I glanced at the person as they moved closer to me, barely registering who it was until they wrapped their arms around my back and I sank into them. A hand touched my face, fingers working to wipe away tears.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi4F8z7Xtr
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxS9akfELt
“What did you do?” Christian asked, lifting me into his arms. He turned to stare at the broken mirror and I buried my head in his chest. “Jesus, what the hell happened?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhc8GLPV9n9
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xDL1WcxGh
“I don’t know,” I muttered. “Just please get me out of here.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2nu5HTEGV
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448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBgUv4gd8m
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That stupid paperweight is all I see when I sit down across from him. He’s giving me a look, his eyes locking with the gauze around my arm. I scrunch smaller in the chair and shake my head. I don’t want to talk about it yet, so instead I tell him a story.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNveds9J0jr
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl2nJJ43Lm
I talk about my dad. I talk about how he was a good father, always checking to make sure I did my homework, or checked the doors and windows when I got scared, making sure they were secure. Then I talk about the alcohol, the smoking, the constant cheating, and about the day he came home from work early just to beat up my mom.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDkLhfFlOD
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQssq09NM7
He always told me that crying was weak, which was probably why I rarely did it, with the exception of this morning. In all fairness, I hadn’t realized I was doing it until Christian touched my face.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZofOfnlPH9
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUlcCL5N3x
I’ve found out the doctor’s name, because I finally decided to look at the name plate. It says in bold capital letters: Dr. John Monroe.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmoNd6Y5dJ
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8aI3F1ENB
“Is Christian your boyfriend?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO5BtdT7Om
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7hd2AvK4U
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “He’s just a friend.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdnLEP3cH0
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAbv8FEdj3
“Does he know about your dad?”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDLC7lUGkz
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3QkaXIs4O
“No.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhV57wfAcj8
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteEwinvdSQ
Green eyes widened in surprise.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80OgNn51xX
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JFSyGtmRE
The entire time I’ve been talking, he wasn’t looking at me, and now I know why. He slides a piece of paper across the desk toward me and nods.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkEH7e9Stb
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGTVQOQpIb
“This is my home and cell number. If you need me again, call me. I mean it, Kendall.” Before I can ask what’s on my mind, he cuts me off. “No, your sessions aren't done. I just think you could use some time to yourself. You look like you hate it here.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfkTgZUTX0
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT3EUZSXvu
“I don’t, not really,” I said, frowning. “It’s just I feel like you’re—”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhxBVpKsj7
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUjog6xgQ9
“Prying?” John smiles and shakes his head. “It’s not my intention. I’m just supposed to listen and give advice. It’s okay, we can reschedule. But remember what I said.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7aJ18RKJg
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwlSWScefJ
After I thanked him and left, I stood in the parking lot of the office for a while, the sun beating down on my head, warm and calming. I stared down at my shadow on the asphalt, and was startled when I was joined by another.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBeibdVBp3
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG41IX4sE1e
It’s just a stranger, I told myself, probably a wandering homeless man looking for some money. I lifted my head, the words out of my mouth before I could stop them. “I’m sorry, I don’t have any—”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp7qr5ONjo
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOyCyAZAN3
“I don’t want anything from you,” a familiar voice spat. Then they whispered, “But now I know your secret. You’re a freak. Here to talk about your daddy issues? Or maybe you’re telling the shrink how much of a whore your mother is.”448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1G7MJStG8
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Mkr4JtX4t
Cassie Barnes never got any further in her insult, because at that moment, my fist came in contact with her jaw. She stumbled back and slammed her head on the edge of one of those potted plants that was sitting inches from us.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOROlxq02rI
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTivSS8q9WJ
Just as I heard the sickening crack of Cassie’s skull hitting the pot, I saw the blood that blossomed from the wound. It dripped down her temple. I bent down to see if she was okay, to tell her I didn’t mean to do that, but she wasn’t moving.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t9cRzsCu1
448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nreKrNTFk
As I stood frozen to the spot, all I could think was, I guess that’s better than gutting her. Less messy.448Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8ck39XFry
