The Resident // Harry Styles H.S.

5

"Uhh.....sure. Did you....read anything........bad?" she asked me nervously.

"No no no.....I mean, well, yeah.....the stuff that happened in your life....was.....horrible. But nothing bad about YOU, Janel. I don't understand why you still live here, actually. You should have your own apartment, and a job, and a life outside of this place by now. Even your doctor says so on your chart..." I stopped, not wanting to say too much about her file. I didn't know how sensitive she might be about it.

"Yes. The doctor always tells me he wants to get me out of here soon, but he has to wait for the paperwork and all. I'm kind of scared, though. I wouldn't know what to do. But he says they'd put me somewhere where I could be coached through everything, until I learned it all and got the hang of it, then I'd be....free. It scares me though, because if I'm free, I'll have NO ONE around." she talked on and on, more than I ever heard her talk before. Telling her about leaving for the week was NOT gonna be easy, I was sure of it. She's in such a good mood today......and I might ruin it all.

She stopped talking and looked at me funny. Crap. She noticed the look on my face as I thought about leaving for the week. I just knew it.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Yep. I just knew it. I don't have much of a poker face when something's bothering me. I gotta work on that.

"I'm just gonna say this now, and get it out of the way" she looked concerned. "I have to leave for work tonight, and I'll be in other states all week....so I won't be able to come hang out with you for a whole week. I'm sorry, Janel....but I promise, the second I'm done work, I'll come straight back here and we'll hang out a LOT more." I hurried and got it all out, so she wouldn't be left hanging.

I waited for her reaction. She was still looking at me, but I could tell she was taking it in. Finally she looked down and sighed.

"Well, that's a bummer dude", was her response.

I had to laugh. "Bummer dude?? Where did you hear THAT saying?" I had to know.

"From Mtv." she said shyly, as if she had realized she'd said a naughty word.

I cracked up more. "I like it! You're so funny......dude" I laughed at her.

She smiled as if she was silently laughing inside. And then I heard it.

First some gasps escaped her mouth, then finally an actual "ha ha ha" came from her smiling lips.

It even startled her, because she stopped smiling, and looked up at me immediately, shocked.

I stopped laughing and my mouth dropped open.

"Janel! I've finally heard you laugh!"

"I think so?" she said.

And then both of us started laughing together. Seeing her laugh more and more was making me laugh more and more. We laughed for probably a minute or two. She even laughed out a tear in her right eye. God, she was so cute. Every bone in my body wanted to grab her into a big bear hug at that moment. But I knew I couldn't. It was kind of torturous.

After our post laughter sighs, she finally said "I think I know that you'll come back to see me when you can. Right?" she asked, looking up at me expectantly.

"I absolutely PROMISE, Janel. It's gonna be a long, boring week without you."

"Ok. Good. Then I'll wait" she said, smiling to me.

She finally took the file from my hands, and put it under her pillow.

"How much time do you have today?" she asked me.