E.M.M.A.

Lia

I know why I'm here. My mom thinks I am broken. She has been acting like I came back from the dead when the Police man called her and told her they had found me. More importantly when she hasn't been acting like I came back from the dead, she has been acting like I am broken goods. Maybe I am. 

I haven't exactly told her otherwise. In fact I haven't really talked to her. Ever since we got out of the hospital she has been giving me space, a little to much space if you ask me. Oh, what I would do for her to hug me like she used to. Don't get me wrong she has hugged me but loosely. It's like she thought that if she squeezed me too hard I would just disappear. 

I think she needs my therapist more than I do. She needs someone to explain to her that the odds of me being kidnapped again are like the odds of getting struck by a lightening bolt. However I can hear her response to that, "but it still happens." However she is not the one going to the therapist, I am. 

The doctor told my mom that it would be a good investment to get me a therapist because they don't know the full extent of the abuse my captor put me through. Yes, they said that, right in front of me. Granted they thought I was sleeping, but still. Basically the doctor told my mom that there was a high possibility of me being a nut job and to get me a therapist before I started to show signs. Right in front of where I was supposed to be sleeping.

Maybe I should cut them some slack, they weren't there with me but still I am not a nut job. 

"Lia, we are here. It's time for your session." My mother informed me.

I guess I had zoned out. My mom started looking at me through the mirror. 

"Okay fine I'm going." I mumbled.

"Are you sure you don't want me to even walk you in there?" She asked me.

"I'll survive mom."

She smiled at me a little and reached back to squeeze my hands. I gave her a small smile. I learned that it is better for me to give my mom what she wants to see than to show how I'm really feeling. It's better for her.

I walked out and my mom watched me like a hawk. She never lets me out of her sight out in the open. I guess I should feel safe but it just makes me feel weird to be honest. Constantly being watched. It reminds me of the weeks leading up to my kidnapping. 

It seemed I had always had eyes on me. Everyone told me I was crazy but as it turns out, I wasn't wrong. I was actually watched for a month before I was kidnapped. I finally made it into the building and I was hit by the smell of must and jasmine. 

It was kind of soothing actually. I walked in and sat down. I tried to keep my eyes down and didn't look at anyone. I think I have trust issues now but that's okay. Maybe my therapist will help me through it. 

"Ms. Thompson." A young woman called.

I got up to go follow her. She led me into a neat room. It was grey and white color scheme that was neutral but it somehow kind of fit. I sat down on a light grey couch. The therapist sat down at her desk and smiled at me. 

She had a pretty smile. And I tentatively gave a small one.

"My name is Dr Melinda and I will be talking with you for an hour each Saturday." She smiled.

I didn't answer her. I didn't know what to say. 

"Now, Ms. Thompson, I talked to your mom before and she said that you don't like going by your birth name. What would you like me to call you?" Dr Melinda asked me. 

"Lia is fine." I tell her quickly.

"Alright that is fine." Dr Melinda answered me.

I nodded and looked at the floor.

"I know you have been through a traumatic experience and we don't have to talk about that right now. It's only our first session and I want you to trust me so for today we are going to talk about a lighter subject." Dr Melinda said cheerfully. 

I'm pretty sure this person is stuck on only one mood. I wish it better complimented mine since I have to spend an hour with her every Saturday. 

"So your mom told me you like talking about your friends. Tell me about them." 

Aria, Meredith, Elie, and Madison. We never all hung out together because they were completely different people but they still were really close to me. 

"I can see you don't trust me and that's okay. I am a complete stranger but I'm hoping by the time our session is over I will be less of a stranger and more of an acquaintance. So I'm going to tell you something about me. My favorite thing is when I get home at night and I can just sleep. I don't have to do any work, I can just go right to bed." 

I wasn't really expecting that but okay. 

"So tell me, Lia, what is your favorite thing?" She asked me.

I know she means experience but I don't have one so I just say the first thing that comes to mind.

"My favorite things are Reece's Peanut Butter Cups." I answer quietly.

Dr Melinda looked shocked at my answer. I think it is more of the fact that I answered at all and not that I like Peanut Butter and Chocolate. 

"Those are pretty good." Dr Melinda smiled at me. 

I offered a tiny smile.

"So about your friends. Can you tell me their names?" Dr Melinda asked me.

"Their names are Aria, Meredith, Elie, and Madison." I answered softly.

"Those are really pretty names. Can you tell me about them?" She prodded.

I guess she really thought we were getting somewhere. 

"It's kind of hard to describe them. Except that they have nothing in common." 

"Nothing in common?" She was intrigued. 

"Yea. We didn't all hang out, it was more me and them, one on one." I was a little embarrassed.

Whenever I talked about them people always assumed that we all hung out together. But we didn't. I would laugh if we all got together to hang out. It would go so horribly wrong with Aria and Madison one upping each other and Meredith sitting in the corner. Oh Elie would eat this up. I smiled a little to myself. 

"So how about you walk me through a day in their lives." Dr Melinda suggested.

"Sorry what?" I asked as I was jerked out of my thoughts. 

"Lia, you need to stop zoning out when people try to talk to you. I was suggesting that you walk me through a day in each of their lives" Dr Melinda smiled a little sympathetically.

"Um, sure I guess." This could have gone worse.

I mean at least I like talking about my friends. 

"Who do want me to talk about?" I asked Dr Melinda

"How about you start with Aria." Dr Melinda suggested.

I decided to talk about the day Aria won Homecoming Queen