||Pretenders||☄️

||PHASE 2|| (71)

"So?"

DAYS EARLIER; Maxwell stared at the wall in Ryan's ward with a blank face on. Ryan looked at him surprisingly and sighed. Maxwell bowed his head in his palm and his heart tightened at every single thought of her. He really hated himself for ruining this. Ryan pushed his IV drip stand farther and kicked Maxwell's leg. "Go out for some air. I'm okay here." Said Ryan.

"I'm..." he couldn't point out what he was feeling. "I'm cool." He lied. "Just thinking about some stuff."

"You want me to call her?" He shook his head.

"I'm no good for her Ryan. I realized that too late." The door to the ward open and Dawn stepped in. "Hey, I'll leave you guys to talk." Maxwell said to her and walked out. Dawn got closer to Ryan and he held her hand. He kissed on her hand and she pulled it away.

"How you doing?" She asked.

"I don't know. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Sorry for not coming earlier. Lots of things going on and trying to fix things have been tiring me out." She sighed.

"It's okay. I'm happy you came." He smiled at her. "Is Alicia okay?" She nodded.

"She'll be fine. I'm here to... talk." Ryan sat up and leaned on the bed. "I'm ending this."

"Dawn.."

"I can't. I can't keep doing this Ryan. I've been so sorry and scared. It was so hard to come here today. Your girlfriend still wants you and doing this is going to hurt all of us. I love you. I really love you Ryan and I don't want to be a part of this no more."

"We can.."

"No! No Ryan. I'm done. For good." She said and walked out of the ward. Ryan lay on the bed and covered his face with the pillow. He was so pained that tears spilled.

Maxwell found himself in Mr's Clara's ward. He put his head on her bed and she stroked his hair for him. She was reminded of her good days with her family. This young stranger had been coming to her, having conversations with her and as the mother she was, she gave him best of advices every time.

"Ever since I was admitted here, I felt like I was being a burden to my kids and husband. I wanted to die sometimes and get over the pain but do you know why I'm still here, and trying to live for them?" He shook his head and she continued. "I thought of how my absence was going to affect them. I knew I was being too selfish. Sometimes, I intentionally forget my drugs, throws them under the bed when the nurse wasn't watching so I could die. The person who gave me some hope was my son." She sighed. "He visited alone sometime and when I woke up, I heard him cry. He spilled some things he shouldn't have thinking I was really sleeping." She laughed. "More than ever, I want to get better, at least for my son."

"What about your daughter and husband?" He asked and she shook her head smiling.

"They're never going to change. I do not remember the last time any of them stepped a foot here. Like everything my son said, to them, I'm gone." Maxwell gulped and closed his eyes. "But guess who's getting out of here soon?" He sat up and looked at her cheerful face. "A miracle happened and I'm having my surgery in a week's time."

"For real?"

"Yes! And I'm keeping this from everyone. You're the first person to know. I'm planning a surprise."

"That's cool." Alicia would've been so excited about this. "I'm really happy for you. I can't wait to see your pretty side far away from this shell." He said and she laughed.