I stared up at the flaking paint chips above my bed, my vision going blurry. My whole body felt like it was on fire and my mouth was so dry, no matter how much water I gulped down. I had been getting these hot flushes every night since I had stopped talking to Xavier. Each night they were getting progressively worse and I was struggling to deal with them- they were so painful.

When they subsided, I usually cried for a while before heading out and drinking with the twins until I couldn't walk straight. It was a self destructive cycle, I must admit, but I didn't know how else to deal with it. Xavier seemed to know what was going on, because he kept trying to get my attention and talk to me. I was doing a pretty good job of avoiding him, getting lifts to and home from school with Mum (even if it meant going in super early and coming home late).

When I went out at night, the twins collected me and dropped me off at home, so I had only seen him a very small number of times. The times I had seen him, however, were unbelievably painful. He seemed desperate, frantic, but I just didn't trust him anymore.

I pulled myself off of the bed, staggering into the bathroom. I pulled off my t.shirt, the fabric making my burning  skin feel worse. Everything that touched me left my body covered in searing pain, making me light headed and nauseous. I stumbled into my shower, turning the temperature to the coldest setting.

I slid to the floor, tucking my knees into my face and crying. This was beyond painful. The ice cold water did nothing to help, and I started to scream in agony. My screams were mixed with sobs, wracking through my body and bellowing out. I wish I could just step out of my skin, find out how to stop it from burning.

I heard a knock on the bathroom door, Mum calling out and asking if I was okay. I felt a bit bad for waking her up, since it was something like four in the morning right now and she had work, but I couldn't keep the screams of pain in. This pain was so much worse than any other night in the last week.

"Mum." I sobbed, "Help."

She entered the bathroom, her eyes landing on me curled up under the cold water. She immediately looked for signs that I had tried to harm myself, but saw no injuries. She rushed towards me, turning off the water. My shorts were soaked, so she wrapped a towel around me and cradled me close to her.

"Let's get you to A&E." She whispered, helping me off the floor of the shower.

She grabbed a random hoodie off of my desk, taking it with us to the car. I stayed with the towel wrapped around me, crying hysterically. It hurt so bad. She helped me into the passenger seat, plugging me in and speeding off to the walk-in centre. Since it was such a small town, the nearest hospital was a while away.

I writhed in pain in the passenger seat, trying to push the towel off of me because it was burning my skin. Everything was burning my skin. She pulled up to the car park, rushing round to my door and swinging it open. She wrapped the towel back around me, grabbing the hoodie and unplugging me from the car.

I tried to push her hands off, since they were causing red hot searing pain, but she held on tighter, taking me inside. The receptionist gasped when she saw me, which wasn't a good sign. She called somebody, getting a wheelchair for me to collapse into. I felt feverish; the sweat was pouring off me in waves.

"What's happening to him?" My mum cried, trying to get a response as the nurse wheeled me off to a medical room.

The nurse explained that he couldn't know for sure yet and that they had to get me to a doctor quickly. He then asked about how my mum found me, whether I had taken anything to her knowledge and what my symptoms were.

"I'm burning." I moaned, "It burns."

"Cameron? Can you hear me? Have you taken something?" The nurse asked, shining a light in my eyes.

I shook my head rapidly, crying out in pain as somebody touched my wrist. I was moved from my wheelchair to a bed, people bustling around me. They listened to my heart beat, hearing it bang around a million miles a minute.

"Cameron, do you know where you are?" Another man appeared, shining a light in my eye too.

"Doctors." I managed to spit out, writhing in pain.

"Okay and does it feel like there's a band around your head?" He asked, also checking my heart beat.

I shook my head frantically, gasping in pain as he pressed a stethoscope against my chest. I thrashed about, trying to push him away from me. I didn't want to be touched. I want the pain to just go away.

"Does it feel like bugs are crawling underneath your skin?" He asked next, trying to keep me still.

"No. Burn. It burns. Everywhere." I sobbed between words, panting, "Make it stop. Please."

"Have you taken any substances? Particularly any psychiatric drugs?" The doctor inquired.

"No." I cried out- I really hadn't taken anything.

He nodded and stepped aside to talk to my mum, allowing the nurses to take over with calming me down. I felt like I was being tortured with hot coals while being lit on fire- I just want it to stop.

"We'd like to administer a sedative. It's likely that he's suffering psychiatric drug withdrawals. The burning sensation he's describing fits what suffers experience." The doctor told her, telling the nurses to prepare the sedative, "It's just a dose of benzodiazepines."

My mother nodded, watching as they sedated me. I continued to thrash around in pain for a while after, but the burning started to subside. A nurse monitored my vitals, hooking me up a machine once I'd stopped pushing everyone away. My mum brushed her fingers through my hair, trying to comfort me, but I couldn't stop the silent tears from streaming down my face.

She stayed by my side, trying to support me, while my eyes grew heavy. I was less aware of where I was now, unsure of how long I'd been laying there. I lazily rolled over to look at my mum, watching her cry as she looked down at me. I patted her hand, trying to comfort her. Why was she crying?

