*Krystal’s POV*

I didn’t want to let go of Ash. But I knew he was right, we had to finish cleaning my hideous body up and go see the others.

“Sorry I scared you. I would have replied if I heard you calling.” He looked so calm, so understanding.

“I know, it’s fine as long as you’re safe. I’m sorry for intruding on you before you were ready.” Shit! He reminded me that I’m half naked. I blushed and ran back into the bathroom. He followed, standing in the doorway once more. “Aww, don’t get embarrassed. I happen to think you are super sexy.” He placed his hands on my hips and smiled. This just made me blush more.
This moment would have been so fucking perfect if it wasn’t for this stupid drip.

“What’s up? You look stressed.”

“I need your help. Can you uh- get the piece of paper Dr Brennan gave us and tell me how to take this thing out please?” I picked up the drip bag that I had placed on the bathroom side next to the sink.

“But it’s not empty. He said all of the fluids have to be gone before removing it.”

“Ash, I really don’t care. I want this fucking thing out of me.” I scratch at the tape on the part of my hand where the needle is held in.

“No! Don’t take it out yet.” He held my hand still.

“Ash, it’s just fluids to keep me from being dehydrated.” He wouldn’t give it up. I held the bag up. “Just under 500ml left. That’s a little less than a bottle of pepsi right?” I walked past him and into Ash’s room and picked up the half drunk bottle of pepsi, read the label “Yep, 500ml” I returned to the bathroom and tipped it away.

“Krystal, what are y-“

“Just trust me.” I rinsed out the bottle and filled it up again, this time with water. I chugged the whole bottle. “There. Happy now? Ergh. I feel sick, that was a lot of water” I laugh.

“No, it’s not funny. You need to keep the drip in.”

“ARGH!”

“Fine. I’ll go and call Dr Brennan. I’ll ask if we can take it out early.”

He left the room.
Fuck this.
I pulled it out.
That is so much better. I feel so much more relaxed already. No biggy. I used the tape that held the drip in to stick a bit of tissue over the small hole that was now bleeding a little.
There.
All sorted.
I went back into the bedroom and put the t-shirt on Ash had gotten out for me that was still lying on the bed. It was a Thundercats shirt. I hadn’t worn this one in a while. I put on some eyeliner and mascara and then started going through the rest of my stuff. They had brought everything with them. Even my SNES! I loved this gaming console. It was my dads when he was my age. A real classic.
Abi and Myah knocked. “Come in!” They came in and they both looked absolutely stunning.

“Hey, we wanted to check with you first; is it okay if I go with Myah tonight to the clubs?” Abi asked.

“Of course it is! Don’t be silly. It’s your first time in America! Go! See, experience, have fun!”

She hugged me. “Okay! Thank you! I just wish you could come. It won’t be the same without you”

“Y’know what? Fuck it. I will. I’ll come with you!” I got up and started fumbling around with bags.

“No, you won’t.” Ashley had re appeared.

“Ash, I am more than capable of looking after myself y’know.” I smile at him.

“No, you’re not.” He stays really stern “You wanted to take the drip out and Dr Brennan has said no, it is vital you take in all of those fluids. So you and I aren’t going anywhere. Ok?”

“Um- Well. He must be wrong then.”

He looked at me and then at my arm. “Lift your sleeve up.” I stared blankly. “I SAID PULL YOUR SLEEVE UP!” he shouted. I think he startled everyone... Not just me.

“Ash- I. I couldn’t bare it anymore. I had to tak-“

“YOU IDIOT! WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU DO THAT! YOU NEEDED THAT!”

“I’m fine Ash, honestly I’m f-“

“Fine. Okay. Well you try and be fine on your own then.” He turned to Myah “I am coming with you. Let’s go.” He left the room and Abi and Myah tried to comfort me but I told them to just go before Ash got more annoyed and they scurried off too.

I cried. He didn’t have to shout at me like that. He thinks I’m an idiot. I-
Well he’s not perfect!
Everyone makes mistakes!
I heard the door slam and a car engine start, then another and they both drove off. That was Ash, Myah, Abi and CC in one and Jake, Paul, Dan and Jinxx in the other. I raked through my stuff until I found my iPod, phone and keys to the apartment, then sloped off downstairs.

“I’m going out.” I picked up the keys to a Harley. “I’m taking a bike.”

“Okay.” Andy and Craig weren’t really paying attention. They were too bothered playing on their video games. I’m pretty sure Ashley would kill me for taking one of his bikes on a normal day, let alone on the day I get discharged from hospital. Oh well. I walked out of the front door and shut it behind me. Ash obviously didn’t want me there so I’m just going to do what he told me to... I’m going to go home and ‘be fine’ there.

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In the time it took me to get to the apartment I almost came off the bike twice. I almost fell asleep. Not willingly of course; I just felt so dozy. Man, I just want to sleep. I opened the door and most of our stuff was gone. The guy’s stuff too. Had they moved in to Ashley’s with the others as well?
I didn’t bother turning any of the lights on. I walked past the mirror in the hall way and stopped, staring at myself. God, I looked awful! The light in Ash’s bathroom didn’t make it look this bad. In this dimmer lighting, I could see all my bruises. All the scrapes, bumps and my eyes... They were so... Lifeless. I look dead.
I brave it. I take off my hoodie... Then my shirt... Then my trousers.
I’m hideous; standing here in nothing but my underwear. I am revolting. I don’t know what came over me. I punch the mirror and it shatters.
FUCK!
Oh for fuck sake. I cut my foot on some of the glass. Oh well. Just another cut to add to the list eh?
I’m tired. I feel so drained. I’m going to get a drink and then lie down.
I take my phone and iPod and leave the shredded mess on the floor besides my clothes and walk to the kitchen leaving little spots of blood wherever I went. I run the cold tap for a while and then held a glass under it. I took one sip and then went to chuck the rest away. My hands are wet, I was weak and the glass felt heavy because it was almost full, so as I tip it away the glass slips into the sink and smashes, just as the mirror did.

“Oh fuck this.”
I turn the tap off and leave yet more mess. I just about have the energy to make my way down the hall and into my room. I place my phone on my sideboard, plug my iPod into my stereo and blast my music as loud as it’ll go and clamber into bed.
I don’t feel too good.
Maybe I should have left the drip in. I’m not saying I was right, I knew it was a stupid thing to do but- well... At the time it just seemed like a good idea... I need Ash. I wish I didn’t make him mad at me.

My phone lit up the room and was moving around a little. It was ringing. I couldn’t hear it over the music, but the vibrations were making it move. It stopped, the phone hanging off the edge of the sideboard. The vibrations sent it tumbling off the sideboard as it started ringing once more. I try to sit up. I can’t. I physically can’t. What the fuck is happening to me? The call stopped. I look down to see that the phone had landed screen side up. I have a text but I can’t make out who from. The screen went black then lit up again. About 3 minutes later, another text.
I manage to roll out of bed but land on the floor. I can’t support myself. My phone is ringing again. I reach my arm out as much as possible to get the phone.

“I’m coming.” But I wasn’t. I tried. But I couldn’t make it. I felt sleepy. “One minu-“ I felt myself getting weaker by the second. The phone had stopped ringing. My eyes were getting heavy... The last thing I remember is the phone ringing again.