Group Therapy

Thirty Seven

Marissa

I don't even want to talk to Stacy. But I did promise Nolan. As much as I hate him, I have to talk to her, or he might tell Mikey everything.

"Hey Stacy," I say. She's drinking a mixture of at least five different types of alcohol. Hopefully she's so wasted that she just sleeps with Nolan so he can stop being an idiot.

"Hey Melissa," she slurs.

"It's Marissa actually."

"That's what I said."

"Okay then. So you know my friend Nolan?"

"That fucking hot Australian bastard. He's such a douchebag."

"Not so much anymore. He's matured."

"He slept with my best friend and then just ditched her. How messed up is that?"

"It's pretty messed up. But he's not like that any more. In fact, he's even better. He's such a great person."

"Really? Then why is he such an ass?"

She looks like hell and is on the point of falling.

"Well, you didn't hear this from me, but he's had a troubled past. Some bad things happened in Australia and it makes him act like that. But trust me, he's totally a good person. In fact, you should go talk to him right now. He's in the kitchen." I'm totally lying. In reality, I heard Nolan's lived a pretty good life. Why he is a douchebag is beyond me.

"Okay," she says and trips over someone's purse. I help her up and she falls again. This time, I just leave her on the ground.

I look up and see Arden walking in with Dallen. We usually come to parties together but she was already with Dallen so he just drove her.

"Hey," she says when she reaches me. Her and Dallen are holding hands.

"Hey Ar, hey Dallen." Dallen nods his head but doesn't look at me. He confuses me. One minute, he's giving me fantastic gifts and the next, he's pretending he doesn't even know me.

"I'm going to go find the guys," Dallen says. He gives Arden a kiss on the cheek and leaves us alone.

"You are the best friend ever. I would never be with Dallen if it wasn't for you. I don't think he even knew my name before all of this," Arden says.

"Don't thank me, thank group therapy. We wouldn't have even talked if it wasn't for that."

"I still don't quite understand why he's there. He doesn't have any issues."

"Well, apparently it's because he plays too much sports. Which really isn't an issue. But I think it's more than that. He just hasn't said much."

"Please tell me if he says anything. He's my boyfriend and I want to be able to help him," Arden pleads.

"Okay." I'm not really supposed to say anything, Hudson has some sort of rule that we can't say much about what happens in group therapy to anyone. But I don't see what's the big deal.

"I think I'm going to bleach my hair," she says, completely changing the conversation.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I feel like Dallen likes blondes."

"He's never dated a blonde. Chasity has black hair."

"I know but, guys seem to like Morgan a lot and she's a blonde."

"Morgan is also a slut. Doesn't that say something?"

"Are you saying that all blondes are sluts?" Arden asks offended as if she is already a blonde.