Therapy

-Chapter Three-

This chapter is dedicated to primrose12051999 for alway giving me feedback on my poetry.
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I knock softly on the door to Mr Adelaide's office.
"Come in." I push open the door and step in. "Oh. Hello, Aspen." He smiles.
"Hi. Is now a bad time?" I ask, seeing him sitting in front of a stack of paper.
"Not at all. Come in, sit down." I smile and sit at the seat across from his desk.
"What can I do for you?" He asks.
"Oh. Uh, I was just going to ask, do you know when the chaplain gets back?" He looks up at me, concern written over his face.
"Are you ok?" He asks. I've told him before about my home issue, but we haven't spoken for a while.
I shrug.
"It's gotten worse if anything. But I don't want to bother you, that's why I'm asking about the chaplain." He nods.
"I believe she gets back in a few weeks. But you're always welcome to talk to me, Aspen. My door is always open." I smile at him.
"Thank you Mr Adelaide." He smiles.
"Anytime, kid. Now get to class." I nod and rush back into the hall.

•••••••••

"So, what time is the game tonight?" I ask Axel.
"6:30. Do you have somewhere to be?" I nod.
"Alice, Sage and I are going shopping after school." He nudges me in the side.
"I'm expecting a fashion show then." I laugh.
"Of course you are." I turn back to my salad.
Axel nudges me again and I look up to see Liam waving at me. I wave back.
"You're still tutoring that kid?" Axel asks.
"Yeah. He's improved so much. Gone from a D to a B+ in three months." I reply, stabbing my salad with a fork.
"That's nice. He hasn't tried anything has he?" I snort.
"That's what you're worried about? Babe, he's fourteen. I can assure you that he hasn't and will not 'try something'." I laugh. He rolls his eyes.
"Can't have my girl being stolen, now can I?" It's my turn to roll my eyes.
"Get over yourself, Axel." I chuckle. He pecks my cheek and I tune into Alice and Sage's conversation.

•••••••••

I'm sitting in History class, pen in hand and hurriedly writing notes. There's a knock on the classroom door and the whole class stops and looks up.
Mrs June opens the door and my brother steps in, looking like a mess.
"Could I have Aspen, please? It's urgent." My breath catches in my throat and I start to panic.
"Of course. Aspen, you may leave." I nod slowly and shove my notebook into my bag. I walk towards the front of the class, everyone's eyes watching me curiously. I reach the door and Mikey puts a reassuring hand on my back, leading me from the class.
"Mikey. What's going on?" I ask. Mikey has never come to the school. He barely leaves the house.
"Aspen we'll talk outside." He presses his hand more firmly against my back, telling me to move faster.
We get outside and climb into his car.

As we drive further from the school, I try to ask him questions, but he silenced me with a hand in the air.
We pull into the Starbucks drive through and my hands go clammy.
"Mikey. You never buy me Starbucks. What's going on?" I ask frantically, gripping the seat. He orders my favourite drink and collects it. He passes it across to me. I take it with shaky hands.
"Mikey please answer me." I plead as he drives in silence. He says nothing, just stares ahead with bloodshot eyes.
"Mikey you're scaring me." Still nothing.

We pull into the parking lot of a park we used to come to. Mikey climbs out of the car and walks towards the swings. I hesitantly follow him and sit on the swing next to him.
"Mikey...?" I whisper. He turns his head to me, a sympathetic and pained look on his face. "Mikey please." He squeezes his eyes shut and puts his head in his hands.

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A/N
Oohh! What's the news?
Question: should I have a certain day where I update or do them randomly?
I'm enjoying writing it so I've published three chapters already today!
Let me know what you think!
Thanks and all the love,
Until next time ❤❤❤