dancing in the stars (ballerina x singer wlw romance)

chapter thirty-three

SUMMER

"It's so nice to meet you in person, Summer." Dr. Reed greets me with a warm, sincere smile.

I raise my chin, looking up at her, mirroring her smile. I have been having therapy sessions with Dr. Emily Reed, for two weeks now. The first four sessions were by video calls, because I wasn't allowed to leave my bed, unless it was for physical therapy.
Yesterday, my physical therapist, gave me the green light to start walking without feeling like I'm going to pass out from the pain, and I'm thankful it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

"It's nice to meet you, too." I say, nervously tapping my foot on the floor.

I've done therapy before, my moms considered it something important growing up, and our therapist was a nice lady— helped me a lot, but I had to let her go when I turned eighteen, because she was a specialist on kids and I was not a kid anymore.
Dr. Reed seems nice, though. Her chocolate brown hair bobs at her chin, and she wears a pair of jeans, a cream blouse and a pair of boots. She looks like she's probably in her early thirties, and she's a specialist on abusive, eating disorder, bullying and violent behavior. Apparently, she has treated a lot of powerful people in America, she has been recommended to my moms by pretty much all the important people they know. I'm just hoping she's nice, and she helps me.

Dr. Reed holds a notebook in her lap, and I try not to focus in the amazing view this building has. You can't see the city by how high we are, but it's a beautiful view of the blue sky. Thank god it's not raining, that would've been bad for me.

"Um... do you want me to introduce myself again? I... I know we did that on the first session." my palms feel sweaty, I don't trust her yet but I'm getting there. She has been treating me with so much kindness, and she speaks with so much calmness, she listens and writes, but I can't bring myself to look at her eyes for too long.

"Do you want to introduce yourself again?" she asks, in a nice tone.

I chuckle, every time I ask a question, she asks me the same thing back. "I think I'm good. You already know me."

"I don't think I know you yet, Summer. But I'm here for that— to get to know you, help you, and maybe in the journey, you'll get to know yourself a little better." I give her a soft smile, and when she notices I won't answer her, she continues. "Why don't we start with something easy? How was your weekend?"

I nod, I can do this. "Well, since we last spoke," four days ago. "I usually stayed home and watched movies with my friends, then at night with my sisters. They've been all over me the last two weeks." I smile to myself. "My family came home on Saturday, after we all when to Lucas' game—I didn't walk, don't worry. I looked like an idiot being carried by my Ma on her back."
Dr. Reed gives me a soft smile, and I wonder if she saw the pictures on the internet. Can I ask that?

"Your friends—" she says. "What were their names?"

"Um... Mila and Ava," heat rushes to my cheeks, when I think about the last person. "And Willow."

"Willow." she repeats, my cheeks heat even more. Oh, my god. Does she know? How can she know? Is she— "Is this the friend you were supposed to do a..." she lowers her head, reading her notebook. "showcase with?"

I nod, trying to hide my embarrassment. "We're still doing it. I will get better by that time. Um, Dr. Spencer said we'll do anything to make it, and I'm doing great so far." Liar.