The Shrink Program

PART FIVE

By the time I looked up.

Alex was gone.

The sun went behind a cloud, and just like that, the sunny park lost its warmth.

"I did what you asked," I said flatly. There was no snark.

Only numbness.

"Now put me down."

Without a word, I was lowered gently onto my feet.

I stood, not turning around. Not because I was afraid of his reaction. If he was angry or hurt or even pleased, I could deal with it.

I didn't want to look, in case he was just.... gone.

In the end, the decision was taken from me as large hands gripped my shoulder and turned me to face the remaining twin.

"Do you feel ashamed?"

I refused to look up, even as Alan crouched in front of me.

"Why would you think that?" I murmured, clutching the butterfly jar to my chest.

"You shouldn't be. "

"I Don't-" I started to snap, lifting my head to glare...

But he wasn't smiling.

"Because you were wrong." Gaze serious, the tall red-head lifted his hand to rest on my head.

"Your words have a basis of truth but are tainted with the need to inflict pain. You're only saying what you think will hurt most, a biased analysis at best."

I stared at him, too shocked to really react as his hand slid down to remove my glasses.

"Not about me...hit the nail on the head there really..." He fiddled with the glasses, not looking at me. "But the reason I picked you up wasn't just to distract Alex from him moping. I did it because I was curious."

Feeling suddenly unsure, I took a step away from the older boy.

"I don't... "

"I saw you earlier," Alan explained, lifting his gaze to mine. "Getting dragged around by that loud little ball of energy you came here with."

He smiled in a way that was somehow...implicit.

My gaze narrowed irritably.

"Her name is Maddison...and she's not that loud... "

Alan hummed thoughtfully.

"I thought love was supposed to be blind, not deaf."

I snatched my glasses back out of his hand, prompting Alan to send me a knowing smile.

Idiot.

"Did you have a point?" I asked, deceptively calm.

"I saw you catch the butterfly." His smile widened into a cheerful grin.

Effectively making him even creepier.

"Observation is something of a hobby of mine. Not much gets past these watchful eyes, except... you did. I had no idea that you were there in those bushes, not until you moved. Catching this." He pointed to the butterfly in the jar.

He placed his hand on the glass, watching the butterfly instead of me.

"You said that your friend's name was Maddison..." His smile lost some of its cheerful edge, becoming a little crooked.

"Is it a coincidence?"

I didn't say anything.

The redness in my cheeks probably spoke for itself.

"Interesting... " He murmured, lifting his knowing gaze to meet my panicking one.

"You know, you said some pretty mean things.... and made poor Alex cry." He pulled a tragic face. "Maybe I should go and complain to your little girlfriend about this..."

I forgot that he was bigger than me. That he was creepy and probably not a very nice person.

With zero hesitation, I took advantage of the fact that he was crouched at my height to grab him by the collar.

"Stay away from her."

His eyes widened with amusement, hands rising in obvious surrender.

In great contrast to his following words.

"Hmm? Or what?"

I grimaced.

"She'll eat you alive. "

I couldn't have been more serious.

That didn't stop him from laughing, though.

...a lot.

" Stop it... " I growled as he clung to me, laughing so hard he couldn't keep his balance. "I wasn't joking. "

"I know...!" He gasped. "That's why it's funny! And you didn't even try to deny that she's your girlfriend... "

"Shut up!" I snarled. Now it was me trying to pry his hands off. "You're such an idiot!"

And just like that.

He stopped laughing.

I flinched about to speak when I noticed he wasn't looking at me. His bicoloured eyes weren't focused on anything at all.

When he snapped out of it, he looked at me... Like he knew something I didn't...

Something devastating.

"Go to the lake."

He stood, yanking the butterfly jar out of my hands.

"What...?" I could get the question out as he gave me a shove.

"I'm going to get a doctor." He turned, leaving me standing there with a single word.

"Run."

I don't know why I listened to him.

Why I was afraid of what I might find.

He couldn't have known. It was impossible.

But as I stumbled to a stop, panting at the same place I had left her...

It was to the sight of the older brother, Alex, carrying a pale, limp body out of the water.

Swearing, the red-head placed the soaking wet child on the bank, lying them on their side in the recovery position.

She wasn't moving.

I had left her alone.

"... Maddison!"