Detective in Love

Chapter 16

"So, Jane. How have you been holding up?" Dr.B asks me.

"I'm alright." I respond. I'm here and not here at the same time. My concentration is not on how I'm to pretend to be a patient now, but on how Kyle must be suffering. How many other people in this place have got stories like that?

"Getting used to your surroundings?" he asks me again.

"I guess?" I answer. And it hits me instantly, I'm being rude. "It's just not the easiest thing I've been through." I manage a weak smile.

"I get it." He smiles back.

Dr. B is a well-built man, he has wavy brown hair, and a square jaw. His eyes narrow, under his glasses.

"What is it like, out there?" I look out through the window.

"It's just a forest mostly. Just trees and this lake. Unfortunately it's all concealed by the fog today." He replies.

I nod my head, still looking out. And a thought flashes at once. Whoosh!
My case!!!

"I heard about a guy named Tim?" I bring it up.

"It was time you heard of him anyways." He smiles. That's it?

"Why did he? How?"

"Jane, I'm not really allowed to discuss other patients."
Right, my name is Jane!

"Yea, I'm sorry." I apologise. Whether I mean it or not, I have no clue.

"Let me prescribe some pills for you. You look like you could use a bit of relaxation." He writes something down on the notepad on his desk.

When I head out, the prescription folded in my right hand Kyle stands up from his seat.

He walks up to me, and tightens his lips, making a slight movement, which I make out to be a smile. He pushes open the door, and heads inside.
I take my seat next to Chloe who's waiting for me and Kyle, so we could leave together.

I don't really do much talking for the rest of the "waiting for Kyle"  period. My head filled with thoughts of how this one silent person in the group, Kyle, has been suffering all along. For what'sworst, he's stuck in this place, for doing nothing but what's right.
Meanwhile I realise, that this somehow reopens my wounds.
Certain wounds, no one even knows exists. 

"What's wrong?" Chloe who's seated beside me has now turned on her chair to face me.

'What's wrong?' This simple question has the ability of creating a completely different environment around us. It isn't similar to asking someone if they are okay, or how they are doing. Although those questions have a certain power of their own too.
No, this question is a direct one. And there can only be one answer, that too, direct.

"Mmm?" Like nothing is wrong with me. "What do you mean?"

"Jane?" she's now lifting her eyebrows in question. She's seen through me, certain that something definitely is the matter.

"It's just-" Do they know about Kyle? All of it?
They probably do. If I know all this despite being new here, they would obviously know.
Right?

"Just what?"

"Just that it's all weird, how we could look at a person and not see them for who they are, for what they've been through. For who they really are inside?"

"Is this about Kyle?" she asks me, and even though she technically asked me a question, this is an answer I needed to hear. She knows.

"Yea. Sort of."

"Yea he's been through some real shit. He's a good guy, really deserves way better." Chloe says.

"If he was put in this place for that, what does it mean for the rest of you?" I'm honestly confused. If this girl right here is, let's say, insane... why does she seem so normal to me? Why do her friends all seem normal to me?

"Are you asking if we are deranged?" she laughs, making me feel bad for popping out a question as such. "No Jane, we aren't. At least not the five of us. I mean, the four of us." she looks down.

Four, now that Tim isn't here anymore.

"Then why are you guys here?"

"We have our own stories. Just like Kyle does. Messed up families for the most part." she looks at me again.

I nod at this, asking no more.

"We are friends now. You don't have to fear offending me in anyway." she smiles.

Friends... yea right! I'm faking my true identity around people who are being completely honest with me. It does not take very long for the guilt to completely drown me.

Kyle comes back, "Let's go." he smiles again, and so we leave...
The three of us, to join the others.

Our friends.