ADOPTED BY THE SIDEMEN

· At-Home Therapy ·

Enjoy! xx

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Holly's POV

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"How have you been feeling lately?"

I shrug and look down at the floor. I feel my skin crawl with the awkwardness and anxiety surrounding this talk. 

"Amber, please," I sigh. "This is so weird for me"

Amber laughs and shakes her head. "Sweetie, just talk to me. I'm here to help"

I groan and fall back against the sofa. 

"I can't believe JJ's making me do this," I sigh. "I feel frustrated with him, Amber. Please, tell him I'm fine"

Amber scribbles something down on her clipboard.

"Oh God, what was that for?" I ask, putting my head in my hands. "Have I failed already?"

Amber chuckles. "You can't fail therapy, Holly. Relax, I only wrote down that you were feeling frustrated"

I nod and sigh again, laying down on the sofa. Amber smiles and puts her clipboard down on the coffee table. 

"You don't have to talk anymore if you don't want to"

"Thank god," I mutter.

"Holly, I hope you're taking this seriously"

I sit up at the sound of JJ's voice and give him a look. He gives me one back. 

"Holly, take it seriously or don't do it at all"

I push the urge to laugh away. I can't believe he's making me do at-home therapy with Amber.

"What hurt you today?" I ask, laughing at him. 

"Holly..."

"Why are you in such a bad mood?" Amber asks, frowning.

"I've got a lot of shit going on, Amber. This isn't helping either"

"Okay, well don't take it out on her," Amber says, nodding at me. "Just calm down and take a breath. You're just stressed"

JJ sighs but takes Amber's advice. After a few breaths, he looks calmer.

"Holly, I'm sorry for snapping at you," JJ says, ruffling my hair. "I just want to make sure you're actually doing something in regards to your mental health"

"She is," Amber nods, looking down at her clipboard. "We've had quite an extensive conversation"

"Okay, good. Continue," JJ says, leaving the room.

Once JJ is fully gone, I turn to Amber and smile, shaking my head.

"Thanks for defending me"

"Of course," Amber chuckles. "I know how JJ can be when he wants you to do something. I had a toothache and he practically kidnapped me and took me to the dentist at ten pm on a Tuesday evening"

I laugh. "That sounds like him"

I yawn and bask in the comfortable silence finding the sound of Amber's pen moving across paper relaxing. She takes a sip of her tea and then cocks her head to the side, smiling at me softly. 

"How much sleep have you been getting lately?"

"Oh, if it's okay with you, I don't really want to do this session anymore-"

Amber nods. "That's completely fine. I'm asking you as a friend"

I look at Amber's kind blue eyes and hesitate. I don't know if she'll tell JJ or not or secretly prescribe me medicine for it.