated that the last week of her Junior year would be spent in the teen wing of King Tech Behavioral Hospital. She had always simply anticipated studying and finals and parties- she'd always been into that stuff. 

But no, after she passed out at school and had fallen down the stairs, her demanding parents forced her to enter the hospital for treatment; treatment she wanted less than nothing to do with. Not eating was fine with her, in fact it made her some kind of happy that she only found by doing just that. A couple of her friends had known, but everyone has their own vice and no one wanted their's to slip out into the wrong hands. Her best friend, Hannah was addicted to Vicodin, her other close friend, Jezica was addicted to snapping a rubber tie on her wrist until she bled, and Marie knew a guy (well maybe a bit more than "knew", maybe more like made out with a handful of times and almost slept with...) that dealt heroin and loved his tequila. 

Now that the day had come, Marie struggled to get out of bed. The girl laid perfectly still in her queen bed staring at the pictures on her wall. A selection of Polaroids was carefully arranged in a heart, each one her and a different person- a different story. There was one with Hannah the night Marie met Anthony (the heroin dealer), the two of them were standing on someone's roof about to jump in the pool in just their bras and underwear. There was another where Marie was with Anthony himself- the first time she had tried heroin (it was pretty great at the time but she decided it wasn't for her), the two of them were kissing under a street light. The next one that caught her eye was one with a girl named Lilah, they were sitting on a street curb wearing prom dresses, and although her parents never got close enough to see, they were smoking Marlboro's that Anthony had bought for them. 

Marie didn't get to reminisce anymore as her mother barged into her room. 

"Why aren't you up yet?" she asked, Marie's dad trailing behind her. Marie apologized quietly and rushed to the bathroom. She showered quickly and dressed, grabbing her bag and running down the stairs- well she tried, but she didn't have the energy or the body strength to accomplish such a thing.

King Tech was surprisingly nice for a mental institution- or what Marie had envisioned anyway. The walls were painted a mute blue (her favorite color) and the furniture looked inviting. 

A nurse named Rachel checked Marie in and as she bid goodbye to her parents for the next week, the nurse took her on a tour. 

"Your room is here, lights out is 10 and your roommate is named Georgia. The cafeteria is up and to the right, we eat breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12, and dinner is at 6pm. If you get hungry in between meals, there is a patient's commissary where we have snacks, socks, ear buds etc; your parents have deposited a find for you- that's to the left of the cafeteria. Your room has a personal bathroom with a shower and a toilet, we have a rule around here that if you're in there for longer than 15 minutes, we knock it down so don't do that. Movie nights are on Thursdays in the group area, that's also where group therapy takes place and to the left of that room is the activities center where you complete art therapy and all that jazz. That about covers things, if you need anything, just come ask. Nurses are available at the nurse's desk back that way. Lunch just ended and you're scheduled to meet with Dr. Marin in twenty minutes, her office is straight down this hallway. Go get settled in and good luck." Rachel finished, returning to the nurse's desk. 

Marie's room was bigger than anticipated (once again), two twin sized beds against each wall, a bedside table between them with a lamp. The right side of the room was occupied, a couple of posters taped to the walls and a few bags sitting in the corner at the foot of that bed. A girl sat on top of the sheets, staring intently at Marie. She assumed that was Georgia. The girl's hair was stunningly blonde, her eyes chocolate and a slew of light freckles dotted her face. She was gorgeous to Marie.