Hushed (Book 2 of the Silent Series)

Villain vs Victim

Scott had therapy. He didn't want to go, but he forced himself too. He hoped to change the subject away from when Mitch was gone and focus on the fact the now he is leaving. Tomorrow. He was leaving tomorrow.

He sits on the chair in Susan's office and waits for her to begin. She writes a few things down on the paper on her clip board and then looks up to me.

"Anything you want to start with?" She asks, putting her papers down to listen completely. Scott nods instantly.

"Mitch." He says. Susan was confused, they usually talked about Mitch.

"Anything in specific to him?" She asks. Scott nods again.

"He is leaving. And he won't let me or Kirstie come with him." Scott felt himself tear up. "He told me that I'd be better off without him. I know I won't, Susan. I need him." Scott sounded so defeated when explaining this.

"Where is he going, honey? I need you to tell me why too." He nods.

"He was offered a really good job in South Carolina. They are like paying for everything but not for Kirstie and I so Mitch won't let us come. I said I'd pay but he told me I had to stay with Kirstie and make sure she was okay. But our talk a few nights ago..." Scott felt tears dropped. "It was awful."

"Can you tell my what happened that night?"

"I told him that if he loved me, he wouldn't go or let me go. That he'd hug me and tell me he'd stay with me. Then he said if I loved him, then I'd hug him and tell him to take the opportunity." He explains.

"Did he hug you?" She asks. Scott shakes his head and looks down. "Did you hug him?" He nods. "Maybe that is a sign that you care more for him. If the love is not equal, it shouldn't be there at all."

"It's not going to be there when he moves. He told me to move on." Scott sobs. "I can't move on. I'm in love with him."

"As much as it seems that you love him a lot more than he does you, you have to know that Mitch has been through a lot. Through out his while life he has had a wild ride. Now he is offered something amazing. He does love you, just doesn't want to stay here anymore. You have to understand that."

"But I want to go with him. He won't let me. I need him!"

"I know, love. Everything happens for a reason. If he decides that moving on is best, I think you should the to do it. And don't do it because Mitch says so, do it because you want to. Okay?"

"Okay." Scott says. "I just love him so much. I don't want to be without him."

"He loves you too, Scott. Sometimes, some things are way too good to pass up. You have to do what you have to do." Scott nods, looking down. "And it's only a matter of time before you find someone else who is the one."

"Susan, Mitch is the one! I've known that since I laid my eyes on him. That first day at school, he looked so shy and I immediately knew I wanted to get to know him. Then I found out that he was mute and it made me so much more interested. He is the one. I'm in love with this boy."

"Love always works out. If it's true love, you'll find a way back to each other." She says. Scott understood the point she was trying to her across, but didn't know if he believed it.

"That's hard to do when you're both on completely different sides of a country. What if I never see him again?"

"Then it was meant to happen, Scott." She says, slightly chewing on the side of her cheek. "I think you'll see eventually that things happen the way they are supposed to. You haven't experienced a lot of your life yet. You see, I've had 53 years to figure this out. It's your turn." Scott nods. She was right. He hasn't experienced a lot of life. He'd find out things as he goes. "Have you spoken to Mitch since the little "hug" situation?"

"No. I felt so betrayed by it. I don't know if I want to talk to him." Scott says honestly. "But I don't want him to leave without saying goodbye, and I have a feeling of I'm not waiting for him at the airport, then he will take off without speaking to me."

"Then let him. If he really feels the need to not say goodbye, then it's his issue. Don't be the victim, Scott. Let him be the villain, but don't let yourself be the victim." Scott nods.

---------------------

Don't be the victim.

It was replaying in Scott's brain all afternoon. She was right, but Scott didn't know if he could not say goodbye to Mitch. It would be so painful. Scott feels his phone buzz.

Avi: I'm so upset that I couldn't see you today before I left :(. I hope therapy went well, though. My plane just took off. Be safe.

Scott: Miss you already. Therapy was bleh, but have a good flight and eat lots of flight food.

Avi: When do I not? ;)

So Avi had left today. Scott had therapy and couldn't even see him before he left. They had bid their goodbyes yesterday. Scott cried a lot. He couldn't even imagine Kirstie today. He would miss Avi. He was there for him when Kirstie and Mitch were gone. No one else was. He made Scott feel safe and comforted, even when he thought he couldn't.

But Avi couldn't stay in Los Angeles forever, even as much as Kirstie had begged him too. He had to go back to Arlington with his family, back to his home where all of his belongings were.

This ended awkwardly