Dear Universe, ✔

20.

"So Annie, I haven't seen you in a few weeks, what's been going on?" Dr. White stares at me from behind those over sized black frames, her pen in hand ready to write down notes that I'll never read. 

"Not much." 

"Are you still writing your blog?" She jots something down in her notebook, and I want to see what it is, because I haven't said or done anything since I walked in and sat on the couch. 

"Sometimes." 

"And do feel that it's helping you in any way?" Her pen starts to dance across the paper again. Sometimes I imagine that she's just doodling away over there, not really interested in what I'm saying at all. 

"I guess." I glance at the clock on the wall and realize I've only been here for eight minutes. 

Dr. White closes her notepad, marking her spot with her pen, and leans forward. "Annie, I know that you don't want to be here and that you're mom forced you to come, but this isn't going to go by any quicker or be any easier if you only give me two word replies." Her voice is softer now, and I know that she's right but I still feel like being here is a waste of my time.

I nod my head in agreement and she leans back, opening her notepad to the page where she's taking notes about me. "So, tell me more about Ian. The last time we talked you two were pretty close."

I feel like this is a safe enough topic, so I give up on my short answers and decide to engage. "He's actually my boyfriend now." 

For the rest of the hour we talked about my friendship and relationship with Ian, my parent's divorce came up but we didn't linger on it much - however Dr. White was scribbling pretty fast in the little book when I told her I didn't want to discuss my parents. 

When I walk out of the office and meet my mom in the waiting room - yes, she came with me to make sure I didn't skip - I don't feel any better or worse. Which, in my book counts this as a waste of time. 

Mom drops me off at home and goes back to work after telling me that next week she's not chauffeuring me to my appointment - not that I asked her to today.  

Today is going to be the day that I finish one of Mrs. Holloway's books, I am determined.

I forcemyself to read three whole chapters without looking at my phone, and I planned on going to go for one more, but I can't ignore the notification I had heard two chapters ago any longer. 

Ian: What are you doing?

Reading. :/

Ian: Lame. Let's go do something fun. 

Like?

Ian: See you in 15. :)

It's not terribly cold today so I don't change out of my leggings, but I do dig through my closet and exchange my ratty old t shirt for a crew neck. By the time I'm pulling on my shoes, I hear Ian pull into the driveway. 

I yell to my mom that I'm going out as I head to the door, but get no reply. Unlike when I first met Ian and stayed out late with him, my mom no longer texts and calls to see where I am and when I'm coming home. I brush it off and hurry to the warmth of Ian's dad's car. 

I slide in and close the door behind me before leaning over and kissing his smiling face. "Well, hello to you too." 

I pull the seat belt around me and click it in place, "I'm just really happy to not be reading anymore." 

"We're going to fail." He laughs and rolls his eyes as he pulls out onto the street and starts driving towards downtown. 

Like usual, I don't ask Ian where we're going, I just enjoy the ride. He's never let me down, each time he takes me somewhere it turns out to be a lot of fun, and I have no doubt this time will be any different.