Timeless Snow ✓

Ch. 52 - Avoidance

"Therapy will only work if you're not willing to give it a try, Y/N." Dr. Brown said as he set her notepad down on her lap, covering the black pencil skirt. "I'm here, aren't I?" That was all you asked back as your eyes rolled off to another area of the room. "Yes, but you won't open up." Dr. Brown said with a sigh. Setting her notepad off to the side she clasped her hands in her lap and looked to you calmly. "You're afraid I'll treat you as Dr. Andrews did." Pinching your lips together you gave her a curt nod in confirmation.

"You need to trust me, trust that my goal is to get you out of here one day." Falling silent you looked to the floor and chewed on the inside of your cheek. "What if I could give you more art time?" Her head tilted to the side, her bangs brushing her brows. She kept her hair pulled up in a perfectly neat bun. Admittedly, she got your attention now. Raising a brow you looked to her, silently signaling for her to go on. "You need a reason to trust me, and I'm willing to put in that effort."

She had a point. You needed a reason to trust her, but was this enough? Was more time painting worth risking your livelihood? Then again, Dr. Brown did seem nice. She was kind and understanding, never badgering you for answers. She sat and tried to listen, the only problem was you didn't do very much talking. "Fine." You grumbled under your breath. Ultimately, you had to get some things off your chest.

Dr. Brown offered an endearing smile, one that reminded you of how Mr. Bowser's lips curled when he thought you were his daughter. It was a motherly smile, filled with compassion and understanding. Taking in a breath, you questioned where to start or how. It was a mountain of fuckery you sat atop and you had no idea how to make her understand. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"I believe we manifest our own reality. The god - or gods - that people may worship existed if they were real for them. Your afterlife is whatever you decide it to be, whatever you feel you deserve." Your brows raised for a moment, taking in her profound meaning of the after-life. Your brows scrunched as you reiterated. "So, you believe it because I believe it?" Dr. Brown offered another kind smile. "That's one way to view it."

"Well..." You started, finding it incredibly hard to force the words out. Would they condemn you or free you? "I might be the reincarnation of some girl named Kasey." Looking up at her from under your lashes, you waited on the accusation of being insane. Her kind eyes remained on you, her body still and composed. She didn't even flinch. "What's happened that's made you consider this theory?" Dr. Brown asked, her voice like dripping honey.

"Too many things." You answered, knowing that it wasn't a real answer. "I've had people tell me I'm Kasey. I've had dreams about this girl. I've had nightmares about her, yet I have never met her." Your eyes fell on your lap, staring at your hands as you began to pick at the skin around your nails. Your nerves were taunt, you feared for what you said. "Are you sure you have never met her?"

"She died in 2018. I wasn't born until 2022."** You couldn't even look up to see how she may be reacting to all of this. Was she assuming you were delusional, probably? "That is perplexing." She said, not leaving time for an awkward silence. Straightening up in her seat she kept her attention fixated on you and your retreated body language.

"Have you made any strides in figuring more about the situation?" Your eyes opened wide for a second, your head was still down. "Uh.." You couldn't tell her what you had been doing when you left the hospital, She may deny any future furlows. "I've done my research. Had my brother dig up some dirt." You said with a shrug, finally looking up from your lap.

"That's good." "Excuse me?" "Good." She repeated with a smile and tipped her head in your direction. You hadn't expected her to respond in such a way, but it was... endearing that she had. Shit. Were you beginning to trust her? Abort mission. "Oh, look at the time!" You said, pointing toward the mounted clock in the room. "You're right, seems our time is up for today."

It was easy to escape her, which made you question if she was clueless to your avoidance or she was able to read the room and notice that you were getting uncomfortable again. One way or another, you feared you needed to put your mentality behind a locked box. You told her so much today, what if you signed your lease in this place permanently.

**(This book takes place in the year 2047.)