Page 43 of Fractured Mind
Her eyes flare as she pushes him. “I do not!”
He gazes at her with a cheeky smirk. “Do you want to be the big spoon or the little spoon?”
“Neither!” Ruby says sternly.
“Do you get migraines often?” Ashton asks, taking my attention away from them.
“Every now and again, but when I get them, they can last for days.”
His frown deepens. He leans lightly against me and makes soothing motions on my hand with his thumb.
After a moment, I peer at them. “Thank you for coming. You didn’t have to.” I’m glad they did. They made my day much better.
Ruby hisses, sounding insulted. “Yes, we did.”
Levi pops his head forward. “What are friends for?” he teases.
Ruby nudges him with her shoulder. “Idiot.”
Levi laughs.
Ashton links our hands together. “You’re one of us. We protect and care for our own. Let me know when you’re ready to go for another run.”
I smile at him and rest my head against his shoulder. He makes me feel like I’m important to him. “Let’s go tomorrow. Being stuck in bed has made me restless.”
He’s chipping away at the walls I’ve put up to protect myself from getting hurt. While there’s concern, there’s also comfort in knowing I’m not alone. My body relaxes with a newfound sense of belonging.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
MIA
As the days pass,I notice how happy I’ve been since arriving here. How easy it’s been to make friends again, and how close I’ve become with them—well, most of them. Instead of worrying about money, I can finish school and spend time with friends. Even though I love running, I find myself excited every day to spend some alone time with Ashton.
After another day at school, I throw my bag on the floor, pick up the remote, and turn on the TV. I lie down, resting my head on the soft pillow. I’m browsing Instagram when my phone rings. It’s a number I don’t recognize.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mia, it’s Mom.”
I gasp and jolt upright.
“How have you been?” Her voice sounds normal, not slurred. Maybe she is getting better.
“I love it here. How are you?” I ask, holding my breath for her answer.
“Getting there. I still have a long road ahead of me.”
And exhale. At least it’s a start, and she sounds positive. “That’s good to hear.” I’ve waited forever for her to get better. “How has it been there?”
“The first week was the worst. Detoxing was hard, but I felt better once the withdrawals went away.”
I nod, not that she can see me. “What do you do there?” I ask curiously.
“There are private and group therapy sessions that I attend. In between that, there are exercise activities and workshops. Over the last week, we’ve been discussing and learning how to create new habits.”
“I’m happy you’re getting help.”