What Are We Payne?

Chapter 25: New Beginnings

JESS’S POV

After getting off the plane I picked up my luggage from the carousel and headed to the pickup section.  Someone from the center was going to pick me up. A young woman was holding a board with my name on it; I smiled at her before walking over. She put the board at her feet and stuck out her hand, ‘Chrissy, nice to meet you.’

‘Jess, obviously,’ I said with a giggle before smiling and following her out of the airport. She unlocked a red Honda Jazz, she opened the boot and I loaded my bags into it. Chrissy made her way to the driver’s seat. I buckled myself into the passenger’s seat. ‘What do you do at the clinic Chrissy?’ I asked we were out of the airport car park.

‘I’m a musician and I hang with the girls and guys there and teach music and things like that,’ she said as we veered off the highway. ‘Awesome,’ I exclaimed excitedly.

‘So you play an instrument?’ Chrissy asked as we pulled up at the clinic. I hopped out of the car and followed her to the boot. ‘Yeah I play the drums,’ I replied getting my bags out of the boot. I grab my back pack and the bag on wheels while Chrissy grabs the other bag. ‘Very nice,’ Chrissy said with a giggle as we walked into what I presumed was the reception. Chrissy was greeted with heaps of hellos as we walked inside. The lady from behind the counter handed me a key, the key ring on it read, ‘ED 12,’ which obviously meant that everyone with eating disorders stayed in the same area, and that I was in room 12. I’m a little nervous to meet my new roommate; I’m not spectacular with strangers. We turn away from the counter, in front of me stands a brunette with piercing blue eyes. She is slightly shorter than I am. ‘Hey Abbey this is Jess,’ Chrissy says pointing to Abbey. She smiles politely.

‘Hi Jess nice to meet you,’ she says sticking her hand out. I shake her hand before picking up my bags and following them down a few corridors. ‘Abbey will be your roommate for the time that you’re here Jess,’ Chrissy said as Abbey unlocked the door and let us in, I threw all of my bags on the floor and walked in further to inspect the room. ‘You girls have another half an hour of free time, and then you’ll need to come down okay?’ Chrissy stated, I nodded in reply. ‘Okay I’ll see you girls soon,’ Chrissy said before closing the door behind her. I looked around the dorm, there was a couch, a desk and a TV in one room and a second room contained two single beds. ‘So I assume we have a shared bathroom?’ I said heaving all of my stuff into the bedroom.

‘Yeah,’ Abbey replied sitting on what I assumed was her bed, so I started unpacking my things into the cupboard next to the other bed. ‘Well as you already know, my name is Abbey, I’m 20 years old and I’ve been here for two weeks,’ Abbey said as I continued to unpack my things. ‘My name’s Jessica, but everyone calls me Jess, I’m 19 years old and I’ve been here for about 3 minutes,’ I said laughing at the last bit, thankfully Abbey laughed too. ‘So what goes on here?’ I ask putting my empty bags underneath my bed.

‘Lots of group sessions, talking to councillor alone and then just like activities to have fun and get whatever you’re feeling out.’ Abbey said as I sat on my bed cross legged, facing her. ‘If you don’t mind me asking, what do you have?’ Abbey admitted, I took a breath before replying. ‘Anorexia, it’s been two years since I stopped eating properly and I’ve been diagnosed with it for about 3 months.’ I said, and Abbey nodded in reply. ‘What about you?’ I asked, before responding Abbey smiled weakly. ‘I have Anorexia too, I was diagnosed with it three weeks ago, but I have no idea when it started,’ she said, frowning a little at the end of her explanation. ‘You up for a game of 20 Questions? So we can get to know each other quickish?’ Abbey asked, I nodded this was a god idea. ‘You start,’ Abbey said. I had to think for a minute before coming up with a question. ‘Where are you from?’ I asked, I assumed that I would answer the question after she had responded. ‘Melbourne, you?’

‘I’m from Wolverhampton, but I’ve been living in Melbourne for the last 1 and a half years,’ I responded.

‘That explains the awesome accent,’ Abbey exclaimed. ‘Um… Got any pets?’ Abbey asked, and I just I shook my head. ‘I have a dog and a cat,’ Abbey said.

We finished off our game of 20 Questions on our way down to reception, ‘so what are we doing?’ I asked Abbey once we reached the lobby. ‘We have art time,’ Abbey said with a smile. I let out a groan, this will be fun, I have the artistic abilities of a rock. ‘What was that for?’ Abbey asked as I followed her to what I presumed was the art facilities. ‘Nothing, it’s just that I have the artistic abilities of a rock,’ I said, repeating my earlier thoughts, Abbey laughed at my remark as we continued to walk. We finally approached a door, Abbey opened the door and I followed her inside. There were small clusters of girls hanging around, Abbey walked up to the staff member at the front of the room. ‘This is Jess,’ she said pointing me out to the middle-aged man that sat before us.

‘Hi,’ I said with a smile. He put out his hand and I gave it a quick shake.

‘Nice to meet you Jess, I’m Matt. I supervise art,’ he said. ‘Find a seat and decide what you want to do,’ he said gesturing to a free table towards the back of the room. ‘What does he mean when you decide?’ I asked as Abbey and I took a seat. ‘You just choose what you want to do and work on it,’ she replied. ‘I’m still working on a drawing,’ she added, ‘do you know what you want to do?’ She said standing up. I shook my head, ‘we have so many resources, there must be something you want to do,’ Abbey said before going to find her drawing and a tin of pencils. I’ve got it, I smile triumphantly as Abbey returns. ‘What’s the plan Jess?’ Abbey said laying her things on the table. I look at the sketch in front of me. I can tell it’s only rough but it’s absolutely incredible, a gorgeous shot of a cat snuggling with a puppy. Abbey noticed me inspecting her work, ‘that’s my gorgeous puppy and moody cat,’ Abbey said selecting a pencil. ‘I’m going to make a mosaic, it’s not going to require like any artistic skill,’ I say with a laugh, Abbey just rolls her eyes at me. I stood up and talked to the teacher about getting supplies.