Tide

Chapter 33

1 month later

"I honestly don't know..." I replied, my clammy hands pressed together, my legs shaking uncomfortably as I sat at the edge of my seat.

"Do you think it has something to do with your nightmares?" Ms. Campbell asked, her strong French accent rolling words off of her tongue. She had shoulder-length blonde hair that framed her narrow face, and she was probably in her mid-thirties, her eyelashes stiff with mascara, her face caked with foundation and her lips glossy with cheap red lipstick. Mom had suggested I go into therapy shortly after I was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress. And so there I was, sitting in front of this lady who probably didn't care about what I had to say, but if talking about my problems was supposed to help, then I was willing to do it.

"I-I don't think so," I muttered, chewing the inside of my lip. I paused before asking, "How's this supposed to help?"

"Pardon?" she said, looking at me with an expression I couldn't quite read.

"I mean, all you're doing is asking me questions. I... I just need to know how to make it stop. I mean, the flashbacks and stuff. I just don't know if repeating my story's gonna do any good."

"Ava, j'essaie de t'aider. You need to talk to me in order for me to help you. You understand that, right?"

I sighed. "Yes, but--"

"Now, where were we?" she paused for a moment, "Oh, yes. We were talking about your brother, I believe."

The constant mention of Mason was beginning to make me anxious. I wasn't here so I could be reminded of the past. I was here to forget it. What part of this did this lady not get?

"Can we... not talk about that?" I said, my gaze meeting hers. 

She looked at me for a second, then said, "Um, alright." 

She looked back at the pile of papers that were sitting on her lap, leafing through the thin papers until she stopped at one, quickly scanning it and looking back at me. 

"So, your Mom mentioned a boy named Isaac. Would you mind telling me about him?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah, he was my... Friend."

"Where is he now?"

I looked down at my hands, trying to think of an answer. "I don't really know." I said, "I received a letter from him in the mail the other day... Other than that, I haven't really heard from him."

"What did the letter say?"

"Just an update on how he was doing. He and his younger sister went to go live with their aunt shortly after they left Thailand. He also gave me a bracelet. It was at the bottom of the envelope."

She wore a soft smile. "Is it the one you're wearing now?"

I looked down, staring at it. It was fragile, its beauty reflecting against the light peeking through the window. I let out a deep breath, trying to erase the thought of him. "Yes, it is."

-------

I was sitting on the stairs in front of my house, squinting at the blinding sun. A familiar voice snapped me out of my daze.

"Hey," Piper said, taking a seat next to me.

"Hi."

"So, how'd the therapy session go?" she asked.

"It was fine, I don't think-"

Her phone rang. "Sorry, gotta take this." She said, standing up and pressing the device to her ear. "Hello?" she said. 

She grinned widely and spoke for a few minutes, then came back and sat next to me. 

"Sorry about that."

"I'm guessing you were talking to Colton?" I said. 

Colton was her current boyfriend she had met a mere week ago. I knew who he was - he went to our school. He had ashy blonde hair that framed his brown eyes, and he always wore sweatpants with a hoodie.

"Yeah," she grinned.

"How'd your date go?"

"Great! He's super cute, I love him." 

"That's good."

"What about Isaac?" she asked, "Have you heard from him? Other than that letter, of course."

I sighed, "No, not really."

She frowned, "That sucks."

"I know."

"Do you think you'll ever see him again?"

I paused and looked up at the sun, before releasing a sigh and saying, "No, probably not."