Her Broken Wings - FINALLY Completed

Chapter 7

I felt a crushing weight settle on my chest as my eyes landed on Sam. I shouldn't have felt jealous. It wasn't like we were together. And yet somehow I felt betrayed, hurt. His pained eyes stared back into mine, only making the pain in my chest double. Turning around I caught sight of Zoey. Her face was livid and she looked as if she were about to slap her brother. Before she could go near him, I grabbed her arm.

"Zoey please." Her eyes softened as she took in my face. "Let's just go." She nodded, her anger pushed aside. We walked out the door and towards her car.

A hand came to rest on my shoulder and I instantly new that it was him. "Rose, wait."

I wiped all emotion from my features before turning towards him, "What do you want Sam?"

"I . . ." His eyes pleaded with me but I turned away.

Zoey turned towards him with an angry glare. "Just go Sam. You've done enough damage already." His eyes flashed painfully but he let go of my arm, backing away.

9 hours earlier . . .

The group session was worse than I had imagined. I'd barely been able to sit still through the hour of torture. That much sadness and desperation in one room couldn't be healthy. I would have ran out of there as soon as it was over if not for Zoey. After everyone else had left the room she turned to me with a wary expression.

"I was wondering if I could introduce you to someone?"

I shrugged, "Sure. Why not?"

She looked relieved as she led me out of the room and down the hallway. Zoey led the way into an office. A young women sat in a chair at the other end of the room. Her face lit up when she caught sight of Zoey, and I watched as they went in for a hug.

"Zoey, how are you?"

"I'm good, better." The women smiled and squeezed Zoey's shoulder. "I wanted you to meet someone. Ashleigh, this is Rose." Zoey pointed towards me and I gave Ashleigh a shy smile.

"I'm honored to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." My forehead scrunched into a frown. "Oh no, don't worry. Zoey and I have sessions every week. She spoke very highly of you."

Sessions? Everything seemed to be jumbled around inside my head. Nothing made sense. Sessions? Sessions. Oh. She was a therapist, Zoey's therapist. And Zoey had wanted me to meet her. I felt a sharp pang of hurt course through my chest before the feeling was replaced by a numb ache. Zoey thought I needed help. Did she really think I was that damaged? Seeing my near tear expression Zoey's face plummeted. Her arms wrapped around me in a hug which I didn't return.

"I'm sorry Rose. I didn't mean it like that. I was only trying to help." Her words comforted me only slightly. I didn't blame Zoey for wanting to do the right thing, but it hurt to think that she would do all of this behind my back.

"Why don't we talk privately Rose." Ashleigh said calmly.

Zoey pulled back and looked me in the eyes. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I should have asked you first before I went ahead and did this."

I tried to give her a smile. "It's okay. You're right. I need this." Zoey gave me one last hug before heading to the door.

Just before she closed the door she called back, "I'll just be waiting out in the car, okay." And then she left.

I looked anywhere but at Ashleigh. My eyes trailed around the room, taking in the books and other objects along shelves. A painting caught my eye. The colors were expressive, leaping off the canvas. I could almost feel the artist pain and love as if he were standing in the room. I'd always wanted to be like that. Make people feel things through my artwork. I was going to go to Paris for art school before everything happened with my mom. After she died and I was left all alone I'd made a last ditch effort to try to get into Harvard. I'd been so happy when I'd gotten the scholarship. Now, looking back, I wished that day had never happened.