? |DREAMS TO REALITY| ? [SCHOOLBUSGRAVEYARD X READER]

CHAPTER 38 - Hopelessness

As he walked, he noticed a particular picture frame. It showed him, his wife, their daughter, and another man - tall, handsome, with tan skin, black hair, and hazel eyes. This man appeared to be in his thirties or younger, dressed nicely. In the photo, the man stood behind their daughter, holding the father's shoulder and smiling softly at the camera. The man felt a wave of sadness as he looked at this picture, as the man in the photo held a special place in his heart, just as he did for his late wife. He placed a hand on the glass of the frame, as if trying to reach out to them. After gazing at the picture for a while, he sighed and let go, heading to the kitchen to make breakfast for his daughter.

At the school drop-off, Y/N stood outside the passenger seat, about to close the door but hesitated. She gazed at her dad sitting in the driver's seat, holding the steering wheel and looking at her with a warm smile. The girl briefly looked away, appearing to have a frown, which neither her dad nor her mom liked to see. They couldn't make her feel a certain way, but they didn't want to see her looking so sad.

He called out to her, and she returned his gaze. "Don't be sad, be proud," he said. That's my motto for today, okay? He smiled slightly, hoping to make her smile or at least chuckle at his little joke. It worked, as the girl formed a small smile before closing the door. Since she hadn't gone far yet, he rolled down the car window and spoke with love in his tone. "Hope you have an amazing day at school today. Love you!"

Y/N felt embarrassed as her cheeks turned red and she gritted her teeth slightly. She was glad no one else was around to witness it, but she couldn't help but chuckle at his childish behavior on such a beautiful day. As she walked away, he smiled, feeling hopeful that everything would be okay. He then drove off to his destination.

★—

[TW: This part of the story discusses mental disorders and illnesses. If you are familiar with them, please refrain from sharing any personal information in the comments. Your personal information is private and should not be disclosed.]

Their car was parked in front of a mostly white building with multiple glass frame windows on each floor, indicating it was a three-story building. The outside was decorated with small bushes lining the walls and front walkway. The girl's father was going inside to speak with Ms. Tirana Smith, the person Y/N had a session with a month ago to discuss her diagnosis. He waited in the lobby until he was called into her office for a private conversation.

Ms. Tirana, a tan-skinned woman with a cornrow ponytail, was wearing light-colored slightly baggy jeans and a white long-sleeve blouse with small silver earrings. They sat on a couch in her office, with Tirana balancing one leg on the other. She seemed to be preparing notes from their previous session to provide context for their discussion about his daughter's progress.

"Hello, Mr. L/N. I wanted to talk to you about your daughter's test results. It's actually quite rare, very rare in fact. Despite her seeming fine physically, based on my research and her diagnosis, she may be suffering from a mental disorder. Have you noticed any strange behavior from her before her field trip? She mentioned it started around that time."

"She didn't seem abnormal, but can you tell me what she has been diagnosed with?"

"I think she may be experiencing a rare psychotic disorder called folie à duex. It involves two or more people in close relationships sharing the same delusions."

[A/N: Yes, I tried researching…]

"What? Are you saying that she is really mentally unwell? Is there something, like a cure?" Naturally, he would feel alarmed at this discovery, especially when someone is calling her daughter potentially dangerous and a threat to others because of her disorder. "What led you to make this statement?"

"A cure may not be available for the issue she is facing. She cannot simply take a pill and make it all go away. However, she can continue therapy sessions to help reduce the impact of these thoughts on her."

"What if it doesn't work?"

"She had to undergo pharmacological treatment. If that doesn't work," she stayed silent, not wanting to upset him by potentially saying something wrong.

"As for my statement…" Tirana mentioned that a shared delusional diagnosis is not something that happens every day, but Y/N claims to experience it every night. "Her and their group see tall beings with strange features, such as a wide, scary smile, white eyes like polka dots, and sharp claws. These beings are called, "Phantoms." Tirana couldn't provide personal details but wanted to describe what the patient sees to help him understand the situation.

While listening to Tirana's description, the man couldn't help but remember seeing the same thing she was talking about. He recounted every detail he saw and compared it to what she described. As Tirana disclosed the appearance of the creature, his eyes widened in recognition.

★—

At the airport, a man with a tan complexion and dressed in luxurious clothing confidently walked in a black suit. He had a stylish aura and seemed at ease as he navigated through the airport. Stepping outside the air-conditioned building, he felt the pleasant warmth of the sun on his skin, which brought a small smile to his face. Some people passing by looked at him with admiration and curiosity. He took off his black sunglasses, still smiling with contentment after a long flight.

"It feels great to be back." He took out his phone and saw a picture on his lock screen of D/N, M/N, and Y/N. The parents were in the water at the beach, kissing lovingly. They were all in their beach attire, having fun. The clear waters were beautiful, crystal clear with the sun shining on the light blue waters. Y/N seemed to be walking towards the camera, with the person taking the photo in the shade under tree leaves. The little girl was holding a couple of shells in her hands, smiling happily.

"I'll see you soon, Y/N."