Everything's woozy. The doctor stepped into the room, asking to speak to my mother for a moment privately. They left and I was left alone in the room, blinking the sleep away. My sleep had been terrible the last week- worse than usual anyway.

I prodded my skin, relief running through my body when I realised it wasn't burning in pain anymore. I don't know what that was, but it certainly wasn't psychiatric drug withdrawals. I rarely did that sort of thing and I certainly hadn't in the last two months. The doctor seemed so insistent that it was drugs, though.

"Cameron? Can I come in?" A familiar voice asked softly.

My body was sent into a frenzy, despite the drugs I had in my system. A wave of sadness and longing came over me, making me gasp. The heart monitor I was hooked up to went crazy, telling everyone around that my heart couldn't handle being around him.

I wanted to greet him warmly, have him comfort me. I was scared and confused and I wanted Xavier. My brain was telling me no, but it wasn't really in control- the drugs in my system were making it hard to think. My head was spinning, but my emotions were razor sharp and they wanted Xavier.

I nodded shortly, allowing him to slip into the room. He took the seat by my bedside, where my mother had been sat just before. He looked me over, horror and guilt in his eyes. I bit my lip, feeling nervous and a bit nauseous. My heart monitor was still beeping like crazy. His eyes welled up with tears and he buried them into his hands, sobbing.

"Don't cry... I'm fine." I mumbled, looking away before I cried for what felt like the millionth time that week.

"It's my fault." He sobbed, shaking his head, "I didn't tell you the truth because I was scared of disobeying the elders. I should have fought them quicker, or just told you anyway. I'm so sorry. I didn't tell you the truth and you rightly pushed me away, ending up in hospital because of it."

Only about half the words were registering with me right now, but I did my best to understand. I gathered that he blamed himself, but I'm not sure how him not telling me the truth has anything to do with me being in the hospital. I reached out my hand anyway, taking his and holding it to comfort him.

He looked up, giving me a wobbly smile. He squeezed mine, sending shivers down my spine that relaxed all of the horrible feelings that had been building up inside of me over the last week. His touch was just addictive.

"I really am sorry, Cameron. I'll make it up to you- I promise. I'll explain everything the second you get out of hospital." He promised, wiping his tears away.

He finished talking just as the door swung open again and my mother walked in with the doctor. She looked at us, confusion dancing across her face, before they zeroed in on our hands. He went to pull his hand away, but I held on tighter, reluctant to let go. The doctor gave Xavier a respectful nod, making me slightly suspicious.

"Please don't let go." I begged, "It hurts."

"Your temperature's gone down to normal." The doctor noted, checking my vitals, "Has the burning subsided?"

I nodded and he scribbled it down on his chart, excusing himself from the room. An awkward atmosphere settled over us and I looked down at our hands, hating that I needed him. I was so scared of the pain, though.

"The doctor said you'd been waiting outside for the last few hours." My mum noted, her voice clipped and curt.

"You must be Cameron's mother. It's unfortunate to meet you under such circumstances, but I'm Xavier Evans." He introduced himself, ignoring my mother's cold attitude.

"Why are you here, exactly?" She frowned, looking from me to Xavier.

"I'm a friend of your sons..." He lied, "If it's a bad time, I can leave. I just wanted to check that he was okay."

"How did you know he was in the hospital?" She challenged.

"I know staff here. They know Cameron means a lot to me, so they let me know." He was quick with his replies, giving vague responses.

"I'd like you to leave." She declared, passing him his coat.

He looked at me longingly, but nodded, respecting her wishes. He went to pull his hand away again, but I shook my head desperately, clinging onto it with both hands now. Him being here made the bad things go away and I needed him right now, as much as I didn't want to admit it.

"Don't go." I slurred, "Please."

My voice sounded frantic, begging him to stay. Mum looked at me, confusion painted on her face. She was trying to work out what was going on, but she couldn't wrap her head around whatever it was. I guess we're in the same boat because I don't understand it either.

"Did you sell him the drugs that put him in here?" She demanded to know, despite it sounding like more of an accusation.

"I didn't take any drugs." I cried, shaking my head vigorously.

"To my knowledge, he's telling the truth." Xavier confirmed, "Besides, our relationship is nothing like... that. I do not handle, sell or use drugs of any kind. I would leave, but I don't want to put Cameron through any more pain."

"You admit it? You're responsible for this." My mum shrieked, pointing a finger at him.

"Hold on, I didn't say that." Xavier shook his head defensively.

"You are responsible! He said it hurts when you go-" Mum roared.

"Mum stop it!" I cried, interrupting her, "Just stop. I need Xavier here. It's not his fault- it's mine- so just stop."

I started sobbing and she stormed out, leaving Xavier to comfort me as best he could. I sobbed into my pillow, holding his hand for all my life was worth. My head was still spinning and I felt like throwing up. I hated everything about tonight, I just wanted it to end.