My Schizophrenic Lover (Under Slight Construction)

Chapter Six

Chapter 6
 - Just close your eyes -

I woke up at seven the next morning Echo was still sound asleep. She had rolled over in her sleep and no longer lay across my chest. This was much too easy, I slipped carefully out of bed and pulled my hoodie back on. I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye so once I had all of my stuff gathered back up and I was ready to go I quickly jotted down on a piece of paper the simple words of “Don’t give up on me. I will be back.”

 I walked down to the state building hoping I could catch Mrs. Andrews there. I guess hope wasn’t the right word, more like taking a wide stab. It was cold outside, a bitter cold with a wispy breeze here and there. As the sun began to make its appearance I studied it inventively. I had always loved the sunrises when I was a child. The serenity and calmness of the world t this time, there was no pain, no busy streets, no arguing. Just the sun illuminating the world once again for a new day. I brand new day, a day that could be anything you wanted it to be. I smiled at the yellow hues were cast upon my cheeks embracing me in its warmth.

I stood by the front doors with my bag on the ground by my feet. I waited for what felt like ages before a small red car pulled into the parking lot. “You young man,” a modern woman stepped out of the driver’s side door, threatened with a waving finger. “You have caused me more trouble than any other kid in this system. And I’ve dealt with some pretty bad kids.” She began fiddling with her keys trying to unlock the door while balancing her coffee and a file folder in her other hand.

“Would you like some help?” I offered reaching for coffee which was on the brink of tipping over. I grabbed the cup just as the burning hot drink spilled all down my arm and onto my shirt.  

“I am so sorry,” she started as the door finally opened. “Come on, you don’t want to sit out here in the cold, you can come into my office and get cleaned up.” I followed closely behind her in to the back offices.

I slipped into the restrooms to change my clothes and wash all the sticky coffee off my arms. When I was finished I drug my bag into the hall and started back towards the doors. “Kaden,” the woman called from her office. “Come in here for a moment.”

“Yeah?” I asked poking my head in the door.

She gestured for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk as she continued to rummage through a filing cabinet. Before too long she found what she was looking for and say back down in her chair. “Can I get you anything? Some water, coffee, some breakfast?”

I hadn’t eaten since I left the hospital, so something to eat sounded good. But I respectfully declined her offer not wanting to cause her any inconvenience.

“Kaden, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?” she asked putting down one of the files in her hands.

            “Don’t you have something better to do than listen to a poor kids backstory?” I asked her with a smirk hoping to drop the topic.

            She smiled and laughed a little behind closed lips. “Well considering I was moved to your case, it’s now my job to listen to your backstory.”  

“Well it’s nothing out of the ordinary I guess. Probably the same backstory you’ve heard a million times by the last kid that sat in this chair.”

“Every story has its own unique twist, without one it wouldn’t be much of story now would it?” She said leaning in closer to me. She was determined to know everything about me before diving into my file.

There was no reason to elaborate on my past or mention all the hairy details “I was abused, that’s all there is to tell.”

“I can respect that,” she nodded. “When you’re ready to tell me more you just let me know.”