Faith (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

My arms burn and sweat drips down my back as I pull my chin up over the bar another time. Slowly lowering myself back down, I take another breath before pulling myself upwards again. Holding myself up for a moment I drop to my feet breathing heavily. My arms are on fire from doing so many pullups. Looking into the mirror across the gym, I still look thin. But I needed to work out this morning, I couldn't sleep, and my anxiety was being insufferable.

"There you are!" Orion calls out and I look up and try to regulate my breathing.

"What?" I ask him and he looks at me.

"Go take a shower, we need to get going soon," he says wrinkling his nose and I slug him in the shoulder as I walk past.

"Don't take your anger out on your best friend!" He calls back laughing and I just grumble to myself as I climb the stairs needed to get back to my room. I take a very quick shower and pull my hair back into a tight bun, I yank a flowy shirt over my head and scramble to find my shoes.

"Where's Faith?" I hear Aviva's voice down the hall as I scramble for my phone and now charged watch.

"She was drenched in sweat about twenty minutes ago," Orion says smartly, and I make a high pitch noise that I know will bother him.

"Stop it, Faith! Hurry up!" Orion yells and I slam my door shut and jog over to the common area.

"Did you make that noise?" Aviva asks me and I just nod and stuff my trembling hands into my pockets as we head out.

Orion and Aviva chat easily about the office we are going to and I half-heartedly listen. Trying to control my breathing, it feels hard to focus on anything but putting one foot in front of the other. Orion loops his arm through mine and I look up surprised. He gives me a sad smile; he can feel my anxiety rolling off of me.

"I'm not sure if there's anything I can say to help, but the doctors in this practice are phenomenal. If you don't click with this one, there are at least five more you can set up an appointment with. Lena has been using them since she graduated grad school," Avi says and I try to give her a smile and a nod. It wasn't a lack of trust in the team's decision that is making me quake. It's the fear of having to look someone in the eye and tell them the horrible things I've done and been through.

We walk into a big building and take the elevator up a few floors before stepping off into a waiting room. Following behind Aviva, the secretary greets her excitedly. Aviva asks how her new dog is doing and I marvel at how natural the conversation is. She lists off all of our names and the secretary nods and starts pulling paperwork.

"I received the paperwork about Faith's and Orion's name change, there will be so more paperwork once that is settled. But for now, it's just a few forms," she says sweetly, and she hands us both clipboards.

"Thank you," Orion says, and I give her a small smile. Filling in and signing on the lines, Aviva gives me a hand when needed. Glancing at Orion, I see his page says Orion Kurning and I smile at that. All three of us are taking that last name while the other kids have opted to wait. When my name is finally called; my heart rate kicks up another notch and I try to keep my panic at bay.

"Fay?"

"What?" I ask confused.

"If you could survive two weeks in the hole, you'll just be fine talking to a psychologist," Orion says genuinely, and he gives me a big smile. Shaking my head at his antics, I can't deny that it puts a smile on my face for a moment as I join the woman down the hall.