Instant Attraction #1

Chapter 13

"Aubrey Fall?" The receptionist asked. My mum stood up and smiled, signalling the receptionist that we were here.

We walked up to the desk. My hands shaking at my side.

"The third door on your right as soon as you go through this door." The receptionist smiled. I nodded and turned to my mum.

"I'll wait here for you." She said.

I nodded and hummed a response then followed the receptionists directions.

The third door on the right, I reminded myself. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous but my sweaty hands shook by my side. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

"You must be Aubrey." A woman who looked to be in her forties, with a straight blonde bob and warm brown eyes.

"That's me." I muttered, smiling slightly. I took a seat opposite the large wooden desk. One of the walls in the office was covered in a bookshelf with hundreds of books, all different colours and shapes. It was an old fashioned office, a large lamp shade and dark wooden furniture.

"I'm Cassandra. It's nice to meet Aubrey." She held her hand out and I placed mine in hers and shook it.

"Your mother and I have spoken over the phone a few times, she's told me lots about you. Good things." Cassandra explained. I nodded unsure of how to respond.

"Are you nervous Aubrey?" She asked. She placed her arms on the desk and leaned forward.

"Slightly. I've never seen a therapist before." I said.

"It's not a bad thing to see a therapist, it means that you know your condition and want to be the better person." She smiled.

"My conditions?" I questioned with a frown. I crossed one leg over the other and placed my hands in my lap.

"It's more like a fault within your bodily system. It's nothing to be ashamed of Aubrey." She said softly.

"I'm not ashamed of a fault I don't have." I said through gritted teeth.

"Denial is the first sign. Aubrey, everyone is worried about you, they have seen how you act and behave and they all know something is wrong. And you know something is wrong, deep down you know I'm right and deep down you want to get better."

"So what is this apparent fault I have?" I asked solemnly.

"Depression. After traumatizing events it's natural to develop depression." She explained.

"I haven't experienced any traumatizing event to make me develop depression." I said frowning.

"How are things at school?" Cassandra questioned. My heart stopped temporarily, school? She couldn't possibly know, could she?

"Um, fine, things are fine." I hesitated throughout my answer. It was either the nerves or the fact that she might have known and I had to play it cool.

"Friends? Any fallout's? Arguments?" Cassandra questioned, almost like an interview.

"No, not really. I drifted away from some of my friends but no arguments." I responded. Cassandra nodded, writing smoothly in her little notepad. I glanced around whilst I waited for her to finish writing.

"Are you happy with your work load?" I frowned at her question. My work load?

"Yeah I guess, it's not too much." She nodded at my answer, almost like she was satisfied.

"I have to ask Aubrey, do you feel threatened? Or peer pressured? Maybe bullied?" Her questions threw me off guard. Did I feel those things? Of course I did. I was being threatened and bullied by my own teacher.