"Darling, you need to put your seat belt on, the plane will be landing soon," the overweight flight attendant told Phoenix. She wasn't entirely sure how the lady managed to make it up and down the aisles and yet here she was. Ordering Nix around.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," she grumbled, pushing the metal pieces together until the satisfying click resounded. The pudgy lady smiled, before turning and wobbling her way back to the front of the plane.
Phoenix was not impressed with her current predicament. She could have thought of a million other community service projects she could have done. Like picking up garbage or scrubbing graffiti. Things that didn't require other human contact.
But alas, here she was. Flying across the country to help some psycho kids get over their inner issues. Needless to say, Phoenix was unimpressed.
"We're in the final stages of our decent, ladies and gentlemen. Sit back and relax, we'll be landing shortly."
Phoenix closed her eyes, deciding to sleep away the remaining drop into her nightmare.
==========
"This is where you'll be staying when you're not at the hospital. You are not to leave, visit anyone else, drink, smoke or do illicit things in or outside of this room. Is that clear?" The large, burly man said. Phoenix nodded her head, scrunching her nose as she did so. The smell in her room was repulsive. She fought the urge to complain, knowing that it would only cause her more trouble.
The large man grunted, storming out of the room in an angry huff that Phoenix knew wasn't directed at her, but the loud, bass-thumping music on the floor above. Apparently there were quite a few delinquents in New York City, as the small police apartment complex was full to the brim. As much as Phoenix would have loved to go join them, she knew that getting the boot on her first day wasn't ever the plan.
She quickly unpacked her suitcase, throwing her things carelessly into the dresser. Carrying her toiletries into the bathroom, Phoenix decides on a shower before bed. Cranking the water to blazing hot, she stripped off and stared at herself mindlessly in the mirror. Deciding the water was probably hot enough, she stepped in the rusty shower; and into a stream of unforgiving, ice cold water. Phoenix screeched, stepping backwards out of the direct line of fire (or ice), and took a few deep breaths.
After holding herself together for so long, she finally slid down the wall and let herself cry.
==========
"Welcome to the New York Centre for Mentally Unstable Adolescents. But we here like to call it MAD." The short lady in front of Phoenix said. Nix thought it was slightly ironic, the nickname they had given the place. But whatever.
After sobbing for an hour in the freezing cold water last night, Phoenix had carried herself back into her room and fallen asleep quickly in the small bed. After feeling as though she'd only been asleep for 2 minutes, a loud banging resounded on her door. She pulled herself from her sheets and answered with groggy eyes.
"Be ready in 20 minutes," the tall man had said, before stalking off to another door.
Now here she was, conversing with a near midget sized woman, who was frighteningly perky, leading her down corridor after corridor.
"... and this is the ward for rape and assault victims. They tend to be more violent, so we keep volunteers to minimum in there." The lady said. Phoenix wasn't sure if the lady knew that Nix wasn't a volunteer, but a criminal, or if she was just being nice.
"Ah, this is you. Ward 14. We have deaf and mute recluse children in here." Phoenix felt a wave of shock roll through her.
"You're having me work with kids who can't hear or speak to me?" Nix said, crossing her arms.
"Oh no, not both. Only nurses work with kids who suffer from both. You'll be working with a male mute. He can hear you just fine, dear," she said.
"But he can't speak to me?"
"Well, no. We're not sure if he is capable of speech, he's never uttered a single word. Although he's very good at speaking without them. He just doesn't get along with the other patients well. We think maybe a friend for him, someone from outside the centre will be good for him. And the judge said you weren't much of a talker yourself," the nurse added. Phoenix rolled her eyes. Of course she'd have said that.
"No, I'm really not. We'll probably get along fine." She muttered, and the lady stopped in front of a minty green door.
"Here he is. This is his file, I'll just leave it on this hook here in case you need it, though I'm sure you won't. He's quite shy, 19 years old, but a sweet, sweet boy. His name is Louis Tomlinson."
"Yeah, yeah, let's go," Phoenix said impatiently. The nurse pushed open the door, and Phoenix stepped inside. The interior was plain; white walls, white bed spread, white dresser. The only colour came from a large oak bookshelf, stuffed to the brim with old books. The window on the far wall was open, the curtains drawn back, letting the smog and loud ambiance of the Big Apple fill the room. Nothing was padded, and there were no straight jackets or bars blocking the 9 story window, so she assumed this Louis guy wasn't suicidal.
She let her eyes wander around until they settled on a boy, nestled in the corner with a book on his knees. He had sandy brown hair, tousled effortlessly on his head. His blue eyes scanned the pages of his book with determination. His skin glowed to sun kissed perfection, and for someone locked up, he looked to have received quite a bit of sun.
Upon realizing the two's entrance, Louis quickly averted his eyes from his book to the entrance. He hastily stood up and set the book aside. Standing tall, Phoenix realized he was a solid 2 heads taller than her. He walked, or glided, Phoenix wasn't sure, over to them and extended his hand to Phoenix. She shook it wearily.
"Hey. I'm Phoenix." She said, and he quirked an eyebrow at her, then over to the short lady.
"This is Louis," she said, as if she hadn't just told her all that stuff in the hall. Louis nodded once, and gracefully kissed the top of Phoenix's hand, Cinderella style. Phoenix rolled her eyes and pulled her hand back.
"Nice to meet you as well," she said sarcastically, and Louis' grin grew wide at her embarrassment.
This was going to be a long 550 hours.
