A/N: Casual update. I like this chapter. It took me far too long to write, but I think it's good.
Okay, so someone (I think it was shhlookitsme) asked me to include photos of what Ezra looks like but I couldn't find a picture of anyone who really looked like her. So, instead, I've included a picture of someone with Ezra's hair colour (the hair colour is literally the only thing about the picture that even slightly resembles Ezra but we'll overlook that), since that's pretty important.
Enjoy the chapter!
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"Hey," Luke said. It was a simple greeting, but Ezra had noticed the progress throughout the week. At first, he wouldn't say anything at all as she sat down opposite him with her food tray in hand. Conversation dwindled in those first few days, mainly because it was very one sided. She had spent the whole time hoping that it wasn't because he didn't want her there. Yet, after a week of sitting opposite him in his usual place in the cafeteria, he began to get used to her company.
She smiled at him, wondering whether he was aware of the change.
He talked to her as he ate, being sure to leave pauses for her to nod or make some kind of input. He'd been talking about his counsellor, Emma, a lot, but that was more because he didn't have much else to talk about. He never left Dalacine and he didn't do much with his spare time, so what else was there to say?
Ezra watched as the other patients bustled around, getting on with their lives with no second thought to her. She wondered if it would be that way the whole time, with them not knowing she existed and her not being able to make them believe any different. The thought of it terrified her. Maybe it would have been easier if she could say something to them, but it wasn't as easy as that. Ezra hadn't spoken for so long, she wondered if it was even possible for her anymore. For all she knew, her voice could have deteriorated completely.
Something felt wrong to Ezra. She didn't feel calm today at all. There was a vague feeling in her stomach that told her something wasn't right, and she knew it was all in her head, but she couldn't get rid of it no matter how many deep breaths she took.
"But yeah," Luke continued, unaware that Ezra hadn't been listening, "Have you started counselling yet or are they waiting on that?"
Ezra shrugged. They hadn't said much about when she was starting counselling. She knew it would happen soon, but honestly she didn't see how it would help when she couldn't actually say anything to the counsellor.
"Is she yours?" Luke was looking across the cafeteria at the approaching nurse.
Ezra nodded.
The patients at Dalacine had nurses (or assistants) assigned to them, probably as a way to keep tabs on them. It depended on how badly fucked up you were as to the extent of their company, though, so Ezra had a little time to herself. She already knew that Luke's nurse was with him almost all the time, leading him around the place. It only made her wonder just how bad his problems really were since they didn't dare to leave him by himself unless he was in his room, which she guessed they regularly checked.
They both watched the nurse as she approached the table, unsure of what to say or do.
"Ezra, you have a couple of visitors," she said with a smile, "Amelia and Nathan, I think."
Ezra's eyes lit up and a grin broke out across her face. She looked at Luke as she got up, ready to follow her nurse to wherever the visitors stayed. He smiled back at her, which was another thing she noticed he did more of now.
Even after a week, Ezra still hadn't gotten used to how big Dalacine actually was. The corridors all seemed to merge together, creating a maze that would have guided her round in circles had she not been with her nurse. She assumed she'd remember where she was going one day, but for now she had to rely on her nurse, and she didn't know if she liked that.
