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19

Philadelphia Centre for Therapeutic Growth -9:30am

''Good Morning Miss Matthews, welcome to our therapy centre. Please sign your name here and here. Then we will guide you to your therapy room where members of the group are waiting for you.''

The clerk wheels her towards a long white hallway. Entering a room that reminds her of her grandparents living room. Her anxieties heighten as all eyes direct towards her.

''Welcome everybody, I'm Freida your therapist. As per usual whenever we have a new group we're going, to begin with, introductions and tell the group a little bit about ourselves.''

Riley intakes her current surroundings with hesitancy. Ahead of her are two boys, one with dark chocolate hair and quite lanky. The other with caramel locks and grey orbs an inch shorter than the boy on his side. To her right is a rather short blonde girl, estimated at about 5'0 t 5'1. The other girl has black locks and chocolate orbs, possibly an inch taller than the other girl. 

As she is prompted to introduce herself, two more boys enter the building. One an African American about 6'2 and the other blue-eyed and lanky around 6'0. Riley is relieved when the blonde takes initiative and begins speaking.

''Well, I'll start, I'm Maya and I'm here to deal with separation anxiety. My mother passed away when I was 7 and even though I love my father, it's hard. She passed away from a car accident on the way home from work. My mother and father had been married since they were 18. I was an unexpected pregnancy at 16 and neither sides of the family approved of the relationship. But Mom and Dad were hellbent on staying together. After Mom passed away, I was afraid that Dad would leave too. Even though he has remarried now and I love my step-mom and step-siblings, I always have that fear that Dad is going to leave one day and never come back.''

Riley reaches her hand out and squeezes Maya's hand for support. 

''Thank you, Maya, I know how difficult this has been for you to talk about. Who would like to go next?''

Maya nudges the girl sitting directly beside her. The brunette with glasses picks at the skin on her thumb as she speaks hesitantly.

''I'm Isadora and I deal with clinical depression in addition to Asperger's syndrome. I guess you could say that I was always different from my peers. Nobody really quite understood me or what was going on in my head. Which made me angry and feel like people saw me as an easy target to take advantage of. My Mom, although she's an excellent physician, it's almost as if when it comes to my medical needs she seems to forget all of her previous education. My father's never been in the picture. Bolted as soon as he found out about me and my twin brother. Mom's getting remarried in the fall, the guy's really nice, but it's been hard to adjust to this change. But I'll get better in time, I just know it''

Riley feels as if her issues are minuscule compared to Maya and Isadora's. She had parents who loved her. Shawn and Angela love her, Lucas is the perfect boyfriend. She's only here to please her doctors. 

''That was extremely brave of you, Isadora, Asher, would you like to go next?''

Asher acknowledges the women with a soft grin. Wringing his fingers in a circular motion. Staring at this motion as he begins to unravel.

''My mother's a self-professed drunk and drug addict. Molly, oxycodone, heroin, you name it, I've seen her under the influence of it. My father does his best to keep him, my sister and me afloat. We've moved about every six months since I was 7. That's how long Mom can go without getting fired or getting arrested. My Dad would leave her because he knows if he does that she won't survive a week. So I feel grateful that I got a scholarship to Harvard for next fall. I've done everything I can to be a 'well rounded' A-plus student to get a scholarship. Because lord knows my mother would never have the money to pay for my college tuition. I know my mother's a toxic person and I should leave, but I can't, I can't do that to my Dad and sister.  I'm sorry, I just need a moment''