F L O W E R S | TRONNOR A.U.

T W E L V E

Troye goes.

The car ride there is tense. A full, agonizing, 40 minutes of the loudest silence both of them have ever heard. Neither Connor or Troye make eye contact until they pull up to the building and Troye realizes he doesn't know where to go, which hallway to turn in, what door to open. He looks to Connor and whispers in a small, raspy voice, "Where?" and then is led in the right direction. Or really, he follows Connor around until they end up at the right suite. He doesn't know what will be on the other side of the door and he isn't sure he wants to.

The mystery on the other side ends up being a bulletin-board covered in construction-paper flowers with positive, recovery-related notions written on them. It's cute, he admits. He just doesn't want anything to do with it.

There is a little hallway that leads to a room with check-in desks. Connor had called to make the appointment for him when they first discussed it. Troye is surrounded by posters and boards and he knows they are supposed to be comforting, but they're not. 

"Hi, how can I help you?" a woman named Jen says. She has heavy makeup on and straightened, blonde hair. Troye isn't sure about her.

"Uh, Troye. My name. Troye Mellet."

"Are you here for an appointment?"

He swallows.

"Yeah."

Typing ensues and shortly after, Jen rattles off information in hopes that Troye will confirm it. It goes like this:

"First appointment?"

"Yes."

"Can you confirm your last name and birthday?"

"Mellet. June 5th, 1995."

"And you are here to see Dr. Rollyn?"

"Apparently."

She clears her throat. "Okay, well you'll need to fill out these papers in the meantime, a nurse will ask you for them later." Jen prints out a sheet of stickers with Troye's information on them and slaps one to the front of the packet, proceeding to hand it to him with a smile. Troye feels sick.

"Okay," he says so quietly he doesn't hear himself. He wonders if he should say it again, if Jen heard him. Judging by the sympathetic smile she wears as he hesitantly waves himself off, she received the memo.

The packet is mostly questions about his family health history, his own health history, insurance, etc. Usual things that come up when you go to a doctor. Then, he flips the page and finds himself staring at a mental health assessment sheet. This is where it starts, he realizes. As soon as he checks one of these boxes, everything changes.

He takes a deep breath and picks up the pen.

BRIARCREST MENTAL HEALTH TEST

I. In the past six months, how often have you experienced these feelings?

1.     I was very anxious, worried or scared about a lot of things in my life.   
Never A few times Sometimes Often Constantly

2.     I felt that my worry was out of my control.   
Never A few times Sometimes Often Constantly

3.     I felt restless, agitated, frantic, or tense.   
Never A few times Sometimes Often Constantly

4.     I had trouble sleeping - I could not fall or stay asleep, and/or didn't feel well-rested when I woke up.
Never A few times Sometimes Often Constantly