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.

Michael drove to the RoosterTeeth building, much to my pleasure. I couldn't wait to go back to the place that would soon give me so much happiness. Making those videos where I could be whoever I chose to be. I realized in that moment that I had a chance to be a different person. It's like I was reborn and I get to chose who I want to be instead of falling into someone I didn't want to be.

As we walked inside the building, a lot of people stopped and gapped at me, surprised that I was back. They would excitedly come up to me and talk to me or give me a simple, 'Glad to see the real Gavin Free.'

As Michael and I walked into the AH office, I couldn't help but feel a shiver of pure excitement go through me. I wanted to jump at the feeling but I reminded myself to try and at least stay calm until I was in the office.

Once Michael opened the door and let me walk in, I instantly smiled and gazed around at the office before saying my signature line.

"What's going on lads?" I asked, earning everyone's undivided attention.

"Oh my dicks, it's Gavin!" Geoff said, jumping out of his seat and hugging me. The others did the same and surrounded me, giving me their own hugs.

"How are you feeling?" Ray asked me. I noticed him standing a bit too close to Rosie and I instantly snickered a bit.

"Probably not as great as you've been feeling lately, but close enough," I said, causing him to blush and shrug before wrapping an arm around Rosie's waist.

"So are you like... Depressed still?" Geoff asked. I rolled my eyes at how careful he was trying, and failing, to be at his wording.

"Not completely. I'll still have my days but I am, for the most part, happy," I told him, smiling. Geoff smiled too and hugged me again, actually beginning to cry.

"See, Gavin, I told you, everyone can get through depression with just a tiny step. Now you actually are like me," Rosie said, smiling and stepping forward before hugging me. I hugged her back and smiled, realizing that she was defiantly right.

As I pulled away from the hug, Geoff was staring at me, smiling broadly. I smiled back at him until he spoke again.

"So, I assume Michael told you?" Geoff asked.

Confusion suddenly overwhelmed me and I looked back at Michael just in time to see him give Geoff an angry warning look. I raised an eyebrow at him, questioning him without actually asking him.

"Told me what?" I asked, staring at him.

Michael stared straight back before looking down and becoming interested in his shoes. He bit his lip and scratched the back of his neck as he looked back up at me.

"Please don't hate me, Gav," Michael whispered.

Uh oh...

"You remember when I first asked you out, right? On the bridge?" Michael asked. I nodded and smiled, being reminded of that moment.

"Well, I have a confession to make about that. Geoff... He, uh... He asked me to do that a while ago... Like before you woke up from your coma. He asked me to, uh... Admit my love for you and stuff. I didn't actually love you, at the time," Michael said awkwardly.

I blinked in confusion. Michael didn't love me. The whole asking me out thing was set up. So... Our relationship was a complete fake.

"Wait... You're... You're telling me that our relationship was completely fake. Like, absolutely not real," I asked him.

"Gavin... I-," Michael started.

"No. Don't you dare talk to me. I... I can't believe you'd do this to me. I trusted you. You made up this elaborate plan when I was at my most vulnerable and played me. I just...-," I stopped when Michael stepped closer to me.

"Get away from me, you bloody arsehole!" I yelled, shoving him away. I watched the hurt flash in Michael's eyes but I could care less about that. I simply left the room and let him feel hurt.

And surprisingly, I didn't feel sadness or depression. All I felt was pure anger.

And hatred for Michael Jones.
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So, I'm sorry that the chapters are getting shorter and unfortunately they're probably gonna be short until the end of the book. I'll try to make them longer but I don't know how it's gonna sound in the end.
Anyway, I have a question to ask you guys. Some of you already answered it and I thank you for that. Since the end of this story is near, I've begun to get upset. I don't want this to be the end so I've began thinking of another sequel to this. However, it'll be a little different from this in which Gavin won't be the only main character through the whole story (however he will be one of the three to four main characters and he will still have a pov).
So please let me know if you'd like to see another sequel.
Please let me know what you think of this book too. I love it when I see someone commented. It means so much when someone takes the time to let me know how I'm doing.
Okay I'll end this incredibly long AN.
Thanks for reading!

(P.S. ~ Thank you all so much for 2k reads!)