Okay. Here goes.
I'm sat in my bedroom at 9:47 pm and something occurred to me. Crazed Minds is at two thousand (+) reads. Like - what??
Basically, I started writing on wattpad because my mind was too full for me to do anything productive, which in turn meant I was always bored. So, I thought. Why not put what was going on in my head - my fears, my dreams, my worries (and also some boredom) - into writing?
I didn't intend for this many people to actually read it. AND VOTE TOO! You guys are so freaking amazing I can't thank you enough for all the love.
So, I want to give you this bonus chapter as a thank you.
I love you all.
Eva :)
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The snow came down slowly at first. Like it was testing out deeper waters. Then it came down in stormy sheets, throwing a large white blanket over Redwood Academy.
Of course, snow only meant one thing: snowball fights. And bearing in mind the fact that some of these kids had literally killed people, I had enough common sense to stay inside as to avoid a snowball breaking my skull.
A lot of kids had left for home for Christmas break, but my parents had agreed with Rosa - the name still sent nervous chills down my arms - before I'd arrived at Redwood that I needed to stay, at least for the first year.
I didn't have a problem with that.
It was actually quite nice spending Christmas at Redwood. Alec has gone home to spend the holidays with his dad, after asking me numerous times if I wanted to go with him. I declined, but spending some alone time with Alec didn't seem so bad, come to think of it. However, it had been two weeks and I missed him undoubtably.
Most of the others - Sky, Daniel and their friends, and Molly - had all gone home too. So that left me, Seth and a few others. It was nearing the end of the holidays, and they should be returning soon for January, but the arrival dates were unclear. Something about surprises put me in the festive spirit.
Suddenly, a loud bang on my window made me jump, startling the pen out of my hand and dropping onto my math homework.
I turned to see the window was covered with a thick clump of snow that slipped slowly back to the ground, leaving a wet patch behind on the glass.
I stood from my seat and opened the window wide enough to look out, glancing around the floor. Spotting a certain tall, blond comedian behind one of the trees, I quickly shovelled some snow from the window ledge into my hands and threw it at the tree.
Just as I threw it, Seth jumped out from his hiding spot and the snowball landed straight in his face. I burst out laughing as he groaned and wiped his face.
"What was that for?" he whined, wiping excess snow from his red, puffy coat.
"Stop sulking. It's the festive season, and you know Santa doesn't give presents to miserable children like you," I joked, resting my arms on the window sill and smiling down at him.
"He also doesn't give presents to malicious children like you," Seth retorted, making me laugh. "And Christmas was three days ago." Truth was, Seth and I had grown a lot closer after spending pretty much every day together, and it had made my break a lot less horrific.
"Are you here to torment me, or have you got something useful to say?"
"Your mum's here," he called.
I hesitated, the word 'mum' strange to my ears. I had barely thought about my parents, and after missing their call on Christmas Day, I had assumed they'd forgotten about me. Maybe for my dad, but mum...
"I'll be right down!" I called, voice choppy.
I slammed my window shut and bolted out my room, down the stairs and into the foyer.
And there she was. My mum. I almost didn't recognise her. Her hair had been cut short, her eyes were less worn since the last time, and she looked like she'd aged in reverse about ten years.
"Hey, Mum," I said quietly, taking a few steps closer to her but keeping a fair distance between us.
Her tense expression finally relaxed and she bounded over to me, melting into a warm hug. And it actually felt quite nice. I pulled away after a moment and asked, "How are you?"
"How am I? I want to know about you," she said, trying to make her voice light but it came out robotic. "How are you? Is it nice here? Have you made any friends?"
I put my hands up to slow her down and replied, "Good. Sure. Yes."
She smiled with relief and was about to respond before Seth approached, stopping her.
I linked my arm with his, feeling more relaxed now he was here, and introduced, "Mum, this is my friend, Seth. Seth, this is my Mum."
"Nice to meet you," Seth said, stretching out his hand.
Reluctantly, she shook it, eyeing him with a hint of suspicion and pursed, red lips. I noticed she was wearing makeup, which she'd stopped doing after the incident that got me locked up here.
"Don't worry, Mrs Mitchel, I'm not one of the murderers," he joked, but it only seemed to put her further on edge.
"Good to hear." She turned to me with raised eyebrows. "Can we go somewhere more private to talk?"
"Sure," I said. "Seth can join us."
Her face scrunched up a little. "Well, I thought it could be just...family."
"Seth is family." It was forceful. Strong. Maybe because it was true.
Mum didn't say anything for a moment, but then Seth spoke for her, "It's okay, Liv, I'll leave you to it. It was nice meeting you though."
