What lies behind a smile

13

Peter POV
I wake up to someone tapping me awake. "Peter you have to get to u, we breakfast is in 20 minutes"My nurse checks me first, I stare waiting for him to turn around but then remember I'm in a fucking mental hospital. I foul t privacy is big here.
I pick grey sweats and a black shirt tossing a jacket over. I only brought my crocs, after sliding those on I'm handed my toothbrush and some toothpaste. He watches me brush my teeth and wash my face.
"Do you watch me do everything?" he smiles softly.

"If you use the other bathroom I can wait outside the stall." I nod making a mental note. That's gross he's gonna hear my shit. I walk out when someone starts talking.

"Are you new?"A boy with dark skin and curly hair asks me.

"Y-yeah."

"Oh...I'm Miles."

"Peter" I shake his hand he's probably my age. "Do we just go to the cafeteria now?"He nods.

"Yeah I'll show you around, I usually go meet up with Adrian and Gwen."

"Okay, thanks."I follow miles he's a little taller. I scan my ID and pick out eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Miles gets a burrito.

"Good morning Gwen what do you get?"I sit next to him and see a blonde girl. She's pretty, big blue eyes full lips though she's a little too skinny to be healthy.

"Açaí bowl. It's alright, who's this."

"That's Peter he's new I said he can hang out with us."

"Hi," I say awkwardly.

"ok cool, where are you from?"

"Queens."

"Oh nice" I can hear she's from Brooklyn just by the way she talks.

"So what do we do?"

"Well we eat now, then we have group morning counseling after that we get free time than study hall. Then we have lunch , PE, free time again or you get visitation, individual counseling, and then dinner movie time then we go to bed and do it all over"

"That's a lot of counseling...so like group counseling what's that?"

"We sit in a circle for like an hour and a half and talk about our emotions with each other," Gwen says a sarcastic smile on her face.

"We have to?"

"no you don't have to talk but you do have to sit and listen they won't force you to do anything but eat. Sadly."I tilt my head and I must look confused because she then adds. "I have an eating disorder that's why I'm here."

"Oh."I nodded not knowing what to say. A blonde boy comes and sits a grin on his face, "This is Adrian, Adrian this is Peter."

"Hey."Adrian puts his hand out and I shake it. "Or you can do what Adrian does and be stupid."

"Hey! That's not nice Gwen we don't put others down here." He was in a high-pitched voice.

"Little tip doesn't joke too often or loudly, you can get your stay extended," Miles says looking at Adrian.

"it can be extended?"I ask. Usually, I freak out when talking to people but these guys seem nice and I'm not that awkward.

"Yeah, if you hurt yourself sleep too much, refuse to eat, say stuff" Adrian giggles taking a bite of his food.

"It was at group canceling and Michael one of the councilors asks what we plan on doing when we get out of here."

"And Adrian goes. Oh, I'm gonna kill myself."I start laughing a little and Adrian points a proud grin on his face. "See he thinks it's funny!"