Unlikely

Chapter Two

"So, what events led you here?" The counselor-Mr. Fischbach, although he requested to be called Mark-asked quietly.
I shrugged. "I feel like my mom doesn't care about me. That's a good starting point."
Mark looked at me. "What does your mom say or do that proves that she doesn't care?"
"Well, she's constantly saying how everything's my fault and that I can't do anything right and that I'm gonna fail school and it's my fault that dad left and I'm the one who makes her do drugs and-"
"Let's start with the substance abuse. How long has it been going on for?"
"About 7 years."
"And how much does she take, and how often?"
"As much as she wants, whenever she wants. She's been fired from two decent-paying jobs because of it."
"And how does it make you feel?"
"Like I'm in a bottomless pit."
"Do you have any disabilities, Miss Bisognin?"
"Mental or physical?"
"Any."
I gulped. This is where I would screw up my façade and cry.
"It's okay, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's not you; it's me. I'm weak and pathetic."
"Hey, that's not true!" Mark said. "You know, we have a rule here: never talk negatively. That means no swears, no self-loathing, and no badmouthing! Since you didn't know, I'll let you pass, but only this once!"
"What happens if you do?" I inquired out of pure curiosity. My mother always said it was a bad trait to have, but mom isn't here.
"We take away your sweets!" Mark threatened. "Felix got his taken away yesterday, and has he even spoke today at all?"
"Thankfully not."
"Now, back on topic. Has anyone touched you inappropriately?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Mark sighed. "Have you ever been...touched in your breasts, buttocks, or vagina?"
I giggled in spite of myself. "Okay, who calls it the 'buttocks' anymore?"
Mark scowled and gave a slit for a smile. "If I want to keep my job, I say buttocks."
"Fair enough. And to answer the previous question...almost. My mom tried to trade my virginity for cocaine..." the conclusion came to me, and I started crying. "The only reason I even kept it that night was because the drug dealer had more heart than she did!" I started bawling. It was quiet, though, so nobody could hear.
Mark got out a fluffy animal. A baby bunny!!!!!!!!
"Be careful with her. She's a therapy bunny."
"I don't know who came up with the idea of therapy bunnies, but they deserve a goddarned Nobel Prize." I said, cuddling the soft baby.
"Her name is Bugs," Mark said proudly, "I named her myself."
"...You named a girl bunny Bugs. How unoriginal. At least your breaking gender barriers here."
"That I am."
"Any mental health issues?" Mark asked again.
With Bugs in hand, I replied, "depression."
Mark wrote it down on his clipboard.
"So, why did your dad leave?"

FLASHBACK

"YOU CAN'T FUCKING LEAVE ME WITH AN EIGHT YEAR OLD, JOHN!" My mom screeched, reaching up to smack my father. Before she could, he grabbed her wrist and broke it. She yelped.
"I'M CALLING THE POLICE, YOU DIRTY BASTARD!" She tried to test him once again, with the same results. Wasn't that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting something different each time? I think my mother was insane, then.
"MARZIA! CALL THE POLICE!"
"DO IT AND YOU BOTH FUCKING DIE!" My father shouted. I didn't know what to do, me being only 8. I had a life or death situation on my hands. I ran up to the phone, punched in the numbers, and waited.
Riiinnnggg
Riiinnnggg
Riiinnn-
"911 what's your emergency?"
"My mom is angry and my dad broke her wrists."
"Address?"
"420 Cheese Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida."
"Okay, it'll be about three minutes."

FLASHBACK ENDS

"I...don't wanna talk about it. Is that okay?"
"That's perfectly fine, but you need to open up a little more."
"I never could. My mom always said I needed friends, but...I just can't make friends, I guess."
"That's all for today. Give Bugs back, please, and don't let Felix get to ya, okay?" Mark smiled.
I simply walked away.

Okay so I don't know a thing about Marzia and her past at all. Just sayin. Also be on the lookout for chapter three and maybe some more Felix! Stay safe!
1-800-273-8255 American suicide hotline