ECHOES

❦ | 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗮'𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲

"you got the light, count it all joy
you got the right to be mad
but when you carry it alone,
you find it only getting in the way
they say you gotta let it go"
-solange

𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗮 | 𝗜𝗻𝘁
Late August
ੈ✩‧₊˚

The tension was thick, suffocating almost. Silence engulfed me as I sat in the car with my sister. Nobody said a word as we descended the familiar road. I quickly realized they were on our way to Ms.Erica's office; my therapist.

I hadn't been to that office in two months, courtesy of my mother.

I sighed to myself looking out the window. The events of that night plagued my mind. I was upset at everyone, including myself. Speaking of my mother, we hadn't talked since Monday night, and it was now Saturday morning. After what had gone down, I left the house and walked all the way to my sister's house, I'd been there for the entirety of the week.

I looked to my left, Laila was driving while in deep thought, and slightly confused. I couldn't blame her. She wasn't there for half of the shit that went down; she was on vacation having the time of her life in Miami, but once we get in this therapy room and I start letting shit spill, she's gonna be pissed.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by the music cutting off. Looking around, I realized we were outside of Ms.Erica's office.

Sluggishly, I got out of the car clutching my phone. I'm ready to text my best friend if Sherri said anything out of pocket. I'm not even sure why she scheduled this session, she was anti-therapy. She felt that paying to talk to professionally trained people about your problems was stupid and that I should try to talk to people who knew and understood me; like her, but look at where that got us.

I dragged myself into the office and sat down right next to the front desk. Sherri was seated all the way on the other side of the room, by the front door. She doesn't even look my way. As if she wanted to be nowhere near me or my presence; which I didn't mind, I had no intentions of being near her either. Laila sat against the wall in the far back corner. She didn't look too pleased to be here. Oh well.

"Anala? You're back again?" Ms. Linda. My favorite person here. She's always so happy. Her bright personality always brightened my day, even if I didn't want it to. I walked up to her desk, a smile beginning to creep up on my face.

"Yes ma'am. My Mama's making me come back." Ms. Linda knew exactly what I was talking about. Her eyes trailed over to my mother before shifting back to me, a knowing frown on her face.

"I see, well how about you make your way down the hall? Ms. Erica's waiting for you."

Ms. Erica has never been this ready to see me. Sherri must be paying her good.

Ms. Erica sat at her desk, watching me walk in. I reluctantly dragged myself into her office. Her smile was warm and welcoming. I didn't return the sentiment, simply plopping myself onto the couch, my head resting in my hands. She nodded, seemingly aware of how this was gonna go.

"How's it going, Anala?"

My mood shifted immediately upon hearing her voice. I couldn't help the small smile that played on my lips. I loved Ms. Erica; she was the only person I could be honest with.

"I've been better. But you knew that. She wouldn't have made me come back if everthin' was okay." She nodded. She knew.

I slid my shoes off and lay on the couch provided. I was waiting for Sherri and Laila to get here so we could begin.