Troubled

FOURTEEN

KYLE GARCIA

I was sure my eyes were burning holes into her head and I was even more sure she felt the burning holes. But she never did look up at me. So many thoughts were on my mind as I stared her down. Why was she here? She looked like she didn't want to be here, I can confidently say this after watching her fiddle with her fingers for at least ten minutes. Her feet jingled up and down under her seat.

"Okay guys, I am done now, why don't we begin?" Miss Suzie announced with a clap of her hands.

I blinked in confusion. We sat there in silence for so long that I totally forgot about Miss Suzie and how we were in her office.

"So, first of, I'd like to introduce myself again-"

"You already did that before." I cut her short but my eyes were glued to the girl.

Was she a druggie? She didn't look like one, not being judgemental or anything like that, but she didn't seem like someone hooked on drugs so much that she would end up here. Although I could not rule out her jittery legs, those were suspicious.

Miss Suzie chuckled a bit.

"That's right Kyle, I did introduce myself. I would like to apologize for the joint session. I didn't want to join the sessions as each of your problems are supposed to be confidential. But your schedules clash with mine, I hope to sort this out in the near future, so please do bear with me a little."

I snort. She was unprofessional that's what. I was sure no psychiatrist or therapist would merge their sessions and force two strangers together and make them listen to their sob stories.

"Kyle, do you have something to say?" Her voice was calm and soothing. But I was sure she didn't like that I snorted.

"Nothing really, I'm just wondering how you would force other people's sob stories then our throats. Would it not have any side effects on our mental health?" I ask sarcastically.

Miss Suzie took a noticable deep breath.

"Kyle, like I already explained earlier, there's nothing I can do about this.."

"Sure, sure, get on with it, I have somewhere else to be." I say while waving my arms dismissively.

"Very well. Kyle meet Cora. Cora I would like you to meet Kyle."

My eyes flicker to the girl sitting in front of me with her head bowed. So her name was Cora. It was a beautiful name. Her head raised slowly, her eyes resting on my face.

I was pretty sure my eyes grew thrive the size of it's original size. Holy s**t. The girl was beautiful. Like drop dead gorgeous. Her eyes took in every thing they could from my body before flicking back down. And I cannot say I was not disappointed.

I felt the disappointment lay thickly in the lower part of my stomach.

The girl literally knocked the wind out of me. I had honestly not seen anyone half as pretty as she was. I wondered why her face was always hanging low as if she had something to hide.

"Splendid!" Miss Suzie clapped a little too excitedly.

"Well, since it's our first day here, I'd like us to do the basics. Nothing too in depth, just to ease us in."

She fumbled with her notepad. Frowning when she couldn't find the exact page she was looking for. Whilst she did that, my eyes returned to the girl.

Cora was the name Miss Suzie introduced her as. For some reason she had piqued my interest.

My phone dinged with a text from Ray, Dawson and I's group text.

'Yo, are you going for the party or not?' it was Dawson. Of course it was. I roll my eyes and send a yes, because he was going to force me any ways.

Before I could stop myself I send them my own question.

'Guys, what do you know about the Cora from our grade?'

I see Ray's text bubble appear then disappear. I felt deflated, Ray was the most observant, he was supposed to know, if he didn't then, I was sure Dawson had no clue.

I was just about to send another text before she spoke.

"What are you saying about me?"

My head snap up to her face. Her voice was quiet but bold, and just as beautiful as her face, it literally felt like laying on silk. I didn't even know that was possible.

Her face was expressionless, betraying nothing.

"How do you know I was talking about you?" I was so proud I was able to get my voice and speak. I was too stunned from hearing her that I couldn't speak.

"Doesn't matter, thing is, I know. What did you say?" Her voice is firm.

I see Miss Suzie stop fumbling with her notepad and was seriously peering at us with keen interest. I roll my eyes, this woman was seriously a quack.

But honestly though, we were sitting directly opposite each other, there was no way she peeped into my phone and I would not have noticed. Given the size of the room, any movement from any of us was bound to be noticed by the others.

"Don't think of lying to me, just say it." There was no trace of emotion in her voice but it still felt like silk.

Did I ask the question out loud as I typed? I froze. If that actually happened, because that was the only explanation, what do I say?

I cleared my throat after three minutes of silence. Because it was getting awkward and embarrassing.

"I thought I had seen you at my school before, and never knew your name. So I asked my friends. Just in case." Luckily my voice was just as confident as I hoped it would be.

She narrowed her eyes at me. And I am ashamed to say I shifted a bit in my chair. And maybe I was sweating a little too heavily as well.

"Oh yeah, you guys do go to the same school." Miss Suzie told me like I didn't know. Well, I just did say I didn't know right?

"Aha! I found it. The activities we will be doing over here at Happy clinic." Miss Suzie quipped as she handed us each a sheet of paper.

I didn't even look at mine. Okay, I did peep. No more than that, I wasn't interested. I'd cut therapy if not for Cora.

"I'd like to release you guys for today, since it's the first day. But first, you have to do a little exercise."

She drummed her palms against her thighs in enthusiasm that nobody else shared.

"Share something that made your day uplifting. Even the slightest things will be appreciated."

I snort.

"What's this? Intervention?"

Her eyes twinkled.

"Should we think of it as intervention? Yup, we are definitely doing that. Thank you for that Kyle!"

I roll my eyes. Grandma should not be paying anything more than five bucks.

"So I'll go first. The best thing that happened to me today was the two of you coming in. I can see we will have a bumpy, scary, fun, exhilarating, but the best journey."

There was an odd twinkle in her eyes as she said that. She looked at the two of us meaningfully, but we didn't get it.

"Okay, who's next?"

None of us made a move to respond.

"Oh come on, or we'll be here the whole day and night."

I bit my lip. What was the best part of today? Nothing stood out. But her. This strange girl filled me with a lot of questions. This Cora girl.

But saying her name would only make me look like a creep. So I say.

"Coming here." I mumbled it, so it sounded like 'all of it'.

I'm not sure what Miss Suzie heard, but she clapped encouragingly. I roll my eyes again.

"My brother." Cora breathed.

Huh? So not me then? Kind of deflating.

Miss Suzie clapped once more.

"That's all for today guys, see you again Wednesday!"

Cora bolted out of the door immediately. I followed suit, and surprisingly, she was fast. I walk up to her, and before I could say anything, she goes.

"f**k off."

I was so shocked I fall back a few steps behind. My mouth fell open at her rudeness.

I see her stagger a bit before falling down flat.