Takes One To Know One

Chapter 2

I was woken up by Mom shaking me inside the car. I jumped in my seat, alarmed. The car sat on my driveway, facing my average sized house. I sat up slowly in my seat, still half asleep as my phone rang. It was Spencer, so I answer.

“How was it?” She asks right away. I sigh, how many times am I going to be asked this question?

“Fine,” I reply, “Are you busy?”

“No. I can meet you at the mall if you want to,” She suggests. I look at my Mom and ask if I could go over to the mall with Spencer, she says yes.

“I’ll be there in five minutes,” I say back to Spencer. We say goodbye and I hang up. Mom and I sit in silence in the car all the way there. I guess there isn’t much to say considering I don’t want to talk much about the mental hospital. I don’t like to talk much. Most conversations I either don’t care much about, make me upset, or start an argument. I like keeping to myself because it means I don’t have to deal with other people. I hate people.

We arrive at the mall and I hop out of the car. I slowly walk inside the mall and walk to Spencer at the food court. She smiles as I walk toward her. Her long blonde hair lies on her tan shoulders. She wears a white floral shirt with hot pink shorts that barely cover her butt. I walk over to her and wrap myself in her arms.

“How are you? How was it?” She asks as I get out of her hug.

“Good, fine,” I say simply. She smiles at me again.

“Want to get some food?” She asks. I remember how hungry I am.

“Sure.”

We walked over to Nathan’s and I ordered a burger and large fries, God, I’m fat. I should add eating healthy to the list of things I need to do. We then sit down at a small, two-person table in the center of the food court.

“How was school today?” I asked.

“It sucked without you. All Jacob and I did was talk about how much we wished you were in school.” She says while eating chicken fingers.

“I wish I was in school, too.”

“But you’re in a good place. You’ll get help.”

“I don’t know if I want help.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.” I sigh. I didn’t want to argue. I wanted to enjoy the moment with her because I don’t know how often I’ll get to while I’m in the mental hospital. She’s always busy with basketball practice.

“Tell me more about the mental hospital,” She says. She calls it a mental hospital also, we don’t tell Mom this.

“I don’t know. Um, the people were nice. I made some friends, they were nice,” I pause, thinking on whether I should mention Luke or not. I decide to. “There was this guy; his name’s Luke. He’s cute, like really cute. He seemed interested in me but also seemed like such a flirt. I don’t know what I should do. I mean I shouldn’t get involved with him anyways but I just seem to fuck up everything somehow.” She takes a moment to think.

“I need to see a picture of him,” she says after a pause, “He better be as cute as you say. And I need to meet him also, to you know, approve. I think it’s a good idea, go for it.” I smile at her response. She always seems to know what to say.

“Thanks. I’m not going to take a picture of him, that’s creepy.”

“Fine, but then I need to meet him eventually.”

“Okay.” Unlike Spencer, I never know what to say. I’m incredibly awkward. I can’t seem to carry on a conversation, which bothers me more than you’d think. I’m shy and quiet at the worst times. You’d think I’d be good at talking to people, especially with one of my best friends, but no, of course not.