Bruised (Phan) [EDITING]

5

"Aren't there any girls here?" Pj questioned Dan, he couldn't read the look in his eyes.

"Yeah, but we're separated. We get around four rooms while they get the other five. More girls than boys in the EDU," Dan explained. "We have different group therapies than them, we barely ever see them except at dinner," it hurt Dan to say that word. Dinner.

Pj nodded in response. "Do you like any of them?" He asked, shyly almost. Dan looked up from his book, a questioning look in his eyes. "No," was his simple reply. He went back to his book, the pages sighing in content at his touch.

Their conversation ended there and Dan was grateful. He felt uncomfortable talking about his interests and other people. He didn't do too well with socializing.

"Group therapy," the usual knock came and left reminding them to get up. The nurse went to every door saying the same thing with a knock of annoyance.

The circle was recreated sloppier than before. The doctor sat in her special chair and smiled sweetly. Too sweetly. After everyone settled in a seat the doctor stood. "I want everyone to stand," she voiced. They all stood. "Now swap places so that you sit next to your roommate. The exercise today is to tell us what you learned about them."

Dan mentally groaned while swapping places with Troye, who avoided his eyes. Pj and Dan settled next to each other and next to Dan sat Chris who sat next to the porcelain doll, Phil. And so on and so forth.

"Why don't we start with you, Troye?" Dan knew that tone, she was upset. She probably found out about the laxatives.

Troye stood, eyes puffed and sad. "My roommate is Connor, I learned how comforting he could be." Connor smiled softly, you would even be able to spot it if you didn't know his expressions like Dan.

"That's great Troye, I'm glad you could find some source of solace."

Connor stood, still shaking. "My roommate is Troye, I learned how open he could be." He sat, the two refused to look at each other. Embarrassed.

"That great, it's important to confide in each other and depend on one another."

Next stood Phil, the porcelain beauty, with an uncomfortable frown. "My roommate is Chris, I learned how many interests we share." He sat. Dan felt jealousy spark him, the meanest person in EDU bunked with the prettiest. Unbelievable!

"Oh?" She smiled curiously.

Next stood Chris, a smirk playing at his lips. "My roommate is Phil, I learned how much guts he's got." He sat with the same thud as before, arms crossed.

She only sighed with a lazy smile.

Dan stood, a roll to his eyes at the previous bunkers. "My roommate is Pj," then Dan was stuck. What should he say?

"I learned how difficult he is to read." Pj raised his brows in surprise. He stood after Dan sat and said, "My roommate is Dan, I learned how much he loved to read."

The doctor raised her brows this time. "How interesting," she mumbled. She scrawled in her fancy cursive script things under both Dan and Pj's files and continued.

"I want you all to eat dinner together. Help your roommate overcome whatever troubles him. Learn more about each other."

And with that the therapy was over. Their exercise had been assigned.