Mending A Broken Soul (Mavin)

Chapter Seventeen: Happiness?

Chapter Seventeen:
Happiness?

I had been counting down the days up until this very moment. I wrote about it in my journal. I proclaimed my excitement to Michael and to my new friends, Quincy, Alex, Jacob, Austin and Courtney.

Today was the day I was finally being released back into the real world.

I felt like I was a bird finally being set free from my cage. I could finally open my wings and fly like I had dreamt I could.

So, on this morning that I was officially being released, I was wide awake a full hour before I had to actually wake up. I was literally shaking with excitement. I would get to go back to being an actual person in the real world. I would do normal things like go for walks and go to work and the store. Then I would do different and abnormal things at work, which would actually make me happy and perhaps I'd laugh for most of the day.

I'm sure it sounds strange to anyone to think I'd be excited about getting to be normal and do things that people would automatically do without a second thought. But just the very idea sent shivers up my spine to think I'd be in the real world in just a few, hopefully, short hours.

And when the time finally came to leave, I couldn't help but let out a tiny squeal of excitement, even if it embarrassed me more than anything.

I gathered the few items I had from this place, which was just the bag Michael packed me from when I first came here and the journals. I lifted the bag over my shoulder and carried the journals in my arm as I followed Quincy, the nurse I had given a pep talk to and became good friends with, out of the hospital and to the lobby.

I saw the familiar sight of curly red hair and I smiled instantly, seeing him come towards me. I set the bag and journals down as I ran over to him and hugged him tightly. Michael hugged back immediately, holding me gently.

However, as I hugged him, I realized something strange. I didn't know if it was from my own excitement or I was imagining it or if it was actually happening. But as I gripped Michael tighter I made the conclusion that it was indeed the latter.

Michael was shaking in my grasp.

I pulled away to question him but he just grabbed my bag and handed me my journals, waving goodbye to the nurses while I hugged Quincy and thanked her for everything.

As we went outside I instantly forgot about Michael as I gazed into the bright sky.

It was actually bright. Like, a happy bright and not the usual dull sad bright that I had grown so used to. The clouds looked like the fluffy body of a white cat sat on a light blue cloth. And just that was enough to make me skip out into the parking lot and urge Michael to walk faster. I smiled at Michael's reaction to my newfound happiness. I could already imagine the look on the guy's faces when they saw me for the first time.

Michael put my bag in the backseat and slipped into the drivers seat before smiling at me. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he really wanted to.

"Wot?" I asked cheerfully.

"It's just... Amazing. I mean... I've watched you recover but still... I mean... It's incredible. You're actually happy," Michael said. I smiled and nodded excitedly.

"Yep! I don't know if it's the antidepressant or me but I like this. You know, just feeling happy. I find it disheartening that I missed out on this feeling for so long, ya know?" I said. Michael smiled and nodded.

"I can't even tell you how long I've wanted to hear you say that," Michael told me, pulling me into another hug before pulling out of the parking lot.