Light green walls surrounded me as I stared up at the ceiling, which was softly illuminated by glow in the dark stars. The only other source of light was coming from the streetlight behind the white curtains. Soft music weaved throughout the room, underlying steady breathing and humming. All I could do was lay on the bed, feeling the fluffy, grey comforter under me. My heart was beating in my chest as I felt her laying next to me. Being only a few inches from me, I could feel her brush against me every so often. It left my skin tingling and my heart would beat faster, if that was even possible. It made things worse that all I could do was  just lay there and say nothing. Words bubbled up in my throat, but all I could do was keep my mouth shut as if someone had sewed my lips together.

It had to be said. I told myself I would. No way to back down, now.

"Ash?" My voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

"Yeah, Max?" She answered.

"I need to tell you something."

She shifted in the bed and I could tell that she was sitting up. I didn't dare look at her, however. I kept my eyes up on the ceiling as she spoke, "What is it?"

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. Opening my mouth, I felt no noise come out at first, "I'm gay."

The words hung in the air like smoke. I sat there, staying silent with my eyes still closed. There was no movement from Ashley's side of the bed. It was dead silent besides the music playing. Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling. The stars seemed to glow brighter.

"Me too."

I sat straight up in bed, my eyes wide open. I turned around to look at Ashley. She sat with her back against the headboard, her eyes fixated on her lap as her hands fidgeted with her shorts. I blinked a few times and shook my head as if I misheard her, "What?"

Ashley looked up at me, her teeth pulled on her lip and I could see a flash of her braces. She sucked in a breath before saying, "I'm gay too."

All I could do was stare at her. After everything that I have been terrified of, every scenario that went on in my head, I never thought that I wouldn't be alone in this. Especially with Ashley admitting to this. I never would have thought that she would say that. That she would be gay as well.

"Are you serious?" I asked her in disbelief.

Slowly, she grinned at me, "Yes. I am."

She started laughing slightly, which caused a nervous giggle to bubble in my throat. We sat there for a while, laughing softly in the dark of her bedroom. Our laughter died down a bit and we just looked at each other for a bit. Slowly, Ashley moved towards me. I sucked in a breath as her face got close to mine, making our noses brush against each other. She slid a hand on to my cheek and pulled me in to her, connecting our lips. They were soft and warm. I then felt a bracket of her braces against my bottom lip, making me open my eyes.

This wasn't happening.

I put my hands on her shoulders and pulled her away from me. Furrowing her eyebrows, she looked at me, "What's wrong?"

"You are sick!" I shook my head and stood up, walking away from the bed. I pinched the bridge of my nose and shut my eyes tight, "You're fucking with the wrong memory. Why this one? Why?"

"I'm giving you what you want." She said, her voice switching to that god-awful coldness, "This is how it should've happened, right?"

I spun around, glaring at her, "How it happened was how it happened. There is nothing I would change."

That made her laugh. Swinging her legs around to the edge of the bed, she continued to speak, "Oh honey, I see in that mind. I know your thoughts and your memories. Your wants. Your desires. Your dreams and fantasies. I know all."

"You are a bitch." I pointed to her, "A fucking bitch."

"Are you saying that to me or to Ashley?" She rose an eyebrow, smirking.

Taking a step forward, I felt my blood boil. This asshole was really testing my patience and I wanted to put a stop to it. For some reason, I couldn't do anything. All I could do was stand there and glare at her.

"I'm saying it to you, buddy." My words shook, "After everything you've put me through, after so many times of me strangling you or beating the shit out of you, we're still going in fucking circles."

"And it will stop if you just give in to me." She stood and went in front of me. Reaching up, she put her arms around my neck and let a hand go to my hair, "Give in and you will be with her again."

Her scent of vanilla entered my nostrils and I flashed to all the times I was in this room. All the sleepovers we had, all the dance parties to Disney soundtracks, all the scary movie nights that her parents would scold us on, this memory of telling her I was gay, and then being in here after I killed Mrs.Anderson. That was the reality of my situation. Before that, this memory right here was the last time I was in Ashley's room. Two sides of a coin. Heads or tails and I choose tails. Reality is better than a fantasy land.

