Heal Me

7 Days Before

"How are you today, Alice?" Dr. Sandra asks just as I sit down.

"Fine," I sit back on the couch, trying to get comfortable.

"And your dreams? Have you had any recently?" She opens her notebook.

"No," I nod my head, lying to her.

"Really? Your mother told me that you've had quite a few in the past 2 weeks."

"They come and go," I lie to her again.

"And what are they about this time?"

"Like they always are."

"Alice," she drops her notebook on the table between us, "I can't help you unless you try to help yourself. You need to be open about these dreams so I know how to help."

I let out a heavy sigh, slumping back into the couch. Looking at the ceiling, I tell her a basic gist of everything, "They're always worse around my birthday, I don't know why, but they're more rapid, occurring more times throughout the day. And they drain me more too, I feel like I can sleep all day."

"What are they about?"

"This family and they don't get along. There are 2 cousins and they are 'fighting for the crown'" I use air quotes to make it sound like I'm using an everyday reference, "They are trying to see who would take over their...family business after the death of one of their dads."

"And how are the interactions between these 2 cousins?"

"They hate each other. 1 cousin...I'll call him cousin A knows that he should be in charge and that he should be the one taking over their family business, but cousin B is a stuck up B-I-T-C-H. He's changing everything to how he wants it even though he's destroying their king-family business," I cover my slip.

"And how do you see these interactions? Are you one of the cousins, or are you just in the room?"

"I'm in the room. I stand in a corner-"

"Why in the corner?" She looks up at me through her glasses, with her pen and pad in hand.

"Because I don't know where else to go. Cousin A scares to be a little, he's very demanding and angry all the time. And his voice gets pretty scary."

"They can't see you?"

"Nope, or hear me."

"So you just stand there in the back, watching 2 cousins fight for ownership of their family business?" She asks as I slowly nod my head 'yes'.

"How's school? And your friends?" She redirects the conversation.

"Good. My grades are good and my friends are good."

"Are you still quiet around them, shy even?"

"Yes, I'm like that with everyone."

"How active are you in conversations?" She continues.

"Not that very active, but it depends on the conversation." What is she getting at?

"So would you say that you sit in the background of conversations with your friends," I nod at her words, "And feel stuck in the corner even?"

"I guess," I slowly nod my head.

"How's your family? Your relationship is good with your parents and brother?"

"Yea."

"And how much time do your parents spend time with you compared to your brother?"

"They spend more time with Callum," I drop my gaze, feeling nervous at her questions.