The Girl with Headphones

Chapter 6

" You want me to fit into the mold all the other girls are fitting but I'm claustrophobic."

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Allison knocked lightly on the wooden door expecting no answer, a mere notification of her presence before she pushed the white wooden door open and stepped into Chase's room. Only dim rays of sun creeped through the shut blinds,not enough to brighten the room but enough to know that it was daytime- there wasn't much out of place in Chase's room.

It looked like a typical teenage boys room, except for the tidiness. Chase was always a very 'particular' person, his mother would say that even as a child he showed signs of minor OCD.
He never had a crayon or pencil color out of place, his bed was always made and his room always impeccable. His hair was never messy, his clothes were always ironed neatly, unified and his shoes were never dirty from playing outside,except when he played with Allison.

Unlike most teenage boys, Chase didn't mind spending time with his younger sister. On more than one occasion Chase would give up the invitation to a Friday night party to play dress-up with Allison and didn't mind when she put lipstick all over his face and spilled glitter in his hair or when she had grown up a little, he would give up the opportunity to spend Saturday's with his friends and instead take his younger sister to the movies and sit through the dragging minutes of one of her chick flicks.

It was one of the only times Chase wouldn't freak out about things not being perfect. Allison was an exception. It wasn't his fault, Chase wasn't like the people of Goodwind, perfection wasn't a self inflicted obsession or a game to be won, it was who he is. He didn't choose perfection, perfection chose him.

But it was more than just having a neat room and clean clothes. Chase was always perfect in every way. The perfect son, the perfect student and the perfect brother. He helped his mum with chores she didn't mind doing, spent time with his dad before he was promoted and didn't spend all his time at the office, was a straight A student and he was Allison's everything growing up.

He made growing up under the eagle eyes of the people of Goodwind easier. Allison could almost remember every time he stood up for her, whether it was to her parents, peers or just the over judgmental community they both grew up in.

Allison felt the slight dip in the bed as she sat before the hooded boy. He didn't look up, didn't speak, didn't move. "Chase." Allison spoke softly. He didn't respond to anyone anymore. He hadn't lost his hearing or brain function, only his motivation to live. He wasn't suicidal, just what the doctors had diagnosed with a rare and serious case of depression.

"Chase," she tried again, earning the same response as before, the same response as always. Nothing. Folding both her legs on the bed she carried on.
"School is boring, Tessa has a crush on a guy that's in her drama class," she let out a light chuckle. "It's funny really, if they ever do get together they're be the biggest drama King and Queen. They're actually the perfect match." Allison paused briefly, trying to stop her mind from loosing focus. She continued for another 10 minutes rambling about random things to Chase just as she did every third day.

He never responded but that didn't stop Allison. Ever since Chase had been diagnosed with depression he hasn't spoken, doesn't play, doesn't move around. The only time she really saw him was at dinner and she would sometimes see him in the halls, other than that, if she didn't make effort she'd loose her brother altogether.

Everyone had given up hope- that's what it was in reality anyway.

When Chase was diagnosed his psychiatrist advised his parents not to push him too much into doing anything he didn't want to do, so when Chase stopped talking, everyone tried for two weeks to get him to talk, but after countless failed attempts, everyone thought it was best to just let him be. They used the excuse of 'following doctors orders'.