Lure of the Monster

Goodbye

"What are you going to do?" Skylar asked me. We were leaning against the brick wall that separated the flower beds from the walkway. I crossed my arms over my chest, staring down at my feet. "What did your therapist say?"

I sighed, looking up and watching as a family played cards across the courtyard. My roommate was asleep back in the room. Skylar was supposed to be helping me to study for an exam, but Chance's visit was still weighing on me.

"You didn't tell them," Skylar said flatly. I didn't dare look at her. "For fuck's sake, Beckham. You can't keep those things to yourself."

"I didn't," I said as I finally looked over at her. "I told you. I'm getting out in a week."

She rolled her eyes. "Which is why you should say something!"

"Skylar..."

"You're not even going to a sober living house after, Beckham." She stood in front of me now with her hands on her hips. I looked away. "Take the support while you have it."

"Sky, I told you," I told her and looked back at her. "I didn't push it down and act like it doesn't exist. And I'm going to live with a nurse and a shrink. It's not like I'm not going to have support."

"Have you spoken to Noah yet?"

I sighed, casting my eyes to the sky. "No. I sent him a letter. He never reached out. Toddleston said that the attempt was enough."

She nodded. "You should tell him about Chance."

"Fucking hell," I muttered and pushed off the wall, heading back towards the activity room.

"I'm serious, Beck," she said as she fell into step beside me.

I stopped and looked at her. "I'll tell him today."

She nodded curtly. "Excellent. Let's go prep for anatomy, shall we?"

"Why did I even let you talk me into taking that class?" I asked as I jerked the door open.

She stepped through it before I followed. "Because you're a smart person and you're going to do amazing things."

I arched an eyebrow. "Am I now?"

She nodded. "Yep. I can feel it."

"What? Do you have some kind of sixth sense or some shit?" I asked as we sat down at the table we'd left our materials spread out on.

Skylar took the rubber band off a pack of notecards and looked at me. "No, Beckham. It's because you've made up nearly a year's worth of schoolwork in less than two months." She shuffled the cards. "They told me you were a smart kid at the start of the school year when they asked me to help you get on the straight and narrow, but they never said you were that smart. Like, holy hell, Beckham. You probably could have been one of those kid geniuses who went to college in middle school."

"Those kids are just as fucked up socially as I am," I told her, tapping my fingers on the table.

She rolled her eyes. "You're not as fucked up socially as you think you are. Trust me. You wouldn't be able to talk to me so easily if you were."

"Can we just focus on schoolwork?"

She stopped shuffling the cards. "Are you coming back to school?" I looked away. "Your aunt said it was a possibility."

"She wants me to start a week after I get home. Enough time to adjust, but not enough that I will get myself into trouble."

"Being idle isn't good for addicts."

I shook my head. "No. I just don't want to have to face everyone."

She shrugged. "Fuck them and their opinions. You've not only kicked ass at rehab, but you've also kicked ass on school."