This was my mind. My imagination mixed with memories.

I looked over at the door to see it wide open. On the floor, were cream colored wedges splattered with blood. They were connected to a pair of legs that had pale and yellow skin. It was Mrs. Anderson.

"What the hell?" Ashley said from in front of me, looking from the body to me, "Did you do that?"

"You underestimate my power." I shoved her away, "I choose reality. I've said it a hundred times in a hundred different scenarios, but I chose this to be my last time."

"You have no say." She shook her head, but sounded very nervous.

That only made me laugh slightly, I looked over at Mrs. Anderson and willed her to get up. She did. She pulled herself up and stumbled in to the bedroom. Regarding me, her cloudy eyes fixed on Ashley and she went towards her. I stepped out of the way as Ashley was backed in to a corner.

She looked over Mrs. Anderson's shoulder and glared at me, "Call her off, Max."

"Don't worry, she's just gonna keep you company as I leave." I called out as I started towards the door, giving her the bird over my shoulder, "Adios, dickhead! I'll see you on the flip side."

I walked out into the hallway and shut the door behind me. Suddenly, everything rumbled and black encased me. I felt cold and numb, then hot. Red hot. A pressure was on my ribs and I gasped, my eyes flying open. Around me was a hospital room. I heard soft beeping of a heart monitor and a respirator. There was my father, still laying in a bed across the room from me. I looked out the window to see a dim hallway. It seemed that everyone was sleeping at this time. Hopefully. I looked down at myself to see me only in an itchy hospital gown, only my arms and legs peaked out. They looked almost normal, but there were still bruises and veins. There were leather bands on my wrists, ankles, and around my waist as if they were afraid I was going to escape again.

Well, they tried.

Looking to my right hand, I lifted it up to determine how tight the restraints were. They were tight. Just enough so I wouldn't really move. I laid my hand palm up and took a deep breath. Clenching my hand in to a fist, I pulled my hand up with enough force to break the bonds. Laughing softly, I reached over to undo my left wrist, then my waist and ankles. I sat up in bed and kept my eyes on the hallway, watching for movement. There was no one out there.

I took the oxygen from my nose, ripped out my IV, and my heart monitor. The machine screamed in a solid beep, but I switched it off. Slowly, I went to the side of the bed and touched my bare feet to the cold linoleum. I tiptoed passed my Dad's bed, looking over to him.

"You'll be alright, Dad." I whispered softly and we towards the door. I pressed a button and it slid open easily. Poking my head out, I looked down the hallway. To the right was the stairwell and the left was the elevator. I could take my chances with running in to someone at the elevator, or I could take the stairs. If I go down, I definitely will run in to people and they will freak.

Ashley.

There was this overwhelming want to find her. To let her know that I'm alright. I'll have to go to the hotel and go to our room, but there will be too many people in the lobby.

Maybe the roof will be the best option.

Turning to the right, I kept low and tiptoed down the hallway towards the stairwell. I opened the door and started up the stairs. Voices carried from nurses and doctors. They were from the third floor, my mother's office area. Just the way that their voices vibrated and echoed have their location away. Oddly enough.

"She's been passed out for four hours." A woman said, "She hasn't had a seizure since then, which is good."

"Do you really think that Grace is close?" A man asked, "To finding it?"

"I sure hope so." The woman said, "If not, then we're all fucked."

The voices stopped as a door closed, echoing up the stairs. The door to the roof was in front of me and I turned the knob to feel the cool night air. Stepping out on to the roof, I took a deep breath of the fresh air. It was nice and revitalizing. It was also freezing my ass off. Literally. The gown had an exposed back.

Seeing the roof of the hotel, I walked that way. Getting to the edge, I looked down to see six stories of a drop. The roofs were about twenty feet apart. There wasn't any other way to get on to the roof than to jump. It was a crazy idea, but for someone reason I felt like I could make it.

"This is for you, Ash." I mumbled.

After that, I did what any other totally sane person would do: I backed up about twenty feet, took off in to a sprint, and jumped.