A Tribute For Tia

Chapter 5

 "So, Alistair." His voice was low as Doctor Taylor spoke to me, gently easing down the photo frame I had learned not to look at. We had already been in the session for over five minutes and only a few words had been spoken.

"So, Taylor." I replied, mimicking his actions. He had leaned forward in his chair and placed his elbows on his desk, so I did the same; but he did not even crack a smile. "Oh, lighten up, doc."

"That's your job." He sighed, and I envisioned him scrubbing a hand over his face. "And it's my job to find out what is going on in your life. So, how are things?"

"Oh, you know. About as good as they've always been. Because I'm fine."

"That's not what your-" he stopped himself before he could say the word parents. "You know what I mean, Alistair. Have you been going to school?"

"I thought my mother would have told you that already."

"She has. I want to hear it from you."

I rolled my eyes again, knowing how much he hated it. "No, Taylor. I haven't. I went once, and that was enough." Of course, I didn't tell him it was the day I finally met his daughter.

"Why not?"

Damn, this guy is hard to crack. "Because I'm a drug dealer and have become too well-known in the playground."

"Please be serious." Still nothing, not even a blink.

"I am being serious." I shrugged, flopped backwards into my chair. "Aren't you meant to be saying something about the fact that it's illegal or something?"

"No, because I know you're lying to me to irritate me. You have to understand, Alistair, that I treat many troubled teens like you. There's nothing you have that I haven't seen."

"Okay, that's creepy." I said with a completely straight face. When Doctor Taylor finally cracked a smile, I relaxed. "See? You just need to lighten up."

"Okay, maybe I do." He held up his hands. "But I'm serious, Alistair. You need to continue going to school. Your education is important. I've heard you like guitar?"

"Yeah, I play a bit. Why?"

"Well, there's something to start a conversation with. You could make some musician friends."

"What, the dorks that hang around the music room? The ones that play in school concerts and stuff like that?" I glared at the therapist when he nodded, all too enthusiastically. "That is not happening. It's social suicide."

"Alright then." His smile dropped. "Then... why don't you play in a band? There are a lot of bands locally that are looking for young boys like you that play guitar."

"I'd rather not socialise." I shrugged. "You see, doc, I want to spend time with my sister, and that's all. And my friend, Maya."

"You have a friend?" he asked, shocked.

"Is that so hard to understand?"

He looked a little astonished. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Whatever." I looked around the room, unable to meet his eyes again.

"So, Maya." he said a few moments later, obviously over the fact he had said something that has upset me. "A girl, I presume?"

"Yes."

"Is she nice? Where did you meet her?"

"I met her at work, if you must know."

"You work?" he must have thought we were making headway. "At a music store, I presume."

"Oh, how did you guess?"

"Alistair, I do not like that sarcastic tone of yours."

"Yeah, well I do not like you." I stood up, scraping my chair along the hardwood floors.

"Please sit down."

"No, I don't think I will." I grinned down at him, but he just stared up at me. I stepped away from the desk and grabbed the nearest book off the wall, skimming through it.

"This has no pictures."

"I know. It's a phycology text book. Why would it have pictures?"

"I don't know. You get a lot of kids in here, don't you? Why wouldn't you have picture books?"

"Because the waiting room has picture books. Surely you knew that. Now please, Alistair, sit back down. We have unfinished business to attend to."

"No, actually, I think I'll go into the waiting room where there are picture books."

"Alistair, don't walk out on me."

"Oh, don't sound so desperate. It's not attractive." I was about to walk out of there, but thought I should leave him with a little piece of information. "Oh yeah, your daughter is smoking hot. Leila suits her." I shrugged, and then manoeuvred myself through the slightly ajar door. I heard Doctor Taylor yelling after me, but I could not be bothered going back inside, so I decided to talk to the administration lady.

"Hello!" I greeted happily as I stepped over to her. She looked up at me, sighed, then went back to the paperwork she was filling in. I almost –but not quite- growled in the back of my throat, but shook it off and walked away from the shrink's office, not interested in anything doctor Taylor had to say when he came running after me, waving a prescription at me.

I was sure my mother would be getting a text saying how hard I slammed the door in his face.