A Heart Like Yours

Welcome Home

Rashad Thompson ^^^

I took quick shower, got dressed and wrapped my curly waist length hair in a messy bun. I made my way quickly down to the cafeteria. Let's just say the early bird gets the best worm.

***

"Hey!"
"Wassup?"
"Morning"
"Sup Hope?"
Said Ruby, Rashad, Jasper and Miko respectively.

They were all sitting around our regular table. Jasper passed a breakfast bowl my way as I took a seat. He usually gets one for me whenever I arrive late which is all the time.

"Hmm" I grumbled.

"You good Hope?" Ruby asked sweetly. She wasn't one to talk much.

Everyone looked up at me expectantly as they waited for my response.

"I guess. This morning nurse Lotti told me a knew kid is moving in.."

"So?" Rashad asked, his mouth full of cereal and fruit. I looked at him annoyed.

I threw a grape at him.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," I gave Rashad a pointed look.
"And he happens to be moving into my room." I finished.

"Oh" Miko said raising her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Hope is getting a boyfriend!" Jasper jeered. I rolled my eyes. Suuuure.

"He might be hot." Ruby added

"Not hotter than this right here." Rashad said pointing at himself.

"Boy, you as hot as janitor Paul over there." I countered gesturing to the ancient janitor who was currently waxing the hospital floors.

Ruby snickered and I smiled proudly. Rashad's ego was deflated.

"I think you're smokin' baby." Miko told him before giving him a kiss on his cheek.

Ruby, Jasper and I groaned simultaneously.

***

After breakfast we all went our separate ways. Unfortunately for me, this Wednesday morning I had therapy with Dr. Kelly Peters, a psychologist. I hated these sessions. I didn't want to talk about the past or my feelings or my nightmares.

I knocked on her door upon reaching her office.

"Come in." I heard through the thick wooden door.

I entered reluctantly and took my usual seat on the couch opposite the desk she was seated behind.

Dr. Peters took out her notepad and pen. She looked up at me and smiled a sweet smile. I did not return her smile.

"How are you today Hope." I rolled my eyes.

"I am the same way each time you ask me that stupid question. Nothing's changed." I answered monotonously.

Been here 2 minutes and I already wanted to leave.

"Hope. I hope you understand that this is a safe place to talk about difficult things." She replied.

"For what?! What is this accomplishing? All you ever do is ask stupid questions and write down God knows what on your notepad. It's dumb! I don't want to be here. It's not helping me. If anything it annoys the hell out of me. Sitting here, talking to you annoys me." I yelled until I was breathless.

Dr. Peters nodded as if she understood.

"You are are angry about some things. Hope, what are you angry about." I sighed loudly. She clearly wasn't letting up.

"I'm angry that I can't change what happened to my mother and father, angry at God sometimes. That He allowed them to be stolen from me," I couldn't help the hot, salty tears that ran down my cheeks.

"I'm angry that I can't stop the nightmares when they come. I'm angry that I am so afraid of the dark because it reminds of the closet that my mom hid me in. I'm angry. I'm angry at times I panic without reason and start shaking and sweating uncontrollably and can't breathe right.
I'm angry that I'm not happy!" I paused to take a breath.

"My happiness died the moment that my parents died." I finished.

"Hope, what happened that day was not your fault. And there is nothing that you could have done to stop it." Dr. Peters said.

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes again. I've heard that a million times already.

"Will it ever stop?" I asked dismissing her precious statement.

"The nightmares? As a result of trauma you will always have flashbacks. With time they happen less frequently. There are methods that could help them but I don't think they would work for you. You suppress you emotions. It is doing you more harm than good. You've never talked about what happened that night. Reliving that night may seem as the worst thing to ask. But it would help you to overcome and to realise you are not to blame."

"Sure." I whispered.

"Well our time here is up. I'll see you again Sunday."

I got up and left without another word.

***

It was now 6:00pm and classes were finally over. After psychotherapy I had lunch and then went to swimming class. After swimming I went to my other theory classes. Yes, there is school at the hospital. Tutors come in and have classes five days a weeks 2:00pm till 6:00pm with a half hour break at 4:00pm.

Usually at this time everyone is in the den socialising. In the den there is the t.v. video games, board games. And a secret stash of snacks. Tonight though, like every Wednesday and Sunday when I have therapy, I didn't feel like being social.

I went up to me room to see a strange human casually unpacking clothes into the drawer next to the bed on the opposite side of the room.

"Who are you?" I asked rudely before turning on the lights.

The stranger turned around revealing himself to me.

I stopped breathing. Why? The stranger took my breath away. He's flawless. He stood at an astounding 6'2 and was built. He had a defined jawline and sharp cheek bones. He had lips that were full and bright pink. His eyes dark and dangerous, eyelashes long and thick and his eyebrows were perfectly shaped. And then his hair thick and dark stood messily on top his head. You could till he ran his hand trough multiple times. His only physical faults was a small scar above his brow. Wow!

The boy said something but I missed it. I was too distracted by his godlike looks.

"What?" I asked dumbly

"My name is Messiah" he repeated and returned to unpacking his clothes. His voice was deep and rough but silky smooth.

I nodded knowing well that he could not see me. I walked over to my bed and sat down not knowing what else to do.

Get yourself together Hope I scolded myself.

"I'm Hope." I gave my name without him asking.

By now he was finished packing.

"Cool name." was all he said. He didn't seem to talk much.

After a few minutes of awkward silence I asked him a question.

"What are you dying of?"

He laughed. He deep, rough, beautiful laugh. He sat on his bed facing me.

"A broken heart babe." He answered simply before lying down to sleep.

My face heated at his endearment.

What did he mean? A broken heart?

I was too tired to change my clothes so I just crawled under my covers and willed myself to sleep.

Welcome home Messiah.