Total Drama: The PTSD Cases

Heather

"Heather I hate to rush you," Dr. Lynch said, "but you have been sitting and staring at the wall behind me for twenty minutes. You aren't going to get better if you don't start talking."

"What's it like being average?" Heather asked.

"What?"

"What's it like to not have a life that expects you to be extraordinary? I was thinking that maybe if I decided to go into something boring like science or history instead of majoring in fashion, none of this would have happened. Instead of almost starving to death on an island I would be sitting in front of desk working, or I could be in a lab blowing up test tubes with the magical chemistry powers I would get." Heather made sarcastic gesticulations while saying that last part. "Maybe if I chose to spend my life secluded from society I wouldn't have been sexually assaulted over and over again by that maniac."

"How is Alejandro?" Dr. Lynch asked once there had been enough time after Heather had made her speech.

"He's fine. We're doing fine." The young woman fidgeted with her engagement ring, moving it back and forth on her finger. "The wedding is in a month."

"When did he propose?"

"When we were rescued."

"He must have been going crazy trying to find you."

Heather continued staring at the wall behind Dr. Lynch. It took a while before she spoke up. "We had gotten in a fight. Before I left for the island we got into a fight because he wanted another chance at the million too, so we broke up right before I left. I almost missed my plane because of it, too. If only I wasn't so persistent about getting to the Island."

"Hey Heather," Chris smirked at her. "Long time no see."

"Look, McLean, I'm just here to win the million dollars I was robbed of last time. You can say goodbye to that smirk of yours and save yourself some trouble by just handing it over now."

"Oh Heather," Chris said, inching towards her. "You always were my favorite camper on this island." In no time at all Heather was backed up so far that if she moved her foot back she would fall into the water.

"Ew get away from me, you loser!" Heather went to push him away, but a pair of strong, buff arms wrapped around her and held a tainted rag up to her nose and mouth.

"I should not have gone back."

Dr. Lynch took note of her features. Her already pale skin was paler than ever, and it was now plagued with scars from the abuse she was victimized of on the island. Not even a full bottle of foundation could conceal the purple bags under her eyes, her puffy red eyes. She was already thin before hand, but Dr. Lynch could see her ribs poking out from her tee shirt, and she constantly pulled her pants up since they kept falling down.

"Tell me about the wedding. Who's going?" Maybe if he could distract her with something she was looking forward to, Heather would eventually open up to him.

"My parents, as well as Alejandro's. My maid of honor is Courtney, and Alejandro's best man is Duncan. The entire cast of TDI and world tour are coming. At least those who we know are alive." Heather continued fidgeting with her engagement ring.

"What about your dress?"

She smiled a little at the thought of her white dress. "I had an argument with Gwen over my dress the other day. She tried forcing me to try on one with black detailing, but I kept pushing it away because it wasn't long enough to hide my burn scars." Her hand instinctively touched her ankle.

"Can you show me?"

Heather paused for a bit but rolled up her pants to show a patch of skin that was discolored and raised in certain areas. Dr. Lynch brushed his stubby fingers over it, and Heather flinched as his hands were cold. "I'm not showing the world my hideous ankle on the best day of my life."

"Will it be the best day of your life?" Heather was stunned at his question. "If you don't open up and get proper mental health treatment you will look beautiful on your wedding day, but you will look at everyone clapping for you and Alejandro and you won't be able to feel anything except for Chris McLean's cold hands touching you in places only Alejandro should be able to touch. And---"

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Heather screamed. She had her hands clamped over her ears and she was curled up in a ball on the ground, whispering something inaudible to herself.

"Heather you need to open up to me."

"How do I know that you won't hurt me, too?" she sobbed.

The doctor took a ten second pause before speaking up again. "I want you to be happy on your wedding day. I want DJ to get better, and I want Sadie to be able to sleep at night. I want all of you to push past this terrible occurrence. I want to help you, Heather."

Heather got back into her chair after a few minutes and recomposed herself. "Where do I start?"