The Insanity of a Wallflower

Part of an act - XVII

"Alys?"

I glanced towards Augustine's eyes, protectively leaning against my phone in my pocket.

"Yes?" I answered stalely. 

"This is a safe place dear; a safe room. You've known me most your life and you know I've always had your best interest at heart... so Alys, please don't lie. There's no need for that here; you are surrounded by those who love and care about you..." She paused slightly, probably for the dramatic effect as all eyes were on her, "It was you, wasn't it? You were the one who drew the posters."

For a few good few seconds I couldn't say anything.  "No. It. Wasn't." I finally growled outraged. It had no effect on her sympathetic state.

"Alys, I have just reminded you; all we want to do is help. Now do you honestly expect me to believe that your compulsion is truly gone when so much of this high school life is bearing down on you?" she pinched her face together like it was even painful for her to talk about, "What are the odds that these dark pranks and emotions have churned about, posters and crude drawings were created in their wake, and it wasn't you who had created them?"

"It. Wasn't." I said darkly again. My mother seemed to want to throw something at Augustine... but unfortunately for me- the threat about her being a bad mother had shut down any actions on her part hence forth. She would never let her image be labeled and tarnished like that. Never again. And so, she sat quiet; refusing to move, to snap or yell, instead resigning herself to just watch Doctor Augustine with blatant disgust. If only she knew those actions were showing just the opposite; she really was a shit human being.

"Dr. Augustine," Mr. Rodriguez began erasing something that was on the paper before him, "I have already assured you we had accordingly handled the earlier situations. It really was in fact her friend who had drawn those posters; we had Karri's confession, her phone with texts, and her own father's word that she had been working on it the nights before its debut."

I ground my teeth together at the idea of Mr. Hendricks willingly ratting out his daughter, no longer caring for her situation now that she had humiliated him in front of our town.  

"I don't believe it." Augustine said curtly, "I believe her friend attempted to cover for Alys. And I also believe this school has failed the State utterly short in their handling of this situation. And that you have allowed her to paint mural is the cherry on top of it all. When I find out Alys was responsible for those pos-"

"Unfortunately, mam', you won't." 

The hairs rose upon the back of my neck.  I turned and glanced at Hayden. He was smiling softly to Augustine, and I panicked wondering if he received my text. She was too smart; too dangerously keen and manipulative in her own way, and no amount of sugar-coating her would work on his part.

"Excuse me?" She stammered suddenly.

"Aw, Hayden, yes boy- sit down right there. Oh don't worry- you're not in trouble." Mr. Rodriguez laughed as he stood and raised his hand welcoming. Hayden nodded curtly before finding the chair to other side of me.

"Ladies'," he said easily to my mother and I. She beamed wildly, obviously ecstatic at the idea of seeing Hayden again. But he no longer held her eyes, instead facing the Grotesque Sins across from us. 

"So you're Hayden?" Augustine asked slowly, gazing him up and down as she absorbed his form and persona. 

"Yes, I am. And may I ask who you are?"

But before she could answer, Mr. Rodriguez waved a hand tiredly from his chair. "Dr. Augustine is here to check up on Alys. And she has brought up some concerns she has about this mural and about the posters. Now I will remind you Doctor Augustine." he glanced to her now, and the way he enunciated her title was not missed by any of us, "That though Alys is present, you must still abide by the doctor/patient confidentiality regulations."