Forged Bonds (BxB)

CHAPTER 22

Mallory and Alvarez only talked to me the next morning.

When I woke up again, I was firstly glad for not being my birthday anymore. Glad for that day being over. But my gratitude didn't last long, because I had still woken up anyway.

I didn't intend on having breakfast with my family. I was embarrassed about looking at them after what they had found out about me. Yesterday, my privacy was completely violated. Not only because they had taken away my secret, but also because my door remained open, and it would still be open for... well, I guess for as long as I stayed here. I didn't have the patience to fight against that new rule, though. So I let it be.

Even though I didn't come down to have breakfast, Mallory knocked on my door holding a plate full of pancakes and strawberries, Alvarez standing behind her. I wasn't hungry. And I was allergic to strawberries.

"Good morning, Jack" She gave me a warm smile, and despite the fact that she was smiling, I could see the sadness in her eyes "I brought pancakes" She looked down at the plate and then back at me.

"You can come in" I told them, since they were just standing by the doorway and gazing at me.

So they did. Malory placed the pancakes and strawberries on my lap as they sat down by the end of the bed. I instinctively tugged on my sleeves. It was meaningless to hide my wounds now, but I felt the need to do so anyway.

"How are you feeling, kid?" Alvarez asked me.

"Normal" I replied.

"What does normal mean?" He questioned.

"Normal means normal." I said coldly. I didn't want to be rude to them. I just wanted for them to give up on having a conversation with me.

"Okay" Alvarez conceded. After a moment of silence, he proceeded "Your aunt and I have been talking-"

"Are you going to send me away?" I interrupted him, trying to not let it show how that chance unsettled me.

"Where could we possibly send you?" He cocked his head to the side with a confused expression.

"Back to my father's house" I gulped "Or to a psychiatric clinic"

"No, sweetheart, of course not" Mallory reached for my hand over the mattress, her grip tight and reassuring "We're just going to say that we think it's for the best if you start seeing a therapist, that's all"

"We booked you a session for this Thursday" Alvarez let me know "Give it a try. It's going to be good for you. It's really helpful to take an hour of the week to dedicate to yourself"

Why would I dedicate something to myself if I didn't like myself?

"Yes" Mallory agreed "And we'll be here for you for anything you need. We just want you to be okay"

I shook my head. How could an hour per week change what had been built in my mind for the last eighteen years? How could an hour per week change my mother's death, the way my father mistreated me, my cousin's death, and everything I had done to other people and to myself? How could an hour per week change me? It would just make things more painful by having to get in touch with all of this through words and voiced thoughts.

"C'mon, Jack" Mallory pleaded "Please trust us on this. That's all we ask from you. We'll be here along all the way. We can have an ice cream after the session"

I almost laughed at the way she tried to make it better. With ice cream.

"Okay" I gave in in a mumble.

"Yes!" She celebrated in a low voice, Alvarez giving me a lipped smile beside her. I reciprocated his smile, not because of therapy, but because he was here.