Beer, Spaghetti, and Pharmaceuticals ||COMPLETED||

Thirty Eight

"Alright, so you fill in your profile details here," Alice said as she leaned over Simon's shoulder, pointing at his cellphone's screen. "And then once you're done all that, you can fill out the survey regarding your symptoms, so we can figure out a psychiatrist who is a good fit for you."

    Simon nodded along as he hesitantly filled out his profile and Alice slid to the other side of the table. With her legs cross-legged on the kitchen chair, she smiled as she looked around Simon's clean house.

It felt so nice visiting her brother, even if the visits were more scarce than they were in the past. After spending months with no contact aside from hostility with him, she savored the time they did spend together, even if it was just for a quick cup of coffee on a Sunday morning.

She stirred a spoonful of sugar in her coffee and watched Simon's nose scrunch at the phone.

"So, you're sure that I won't get paired with Blaise or anything?" Simon asked with his finger hovering over the 'submit' button. "Or that Isaac is going to read everything I have to say and spend his nights laughing at how fucked up I am?"

"I promise you, I will personally ensure you are paired with someone who is entirely qualified, well-suited for you, and a complete stranger," she said. "And everything is one hundred percent confidential. Everything you say stays between you and your therapist. Plus, if you start to feel uncomfortable with the service at any point, you can quit it at no cost. I'll probably even be able to swing a refund for you, 'cause you know, family benefits."

She sent him a wink.

Simon took a deep breath and winced as he pressed the 'submit' breath, exhaling once he opened his eyes. "Alright. It's done."

Alice beamed and clapped her hands together. "Ahh, I'm so proud of you, Simon! I think this will be so great for you. The reviews have been amazing so far, and I think this will be a great way to take control of your mental health without having to deal with the awkward face-to-face therapy session."

"I hope so..." He rubbed his hands together. "I don't think anything is wrong with me, I think I've just got a lot of pent up anger that I need to... get out."

"And that's what we are here for!" Alice grinned. "There's a really good chance you won't even need medication or anything. Simply having an outlet and a safe zone to rant about your feelings can be super cathartic and helpful."

Simon swallowed and gave her a weak smile.

"Thanks, Alice. This thing..." he started as he scrolled through the various features, "is really impressive. I can't believe you designed it."

He looked up and his smile grew. "My baby sister is going to be the next Zuckerberg."

Alice winced. "Well, based on his current track record, I'm not too sure if that's much of a compliment..."

"You know what I mean," he said. "Regardless, I'm really proud of you. Next time I try to stop you from doing something this cool, I give you full permission to knock me out."

"Deal." She snapped her fingers at him and giggled.

A shuffling was heard from upstairs and Alice's stomach dropped.

"Oh god. I thought you said he wasn't home!" she hissed and Simon's eyes narrowed.

"I...I didn't think he was home. He must have got home pretty late and I didn't hear him come in..."

Alice threw her face in her hands and contemplated grabbing all her belongings and bolting out the door, but before she could make a decision, footsteps were quickly making their way down the stairs.