My Broken YOU

One Month

I haven't left my room since the funeral. It's been a month. I graduate next week but have no plans to show up. They can mail me my diploma for all I care. I'm not even grateful that Mason has been the one taking care of me this past month.

He was my broken YOU. Now I'm his broken YOU. I'm not right in the head and I know I'm not, but I just don't care. The loss of my father has sent me spiraling into this drunken rage. I'd feel bad for Mason dealing with my shit, but again, I don't care. My heart has been broken for the second time in a year. A second loss made this even harder to understand.

My mother is fine thankfully. Her family has been with her and my aunt is moving in. Of course, my aunt is moving in. She'll take any free ride that is available to her. My father never liked my aunt and now that he is gone, she can mooch off my mother. Especially since my father's life insurance was higher than normal.

If there is a plus to all of this, Mason has had to turn more into a man than ever, considering he's been solely responsible for my actions. Ava has flown the coop. She sat by my side for as long as she could, but now that I'm drinking constantly and not moving from bed, she's at a loss. I can't blame her.

"Did you have an interview today?" Mason softly questions as he walks into the room, fried chicken in his arm and a bottle of soda in his other arm. "Ava said you had an interview."

"It's over the phone," I mumble, my face pressed hard against my pillow as I stare blankly at the wall. "It's in twenty minutes. Don't worry, I'm sober enough to attend it."

"What's it for?" He asks, curiosity growing on his face. "Where is it at?"

"Lots of questions, father?" I say and instantly regret it. Saying the word 'father' strikes my heart like an arrow. "What does it matter? We have a little time until we leave the dorms. You have all the money in the world to move anywhere on this planet. I need to work for a living."

"You're my person." He argues. "Wherever I go you can go, you know? I want you to live with me. Be with me. I haven't been taking care of you for no reason."

"Don't shove that in my face!" I scold and turn my head in the opposite direction on my pillow, ignoring him.

"That's not what I meant, Maddy. I just meant; I want to have you in my life forever. I can't do that if you're like this the entire time."

"Why not!" I yell while staring at the other wall against my bed and not wanting him in here. "I took care of you. You were my broken YOU first and I had to deal with it. Now you can deal with it. Now, if you don't mind, I have my interview."

"Do you want me to stay with you?" He asks, his tone sounding hopeful. I've been so rude to him for the past month. We went from sleeping together to him just taking care of me like a hospital patient and I haven't thanked him.

I sigh and slowly raise my body off the bed. "I don't care. If you want to, that's up to you. But if I want to live in this world, I need to pass this interview and get the job."

"I'll leave." He nods, slowly stepping back. "I love you, Maddy. I really do!"

"And I love you too Mason. I just don't care right now. Take the food with you, I'm not hungry."

"Maddy! When was the last time you ate anything except for Jello shots? You need food in your body."

"Bye, Mason!" I announced, forcing him out of the dorm. "Come back in an hour. I've been eating just fine."