Evelyn's Pendant

20.

    "Alright, Lillian, we have to set a few things straight before you leave here tomorrow morning," Katherine says.

I knew she would give me some guidelines to follow through with when I leave. I sigh, but will follow anything she has to give me.

"First, you will be having meetings with me via video call once a week at times that work best for your schedule," she says. "Second, you need to have daily check-ins with your parents if you decide to go back to school. I've already discussed it with them. They are not thrilled, but I've talked them into it. You're welcome." She winks at me. I roll my eyes at the thought of having to do daily check-ins with my parents.

    Katherine really isn't messing around with me leaving. She continues with a long list of things for me to do once I leave, including things like journaling and keeping up with my medications. "If you do not follow even just one of these rules, you will be sent back home or back to our facility. Not following these rules will more than likely cause you to revert back to the ways that brought you here originally. Understand?" she says.

    I nod slowly, this is all so overwhelming.

    "Your nurse, Theodore, will help you with your prescriptions," she continues. "Other than that, do you have any questions?"

    "Can you laminate a list of these things?" I say semi-sarcastically.

    "Of course, as long as it will help," she replies. "Anything you need, Lillian."

    "Thank you," I struggle to get the words out. "For all your help."

    "I'm very proud of you and your progress, but you should be thanking yourself. You did all the hard work."

    I force a smile. Am I going to miss it here? I think of my hard, uncomfortable bed and lack of friends, so no, I don't think I will.

    After saying our goodbyes, I decide to spend the remainder of my day in my room watching television. I don't have any friends to spend time with in the recreational room, and Theo doesn't seem to want to see me lately, so I'll spend my last day alone.

    A few hours of being bored out of my mind while watching lame Hallmark movies go by slowly and I hear a faint tap on my door. I turn down the television and see a poof of red hair through the window on the door. I instantly get a wave of anxiety, knowing damn well who it is, but try to stay clear-headed. "If you came here to beat me up more, I'm not opening my door," I say as calmly as I can.

    "She's not, Lillian," I hear Theo say. "Can we come in?"

    I didn't know Theo was with Tess, so I get up and open my door slowly for them.

    Tess looks a little sad... I didn't know that was possible for her. Theo looks at me with his brows drawn together. "What's going on?" I ask cautiously.

    "I heard you're out of here tomorrow, and I'm not allowed to talk to you without supervision," says Tess. "Can I come in?"

    Hesitantly, I open my door more for them and go and sit on my bed, inviting them both in. Tess stands across the room and leans her back up against the wall, and Theo stands in the doorway, avoiding eye contact with me - which I try to ignore.

Tess crosses her arms and says, "I just don't think it's fair that you get to leave when you instigated that fight with me."

I scoff. "What?" I chuckle and look over to Theo who just looks at the ground. "You're kidding - right?"

"I thought we were friends, Lillian," she says, eyes burning with anger. "Then you go ahead and say shit like my medications aren't working for me? What the hell was that all about?"