Tension (Steve Harrington)

Chap. 55; Happiness or Lack Thereof

In the dark room under the chilling air around her, Lauren sat engulfed in a blanket. She filled her ears with the cheery voice of Dolly Parton in an attempt to cheer her up. It was a bust just like everyone else. Tears ran down the side of her face per usual. Who was Lauren without tears after all?

Calling of work was not helping, as she only got yelled for missing. She just didn't want to get out of bed. There had been a few knocks of the door, but it was mainly just Bill telling her there was food. She never answered those offers. Instead, she remained lying in the abyss.

There was a small piece of happiness in the room. Though it only made her feel worse. The head of a little black dog rests on Lauren's calf. She felt as she was neglecting the dog, making it depressing. Although she wasn't feeding herself, she made sure it had everything she needed.

The only thing Lauren couldn't do was take her to the park. She could barely take her out of the apartment to use the bathroom. The dog was not something Diane was excited about, but Lauren told her she was not going anywhere.

A strip of light entered the room when the door was open. Instinctually, Lauren squinted her eyes as Bill flicked on the light. Lauren began to sit up when the man sat on the bed by her feet rubbing the head of the dog. Lauren pulled the headphones of her head, letting them sit on her neck. "Can we talk?"

"I'm not really in a talking mood." The man's eyes looked at her nightstand.

"Is that water?" Lauren followed his gaze to the light blue cup.

"Yeah, it is why?" Lauren broke her gaze from the cup to the man who was opening a pill bottle.

"Have you ever taken anything for your depression before?"

"For a couple of months."

"Here's something that should help for a little, if you want it." The man held out a yellow pill in his hand. Lauren looked at it.

"I'm not depressed." He rests his hand on her calf, holding onto the pill still.

"You've been in here for three days, I haven't seen you leave. It can't hurt." He took Lauren's hand and placed the pill in her plam. "One of my friends is a psychiatrist she says she can talk to you."

"You want to diagnose me?" Lauren looked at the pill with the zoloft stamped on. It had been a long time, but she knew that she had taken something different in the past.

"I want to help you."

"Why, are you married to her?" Lauren asked this question and seemed to catch him off guard. "I mean, she doesn't believe in depression. She thinks I'm just moody. I don't assume she knows about this conversation, does she."

"I talked to her. And you're are definitely right it doesn't seem like she entire believes in depression. She does know about this conversation, but she does think I'm wasting my time."

"Can you stop making me feel like this?" He reached over and grabbed the water cup, handing it to her. "I'm not depressed this time, I don't want to take them."

"Could you for your sister. El? That's her name, right?" Lauren nodded, bitting the inside of her cheek. "I don't think she'd like seeing this. I don't like seeing you like this. It breaks my heart. I can't imagine how much you are hurting, I wish I could take some of that off you, but that." He nodded to her hand. "That can at least try."

"Why did you marry her?" He was nothing like her it made no sense. The way they saw the world was completely different.

"Because I love her. And everything that comes with her. Which includes you." He smiled, nudging Lauren's leg. She faked a smile.