The Knowing Secret

Chapter 23

I was ready to take off down the hall to tackle Sara and start letting out all my built up anger, but whether it was luck or not the door beside me opened. "Ah, Riley, you may come in now," Mr. Fenin said.

I watched Sara turn the corner and go out of sight. I sighed and followed Mr. Fenin inside his office. His office was supposed to be more welcoming than any other office in the school. It was supposed to make kids feel comfortable enough to open up and talk to him. It didn't feel this way to me because every time that I was in his office was because my parents forced me. I took a seat on the couch against the wall and looked at the clock. Second period was more than half way over. If I could stretch this out I might not have to go to second period. This meant one less class that I would be stuck with Evan.

"So, Riley, do you know why you are here?" Mr. Fenin asked. He had taken the seat to my left. Mr. Fenin was a very tall skinny guy. He had short brown hair and brown eyes. He wore the kind of glasses that you would picture a classic nerd wearing. If it wasn't his office that made me want to shut down it was definitely his appearance. Nothing about him said "hey kids you can trust me."

"Yeah, pretty sure," I mumbled, as I glanced at the clock again.

He sat there for a moment waiting for me to go on. When I said nothing he pushed on, "Why do you think you are here, Riley?"

"I would assume it's the same reason why I am always called down here." I shrugged.

"And what would that be?" he pried.

I sighed to myself. I hated this game he played. He knew why I was here and he knew I knew it. It still seemed though that every time he wanted me to say it. So instead of giving him the answer he wanted, I said, "Because my parents think I'm gonna go crazy."

For a split second I saw his shock in his face, but he quickly tried to mask it. I smiled to myself. If he only knew he couldn't hide his feelings from me. "Now, Riley, you know that isn't true."

I glanced at the clock again. It had only been a few minutes. I had to do something to make this take longer. "I do?" I asked.

"Riley, you know your parents love you very much. They wanted you to come talk to me because they care about you," he informed me.

I rolled my eyes, "Please, my parents think I am going to crack any minute. They wanted me to come see you because I wasn't talking to Dr. VanKen." I felt Mr. Fenin's pride grow and I rolled my eyes again.

"Why haven't you been talking to Dr. VanKen, Riley?" he asked, ignoring the part about my parents.

"I just haven't felt like talking," I shrugged. I didn't feel much like talking to him either, but I didn't want to have to go to gym and see Evan.

"And do you feel like talking now?" he asked. I shrugged, and for a moment we sat in silence. When he realized I wasn't going to say anything he tried something else, "How have you been dealing with Rachel's death?"

"Suicide," I corrected him.

"Excuse me?" he asked, as is he didn't understand me.

"It was a suicide," I said again. "At least that's what the police are saying."

"Ok," he said unsure of what the difference was. "How are you dealing with Rachel's suicide?"

"Fine," I muttered.

"That isn't what I heard from your parents, Riley," Mr. Fenin responded. For some reason he felt the need to put my name in almost every sentence he said. This always got on my nerves.

"Well, Mr. Fenin, if you already knew then why did you ask?" I snapped.

Ignoring my outburst he went on, "Riley, your parents said they are afraid that you are falling back into you old habits that you had shortly after Laura died."