before we go (on hold)

f i v e

|| F I V E ||

UNEDITED!!

"I bet she's a drug addict!" Owen exclaimed. They were discussing theories about Trudy, their support group counselor in the cafe they usually go to after sessions.

"It makes sense. I mean, she's always happy." Griffin said.

"Maybe she's just trying to rub her cheery personality off on us." Martin said, taking a sip of his warm coffee.

Dakota snorted, obviously in one of her bad moods. "Please, the only thing her personality is doing is putting us in an even more annoyed mood than normal."

Everyone nodded in agreement. They heard the ding of the bell that was over the entrance of the cafe, meaning someone was entering of exiting the cafe. People would glance at the door for barely a second before returning to their bussiness. But this time, whatever was at the door caught the teenagers' look for a lot longer.

"It's Trudy." Martin announced.

"No kidding, Captain Obvious." Corina retorted.

And indeed, Trudy stood at the entrance of the shop. But she wasn't alone. There was boy next to her who looked to be 14 or 15 years old. Though the boy looked out of place next to the brightly dressed Trudy, with his dark blue jeans and black t-shirt, the facial similarities between the two did not go unnoticed.

While Trudy was looking around the shop, probably for an empty table, she noticed the group of teens staring at her and recognition flashed in her eyes.

"Oh, Damien, look over here! It's my kids from support group. Let's go over and say hi." Trudy said animatedly cheery, pointing to the group of teens who didn't break eye contact just yet.

Damien's eyebrows raised before he rolled his eyes and said, "If they're from your support group then I don't think going up to them is the greatest idea, Mom."

"Oh don't be such a Negative Nancy and come say hi with me." Trudy grabbed the arm of her son and began to drag him to the table of the support group members.

"Hey, kids! What brings you here all together?" Trudy said once she reached the table of the kids.

"Coffee." Martin replied after a few seconds of awkward silence, raising his cup of coffee a little in the air.

"Well it's so nice to see all of you bonding outside of the support group. This will be great for our future exercises and for yourself." Trudy said but added quickly, "Oh! I almost forgot. This is my son, Damien, he's fourteen and he might be joining our support group in a few sessions."

"Might." Damien mumbled, focusing his vision on his sneaker clad feet.

"Hey, how about Damien sits here with you guys while I go get him some coffee?" Trudy suggested. Damien opened his mouth, probably to reject another one of his mother's bright ideas, but Trudy beat him to it, "Okay, Damien. Be good, I'll be right back."

She hurried along to the long line of customers while Damien pulled a chair to the table and sat down.

"Hi!" Dakota chirped, her mood suddenly shifting. "I'm Dakota." She outstretched her hand to Damien and he stared at the bright girl oddly. He placed his hand in hers hesitantly and Dakota began to shake them vigorously.

"Hi." Damien slowly pulled his hand out of Dakota's death grip.

"So you're Trudy's son." Owen said, more like a statement than a question. "Man, I didn't even know she had family. Much less a son. No offence."

Damien, instead of feeling insulted, chuckled and said, "None taken. I'd also feel bad for anyone else who would have to put up with that everyday of the week."

It was odd that Damien was not defending his own mother and even insulting her slightly but the others did not question it.

"So, why does your mom want you to join support group?" Martin asked, earning a slap on the shoulder from Dakota for being so nosy and blunt about it. "What?" He asked, rubbing his slightly sore shoulder.

"It's rude to ask that, it could be personal!" Dakota scolded.

"Says the girl who insisted on following me to my house when I got an important looking phone call." Owen butted in, taking a sip from his coffee.

"You said it was fine." Dakota crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, instantly changing back to her foul mood.

Damien chuckled once again before answering Martin's previous question. "My mom says it's a good way to make friends but I just think it's 'cause I never get out of my room unless I have school. I even asked her to buy a mini fridge for my room so I wouldn't have to get out so much. She thinks I'm depressed or something because she and my dad divorced."

It was strange how Damien opened up so much to people he barely even knew the names of but he felt as if he could sort of trust the people at the table. He didn't feel uncomfortable or embarrassed telling them about his personal secrets.

The teenagers also found it strange how Trudy could still act so cheery all the time when her family seemed so dysfunctional and sad. And as the teens pondered more on that thought, they've decided not to make anymore theories on Trudy because they've realized just how little they really know about Trudy.

And they knew very well about how bad it is to judge a book by its cover.