Sober (A Septiplier Story)

Chapter 3: Therapy

(Mark's POV)

I could not believe how boring it was to be in rehab. I finished my chores in an hour and there was literally nothing else to do. I didn't have my phone, internet access, or anything else. I decided to talk to Nina about getting a job to pass the time. I wandered up to her office door, hand about to knock when I heard talking.

"You need to get your shit together or you will be out of this program and back in jail. You don't want that do you?"

"No."

"I'm giving you a strike for breaking curfew, again, but I am giving you a warning for missing therapy this week." A chair scraped against the floor and I ran into the hallway to avoid being caught eavesdropping. The door opened and heavy footsteps retreated out the front door. Once the coast was clear, I knocked on Nina's door.

"Come in." a voice called sweetly. Nina was sitting at her desk, furiously typing on her cell phone.

"Have a seat Mark." I sat in one of her plush chairs and looked around her office. Everything was neat and orderly, almost compulsively. The walls were covered in photos in mismatched frames.

"Past residents." Nina answered my unasked question. "So, what can I do for you Mr. Fischbach?"

"Uh, I was wondering if I could get a job?"

"No, residents are not permitted to participate in outside activities until they are sober for 60 days."

"What am I supposed to do all day?"

"Well, there are additional chores you can volunteer for, there are tons of movies, a library, a gym...there's plenty to do, you're just restless because your body is adjusting to being sober. I would recommend exercise, it helps keep everything regulated and lessen the side effects."

"Okay, thank you Nina." I stood and left her office.

"See you at therapy!" She called after me.

~Time Skip~

I took Nina's advice and checked out the gym. If this was all I could do for the next two months, I was going to be huge. After a quick a shower and a change of clothes, it was time for group therapy.

The chairs in the living room were rearranged into a circle and some people were already sitting. I took a seat next to Matt.

"Hey man, how was your day?" he asked.

"Boring, there is nothing to do and I actually miss working."

He laughed, "Don't worry, you will find yourself soon enough. You just have to find a new hobby."

I nodded. Nina joined the circle and everyone fell silent.

"Thank you all for being here on time. We are joined by our newest resident, Mark," she gestured to me, "please make sure Mark feels welcomed. Now, does anyone have anything they would like to share?"

At that moment, the front door slammed and a green haired boy walked in and sat down. Nina shot him a look, but he was staring at his boots. A woman stood and cleared her throat, I tore my eyes away from the mysterious green haired boy and paid attention to her.

"Hello, I am Natalie, and I am a drug addict. It started with weed in high school, then I tried cocaine, then literally anything to get high. I lost custody of my son and I started trading sexual favors for drugs. Thanks to a lenient judge and a padded cell, I am now 248 days sober." Natalie grinned widely as the room erupted in snaps. I joined them when she sat down."

"Thank you for your bravery Natalie. Who is next?"

Matt stood up, "Yo, I'm Matt and I am a drug addict. I don't remember most of the drugs I did but I hit rock bottom when I put my niece in danger in order to get my fix. I'm not allowed to see her or my family anymore because of it. But, I am completely sober and holding down a full time job." The room erupted once again. Matt sat down.

"Thank you for your bravery Matt. Jack, how about you go next?"

The green haired boy sighed and stood up.

"Hi, I'm Jack and I am an alcoholic. I moved here from Ireland 5 years ago and I regret it everyday. I haven't seen my family since I moved here and I've been living in this house for over a year." he sat down in a huff and I snapped, shortly realizing I was the only one. Jack looked up at me through his green fringe, his blue eyes piercing my soul. I was breathless.

"Thank you Jack. Mark, since you've seen how it's done, would you like to give it a try?"

(Jack's POV)

Mark broke eye contact, and I found myself dreaming of running my hands through his dark hair.

"Um, hello, I'm Mark and I am an alcoholic. 5 days ago I drank so much I blacked out and didn't wake up until 3 days later. The doctor told me there was so much damage to my liver that if I were to drink again, I would die. My problem must have been so bad because I didn't even know I had a problem. To this day, I'm still confused, but maybe through therapy, I can learn to truly accept it." Everyone snaps.

"Thank you for your bravery Mark, and by admitting that you are an alcoholic and being honest, you have made the first steps to acceptance and recovery." Mark smiled and my heart thudded in my chest. He was so dazzling. Suddenly, Mark looked over at me and I could see the shock in his face to see me staring. I held his gaze until Nina stood up and clapped her hands. Mark blinked and looked at her. I took this chance to look Mark over. He was average height and toned. He was wearing a red flannel and black sweatpants, showing off his body.

As soon as group was over, I grabbed Matt by the back of the shirt and dragged him into the library.

"What's up Jack?"

"What's up with Mark?"

He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"What the fuck do you think I mean?"

"Well, why don't you find out for yourself." Matt slipped past me and out of the library.

"Bastard." I shook my head and left the library, looking forward to escaping to my room. Suddenly I walked into something hard and bounced back against the door. Two strong hands gripped my upper arms and held me in place.

"Shit, are you okay?" I looked up, my face mere inches from Mark's face. His eyes were a dark brown and he smelled like vanilla.

I cleared my throat, "Fine, fine." He dropped his arms and I groaned internally, already missing the touch.

"I'm very sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Mark." He stuck out his hand and I immediately placed mine in his, shaking it firmly.

"Jack."

A/N And so it begins! In the next chapter, we will learn more about Jack and see more Septiplier moments.

See you in the next chapter!