Save Me

Chapter One

Katie's POV

Sitting in a circle with a bunch of insane people was not my idea of a good way to spend my Saturday. But now, it happened every week.
But I'm not crazy.
I have an addiction problem, so therefore I belong in a place like this? Hell no.
I don't exactly know what the government was thinking when they made me come here instead of going to rehab.
I had left everything behind. My family, my boyfriend, and my son who was only born a month ago.
It's hard, leaving my whole life behind. All because I couldn't contain my urges.
Each person sitting in the circle was to talk about their week and whatever else they wanted to tell the group. I never really said much, I didn't think it was necessary to share my life with complete strangers.
Today was the only day I didn't complain about going, mostly because there was a new guy, who was only brought in a day ago.
I knew it was the guy sitting straight across from me. I'd never seen his face before. He had black gauges in his ears, glasses on his face, a bald head, and unusually big ears. Not in a bad way though, he was actually very handsome, but still very interesting looking.
I waited for people to settle in and once in a while, I'd accidentally make eye contact with the new guy. I would look down at my lap and I'd see him smile slightly at the ground.
There was one guy that I just really couldn't stand. His name was Jesse and he was a part of our group.
He had killed someone, pleaded insanity and ended up here.
If you ask me, he doesn't belong here. He's dangerous and a hot head.
But yet again, the government made a mistake. What's new?

"Okay. Let's get this over with, I'm missing lunch for this." Jesse grumbled as he slouched down in his chair, crossing his arms.

All 10 of us looked over at him, then waiting for one of us to begin. But Jesse spoke again. "Whose the runt?" A smirk came across his lips as he motioned over to the new guy, who was fiddling his thumbs in his lap.
We all looked at him and he went red and cleared his throat.
"My name's Chester Bennington. Do I...tell you guys about myself and why I'm here and such..?" He asked, clearly nervous.
We all nodded and Chester continued.

"Okay well...I'm a songwriter and I'm here because of attempted suicide and substance abuse." You could tell Chester had no intention of telling why he was here. His hands were slightly shaking and he wobbled his leg up and down, clearly uncomfortable.

Nobody said anything, except Jesse. "Suicide? What are you? A pussy?"

Cheater's face contorted into a look of shock and sadness.
"No." He said simply.

Oh no...here he goes again. Trying to push someone's buttons.

"Well suicide is a pathetic way to go out, don't ya think?" Jesse tapped his chin, grinning ear to ear. He clearly enjoyed getting a rise out of people.

"It's a lot better than living on Earth where people like you are.." Chester said quietly and everyone in the circle looked shocked.
Nobody ever said stuff like that to Jesse. We all knew better.

"Right. Well I hope you succeed the next time you try." Jesse smiled wide and Chester shot up from his chair and stomped towards Jesse who also rose to his feet.
Jesse was three times the size as Chester, so this would sure be interesting. Chester pushed Jesse as hard as he could, but Jesse laughed,  only being moved slightly upon impact.

"You're funny, Runt." Jesse said, making sure he knew his new nickname well.

Everyone stood up and tried to get ahold of Jesse, who had punched Chester several times in the face.
Chester stumbled and fell to the floor, holding his face.
The two screamed at each other but I couldn't hear it, my ears were ringing.
It took almost everyone to hold Jesse back, but I just sat back and watched.

Eventually, Chester got to his feet and ran out of the room and into the men's bathroom.
I watched him go, and everyone was still trying to calm Jesse down, who was cussing up a storm and pointing at the bathroom, continually yelling, "Let me at 'em!"

I got sick of the screaming, so I eventually got up and went to the bathroom.
When I went inside, everything was smashed and glass littered the floor.
The mirrors were all broken and a stall door lay on the tile floor.
"Jesus Christ..." I said quietly.
Suddenly I looked down to see Chester on the floor and leaning against the wall, trying to catch his breath.

"You okay..?" I asked, sliding down next to him slowly.

His knees were up against his chest and his arms lay limply on them. "Yeah..I'm fine."

"No you're not." I said, placing a hand on his arm. He flinched and looked over at me.
This was the first time I had gotten a good look at his face.
His chiseled jaw line, his brown eyes, which held a look of pain.

"How can you tell?" He asked, giving me a small smile. But I saw the sadness in it.

"Well..for one, you're in this place. And why you're in here is quite alarming on it's own." I frowned, sliding my hand down his arm and onto my leg.

He shrugged, "Yeah...I guess."

I began to stand up and he watched me, I held my hand out to him. "Come on."

He took it and stood up. "What are we doing? I'm not going back to that group.." He panicked.

"Neither am I." I smiled.