Treatment// l.h

Chapter 3: Piper

I'll be back in the morning to pick you up.

-Andrea

Piper was furious as she read the small note. She had just been released from three years of treatment and her mum didn't even miss her.

Of course it wasn't anything she wasn't used to, Piper just thought that maybe some time away would make her mum realize her love for her daughter.

But once again, another person left Piper thinking that no one loved her. That's what happened with her dad after all.

She tore up the letter (if you could even call it that) and whipped around, starting to get it together before she could go back into that room.

It was too late for that, she had been caught.

Standing there, looking confused and scared was Luke.

"I--um, sorry?" His shoulders raised and he began to back out of the room.

"Luke, wait!" Piper called rushing down the hallway, behind the boy.

"Piper, I really am sorry. Please don't yell at me." Luke cringed and flinched away when Piper reached out to put

her hand on his shoulder.

"I won't--" She stopped, thinking it over before nodding firmly, "Yeah I won't yell at you."

Luke breathed out a sigh of relief. Piper giggled slightly. Why did he seem so scared to be yelled at?

"What did the note say?" He coughed.

"Um, it was just my mother. It's a long story, don't worry about it." She began to walk down the rest of the hall to Addison's room.

"Piper, I don't care how long it is. I just want to know." He grabbed her wrist and spun her around, looking at her hopefully.

Piper nodded slightly and allowed Luke to pull her back to the waiting room, where they sat on the leather couch. She didn't know why she was telling him about her story, Piper often had trouble trusting people. Maybe it was because she just felt like he needed an explanation for what just happened.

"I normally don't really open up to people so this is weird but if I'm going to be hanging around your sister, you might want to know more about me." Piper tried to clear this up. She was a little creeped out by how easily she trusted Luke.

Luke nodded eagerly and sat back, "Exactly. Just start by explaining that letter, I guess."

"Well it was from my mother, saying that she would be back tomorrow for me. The nurses will let me stay here one more day, of course but I guess I just thought my mum would be happy to see me. I've been gone for three years but I guess nothing has changed." The girl sighed, picking at her fingernails. She couldn't believe she just told all that to a stranger.

"How old were you when you were sent here?" Luke asked, becoming interested.

"I was fourteen, super young." Piper shivered, not wanting to remember that day.

"Was there a reason that you, um--"

"That I starved myself?" Piper raised her eyebrows and finally looked up at Luke who was shaking his head rapidly, "It's okay that's what everyone says. They just don't understand."

Luke tried to apologize but Piper shook her head, deciding she would tell him anyway, "My dad. Once he left, my mom started to be super strict. She wanted to act like she had it together when in reality, she was falling apart. I guess being perfect meant having the perfect body. I was normal and healthy until my mom started to put me on a diet. I told myself that I was overweight and I just took it too far. I would set goals and when I reached them, I would go a little farther. It doesn't matter, it's my fault anyway."

"Piper, none of this is your fault." Luke placed a hand on her shoulder carefully.

"But it is. All of it." Piper just kind of stared at nothing. This is what she did, instead of choosing to feel emotions, she had taught herself to block them out. It was easier that way.

"No it's fucking not." Luke growled and Piper looked up at him, shocked. She was about to speak but he cut her off, "None of it is your fault. It's your mum's fault! Not yours."

Piper closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling queasy. She wasn't sure if it was Luke's hand rubbing circles on her back or that she was feeling emotions for the first time in a while, but she was definitely dizzy.

"Um thanks, Luke. I think we should go back now." She said quickly and looked up at him, just now noticing how tall he was.

He nodded, standing up and offered her a hand. Piper took his hand hesitantly and to her surprise, when she stood up, he didn't let go of her.

Luke held her hand all the way to Addie's room, where they found her curled up in the corner.

"Addie!" Luke let go of Piper's hand and dropped to the ground next to his sister, who was rocking back and forth with her hands over her ears.

She didn't look up until Luke put a hand on her boney shoulder. Addison's face was sad, eyebrows furrowed, mouth in a frown.

But what made Piper scared was her eyes. She had obviously been crying, but they just look so...sad.

"I thought you left!" She squealed before collapsing into a fit of sobs, falling into her big brothers arms.

At that moment, Piper knew exactly how Addie was feeling because she really had no one. Addison wasn't used to having no one, that's why she had been so scared to even talk to the nurses. Visitors aren't allowed, neither are phone calls or even fucking letters. Addie was homesick and when Luke was gone for so long, it just scared her.

"I would never leave you, Ad." Luke whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, rocking them back and forth,

Piper felt awkward just standing there, while Addison was falling apart in Luke's arms. She sighed and sat on the other side of Addie, taking her hand.

"Me neither." Piper spoke quietly and Addison looked up at her. They hadn't known each other long, but they were going through the same thing and both really liked one another.

Addison smiled slightly and pulled Piper into their hug. For the first time, Piper didn't feel like an outcast.