Fifteen Layers Deep

Chapter Three

Back at my apartment again, I wait for Valeria to come home. Today was just so crazy that I'm in need some good old friend time to get my mind off of it. Valeria had been too caught up in some lab work to meet with me for lunch, so I just ate in the outside courtyard alone.

My body won't stop shaking whenever I think about the moment Jaden had offered his help to me. Ooooo that no good guy! One of the most famous therapists just waltzing up to me and offering free sessions so that he can learn more about me. This all just has to be one really long dream. It just has to. Maybe I'll have Valeria pinch me when she gets home.

The intruding thoughts keep me on my feet. Walking up and down the hallway in a loop, my mind just keeps diving deeper and deeper. Getting angry at him probably wasn't the best idea. The shakiness I'm feeling must be from the adrenaline wearing off from that moment. It was a pretty bold thing to do to somebody famous like that. But if he really is just scamming me to make me obsessed with him and then dump me the day after, then he deserves it. On the other hand, if he was sincere then I feel pretty bad for lashing out like that...

Ah who am I kidding! It was super rude of him to make that assumption about me anyway. I never said I needed help. He just decided to pity me without even knowing anything about me. Maybe I hate people and don't want to touch them anyway! Bet he didn't think about that one! Then again... maybe he's right and I do need some help...

Frantically, I grasp onto the sides of my skull. Gah! Would you look at that! He's getting into my head again! Get out, get out, get out! I tug on my hair, spinning around in circles as if that will somehow pull him out.

When that doesn't work, I drop my hands down and look to the floor. Well...but I've never gone to seek out therapy before and maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I could get rid of this and start living a normal life again.....wait no I'm definitely fine my life has been great. Who needs to be normal! Normal is so overrated anyway.

I continue to pace back and forth in the apartment having an internal war with myself while waiting for Valeria. It seems like she's never going to show up. Just when I think all hope is lost, I hear the sound of the door opening.

"VALERIA!!" I burst out in an overly excited tone and run toward her before she can even finish getting through the door.

She makes it all the way inside and starts to take off her shoes. "Jeez Louis what in tarnation's is going on here? Why are you so excited to see me?"

Realizing that what I just did was kind of embarrassing, I stop in front of her. "Oh, you know! It's just been a while since I've gotten to see you. I was feeling pretty bored sitting in the apartment all by myself."

"You don't have any homework or anything to do?"

"Nah. The start of the quarter has been pretty slow."

"Well in that case, let's cook dinner together and watch a movie while eating. We haven't done that in a while."

"Sounds great!"

Agreeing one hundred percent with her suggestion, I skip off to the kitchen to look for some ingredients to prepare the meal. A nice movie night with Valeria should be just what I need to get my mind off of things, I happily hum while purposefully sliding through the kitchen on my socks.

Managing to find some tomato sauce and pasta, as well a thing of garlic bread, I decide on spaghetti for tonight's menu. Valeria joins me by the counter, and we get working on prepping everything for the meal.