Monochrome beat (boyxboy)✔

Beat 41

He hadn't. His dad was surprised that I was going to be part of the session, but he dropped us off at Dr. Stevens' office.

I was nervous about the session and my sweaty hands proved it. Jax and I were seated on the waiting chairs in a beige colored room with lots of flowers. We were the only two people there, along with the receptionist who was clicking away on her computer. Dr Stevens was in with someone, so we were told.

"This place looks bet..." I started talking but was silenced by a voice.

Dr. Stevens had just walked out with a couple and spotted Jax. She said a warm greeting. She was old with graying hair, tight lips and warm eyes. She had a motherly look to her. She was exactly as I'd pictured from Jax's description.

She said a couple of words to Jax before turning to me.

"You must be Olli...Oliver?" she asked uncertainly.

"Orlando," I corrected with a smile.

"Oh right, my mistake. Jax always refers to you as Orly," she said. "Anyway, today we are going to have two sessions as agreed. Jax will go in with me first, and then the two of you can go together. Is that okay?"

I looked at Jax and nodded. He nodded too, but I could see he was avoiding my eyes. He stood up and disappeared into Dr. Stevens' office. I waited thirty minutes. I entertained myself with some magazines before Dr. Stevens appeared in the waiting room to invite me into her office.

My walk was slow and a bit unsteady. My nervousness had travelled all the way to my leg. I didn't know what to expect, and that was scary.

Dr. Stevens' office was spacious and warm. It had the same colors as the waiting area, with the same flowers. There were two couches and two chairs in the room with a desk near a window. The woman clearly had a love for flowers because there were a lot of them. There were orchids, white lilies, petunias and some flowers I'd never seen.

"I grow all of them myself," she said when she noticed me looking at the flowers. "Take a seat anywhere you like, preferably somewhere I can see you."

Jax was sitting on one of the couches. I wasn't sure he'd like me sitting next to him, but I chose that option. Dr. Stevens sat on a one-man couch in front and to the side of us with her clipboard and pen.

"Right. Before we begin, are you both comfortable?" she asked.

I nodded and so did Jax.

"Jax has told me that he shared some of what goes on in here with you and what our objectives are, so I presume I don't have to explain it to you?" she addressed me.

I nodded.

"Great. Jax has told me that you play a big role in his life, correct?" she said.

"Uh...I suppose. I mean...yeah."

"Could you expand on that?"

What did she want me to say?

"Jax and I have been friends since the second week he set foot in Rittertown. We got off on the wrong foot and I thought he was too princey, but I realized he wasn't. We became really good friends. Recently we decided to explore more than a friendship."

"What's your understanding of Jax's mental state?"

I looked at Jax for a few seconds before saying, "I know he's not okay. What I mean is, he's mentally and emotionally in pain. He has overwhelming negative thoughts about his life and he tries very hard to hide it."

Dr. Stevens looked at Jax and then back at me.

"I decided to bring you here to help you understand Jax's mental state so you can communicate better. He told me you are one of the most important people in his life, and though I wasn't for him being in a relationship right now, I understand he loves you and you love him. As someone he spends a lot of time talking to, your relationship can either hinder or speed up his healing process. I know you know him better than I do, but knowing things doesn't always help us, it's what we do with the knowledge that counts," She opined.