Say Anything

Chapter 1

I checked my phone for the hundredth time and the clock said 11:55. I think it was safe to say that I was nervous. I arrived at the office at 11:45; I took the assistant's warning seriously. The waiting room was exactly what I expected it to be: entirely white, stiff chairs, side tables with magazines on top. Everything looked so staged.

As the few minutes passed by a woman walked out the door with a gloom face. Great, there goes another crazy person.

The assistant, Amber, called my name after the lady left and told me to go through the doors. It was time. I honestly couldn't believe that I was here. Never in my twenty-one years of life would I expected to have found myself at a shrink, but here I was.

When I stood up and started walking, I felt numb. I didn't know if it was because I was nervous or because memories kept floating through my head.

Once I opened the door I saw a man in a suit looking through some papers, I assumed there were files regarding myself. Then he looked up. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen. His grey eyes sparkled when he looked at me; he probably was just happy to have a new client.

I had not realized I had not moved from the doorway until he gestured for me to sit down.

"Hello Jamie. My name is Dr. Trevor as you may already know. My uncle has told me great things about you. I hear you have anxiety attacks?"

"Well if I didn't, would I be here?" I did not mean to snap at him, but I couldn't help myself. I don't think he took offense because he chuckled lightly.

"I suppose you are right Ms. Anderson. So tell me about yourself."

"My name is Jamie Anderson...well that pretty much sums it up. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go now. Thank y-" I started to stand up but he gave me a very stern look that made me sit back down.

"Look, I know he didn't tell you this, but my uncle paid for a month's worth of sessions already. These sessions are non-refundable so I suggest you sit through these with a positive mind set. I have come across many clients as yourself. You think I'm a joke, I get it. In reality, all I am trying to do is help you. If you don't want to be helped then that is your problem. However, it becomes my problem when you are wasting money that my uncle has worked hard for. So I suggest that we start off new. Hello Ms. Anderson, my name is Dr. Trevor. So tell me about yourself."

I was completely and utterly surprised at his little speech. This man was something else. I mean, one moment he is nice and professional, the next he is incredibly passive aggressive. I guess he has a point though. It was really nice of Dan to do this for me...I just don't need it.

"Hello Dr. Trevor. My name is Jamie Anderson, as you already know. I am nervous to be here. I have never talked about my feelings or whatever we are doing here. I am not ready to jump into this so quickly. Can we do this slow." I looked down at my hands, not knowing if he would be mad at this response.

"That is very good progress. Of course, we will go at the pace that you are most comfortable with. I don't want to talk about anything heavy today, unless you want to. How about we talk about your life at the moment. Tell me about your family, your hobbies, your social life, your home life."

Funny how some of the topics that he mentioned are the reason I am here today.

"Well I live alone in an apartment in Manhattan. I work at your uncle's restaurant. I have a friend, her name is Ellie and we are pretty close. Ellie and I work together at the restaurant: she's a hostess and I am a waitress. I guess you can say she's kind of like a sister to me. I like to sketch occasionally... helps distract me from things. I don't really know what else to say."