Neurotic- h.s au

0.2

The taxi ride was longer than I had expected, we arrived a little over twenty minutes to a modern looking hotel. It was a very tall building, made of gray bricks, and glass doors. People rushing by, mostly likely on their way home from work.
I make my way to the entrance of the hotel and walk inside. As I continue walking, not sure where I am going yet, I am met with circular desk located in the middle of the room. A middle aged women with her hair pulled into a tight ponytail at the back of her head is sat in a chair behind the desk, speaking on the phone.
"Ok, have a good evening. Bye." She whispers quietly into the phone, then hanging it up. "Hello, how may I help?" She asks, looking up at me. Examining my old clothes and place face.
"I- uh.. Have a room booked for to-tonight." I stutter.
"Okay, what is your name?" Shit, am I supposed to tell her my name or Mr. Millard's name?
"My name or Mr. Millard."
"Um, okay." She says, a confused look plastered on her face. "I need to know your name, sweetheart."
"Oh- Valentina Price. Yeah."
She nods back at me and begins typing on her computer, she's biting her bottom lip focusing on her screen.
"Okay, Ms. Price. You are on floor 6, room 623. I hope you enjoy your stay." She smiles at me and drops a small silver key into my hand.
I grasp the key tightly in my fist and march towards the stairs. I never ride elevators, they have always been a fear of mine. I don't like small spaces or people, so being put into a small space with people doesn't sound like my cup of tea.
I take two stairs at a time and try to rush up to the sixth floor as fast as I can. It takes a while though, considering I have six flights of stairs to climb and I'm not very physically active.
Shortly after, I arrive at my destination and insert my key into the keyhole and push the door open. As I do so, I am confronted with a queen bed, a decent sized kitchenette, and a large marble bathroom.
I make my way over to the window and push the curtains to the side to see that the sky turned a dark gray and it is now raining. I have always liked the rain, it makes me feel calm and relaxed.
I turn on my heel and head towards the bathroom. It has been a while since I have taken a nice bath, and I think that would do me good right now especially because the bathroom here is marvelous.
I slip off the clothes I was provided with from the asylum and turn the faucet on. As the warm water is running I take a look in the mirror. I can't remember the last time I have done so. I look so different, my face is pale and my eyes are accompanied with dark purple bags. Now I wish I hadn't looked in the mirror. I turn around and turn the faucet off, about to step into the tub until I hear someone speak.
"Hello Valentina" He says smugly, sitting on top of the toilet. Staring at my naked chest.
I turn around quickly and cover myself with my hands. "Cole! I'm naked!" I shout.
"It's nothing I haven't seen before. Aren't you so happy we finally got out of there Val? We can finally be happy together." He whispers placing his rough hands onto my bare shoulders, trying desperately not to look back down at my chest.
"You know I don't feel the same." I whisper. Cole has always had this infatuation with me, ever since I was eight and he was ten. Never once have I felt the same, I just always considered him my best friend. Whenever we talk about the topic he seems to either get pissed or cry his eyes out, and I feel so guilty whenever he does.
"Why? I love you, I can make you happy. I can take away all your pain and suffering. Please give me a chance."
I pause, looking down, crossing my arms. "You make me do bad things." I hesitate for a moment, trying to gain an ounce confidence. "Things you and I both know I don't want to do."
"I promise I won't hurt you anymore Val, trust me." He responds, pain laced with his voice.
"I've heard that so much. No"
"Fine. You'll regret it, I know you will." He scoffs and marches towards the door and slams it. I flinch when the door closes.
I take a minute or so to catch my breath, then I drop into the bathtub. The warm water engulfs me, and I feel at ease. I wash myself and begin to step out of the water.