Mum smiled awkwardly, clutching her pocket book tightly to her stomach as he walked away, shooting me a 'what the hell just happened' look over his shoulder.
-
I spent the next couple of hours in the library, listening to Mum go on about her new life, about how she's started teaching at the local middle school. How she babysits the neighbours kids who are so naughty but at least they didn't kill anyone. Okay, she didn't say the last part, but she might as well have. I spoke rarely, and after listening for all that time, I realised how pleasant my mum's life was without me in it. Dad's life, too. They were better off without me.
Occasionally, I got a slight itch on my arm, my body sending nerve impulses to make sure I was still alive and hadn't died of boredom. I mean, normal people were boring as hell compared to the stories the kids here had to tell.
Finally, salvation came in the form of a lanky blonde boy.
Seth's abrupt entrance stopped my Mum's story of her bake sale bonanza where she mixed up the icing sugar with the flour. Thank the lord. I stood up, thanking him with my eyes, and asked, "What's up?"
He looked extremely excited, almost giddy. Seth glanced at my mum once, who had stood up.
"Seth - what is it?"
"Alec's back."
Everything inside me seemed to become a million times lighter at those two words. Excitement mixed with relief mixed with the sense of nervousness I always had where Alec was involved.
I glanced at my mum once, who seemed nothing but confused and said quickly, "I gotta go."
Before she could respond, I darted out the room with Seth at my heels and raced into the foyer.
I stopped to a halt, ready to ask Seth where he was, until I saw a broad figure pulling a suitcase up the front steps and into the foyer.
He looked up, eyes wide. "Liv?"
"Alec," I said, running to him.
He pulled me into his arms, his embrace warm and safe and everything I'd been missing since the moment he left. Hands circling my waist, his lips met mine passionately, neck craning to match our contrasting heights.
"I missed you," he murmured, pulling back and leaving my skin warm and lips needing more.
I rested my head on his chest and released a breath of relief. "You have no idea how much I'm glad you're back. Seth's been driving me crazy."
I glanced at Seth as he winked and replied, "What she's saying is I know how to make the girls wild."
Alec laughed his perfect, husky laugh, making me realise I'd missed that as well. "Well, I'm back now. His voice lowered as he murmured into my ear, "And if you want, we can get out of here..."
I grinned, biting my lip as I moved my hands in circles around his muscular back.
"Who's this?"
I jerked my hands away from Alec as my mum's words floated towards us from a few meters away, almost giving me a heart attack.
Her eyes were condescending. I didn't like it.
Raising my chin, I spoke confidently, "Mum, this is Alec."
Slowly, she outstretched her hand, to which he shook as reluctantly as she did.
"And how do you two know each other?" she asked, eyes zeroing in on Alec.
Before I could reply, Alec said confidently, "I'm in love with your daughter."
I stopped.
She stopped.
Everyone stopped.
The world stopped.
Then it started again, and my mum cleared her throat as I tried to smile through the embarrassment.
"Is this true?" she asked me, face unreadable.
I nodded, looking at my feet.
Alec took my hand in his, and before it could get anyone weirder, Seth said loudly, "No, I'm in love with your daughter!" It was a joke to do with Spartacus, but did nothing to ease the tension.
"Nice try, buddy," Alec mumbled.
"Listen, Liv, I don't think a boyfriend is what you need right now-"
I interrupted, "No, but I also don't need parents who spend the entire time talking about themselves. And since I'm lucky enough to have one of those, the fact is, I do need Alec."
Everyone stopped to look at me, Seth and Alec holding back laughs.
I grinned at Mum. "See you next Christmas, I'm sure you can show yourself out."
I gripped Alec's hand tighter and led him outside, Seth at our heels.
We were silent for a moment walking behind the school and into the woods. I didn't know where we were going, maybe to do something fun.
Finally, Seth said, "After seeing that, maybe I am in love with you."
I laughed and play-punched his arm.
"Lay a finger on her and I'll run you over with my bike," Alec said from beside me, making me laugh harder.
Seth put up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay." He glanced around Alec and murmured to me, "Forbidden love. It's hotter that way."
Alec shoved him in the side as he started laughing hysterically. "What are we doing then?" he asked between laughs. "I'm bored."
"Then let's do something fun," Alec said. "First one to the fire pit wins."
Seth darted off as Alec and I slowed to a halt, watching him go. Once he was out of sight, Alec gently pinned me to the closest tree and murmured in my ear, "How long before he notices we're gone?"
"We'll just have to wait and see," I whispered back.
He smirked and kissed me once more.
- e n d -