Burnt (book1)

Smile

     "Scarlett" the receptionist said as she welcomed Scarlett into the room. "The doctor will be with you in just a minute."

"Thanks Mandy" Scarlett said as she sat down in the long, purple velvet couch. She was never one for therapy but she knew she needed it. But she didn't know if she needed it anymore. Scarlett's mom once said that 'you will know when you need a psychiatrist or therapy. You will know when the time is right to start and when to stop.' Maybe this would be one of the last sessions.

"Hello Scarlett, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."

"I just got here, no worries."

"So... you look happy" she was right, Scarlett couldn't help but smile, she would mask her happiness but why bother.

"I made a friend" Scarlett said plainly as she reached for the stress ball on her doctors' desk.

"A friend, that's great Scarlett"

"And no I haven't told him and I'm not going to." Scarlett rushed as she spoke, afraid that if she didn't say it all right now, she would never get it out. "I don't want to lose him just because I'm a freak" the stress ball was not relieving her stress maybe she did still need therapy.

"Alright, let's start with your friend, and go from there." Scarlett nodded and started to tell her of Evan. "He seems like a very nice man" she said with a hidden smirk.

"He is, which is why I won't be telling him what's wrong with me. I just made a friend I don't need to scare him away."

"Did you ever think that if you told him, he would show compassion?" Scarlett thought for a moment, he probably wouldn't care but, but he had enough problems she didn't want to add to them. "Well, maybe as the friendship progresses..."

"Yes Anne as the friendship progresses" Scarlett's slight mock tone in her voice. "If things keep going the way they are..."

"Up?"

"Up" Scarlett laughed, "then I will tell him, I will tell him everything." Scarlett wanted to tell him everything now. She wanted to open up to him like he did with her but, there was so much pain in his world and now knowing his pain... Her struggles although large, seemed minuscule in comparison.

"Anything else you wish to discuss?" Scarlett shook her head no. "Jack maybe?" Scarlett's gazed dropped to a dead stare. "Then that's a yes." Anne said as she flipped a few pages in her notebook. "Where are we with him now?" Scarlett let out a groan that consumed her whole body.

"He's tragic really. A mess, a miserable mess and he won't let go."

"Did you try and-"

"No I didn't try to see him in person and kick him in the balls but I should!"

"That's not what I was going to say but if it helps..."

"I want him out of my life." It was as simple as that. "You that old song, 'Let it go', he needs to let it go, let it go, let me go." It wasn't just because Scarlett now had Evan in her life but, it did encourage her to get Jack out of her life for good. He was an ex-boyfriend that went crazy. Told Scarlett he loved her stole her medications little by little and became addicted. Scarlett didn't notice, or rather she did notice but thought that someone actually cared about her so she ignored his inner demons.

He hurt Scarlett, physically and mentally. Sent her to the hospital a few times, she had to get stiches and that was the last straw. Her best friends' boyfriend beat Jack's ass out the door and dislocated his arm, but Jack didn't give up. He thought that the high he was feeling was love or his idea of love, but he was just an addict that needed his fix, his drug, his punch, anything to make Scarlett fall to the ground in pain, she became a project of his. Someone that he used and manipulated.