|||

Now, I am currently dried off and snuggled into the bed. I have the television on and I am watching whatever show is on that seems remotely interesting.
Now that I think about it, I'm very hungry. I roll over and stand from the comfortable bed. My feet carry me to kitchen where I open the fridge door and my eyes scan it for food. There is only a few things within the refrigerator, a few bottles of wine, champagne, and some cans of soda. Not much I can eat at the moment. I open the cabinet drawers in search of something to eat too, I find tons of snacks like chips and crackers. I grab a bag of pretzels and a can of soda.
     I head over to the bed again and lay down. As soon as I get comfortable I hear at small knock on the hotel's door. I freeze and turn the television down, wondering who the hell would be knocking at my door.
     I stand up from the comfortable position I was in, set my snacks down, and walk to the door. I open it slightly and I am greeted by a stranger. His head is down and his long brown hair is covering his face. He's fiddling with the rings on his left hand. He takes note of presence and looks up from abnormally large hands. He squints his eyes and his eyebrows knit together as he studies my face, and I do the same. Our eyes meet and I notice the beautiful color they hold. He is a very handsome man. Why is he here?
     "Hello, I'm Harry Styles. Nice to meet you." He says, his voice is very deep and smooth. It sounds so nice and sweet I want to put it in my tea. He expands his hand toward me and I stare at it before grabbing it and shaking it lightly before pulling it back quickly.
     "Same. I'm Valentina. Why are you here?"
     "I was hired to come watch over. I guess I'm like a personal psychiatrist, I suppose." Why is he here so early? Mr. Millard told me he was not supposed to here until Monday, it's only Sunday.
     I squint my eyes, confused. "Oh, well. Come in I guess." I tell him, moving to the side and allowing him to enter.
     "Thank you." Harry says and takes a step into my hotel room, his eyes wander around and land on the kitchen.
     "Uh- Would you want a drink or snack or anything?" I ask dumbfounded.
     "You went to the store?"
     "No, everything came with the hotel."
     Harry chuckles, shaking his head. Why is he laughing?
     "Valentina, you have to pay for that food, did you eat any yet?"
     "Not yet." I say, my cheeks burning. Harry smiles at me in response.
     After a few minutes of awkward silence we sit down on the couch and Harry speaks, "So Valentina, we are going to have our first session of therapy today, if that's okay. I want to get to know you a bit." He tells me, setting down his large bag on the coffee table and pulling out a thick brown journal with small writings plastered on the cover and spine of it.
     "Sur-"
      I'm soon cut off, "No, that's not okay." Cole responds. I see him setting in the chair across from Harry and I. I glance over to him and put my head trying to ignore him.
     "Cole, stop." I seethe through my teeth, trying to be as quiet as possible.
     "Valentina, who are you talking to?" Harry questions me. Setting his journal down and looking at me.
     "I- a- I am, to him." I tell Harry, pointing to the chair.
     "Me, she's talking to me." Cole spits, glaring at Harry disgustingly. "Let's get this scumbag to leave. I don't want him to tear us apart babe."
     "No, no. He's friendly." I state, shaking my head quickly.
     "He's just like the last one, Val. Come on." He grabs my hand and intertwines our fingers, pulling me over to the coffee table where Harry's files and journal are sprawled across it.
     "Trash his papers. He'll leave, c'mon. I'll do it with you." Cole snatches some of his papers crumpling and ripping them, throwing them across room. He stomps on them like a mad man and is completely trashing Harry's belongings.
      "Just go! We're fine without you! Go! Now!" He yells, suddenly furious at this man who has barely even spoke since he arrived. He hasn't done anything to Cole, I suppose he's just jealous.
     "C'mon Val help me please." Cole pleads.
     "Valentina. Stop, please." Harry asks me, placing his large hand onto my shoulder. He turns me around to face him and steps back a little, "Why did you do that?" He asks, pain obvious in his voice. He seems hurt by my actions.
      "I- I didn't do anything! That was all Cole!" I say looking at my feet, embarrassed by his childish actions. Harry obviously did not deserve what he just did. Cole ruins anything good for me, like living alone for example.
     "Erm, alright." Harry whispers "Well, we should start this session as soon as possible then." He tells, looking at the mess around the room.
     "I'm sorry, some- sometimes he jus-"
     "You don't need to keep apologizing and explaining yourself. I have copies of the files back at my office anyways." He smiles at my sweetly at me, dimples prominent on his cheeks.
     "Thank you." Relieved he understands what a monster Cole is.
     Once Harry and I are done cleaning up the mess Cole created, we take a seat on opposite ends of the couch. I cross my legs and Harry mimics me. He picks up his journal and flicks through the pages until he finds a clean sheet, then grabs a black ink pen on from his bag.
     "Now, let's get down to business. Valentina, tell me a bit about yourself."
     "I am Valentina Price, I am twenty-one, and my birthday is January 3rd." I state the most basic information about myself, I am not quite comfortable around him.
     "Interesting. I would like to know something that isn't on file." Harry hesitates and slides his tongue across his bottom lip and pulling his pink lips into a small smile.
     "I like drawing and painting. My bestfriend is Cole and I can't think of anything else." I respond at a lose of words.
     "Very nice, we're at a good start. Now, your bestfriend, Cole, is he the one who just made this mess?"
     My lip begins to tremble and I look down embarrassed because of his actions, he doesn't know how to control his anger sometimes.                 "Yes." I respond.
     "How did you meet Cole?" He asks me.
     I look up and freeze, there's no way in hell I'm prepared to tell him.