Draft One

Chapter two

CHAPTER 2
After breakfast... yup you guessed it. Another group therapy. There are three basic kinds of group therapy here. One, the once you've already heard about. Two, the one you're about to hear about. The closest to what you would think actual group therapy should be. Which is of course random kids blabbering and ranting about their trauma. Yea no, not like that would trigger anyone or anything. Third, the type where the words art therapy would be a better suit.
"Alright everybody, this is Kaal's first day. Let's make him feel welcome. Maybe even comfortable enough to share something with us all today." The only guy nurse here says, smiling with the fakest grin growing on his face.
"I have something to share mister", a girl with jagged, clearly chopped off hair shouts out.
"Go right ahead"
"Hi everybody", she says, giving a bow to everyone. "I'm Alis, when I'm upset, I like to force other girls to have sex with me." This statement made all the people in the room stir a bit and be on edge.
"Oh so they really just are homophobic here. Yea no same sex assault just doesn't meet their limitations", Kaal quietly laughs out, leaning over to Briony.
Briony laughed a bit, but that didn't ease her senses. That jagged haired girl is her roommate. I'm sure anyone in her position would be at least a little frightened.
"O K", the male nurse says, almost as if the letters were their own words. Shifting the conversation, he starts to talk again, "Today I wanted to talk to you all about coping mechanisms. Aka coping skills." He really thought he was clever there. Using teenage slang like aka. No one laughed.
"Get ready to hear this same lecture over and over said in different ways the entire time you're in here." Kaal slightly laughs at Briony whispering this, thinking she is being sarcastic or something.
"Coping skills. Coping skills. Coping-skill-ssss. So everyone has coping skills. You, you, you, even you. Everyone in this room, everyone on this earth. The only problem with coping skills is that some are very unhealthy for you. Those unhealthy habits are what we call self-harm. I'm sure each of you have heard the term. If not, I'll be glad to explain it to you.", the nurse waits a moment before continuing, in case someone doesn't understand. "Alright, I won't be listing the bad coping skills today. However, if you do want to know if anything you do is considered that, see me after this. So let's begin with good coping skills. Does anyone have any examples or know any?" The room is silent. "Well I will say some then". The nurse begins to read off a long list of good coping skills.
"Oh my fucking god, that was so boring. Man literally read a three page essay to us", Kaal utters to Briony.
"Well I have good news. It's lunch time", she waves in a jazz hand motion, being sarcastic.
"Oh how absolutely amazing. What's for lunch, moving meatballs?"
"Honestly I wouldn't doubt it."
—- — —
"The meatballs actually look like they are alive. I was just joking about them moving before", Kaal says grossed out. "I hate eating anything but breakfast. I can't eat without smoking first, I'll barf."
"Too bad they won't let you have that here. Plus you have to eat. They watch. If they see you throw away a full tray, they write it down and the doctor makes you stay here longer."
"Oh Briony", Kaal laughs. "You really underestimate me don't you?" Pulling out a ziploc bag from in his boxers, holding it under the table. Briony bends down to look and gasps when she sees it. "Only thing is my dumbass forgot a lighter".
"I might be able to help with that", Briony blushes.
'Fuck yea!"
"Kaal, words!!", the lunch room nurse yells.
"Sorry". Kaal turns to Briony and they both begin snickering.
"Line up everyone, it's time for the gym."
"For some reason so many of them get so excited for the gym."
"Why wouldn't they?"Kaal asks Briony.
"You will see."
"Quiet in the halls!", the nurse yells again.
The gym door opens and Kaal walks in excitedly. Looking around the four walled room, the excitement leaves his face. There are windows, but they are locked and covered by bars like the ones prisons have. The walls are completely padded. Kinda like when you think of a psych ward where the whole room squishes, except the walls aren't completely white. They are a stained yellow beige color, like a piece of cloth someone pissed on. There is no equipment besides the extremely tall basketball hoop and foam balls.
"Oh", Kaal says, realizing Briony was right.
"Yeah... this is my least favorite, well no actually there are way worse parts. But, I don't like going to the gym."
Kaal walks over to a ball to pick it up, but as he reaches down, a kid runs by screaming that it is his ball. "Well uhh, guess we don't even get to toss a ball or anything. What do you wanna talk about?"
Briony thinks for a moment. "Why don't I explain all of the people in here a little more?"
"Ok, go for it. Start with that kid picking his nose."
"Oh, him. Ok, so that is Jay. He is seven. The youngest kid in here. He doesn't really need to be in this place, but he has nowhere else to go. His parents are lazy and just won't take the time to meet his needs, because he is special. He doesn't know how to really do anything. He can't read at all, he says a lot of out of pocket shit, and just little random things like that."
"Poor lil dude. I feel bad for him."
"Yea, once you know all his shit you don't really see him as an annoying little kid anymore. And when you get past his strange replies, he's actually a pretty sweet kid."
"What about the girl who is standing in the middle of all those guys trying to shoot hoops?"
"Her? That's Mya. She's kinda well she, shes, i'm just gonna say it. She's a cunt. She loves attention. The first thing she did when she got here was scope out the boys and pick which to kiss. She has been here three days and has kissed every boy but Jay and Winn. She's making her way through the girls now. The only girl she has kissed at the moment is Jenna. They have a ten foot ban now. They got caught. Very surprising she didn't get caught until now."
"Yea ok no, she's not making her way to me."
"Good luck to you. Don't fall into her trap. I am sure she will think you are the one of the hottest guys here and try to do anything to get a piece of you."
"Ew, enough about her, what about that Jenna girl?"
"Jenna, Jenna is nice. She is here because she didn't eat for twelve days. Anorexic. Besides that one flaw, she is an amazing person."
"And kissing Mya, definitely another flaw."
"That's true. Winn, he is a little weird. He is here because he is abusive. Some teacher at school saw him watching porn in class and took his computer. He got really mad and started beating the shit out of her."
"Oh wow."
"Who's next?"
"Oh yea who is that one girl from group therapy?" Briony knew immediately who he was talking about. Anyone would, she made such a statement.
"That is Kylie, she goes by Krise though. As you can tell she is slightly extremely very coocoo. She is the reason we aren't allowed to have a gym outside. She brought in contraband. She got a bottle cap and rocks from outside and brought them in. She got caught before she could do any harm though. He is here for being homicidal. I did not know she was gay...or a rapist until today. Definitely wanna change roommates now."
"Oh my god. Damn, yea that's not good at all."
"Ok last person. Blade. Ironic name right? Well he is a school shooter. Like literally he shot up a school."
"Damn, I thought he would kill people at school with a blade." They look at each other for a moment, before they both break out into laughter.
"That's not funny."
"Oh come on yea it is."
"Maybe a little."