If anyone would've asked me a week ago, I would've said I despised Lawson. Hated him. Maybe even wanted him to get hit by a bus.

Now I'm in his bed, curled up against him. He's asleep, I can hear his slow breathing, but I remain awake. My thoughts are overtaking my mind.

I've never felt like this about anyone before. I just wish I didn't have to feel like this right now. I'm a runaway, I left home. My friends are probably so worried, my mom is probably looking for me. Of course it was at the most hectic time in my life that I had to fall in love.

I trust Lawson though. He'll keep me safe. He'd protect me.

I've known Lawson for about a year but don't know much about him. Maybe that'll be what I do tomorrow, learn about him.

Feelings of fear rise to my chest as I continue to think about my mom and friends. What if they find me? What if they send me somewhere? I'm terrified, and I remain that way for a few hours in Lawsons' arms before I finally drifted to sleep.

The sun blinded me through his windows, and for just a moment, I thought I was home. I sat up, trying not to wake Lawson.

My face fell into my hands as tears started to run down my face. Almost instantly I felt another presence beside me. He put his arm around me.

"Hayami what's wrong?"

"I didn't mean to wake you."

I tried to shuffle away from him but he only pulled me closer.

"Don't worry about it, what's wrong?"

"I'm scared that they are going to find me."

"Your mom?"

"Or my friends..anyone. I'm scared."

"Hayami, they won't find you. I'm here for you okay?"

I allow myself to lean on him and sob, dampening his teeshirt. He holds me and for just a moment, I feel okay.

I sobbed less and less through the hours until I drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Surprisingly he didn't wake me.

I had just gotten home. The kitchen table was in front of me with my bright orange pills laid out for me. It was the first day of me trying my new prescription. The day previous, the doctor and my mother agreed to change my pills to something different. I never knew the difference until I was forced to take it. The yellow ones made me happy, but they made me weak. I never realized when I took them. It was only after I started taking the new orange rectangular pills that I realized my mother was trying to poison me. It was poison all along. I took the two orange pills on the table into my hands. The shaking throughout my body increased to a level where I fall to the ground. My tears hit the pills with rage. Why can't she love me? Why doesn't she want me here? Why is she poisoning me?

I stood up and hurled the pills at the wall. They hit the wall with a small thud and quickly dropped to the floor. No one was in the house. It was just me. I stepped outside, not knowing where I'm going, and that was the end. The door opened to an endless void of darkness, and without thinking, I stepped off.

I fell through an eternity, I fell for millennia. Until I jumped awake against Lawson.

"Hayami!! Woah you okay?"

"Just dreaming, that's all. I'm okay"

It was clear then that I needed to calm down about my situation. No one was going to find me.

"Hey, baby?" He smiled, "I'm gonna go back to bed alright?"

He gave me a small peck on the cheek and snuggled into his pillow. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me.

The room spun as I stood up. Is it the poison? No, I haven't been on the poison, I thought to myself. I haven't had any poison. I need to take a deep breath. I stretched my arms to the sky and felt my back pop. I walked to the kitchen, rubbing my eyes.

I turned the faucet on and filled my cup with water. It flooded into my lungs as I refreshed myself. It felt like a reset. It was time to start my new life. I turned around and set my blue cup on the counter after moving some dishes out of the way.

Lawson's house was dirty, but it's been cleaner since I got here. I think he's really trying for me. He's so sweet.

I pulled my body towards the hallway to go back to our bedroom and felt a cold hand grip around my wrist.

"Ⱳⱥīⱦ"

"Who are you?"

He let his hand drop to his side and stared at me with big hollow eyes. This boy, he was beautiful. His black shaggy hair leaked into the top of his deep sunken green eyes. This boy was scrawny but had a strength that would surprise a person. He left marks on my wrist from grabbing it.

"Ɏꝋᵾ ꞥēēđ ⱦꝋ ꞡēⱦ ꝋᵾⱦ ꝋӻ ħēɍē." His voice was barely a whisper.

