Underneath My Skin

Ch. 2

I'm awaken by Jackson yelling at me.

"Get up! Its eight thirty!"

I let out a long exaggerated sigh and get up. I walk out of my room and across the hall to the bathroom. I take a lingering shower, letting the warm water massage and relax my sore tender muscles. I walk back over to my room in only a towel and find Jackson sitting on the bed.

I sigh and rummage through my drawers for something to wear. Jackson clears his throat, but I ignore him.

"Are we going to talk about last night?" He asks.

"No."

I glance at my alarms clock and its nine. My appointments at nine thirty. I put on a light pink sun dress and some nude heels. I hurry over to my bathroom and apply some light foundation to my cheeks and light mascara on my eye lashes. I run Chapstick over my lips and walk back to my room.

"You look lovely," Jackson compliments.

"Thanks." I sigh. "Could you maybe, stay here? Or take a walk in the park or whatever dead people do?"

"Why?"

I sigh, again. " I just want to talk to my shrink alone."

He nods and disappears. I look at my phone and see that I have a text from Jaylee, telling me to meet her somewhere for lunch. I smile and text her back that I will.

I hurry out of my building onto the busy New York City street. I let the sun shine on my cheeks as I walk slowly to the shrinks office, enjoying the summer breeze. Once I'm at the office, I straighten my posture and walk in. I walk to the receptionist desk and smile at the blonde woman.

She smiles back. "Name?" She asks.

"Briella Jones."

She types and clicks away on her computer before looking up at me again.

"If you don't mind, can you have a seat? He's running a little behind today." She says apologetically.

I smile. "Of course."

I walk over to an empty chair and take a seat. I grab a magazine from the table and skim through it, looking at different recipes and scandals.

"Briella?" The receptionist calls.

I stand and walk over to the desk.

"He'll see you now. He's the first door on the right."

"Thank you."

I walk down the narrow hallway to the first door on the right. I knock lightly util a man says come in in a singsong voice. I turn the nob and push the door open. My jaw hits the floor when the man Harry from last night is sitting behind the desk.

He smiles, his deep dimples prominent. "Please have a seat, hot chocolate."

I close my mouth and shut the door. I sit in the chair in front of him. I look at his desk and how neat it is. Then I look at the plague that reads Dr. Harry E. Styles. I can't help but wonder what the E is for.

"Briella is a beautiful name." He compliments. I furrow a brow.

"So what brings you here today Briella?" Shivers erupt in my spine from the way my name rolls off of his accented tongue. I press my thighs tightly together to relieve some of the pressure he's caused.

"Aren't you a little young to be a psychologist?" I ask.

He chuckles, a low deep chuckle that sets my heart beat to over load.