Gwen's POV
I pulled up into the parking lot of a cute little building.
The sun was shining and honestly I could feel myself melting. Why must Orlando be so hot all the time?
My sisters and I walked into the building, immediately staring at the familiar interior upon entrance.
I go there a couple times a month. Mostly, when I feel like it and I rarely ever do, but everyone says it's good for me, so I do. I don't really enjoy it. I just don't want to let anyone down.
"Tanya, Avery, take care of each other, okay?" I said and they nodded, then started making their way to the waiting area.
I walked down a long corridor and found myself in front of a red door. The same red door I've been entering for the past four years.
I opened the door and immediately saw my psychiatrist, Mrs. Emerson, seated on her little stool, waiting for me patiently.
She's a middle aged woman. She's stick thin and her ash blonde hair was pinned neatly at the back of her head as usual.
"Gwen, it's good to see you. Are you okay?" she asked and I nodded. Then she motioned for me to lie down on the red leather couch, so I did.
"How are your nightmares? No improvements?" she asked and I shook my head.
All these meetings go the exact same way. She asks me the exact same questions every single time, and I make it a point to shake my head at every single one of them. I never really speak. I only speak when I really have to. Like, when the question requires a full explanation instead of a yes or a no, or in my case, a nod or a shake of my head.
She asked me the same questions, gave me a few recommendations for pills that I should, but probably won't, take, and told me to have a good day when most likely it will be the exact opposite. At least when evening arrives.
I was about halfway to the door when she called my name and made me turn around.
"Actually, I have another patient, and he's experiencing the same thing you are... Maybe, you can try helping each other," she said and I just nodded my head. She knew very well that I wasn't interested, but she just kept on talking.
"I'll let you meet him next week," she added, but I was already out the door, not wanting anyone to help me anymore. She's been trying to help me for four years and I'm still a mess. What more can a boy my age do for me?
I was walking back to the waiting area where my siblings were, until I bumped into someone, making me fall over, but he didn't even flinch.
I looked up, irritation evident in my expression. Then, I saw a familiar blonde standing over me with a blank expression on his face.
"Watch where you're going," he said harshly, and I could feel my anger boiling inside of me, but I forced myself to remain calm and put on a fake smile.
"I'm sorry," I said through gritted teeth, but he wasn't even paying attention anymore. He stepped to the the side and continued walking down the corridor like nothing happened at all.
I just stayed there on the floor and looked at him in awe and utter annoyance. First he tells me to stop talking to him. Then, he bumps into me in the hallway and doesn't even bother to help me up.
I'm guessing he wasn't just acting out last night when I first saw him. He's probably a complete asshole in general.
I walked into the waiting room where I found Tanya and Avery flipping through some magazines, and right beside them were the boys from last night.
I noticed the dark-haired boy trying to strike up a conversation with Tanya, but I knew she wouldn't reply. She hasn't said one word since our parents died.
"Come on, let's go," I said and they followed close behind me as we walked back to my car.
I put on my seatbelt and took one more look inside the building, where I noticed the two boys staring at me.
I started up the engine and began driving away, knowing very well that their eyes were probably still following me to wherever I was going. To how far their eyes could see.
"So how was it?" Avery asked, referring to my meeting with Dr. Emerson.
"The usual".
~~~~~~~~
Four o' clock in the morning is a pretty unusual time to think about exercising, but there I was, in the local park, jogging around in circles.
I had woken up from another nightmare and I honestly just needed some fresh air.
I stopped by a tall oak tree to catch my breath, when I saw a silhouette of someone not too far away from where I was. And being the curious person that I am, I followed the mysterious figure.
I was able to catch up with whoever it was a few minutes later, and I started to regret it right after I noticed his dirty blonde hair, which seemed to look blue underneath the light of the lamp posts that surrounded us.
He let out an irritated sigh and started jogging faster in an attempt to leave me behind, but I kept up with his pace.
"Gwen, go away," he groaned and the way he said my name sent chills down my spine. His voice was so cold and unwelcoming that I almost did as I was told.
"What are you doing here at 4 am?" I asked, completely ignoring what he had just said.
"Shouldn't I ask you the same thing?"
"Well, I asked first," I said and I couldn't help but notice an amused smile creeping onto his face.
"Ladies first," he replied and by this point I was already highly annoyed with him.
I rolled my eyes, but then I realized if I wanted him to answer my question I'd have to answer his.
"I had a pretty bad nightmare and decided to get some fresh air" I replied honestly, then looked at him, waiting for the answer that I wanted from him.
"How bad was it?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.
"It was terrible."
"How so?"
"You ask a lot of questions," I said, punching him hard on the shoulder, but he didn't even flinch.
"Well, you're really bad at answering them," he replied, quickening his pace and I did the same, not wanting to be left behind.
There was a silence right after and I noticed him stop by a lamp post to catch his breath for a moment, but I continued jogging. I've had enough of him for today.
I was already a good ten feet away from him, when I heard footsteps right behind me.
"Stop following me," I snapped.
"I'm not following you, I'm just jogging in your direction."
This is only the first time I've actually had a proper conversation with him, and he was already being such a smartass.
"You're annoying," I said as he was now walking at the same pace as I was.
"I'd say the same to you."
"I'm sorry, I don't know you," I said in an attempt to make him go away.
"I'm Connor," he replied, holding out his hand for me to shake it.
"Oh, so you're a gentleman now?"
Connor dropped his hand back to his side and I could tell he was holding back a laugh, but he failed.
I was surprised by his sudden change in emotion. One minute he's scowling at me and the next he was laughing at my sarcasm.
Suddenly, I heard my phone ring and I picked it up, not really caring if Connor listened to my conversation or not.
"Hello?"
"Gwen, where are you? We're hungry," I heard Avery say, and I could picture Tanya standing beside her, nodding and rubbing her stomach.
"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes." Then, I hung up.
"What time is it?" Connor suddenly asked from beside me.
I noticed the sun was beginning to rise and I assumed it was somewhere around six o' clock.
"I'm gonna go, I have to take my sisters out to breakfast," I said and he nodded, but still kept on following me.
"Stop following me," I said once more and he shook his head in amusement.
"Haven't we already been over this," he replied and I looked back to see him flashing the straightest row of teeth I'd ever seen in my life. He looked like a totally different person when he smiled.
"Besides, I have to buy breakfast for my brothers too," he added.
"Oh, so those two boys yesterday were your brothers," I said, thinking out loud, and he nodded.
"Where are your parents?" I asked and I noticed his jaw clench. His eyes suddenly turning dark as his eyebrows furrowed with irritation and a hint of anger.
"Get away from me," he said coldly and started walking in the opposite direction, getting further away from me with each step he took.
I just stood there watching him brush his blonde bangs out of his eyes in frustration. He continued to walk away, until he was just a little speck in the distance. Barely visible, but still there.
I couldn't process what had just happened and why he seemed so upset about the simple question I'd asked him.
It seemed to be an extremely sensitive topic for him, and, me being myself, I was determined to find out why.