Sunshine: Check-in. Are you home?
I pick up the phone and text her back.
Bennett: Yep
Sunshine: Sober?
Shit.She has no faith in me.
Bennett: Yes
Sunshine: Get some sleep
Bennett: Will do
Sunshine: Night, Bennett
Bennett: Night
I plug my phone in for the night and hop onCall of Duty,trying my hardest to forget about Tori and that kiss.
After practice, I head over to Dr. Sparks’s office, notebook in hand. I sit in the waiting room and chug a bottle of water, trying to drown out my nerves.
I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to sit on her white sofa, in her all-white office, and talk about the past.
Or even worse—the present and my feelings about it.
With any luck, we can stick to the stupid journal assignment and then I’ll be on my way.
“Bennett?” Dr. Sparks leans her head out of her office.
I stand, ready to walk into the line of fire.
She motions me in, closing the door behind us. Theclick is ominous, echoing in the cozy space. Not waiting for an invitation, I plop onto the sofa. The red numbers on the clock taunt me from the desk.
Dr. Sparks settles into her seat, the same place she sat last session. She crosses her ankles, pen poised above her legal pad.
“I see you have your journal. Very good.” She tips her chin at the notebook.
I swallow hard, nerves jumping.
“Yep.”
I hand the journal to her. She flips to the first page and glances at my assignment. I sit and wait, the numbers on the clock beaming at me.
After several minutes, Dr. Sparks sets the journal on the desk and sits back, folding her hands in her lap. “Walk me through what you wrote.”
I shrug. “What more do you want to know? You read it.”
She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I did. I’m interested in howyouunderstand it.”
Well, this is dumb.Why the fuck did I do the assignment?
I drag in a shaky breath, try to mask my aggravation. I crack my knuckles with a loud pop.
Dr. Sparks waits patiently.
“My answer’s anger.”
