This Strange Thing We Call Life

Chapter Five

"Zoe."

Alex gently shakes her shoulder. Nothing.

"Zoe. The assembly's over..." He shakes her again, without success. "You have to get up."

The brunette slowly opens her eyes and is greeted by her roommate.

Zoe snuggles her face into the crook of Alex's neck, "Five more minutes."

"No, Zoe, we're not in the room. You fell asleep during the assembly, remember? We have to go."

Zoe huffs.

"Fine," she says as she slowly makes her way out of the seat.

Alex takes a deep breath before following Zoe out of the auditorium and into a hallway.

"So," Zoe begins, "what did I miss?"

"Nothing really, just some updates and activities. Trying to keep people's hopes up, I guess."

"Again?" Zoe laughs, "Seriously, when are they going to realize this is a mental institute? People are bound to be unhappy."

"Zoe, don't start saying things like that. Okay? They're trying to make this school as normal as possible, and you're not really helping by talking about this place like it's an- an asylum or something." Alex looks down at his shoes, immediately regretting saying anything on the matter.

"What? It's true."

Alex sighs, "They told us to report to our psychiatrists for a check-up. We'll get our doses while we're there."

Zoe groans, "I don't wanna go see her. She's so annoying."

"They're just here to help, Zoe."

"Well she sure as hell isn't doing a good enough job."

Alex laughs, "Whatever. Try and cheer up a bit. I'll be down the hall if you need me."

"Mkay, bye Alex."

He giggles, "Bye."

The two part ways as they enter a long hallway. Zoe approaches the door of her psychiatrist, the dreaded Joy Reinmann.

She knocks a few times before she hears a cheery greeting.

"Come in!"

Zoe opens the door into a cozy room with a couch and a small coffee table. Sitting in a rolling chair opposite of the couch is a young woman with black hair and glasses, Joy.

"Zoe! It's so nice to see you!" Joy says, unnecessarily peppy, "Please sit down."

Zoe takes a seat on the couch facing Joy.

"I haven't seen you in a whole week! Such a long time. Anything new?"

"No..."

"Well, what about Cassidy? Any luck?" Joy laughs.

"No. She's still dating that jackass Victor. Besides, she's not into girls..."

"People change, I'm sure you'll get her eventually." Joy writes something down on her notepad, "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to move onto something a little heavier."

Silence.

Joy sighs, "Any panic attacks as of late?"

"No, thankfully."

Joy opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Zoe, "Well..."

"Yes?"

"Yesterday Victor came up to me, drunk as usual..."

She paused.

"And?" Joy insisted.

"I knew he was drunk. I could smell it... I hate that smell. I can't stand it. It always reminds me of-"

Another pause.

"He was trying to find Cassidy, so he asked me where she was. I knew she was in the courtyard, but I didn't want to tell him that, so I lied and told him I hadn't seen her, " Zoe continued, "But I guess he didn't believe me because he got mad... really mad..."

Zoe paused for the last time.

"He started yelling at me, you know how much I hate yelling, so I started to cry, and he grabbed me by the collar and I-," Deep breath. "I freaked out." Zoe's voice was shaky, "Everything started to get blurry, and I started hyperventilating. My hearing got all fuzzy until I couldn't hear him anymore... I can't remember much after that, but I think Victor gave up. Alex said he found me and took me back to our room..."

Joy wrote all of this down, "And you're sure you don't want me telling faculty about this Victor guy? This isn't the first time stuff like this has happened."

"No!" Zoe caught herself and calmed down, "No. He'd kill me if word got out."

Joy sighs, but moves on, "How have you been sleeping?"

"Fine... I've had a couple nights where I ended up staying awake until my alarm went off. Other than that it's been okay. Takes about three hours to fall asleep, like usual..."

"And nightmares?"

"A couple..."

"Well, it seems like you're doing fairly normal, so I think I'll end it here," Joy turns in her chair and opens a locked cabinet behind her, grabbing a bottle of medication labeled "Sertraline."

Zoe stands and walks to the water machine where she grabs a cup to help wash down the medication. Joy hands the brunette two capsules, which Zoe swallows with ease before throwing the paper cup in a garbage bin.

"Thank you for seeing me. I'll see you again next week."

Zoe hums in agreement before opening and slamming the door behind her.