u n r e a l • b o o k t w o ✓

ten

↞ TEN ↠

T H E bright red stone caught my attention. It sparkled slightly, making it hard for me to ignore. It was beautiful, and it looked perfect wrapped around her finger. While Theena was entranced by the movie playing in front of us on my tv, I was entranced by her ring.

"Is it yours?"

Theena pulled her eyes slowly away from the screen and stretched out her hand, placing it in mine. She looked down at her hand to see what I was staring at.

"My dad's," she said simply. "He died from lung cancer. I think that he always knew he was going to die. From me to you, from wherever I end up, is engraved around the inside arch of it. I guess he had been wearing it until it was the right time for me to have it."

Her eyes stared into mine for another quick second before she turned back to the scene.

"I'm not bitter or anything over it. I was at first, but I'm happy now," she added.

"I'm glad. I'm glad that you're happy."

Theena had heard me, I knew. She smiled to herself. I smiled too. Our hands were still clasped together.

"The next ring I wear will be the one you give me," she turned her head again and winked. "Hopefully."

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

"Ezra, open your eyes, you're beginning to hyperventilate. This is an exercise, nothing more. Open your eyes."

I snapped up harshly, my eyes wide and bloodshot. The dreams Dr. Campbell had been making me remember were all before Theena began to deny us ever being together. Before she started telling me that she wasn't real. Before she told me I would find someone else.

"Calm yet?"

I nodded my head, not trusting myself to speak. Dr. Campbell ran a hand over his face, as if he were the un-calm one in the room.

"Yesterday didn't help at all. Today certainly didn't help at all. Do you even know what you're doing?" The words spewed out from my mouth before I could stop them. "Can we pretend I never said that?"

He stared at me. "I've been wanting to bring this up but I didn't know how to. I still don't know how to. I don't even understand it myself and I'm not sure that I like it. I've been trying to tell myself that it couldn't be possible but−"

"You're scaring me Dr. Campbell," I awkwardly laughed.

"I think it's best if you see another therapist. There's another great one in the building and she would gladly fit you in her time slots."

"What?" My eyebrows furrowed. "Have I done something? Is there something wrong with me?"

Dr. Campbell lifted up from his chair and began to loosen the flap of his collar as if he couldn't breathe.

"No of course not, it's just−"

"What is it sir?" I cut him off trying to be polite rather than letting my temper get any higher. "This is hard enough already, me sharing all of this. I have to hide it from my family and my friends. I have to struggle with the denial I have on whether if I'm truly loosing it or if I'm not."

"It's not like that at all Ezra."

"Do you just not really know how to help me?" I questioned.

"I'm truly sorry."

"I know why. I'm not trying enough. I know it. I'm probably wasting my time aren't I? What's the point of you being my therapist if I don't cooperate. I'm better off alone aren't I?"

He didn't answer. Shaking my head angrily, I stood up myself. Grabbing my coat, I quickly yanked it on.

"Thank you," I said sarcastically, waving goodbye.

Before he could even step forward to say anything else, I stalked out through the door.