I Promise

33

As I walk into the waiting room for the ER, Matt pops up from his seat, ready to go. He hugs me as I see him and I'm a bit taken aback, but I feel like I need the hug. I need someone to make me feel safe for the time being. I've dealt with too much fear and craziness these past two days.

Suddenly, I feel exhausted. I feel like I could fall asleep right on the floor, and I wouldn't care if anyone looked. Matt seems to feel my exhaustion because he hoists me up and puts his arm around me. We head out and he picks me up, carrying me to the car. The parking lot was full when we pulled up, so we parked at the very back of the hospital.

As I get into the car, I just have time to pull on my seatbelt and then I'm out like a light bulb the moment the car hits the road.

I wake up when Matt pulls to a stop and gently nudges me awake. I stir in the seat and notice that we've stopped, and I'm right outside my building.

"Is he inside?" he whispers, like he doesn't want to wake me even though I'm already awake.

I shake my head, and Matt exhales. "Good."

I kiss him goodbye and he walks me to the front, where we part and I go up the elevator. I feel way too sluggish to be using the stairs.

The moment I come home, my mother jolts out of her seat on the couch and gasps at my face. I guess I look kind of messed up, but I don't have time to worry about that. I'm too tired.

"Rynn! What the hell happened to you?" she exclaims.

"I got into a fight at soccer," I reply. I realize that enough time has passed for my mom not to think that the bruise on my cheek is from earlier. So I just mumble that I'm tired and I go to sleep. She doesn't stop me.

The next day I wake up from my alarm and I head to school like nothing happened. But then I realize that I have my councillor meeting today and I begin to dread the end of the day. All I want to do is avoid it, but I guess I can't ditch or else Coach Nobelton will get pissed.

I go to all my classes, and I'm surprised that Matt is still not coming to school. What the hell happened to him? I decide not to worry and make a note to call him after my councillor session.

Eventually, I tell Scarlett at lunch in the parking lot exactly what happened, because if Matt knows, then my closest friend deserves to as well. Scarlett just hugs me and doesn't ask to talk about it or anything, so I'm really glad for that. It's like she knows I'm getting pestered already.

Coach Nobelton stops me after gym today and gives me a slip of paper with the address of the place and the appointment she made. It's not too far from the school, so I walk a few blocks down and come to a small street with some shops, and a big two story office that is my destination.

I walk inside, and I'm greeted by the air conditioner that is blasting at full speed, and the scent of lemon cleanser with a mix of some sort of old lady perfume. Somehow, all old ladies use the same perfume, my nana included. It's like they all join a club when they turn sixty and decide to start spraying themselves with the same kind of scent, trade marking wherever they go.

I sign in with the receptionist and she tells me to sit tight and wait, so I do. I sit down on a big, cushioned leather chair and flip through some magazines. I'm not really looking at them, but it gives me something to do while I wait.

"Miss Connaughy?" a voice calls from one of the offices. I stand up, and a young woman gestures for me to come in.

I grab my backpack, take a small breath of air, and walk towards the office. And then it feels like I'm swimming through sand because I notice that someone is leaving the office at the same time that I'm going in.

Matt Redford stops in his tracks, and he looks at me, frozen in place. 

Woah. First off, I am BACK BABY! Yeah, don't really know why I left - tbh I was so caught up in life that I forgot to post hehe. Well - here you go. 

I hope you aren't all mad at me because I spent about 32 years without posting. But here it is. The next chapter. Oh boy - what the hell just happened??

Matt, in the psychologist's office? Matt Redford? The very Matt who is so laid back, so caring, so loving, so happy? What is going on? It's like the upside-down over here. 

Stay tuned. I'll try to post tomorrow too. Or maybe Saturday. (I swear I'll try better to be consistent!)

Yours, 

Rynn Connaughy. 

PS. I totally stopped explaining these GIF's. So, use your creative minds :).