Group Therapy

15 - Oddly Familiar.

"Laynie." Alex greets me wrapping a hand around my shoulder as we walk out of the school.

"Hey Lexi." I greet him back, a tiny smirk slowly forming on my lips knowing that he doesn't like the nickname Lexi.

He groans in annoyance but doesn't comment on it as we both sit on a bench in the parking lot awaiting Mr Arrington's arrival.

"You'll never guess."

"What?" Alex asks.

"Mr perfect sat next to me in math today, it was the worst experience of my life." I say, remembering the awful morning I had.

"Poor you. He's probably the biggest reason you agreed to go to therapy with me." he chuckles.

"Shit, I completely forgot about that." that's a lie, I didn't forget. I just want to get out of it.
"Can we just skip today?"

"No we can't. Not on the first day at least."

Just as I'm about to reply to that Mr Arrington pulls up in front of us.

I smile and help Alex up, Mr Arrington is such a good father. My own should take notes.

° ° ° °

We pull up in front of this giant white building with automatic glass doors.

"So this is therapy?" I ask as I examine the building through the car's window.

"Yep" Alex answers.

"Seems too fancy to be therapy though." I look back at Alex.

"It's therapy for the cool kids." he jokes in attempt to lift up the mood.

"Okay you guys know what you're supposed to do, I'll be picking you up as soon as it's over, just give me a call." Mr Arrington smiles.

I actually have no idea what we're supposed to do but I'm assuming Alex does so I just go along with it.

We say our goodbyes and Mr Arrington drives off as we enter the huge building.

As soon as the big glass doors slide open, a wave of cold air crashes over me. I breathe in the cool air as I enter the building, I've always loved cold whether, it makes me feel at home, something I haven't felt in what seems like forever.

"So, where are we supposed to go?" I quietly ask Alex, following him into the elevator.

"Third floor, fourth room to our right. That's where it's supposed to be." he mumbles, pressing the button to the third floor as we enter the elevator.

"Are we really doing this right now? Therapy? Really?" I ask, myself more than him.

"We'll be fine Laynie, just try not to freak out." Alex says and slides his phone in his pocket.

"Well that isn't going too well." I say and impatiently tap my foot against the elevators metal floor waiting for it to open.

"Hey, relax, alright? It's just therapy, it's like going to a doctor, plus, I'll be with you every step of the way, you'll be fine." he says intertwining his fingers with mine.

"Yeah, this is gotta be hard on you too so I'm here for you if you need anything." I smile, feeling lucky to have a friend like him.

"Thanks." he returns the smile as the elevator doors slide open.

Hands still intertwined, we step out of the elevator and walk up to a room labeled 'Group Therapy' in bold letters.

"Okay... This is it, you ready?" Alex asks, letting go of my hand to rub his togther to warm them up.

"As ready as I'll get." I sigh.

And with that being said he pushes the large wooden door open.

We walk into the room and the- I'm assuming -therapist turns to us before taking a quick glance at a sheet of paper placed in front of him on the small wooden table everyone is supposed to be sitting around "You must be Alex and Laynie, right?" he smiles.

Alex nods.

"Well, have a seat guys." he says enthusiastically.

Alex and I exchange glances before sitting down on two of the chairs around the table.

"Okay um, you guys are the first one's here as you can tell so-" the therapist is interrupted by someone walking through the door.

Someone who looks oddly familiar.