before we go (on hold)

z e r o

"Welcome! Everyone please find a seat and make yourselves comfortable." A lady in way-too-colorful clothes says much too cheerfully.

No one normal can possibly be that cheery in the morning, one of the teenagers among the gloomy group thought.

She must be getting paid an awful lot to have to get stuck with this job, another thought. And as though they were all thinking the same thing, the gloomy teenagers looked at each other with amusement and microscopic smiles.

Despite their annoyance to this lady, they all obliged and claimed a seat, not being picky about where they sit because they all knew better than to avoid someone without even knowing them yet.

"So," The chirpy lady started-much to everyone's annoyance, "how are you all feeling today?"

Few snickered bitterly while others simply rolled their eyes and scoffed.

"The sign behind you says 'Support Group for Troubles Teens,'" One of the bolder teenagers voiced in a bitter tone. "What do you think we're feeling?"

The chirpy lady's left eye twitched but her bright smile did not falter. "I did not think about that, I apologize. Moving on." She said the last part quickly, in a hurry to bury her mistake.

With just a simple glance at each other, the 'troubled teens' knew they were thinking the same thing: This was going to be a long two hours.