The Student Therapist

Chapter 1

Jennie's Point of View

"How is her feeling?" I ask, my long fingers clutching the phone tighter desperately, afraid to miss any new information.

My mom sighs into the phone and I hear her fumbling around in the back. Probably trying to get ready to leave for work, but right now is the only time she can talk before five in the morning tomorrow, when her shifts ends.

"She had a good day today. She read a bit and the nurse said she was pretty energetic around lunchtime." She shuffles around as I let a breath of relief escape my lips. "But the doctor also told me that her body is getting weaker."

There it was. The bad news. It hit me like a punch to the stomach, and a breath left my mouth again. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to gather the hope thag was pooling in my mind somewhere. After a fee minutes of neither of us speaking, just listening to the rustling on the other end of the phone line, I hear a door shut behind my mother followed by the chiming bells. Not wanting to doom her to a nine hour shift of sadness, I open my eyes and force a smile even though she can't see and try to change my attitude.

"She just needs a few more good days and her body will get stronger." I tell her with strong conviction. "Jisoo will be fine, mom."

Her voice wasn't as falsely cheerful as mine.

"I hope so. I have to start work, Jennie. I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright sweetie?"

"Okay, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too." Click.

My hand dropped to my side limply, holding the phone and I shut my eyes again. Usually when my mother and I ended a phone call, I would be okay and there wasn't much bad news to hear of. But today, I felt absolutely wiped. Hearing Jisoo was getting worse made my stomach twist painfully. The thought of losing my little sister was too much. It carried too mang harsh realizations that I didn't want to face.

After a month, I recollected myself and shoved my phone in my pocket, grabbed my bag off the ground and pushed myself up from my seat on the grass.

I had only taken a few steps out of the building, I just had class in before calling my mom and making a seat from myself on the ground. She was always picking up extra shifts and working for extra money, which we needed desperately to pay for the hospital bills. When I went off to college last year, I got myself a job on campus so I could send money home in the hopes of lessening the financial burden off of my mothers shoulder. But she was a single mother with a child in the hospital. There was no such thing as lessening a financial burden like that.

"Jennie! Wait up!"

I pulled myself out of my thoughts long enough to stop walking and turn around to see Seulgi. A tight end on the football team, barreling towards me. Miyeon is a tall girl, if you didn't know her you'd be terrified of her. But when you get to know her, you'd realize pretty quickly that she's just a big softie who loves romantic comedies and Glee.

I somehow find a smile time give despite the toxic thoughts floating through my head and greet. "Hey Seulgi, what's up?"

She rubbed the back of her neck shespishly, averting her gaze to the ground. "Miyeon and I were rough housing at this party on Saturday and I think I messed up something in my calf. Would you mind taping me up without telling Irene?"

I chuckled at her favor. She was acting like a little kid who had been caught stealing the last cookie. Rightfully so, because of Irene, the athletic trainer would chop her head off for injuring herself while she was drunk. However, I was used to this request, seeing as they couldn't help themselves from drunkenly fighting each other.