He shifted his weight and started rocking nervously. I observed him. He looked malnourished, yet so gorgeous. I've never felt a connection with anyone like this. It isn't romantic but it's stronger than anything I've ever felt. My eyes start to observe from top to bottom. He has small brown freckles scattered across the bridge of his nose onto his cheeks. His nose was small, petite, feminine. His lips were a pale pink and had bite marks on them, they were stained with blood. He must've bit the skin. His shoulders were masculine, but small. The black zipup hoodie he wore was only 3 quarters of the way zipped up, you could see his bare pale chest under it. The hoodie had a singular skull on it, colored fluorescently. His black ripped jeans were baggy on him and you could see the shadow of his purple tinted veiny legs under. He had hightop black and white sneakers.

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"Đīđ ɏꝋᵾ ħēⱥɍ ᵯē?Ɏꝋᵾ ꞥēēđ ⱦꝋ ꞡēⱦ ꝋᵾⱦ ꝋӻ ħēɍē"

"Listen to me, who are you?! How did you get in the house?!"

He flinched at my booming voice. I heard footsteps approach behind me.

"Hayami?"

Lawson stood behind me, with a concerned look on his face as I whipped around to face him.

"Hayami, who are you talking to?"

"Him!" I turned back around, arms extended to grab the bony boy but my hands grasped nothing but thin air.

"Hayami.."

"Wha-I swear he was here!! Please believe me!! Lawson please!" I got on my knees, I begged him.

I couldn't have this happen again. He never believed me. He used to tell me all the time at work 'Hayami, who are you talking to? There's no one there!' But there ARE people there. They TALK to me! They KNOW me! Who was that boy..?

"Hayami, there's no one in the house. The doors are locked, the windows are locked."

I looked down, embarrassed.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep anyways?"

"Hayami, what are you hiding. Were you on the phone with someone?"

"No, my phone is in your room."

"Hayami, I need you to tell me the truth."

"There was someone here!" I was on my feet now, leaning towards him angrily.

I'm tired of being doubted. I'm not going to have another person in my life discard my thoughts and feelings like my mom. Not again.

"I'm worried about you."

"What?! Why?!"

"There was no one in here. How often do you see people, my love?"

"See...people? All the time! Every day! Well, ever since I ran away, I just see you every day, but I used to see other people all the time, like my mom, and Shuko and Basil and Anna and-"

His stare caught me off guard, causing me to stop rambling.

"Honey, I mean...How often do you see people that aren't there?"

"What?! Never!!"

His gaze grew even more concerned, his eyes widening as he placed his hands over mine.

I backed up away from him, my back against the counter.

"Why are you doubting me!! I can see it in your face!!"

I could feel my face growing red.

"Baby, you need to calm down." He stepped towards me but I held out my hands to prevent him from getting any closer.

"Stay away from me! You're just like her!!"

Time was almost frozen when his face dropped. I saw a singular tear fall down his cheek. He wiped it and stepped back, with his shoulders pointed toward me, hugging himself. He grew cold.

"Hayami. You need to see a doctor. That's the end of the story. You've seen people that aren't there at least since we've worked together. That's already a year. Who knows how long you've had these delusions. Hayami I'm doing this because I care about you. I'm going to wait till we have a few days to ourselves." He looked back to me, slowly opening up again. "I have work tomorrow, and all week. This weekend I'm gonna schedule you in for a doctors appointment okay? We can go get ice cream after and everything. I'm here for you, I just want you to be okay."

I felt tears come into my eyes. I didn't want to have to do this. The love of my life is going to poison me. He trusts the doctors, it'll happen all over again. I couldn't tell him.

"Yes my love, thank you."

"Of course, darling."

He lightly planted his lips on my forehead and stepped away once more.

"Lawson? I think I'm going to go watch TV on my phone in our room. I'm tired." I really just need some time alone.

"Yes of course sweetheart. I'm going to make us some lunch."

"Alright"

I feel horrible. I know what I have to do, I just can't do it yet.

I faced my back towards him and started walking down the hall to our room. The moment I turned away, tears flooded my face silently. He doesn't believe me. I have to leave home again. Opening the door to our room, I saw him again. The bony boy. On our bed.

My crying slowed. I felt anger bubbling up in my stomach.

"You.." I whispered, "You ruined my life. He thinks your imaginary and I can't prove your real! Get out. Now."

His hollow eyes widened. He stood up with his hands partially raised, as if admitting defeat. We had a staredown like that until he eventually whispered through his broken lips.

