Parent Helpline

8 : 2 2 p m

LEGEND
Declan - bold
Grayson - italics

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"Hello, this is Parent..."

"Declan?"

"Yep?"

"[Short silence] I think I'm developing depression."

"... Why?"

"I don't know. It's just... this stuff's hitting me pretty hard. It shouldn't. But it is."

"Go on."

"My mom's wrecked. She doesn't say anything, but I know she is. Just... the way she acts nowadays, you know? Always bitter, never truly happy... it's not who she is. And my brother... he doesn't know anything! [Angrier] And, I mean, he's eleven, he shouldn't even be going through this right now – and he isn't, he doesn't know anything – but he's just so close to dad it's frustrating. And... and my grandma's also sick. She hasn't been well since grandpa died. Not physically, but like mentally. Grief and all that. And now this, her daughter, and the piece of shit she calls son-in-law's just becoming too much. And it's not fair. This is my dad's fault. If anyone should be suffering right now, it should be him! I don't even know why everyone in the fucking household is tolerating him right now, but we are, and it's just... it's just fucking pathetic."

"... I'm sorry."

"..."

"Honestly, I am. Nobody should be going through this, and dealing with someone like your father. I would have said something else more... encouraging, but I haven't been through this before and... I just think that trying to understand someone else's pain and comforting them when you actually don't know shit is just... fake."

"... Yeah. I understand. But... thanks anyhow."

"So... about your depression?"

"I don't know yet... To be fair, I'm lowkey a masochist. It's hard to explain. It's like wanting to be sad or mad when you don't really have to be. [Quick] I don't know. I just... I like the feeling. I guess I don't express much of that outside, so it just explodes when I'm alone. And usually I'm fine with that. There's not much for me to– to really be sad about, you know? And then along comes 'the thing', and all of a sudden... everything's against you and all you want to do is tell them to fuck off, but you can't and so in the end you suffer alone."

"Don't suffer alone."

"Who can I talk to, then? Mom and gran've had enough. My brother's just being the baby he is. And... and yeah, there's you, but..."

"It's fine. If you don't feel comfortable, don't. You don't have to tell me everything. Just... I'll always be available if you need me."

"That's lowkey helpline prompt you know."

"Gray!"

"Sorry. But okay."

"So, what's the form of depression you're talking about?"

"I don't know... I googled and there are honestly tons. Probably something minor. It's just started. And I felt like it might go on, so... I assumed it was depression."

"... Sorry if this is rude, but do you also have anger issues?"

"It's okay. And yes, maybe. Maybe I do. But it's not volatile. I can usually contain it. Just... I'm a little mean when it comes out."

"Yeah, saw that firsthand."

"Oh shut up."

"I was joking, honest!"

"Okay, fine."

"..."

"..."

"... What do you plan to do then?"

"... Nothing. Mom'd had enough. She doesn't need to know about yet another problem."

"[Sigh] Gray, those things can become very serious."

"I'm fine. I won't let them. I'll just... I don't know. Talk to you."

"I still think you should tell somebody. But I'm here."

"... Thanks, Dec."

"Don't mention it."

[Click.]