A Girl Named Callie

<Jasper Coven> A Boy Who Says It's the Wrong Moment

Chapter 6

<Jasper Coven>

I could see Callie had called, had even left a message. I watched her number pop up on the screen of my cracked phone and I stared at it until it disappeared and a banner telling me what I already knew, that I missed her call, popped up on the screen. I wanted to pick up, I wanted to talk to her and tell her I still thought about her all the time, that I still loved her and that more than anything, I was sorry about the silence, but none of that came out. If I had picked up, I don't think I would've been able to get a word out. The sound of her voice would've rendered me speechless. I'm also seriously hungover, so anything I could've said would've sounded extremely dumb, so I just sat and watched the phone until it stopped ringing.

I couldn't bring myself to listen to the voicemail either. I just sat there and let the banner taunt me as I tried to force my fingers to slide across the screen and listen to the voicemail or call her back. My fingers did neither, so, eventually, I slid my phone into the pocket of my sweatpants and stood up to go find myself a presentable t-shirt. My phone rings from my pocket and, knowing it's not Callie, I pick up without a second thought. My manager's voice comes on the other end.

"Hello, Jasper, how are you this fine morning?" Isaac says in a chipper mood.

"Hungover," I reply flatly.

"Perfect, just the kind of thing your therapist will want to hear about."

"Do I have to Isaac? I really don't think the therapy is working."

"You just gotta give it a chance, Jasper, soon enough, you'll start feeling better."

"Isaac, it's been four years." I sigh and head towards my front door. "But I don't have a choice. There's a car waiting downstairs, isn't there?"

"I'll see you at noon, Jasper, be nice to Dr. Nash."

"Yeah, maybe." I roll my eyes and hang up the phone. I press the button for the lobby once inside the elevator and lean against the railing as the elevator takes me down to the bottom floor of my building. I see Alex waiting to lead me away from the paparazzi and into the awaiting Range Rover. I slip into the backseat and he slams the door as the car speeds off towards my therapist's office.

~~~~~

I always hated Dr. Nash's office with the dingy carpet and the heavy atmosphere that seemed to push me down every time I walked inside. I'm seated in one of his deceivingly comfortable chairs that feel like sitting on rocks due to years of use. I'm stuck in between Alex and Danny, who are playing games on their phone, a routine they've perfected after years of dragging me to my therapy sessions. After almost an hour of waiting, Dr. Nash emerges from his office with a sobbing former child star and calls my name. I stand, and my bodyguards walk me as far as the door before telling me to text them when I'm done. I nod, and Dr. Nash slams the door shut, leading me to a plush couch in the middle of his spacious office.

"Hello, Jasper, how are you today?" Dr. Nash asks, taking out a yellow legal pad and a fountain pen.

"Hungover." I reply, leaning back on the couch.

"Jasper, haven't we talked about how you need to stop using alcohol to run from your problems?"

"I believe that's been the theme for the last four years." I reply through tight lips.

"We need to figure out what you're running from because this isn't healthy. Alcohol isn't going to solve your problems, it's just going to create more." Dr. Nash gives me a stern look, waiting for me to open up. I remain silent, my glare burning holes through his half-bald head. He sighs and sets his legal pad in his lap. "Jasper, we can't keep doing this. These sessions aren't going to fix anything if you won't open up."