My 30 Day Challenge

Chapter 19

AN: I'M AWFUL SORRY YES I KNOW I SAID I WOULD BE UPDATING MORE BUT I SUCK AND APPARENTLY CAN'T FOLLOW THROUGH ON ANY PROMISES BUT HERE YOU GO

Day 7: List 10 activities that help you calm down.

1.       Reading

2.       Walking

3.       Talking to Vic

4.       Listening to a clock

5.       Music

6.       Puppies

7.       Watching the sky

8.      

9.        

10.    

“Well, go on. Start!” Vic prompted.

It was 8:30 in the morning, and I’d been woken by him half an hour earlier. We’d laid there for a while dozing, until he decided it was time for today’s question. I squirmed inwardly; I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done anything for fun.

“I don’t know, Vic. Can’t you just list some and I’ll say whether or not they’re fun?”

“Hey, they’re not fun activities. They’re calming activities. And no, I want you to make a list,” he said, jumping out of bed and going to my desk, opening the curtains on his way. I squinted.

“Do I have to?” I whined.

“Yes,” he said sternly, fishing around in my drawer. He returned to bed a few moments later with my A3 sketchbook and a blue marker. “We’re going to make a physical list and stick it up in your room, so that when you need to cut or do something else stupid, you can look at it and do one of those things instead. Okay?”

“Fine,” I sulked. I knew I was acting like a kid, but I really didn’t know what calmed me down. I’d never tried, really, besides taking a blade to my wrists. I didn’t know whether or not to ask if it counted, though, so I left it. “Give me some time.”

In response, he nuzzled his head into my neck and closed his eyes. I sat there thinking.

I’d always liked reading, but did it calm me down? I always managed to forget about whatever was going on and get absorbed into the world of the book. I counted that.

I gently took the pen and book from Vic, not sure if he was sleeping or not. He might have been, but he sat up when he felt me taking them. As I slowly printed ‘1. READING’ in my neatest writing, not wanting to make a mess, he watched, and I felt his hand lace in with my free one.

“That’s great, Kell,” he said. “Good start.” I felt a slight twinge of annoyance; I didn’t want to be patronised. I wasn’t a child. I shrugged it off.

Thinking some more, I settled on walking. I’d gone for a lot of walks while I was here, and from what I remembered, I had felt better after them. I added ‘2. WALKING’ to my list, but got a bit stuck after that.

“I don’t know what else,” I whined, elbowing Vic. “I don’t really do anything.”

“Well, how about I make a list as well and you can steal some ideas if you need to, okay?” he asked. I nodded, and he got up and went over to my desk again, getting another marker, this time purple. I raised my eyebrows.

“Really? Purple?”

“Hey, this shade happens to be gorgeous,” he defended himself. He was so gay. “Now do you want my help or not?” He was pouting a little.