Starting from Scratch

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

Although I am broken my heart is untamed still.

~One Direction

            He had a head full of brown, luscious hair that was gelled to where you could probably break a piece off smoothly. His blue eyes were set behind a pair of glasses that sat carefully upon a large nose, which was sharp and strong. Aged hands and crossed legs, along with pressed khakis, a pale blue dress shirt, with the last finishing touch of cologne, completed Doctor Madison.

He sat with leisure, but with a stare that examined you so quickly it made one realise who would be asking the questions and who would be answering them. Most felt that he should've been in the force, not in the psychological department, at first sight. He was known to be the best of the best though, and that was not an easy task to accomplish in being a psychologist.

            She sat down with a racing heart, her breathing steady. She knew how to accomplish the tactic of controlled breathing a long time ago.

Before the hospital.

Before the last straw had broken.

Before her counselor had discussed it with her after the incident.

Being in an abusive relationship forced her to learn how to do that. Jason was out of her life now. Yet, nearly a year later and never had she thought that she would be where she was at that moment after eleven months.

Eleven months since the kidnapping.

Seven months since the police questioning finally ended.

Eleven months since seeing the man she was in Doctor Madison's office to talk about last.

            "Tell me about Leo," was the first thing he said.

That name was one she definitely did not want to be hearing at this point in time. That name was one she never could forget, even if she tried though — and, oh God, did she did try.

            But as seconds ticked by patiently, and the therapist sat ever so politely, waiting for her answer, for a moment she pondered the decision of agreeing to doing any of this. Well, she couldn't back down now if it was a bad choice, now could she? All she could do was twist her hands together awkwardly and glance at the clock, hoping that the sixty seconds that just passed were actually sixty minutes and her time was up.

Sadly, that luck didn't apply.

            Finally, she swallowed and breathed out. She wasn't getting out of this. She was already there and this was only the first session. "He's beautiful to start off with."

            "Beautiful; you're attracted to him?"

            She shook her head with a small smile playing at her lips. "No, it's not that-I mean, of course I find him attractive." She said. She pursed her lips as she thought, "But my definition of beautiful is very hard to explain," she finished. He leant back and crossed one leg over the other.

            "Can you try?" He asked.

            She glanced at the clock. Forty-five more seconds passed. Finally, Alicia nodded slowly.

            "Louis, you're the youngest member of the band, Untied Laces, correct?" The bloke asked. He nodded, wringing his hands and twiddling his thumbs.

            "Yeah, that's right," he said quietly.

            "You seem nervous."

            Louis looked up, stopping his movements. "I just want to know what's wrong with him."