"Ħⱥɏⱥᵯī, Ī ҟꞥꝋⱳ īⱦ'ꞩ ħⱥɍđ ɍīꞡħⱦ ꞥꝋⱳ..."

I almost fell down, I felt my knees turn into mush.

"H-how do you know my name? Who are you? How did you get in?"

All he did in response was put his hands slowly to his sides. We remain like that for several minutes before I eventually give in. I sit on the bed and put my head in my hands. It was a long silence until I felt an arm around me.

"Ī ҟꞥꝋⱳ ɏꝋᵾ ħᵾɍⱦ. Ī'ᵯ ꞩꝋ ꞩꝋ ꞩꝋɍɍɏ..."

The tears ran harder. I shoved my body into his open arms, crying into his hoodie.

"Ⱳħⱥⱦ ⱳīłł ɏꝋᵾ đꝋ?"

I sat up, my face inches from his.

"Do I have a choice?"

He smiled softly.

"ᛗɏ đēⱥɍ, ⱦħēɍē īꞩ ⱥłⱳⱥɏꞩ ⱥ ȼħꝋīȼē. Ⱳħⱥⱦēꝟēɍ ɏꝋᵾ đēȼīđē, Ī ⱥᵯ ħēɍē ӻꝋɍ ɏꝋᵾ."

That's all I needed to hear. I knew what I needed to do. I needed to leave home again. My decision was made.

"Ⱳħⱥⱦēꝟēɍ ɏꝋᵾ đēȼīđē..."

His voice was raspy and deep, yet soft and emotional, like there was a constant war in his head. I know the feeling. His voice faded away and I felt his presence disappear.

I continued to cry, knowing I'd have to live with my decisions. I love Lawson, and now I have to leave him for a better life, without the poison. I know it's what he'd want me to do if he knew what was going on.

I wiped my tears with my sleeve and decided to go talk to my love. I didn't have much longer. However, I stopped at the corner of the hallway, I heard another voice.

Yuri, from work.

I flattened myself against the side of the wall, where they couldn't see me, and listened closely.

"You've been acting suspicious at work, Lawson. I know you're hiding something."

"Y-yuri, I swear-"

"Swear what?! That you didn't kill her? Or worse?! Where is she?!!"

Yuri wanted to protect me?..

"No!! She's not dead! I don't know where she is! But she can't be dead, Yuri. I swear, I don't have her!!"

"Her mom is worried sick. Her friends and her mom stopped by Pizza Hut yesterday hanging posters for her. I helped them. You weren't there. You went straight home. Couldn't live with the guilt, Lawson?"

"Yuri. Stop. Do you realize how ridiculous this is?"

"Yes, it's very ridiculous that you're lying straight to my face. You know she was on meds right? Her mom hasn't told me much, the police haven't either, but you know she has something seriously wrong with her, right?"

Oh no, she wants to poison me too?!! This is all confusing news to me. I slide down the wall and sit there, head in my hands again. This isn't going to be easy.

"W-what?"

I heard his voice break. He began sobbing, it broke my heart.

"Lawson..Oh my god..I'm so sorry. I didn't realize. Listen we're all just very distraught, I'm sure you are too. Just, let me know if you see anything okay?"

"I-I will..Thank you Yuri, for stopping by."

"Yeah, I'll see you at work tomorrow."

I heard the door shut but I didn't come out just yet. I heard him sit on the couch, his muffled sobbing covered the house. You could feel his pain, and it hurt me so badly.

I walked out slowly.

"Babe? You alright?"

I sat next to him, putting my arm around him.

"Yes. Yes, I am. Just, Hayami, everyone's so worried about you. I know I said I'd protect you, but I'm starting to think you going home is the best thing for you."

My heart sank.

"No, I'm not going back. She tried to poison me."

Lawson's face was the physical embodiment of heartbreak once that came out of my mouth. He really truly believed Yuri, that there was something wrong with me.

"Hayami, you're gonna go to the doctor okay? This weekend. Just another week, will you be okay?"

He caressed my face in his hand. I had to lie to him.

"Yes. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'll go see a doctor, I'll go for you. I love you."

"I love you too."

I passionately kissed him, knowing this would be one of the last times I get to do so.