When Worlds Collide

Chapter 15

"All you have to do is try it out, Ivan. Dr. Williams thinks this would be good for you, since you're beginning to really work on socializing with others," Mrs. Clarissa squinted against the setting sun as she drove me to the behavioral clinic.

"Group therapy? Why would I want to open up in front of a bunch of teenagers?" I groaned, already dreading this. Exhausted was an understatement to what I was feeling after having to play cat and mouse with Chloe and her goons all week at school, coupled with the fact that Ethan has been radio silent for the entire time.

"Well, they all have their own struggles. No one there isn't going to be having a hard time like everyone else. I think it's healthy to be reminded that you're never alone, and that others are also in your shoes."

"Other people deal with things so normalized that it isn't even that strange anymore. People like me end up shot or homeless," I grumbled, playing with my fingers in my lap.

"That kind of attitude is exactly why you need this. Don't you know better than to compare your struggles to others? As if their struggles aren't as valid?" Mrs. Clarissa looked at me with an inquisitive expression, before pursing her lips and turning back to the road.

With a huff, I decided to just stare out the window and not respond. Deep down, I knew she was right. And I hated that she was right.

We pulled up to the front of the building, and I forced myself out of the car, not at all being subtle with how much I didn't want to be here right now.

"I'll be right here at eight when it's over, do you have your phone with you?" Mrs. Clarissa asked, looking at me over the top of her glasses.

"Yes," I sighed, waving her off and turning to enter the building as she pulled away. After taking the elevator up to the third floor, the usual secretary greeted me and pointed me to some conference room down the hall, a room I'd never been in before. And I've been in a lot of rooms on this floor.

Trudging down the hallway, I tried to prolong the inevitable by moving as slowly as I possibly could. Far too soon though, I was facing the wooden double doors, and I took a breath, forcing the handle down and swinging the door open quickly before I could back out.

A few teenagers around my age were already there, and their heads whipped up at the commotion. Seven plastic chairs were placed in a circle, with Dr. Williams at the top, her legs crossed and writing something on a clipboard. She looked up, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she saw me enter the room.

"Good to see you, Ivan. Why don't you have a seat somewhere?" She gestured to the remaining three empty chairs. I sat in the closest one, slumping down and crossing my arms defensively. I know Dr. Williams noticed that right away, she always loved to point that out when I do it in our private therapy sessions. Two more people filtered in, and I made sure to carefully examine them to make sure neither of them went to school with me. One of them was a petite Asian girl who I was relieved I didn't recognize, and the other person still hadn't come around and into my view.

"It's alright, you can take as much time as you need," Dr. Williams spoke to the other individual, who appeared to still be standing by the door. Eventually, I heard their shoes shuffle from behind me and to my left, before finally coming into my vision. Their head was bowed, long blonde hair covering the sides of her face like a sheet as she walked- but I knew who it was right away.

Chloe eventually picked a seat in between two people already sitting down, directly across from me. When she picked up her head, her eyes were in a deadlock with mine. She looked pale, anxious eyes wide as saucers, probably the exact same expression I was sporting.