Wondering Minds

Chapter 9

I've been in bed for about two days, not moving, not eating, and not talking. The only things I've been doing are going to the bathroom, sleeping, and scrolling through social media.

I had about fifty missed calls and texts from Braden. I didn't care, I just wanted to get away for a little bit.

The sound of my door slowly creaked open. I then felt the other side of the bed dip down.

Arms wrapped around me in a comforting way. "When you're ready to talk about what happened, I'll listen," Mom says.

I turned to face her, "I just wish things were different."

"Me too," Mom whispered as she hugged me.

"You're therapist will be over soon." She got out the bed and walked out of the room.

I lay there looking at the ceiling fan go around and around.

My phone rang, but I ignored it. After it was done ringing I picked it up to see it was a missed call from Braden.

I swiped the notification away and then I scrolled through i********:. I checked out Emma's page but she hasn't posted anything since the fight.

I fought the urge to call her as I shoved my phone under my pillow.

I heard a knock on the front door and my Mom answered it. I heard mumbling and then a small knock on my door.

"Can we come in?" Mom says.

"Yes..."

The door opened slowly, I turned around to see Nathan in his blue scrubs.

"She's been in bed for about two days."

He nods and Mom leaves the room.

"Hi, How are you feeling?" He says pulling up a random chair beside me.

"I feel horrible, I just want to be in bed all day," I said raising.

"Okay, I want you to be energized today because you will be doing an exercise, that will help with your anxiety."

I loudly sighed, "Okay."

"I want you to get ready and I'll drive you to your first exercise." He says smiling.

I get a little nervous about where we're going to go. He leaves the room so I can get ready. I slowly got out of bed and took a quick shower. I threw on some sweatpants and a random white T-shirt.

I put on my tennis shoes, grabbed my phone and purse, and headed out the door. "I'm ready," I said.

When Nathan smiled I could see sparkles in his eyes, "Okay, let's go."

Mom waved goodbye as I walked out the front door.

"Oh, wow... You drive a Porsche." I said getting into his car.

"Well, I am a doctor s***h therapist."

I smile, "Show off." He smiled as I looked around his car. He had nice tan leather seats and interior lights all around. The engine rumbles when he starts it up, "Do you hear that? That's the sound of an angel."

I giggled as he sped out of my driveway. "I'm going to stop being your therapist for a second and be your friend." He says as his voice gets deeper.

"Okay," I said.

"I'm really worried about you, especially Braden. Why haven't you been answering his calls?"

I looked down at my hands, "I just needed some time to myself, that's all. It's hard to lose someone you've known your whole life."

"I understand that... I want you to take it day by day, and when you're ready to talk I'm always here."

I nodded and then looked out the window.

"Also make sure you call Braden when you feel better, he's been driving me nuts about you," Nathan says.

"Of course."

We stayed silent for a few minutes until he broke it. "Are you and Braden a thing?"

I swallowed hard, "No, I told him I just wanted to be friends."

"So, y'all just make out as "friends," sounds like friends with benefits."

"Yep, sounds about right...Why? Are you jealous?" I smirked.

He bites his bottom lip, "No, definitely not."

We pulled up to a small grocery store with a few cars. "Okay, I'm going to be your therapist again."

He puts on his professional voice, "Okay, let's get out and go inside."

I nodded and got out of the car. When we were about to enter the store he stopped.

I turned around, "You're not going in with me?"

"Nope, I want you to go in by yourself."

I turned back around and stared at the entrance of the store. "Come on, you can do it, Luna," I said to myself.

I stood there as people walked past me, "I don't think I can do this."

"Tell me why you can't do this. What scares you the most?"

I started to think, "I'm scared that people would judge me."

"Why would they judge you?" Nathan says.

"By the way I dress, by the way I walk, by the way my hair is."

"Do you think more than half of those people in there care about any of that?"

"Yes," I said nervously.

He looks at me in my eyes, "I'll tell you that most of those people in there don't care. They probably thinking about what to eat for dinner or something. It's just in your head, you make up scenarios in your head that aren't true."

I took a good look at the entrance again thinking about what he said. He was right... I made it up in my head and I believed it, I'm my own worst enemy.

I take a few steps making the electric doors open. I stood there heart beating out of my chest, "I...I still don't think I can do this," I took a few steps back.

Tears start to flow as I start to panic, "I can't do it..."

Nathan walks up to me, "It's okay, we can try again next time." He wrapped his arms around me and we walked to the car.

"I feel like a failure," I said as he started up the car.

"You're not a failure, you just need time."

"Yeah..."

"What do you want to eat?"

I looked at him in shock, "I'm guessing you're not my therapist anymore."

"Yep, your time is up, I'm now your friend for the rest of the day." He smiles.

I smiled back, "You can choose the place, I don't mind."

"Okay, what about Starbucks?" I act like I was thinking, "Yes, I love Starbucks."

He zooms through town to Starbucks, he professionally parks his Porsche in an empty parking lot. We stepped out of the car and walked into the Starbucks.

"What do you want?" Nathan asks.

" I want a blueberry muffin and a Caramel Ribbon Crunch," I said hiding behind him. He orders for me and then orders something for him. We waited a few minutes and then they handed us our food.

We sat down at an empty table with our food. "Do you really like that Frappuccino?" Nathan says.

"Yes, why?"

"I feel like a lot of people are faking like they really like it, but they hate it."

I giggle, "Don't worry, I'm not like those social media girls that fake everything for clout."

"That's good to know," He smirks. I take a bite of my blueberry muffin, "Do you take all of your clients out to eat?"

He takes a bite of his chocolate chip cookie, "Nope."

"I feel like you're lying," I said between chews.

He laughs almost choking, "I'm not lying, I promise."

We finished up our conversation and our food. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Yes."

We got up from our seats and then he drove me home.