"I want some progress today please, Brendon."

"I can't believe I'm back here again," I mutter to myself.

"Have you been taking your medication?" she asks me, smiling.

"Yeah..." I sigh. I don't want to anymore though, I'm sick of it. It doesn't make me feel any better, it just makes me feel... Numb.

"What is it even for? You still haven't told me," I sigh, rubbing my hands over my face.

"It's to make you try and forget about what happened with Ryan. It will make you happier."

"I won't be happy until I see him again. Some stupid pills can't change that." I reply, angrily.

"I understand that Brendon, but they'll work for now, okay?" she says, with a fake smile.

"Why won't you just tell me?" I shout, my temper rising, "They're clearly for something else! Just tell me or I'll stop taking them."

"No, No, Brendon you can't do that. We've got so far..."

"Then just tell me!"

"I... I'll need to talk to your mother. Just a second," she sighs, walking over to the phone. I go silent and quickly wipe away the tears that I didn't even realise were falling. It can't be that big of a deal... Right? I suddenly start to feel guilty that I might've done something wrong.

"Hello? Mrs Urie?" she says, into the phone, "Yeah, he's working it out and I think it would be best to just tell him. I'm very sorry, I tried my best."

"What is even happening?" I ask, confused, once she's put the phone down.

"I know this will be very hard for you to hear, but," she takes a deep breath and looks up at me, "Ryan isn't real. He never has been."

"W-What?" I stutter, "What are you talking about?"

"You have a very serious mental health condition, called schizophrenia. Ryan is just a hallucination. Your mother and I agreed it would be best not to tell you, as she knows you don't cope very well with change. I thought it might just be easier to ease you into it... I know now that might not have been the best idea," she sighs, looking down at her feet.

I can't speak, I can't move, I can't seem to do anything. I feel stuck, like someone managed to freeze time. Maybe this is a joke? I don't usually understand jokes.

She seems way too serious, though... No. This can't be a joke.

"Brendon? I know this will be hard to hear, but it's something you're going to have and try to fit into your lifestyle. Although, it appears these pills are working well, as Ryan seems to have disappeared. That's what we were hoping for," she smiles, trying to make the best of a terrible situation.

Suddenly, at the mention of Ryan, my head snaps up to meet her eyes. How did I forget about him? I'm such a terrible friend.

"So where is he then?" I say, quietly.

"He doesn't exist, Brendon... Is there anything you don't understand?" she tries to reassure me.

The fact that she sounds so fake doesn't even bother me; I am angry. "B-But... No! He is real! He is definitely real; I know it."

"I'm really sorry, Brendon. I know that he's been in your life for a long time and the-"

"No!" I shout, interrupting her, "I refuse to listen to this anymore! This is stupid. You're lying to me and I know you are!"

"I'm not lying. We put you on an antipsychotic drug, called Aripiprazole and it seems to be working very well," she starts, but I interrupt her, once again.

"Antipsychotic? B-But I'm not crazy! I'm not insane... O-Or anything," I stutter out, doubting myself. What if I am crazy? Everyone else seems to think so.

"Brendon, no. You aren't crazy."

"Shut up! I just want to be alone," I shout, storming out of the office as quickly as I can, slamming the door behind me. I have to get away. I have to find Ryan.