39. The Only Kind Of Running I Do
Well, my mom was able to get security to drive away the paparazzi from Jean's loft, but she still came back home anyway. They followed us around, her more than me. I could survive them as long as they kept their distance and didn't corner me every second.
I didn't talk to my mom much, but we didn't argue either. Jean was the common ground that got us to be civil to each other I guess.
All this was exhausting.
"Miss Hall?" Mr. Wilden called.
My eyes snapped back to meet his.
"You're not paying attention," he observed.
I sat up. "Sorry."
He nodded and went back to saying whatever it was that I didn't listen to. I glanced at Sienna. Her eyes were fixed on the board, but I could tell she wasn't present either. She barely said anything to me after telling me off in the hallway the other day.
When class was over, she was out of there faster than lightning.
I adjusted my backpack on my shoulder before heading out to the courtyard. Autumn was definitely here, and soon enough we'd have to start eating lunch in the cafeteria because it would start snowing.
I spotted Aaron standing at his end and went to meet him.
He greeted me by kissing me on the cheek. "Hey."
I got shy when it came to any form of PDA, but I ignored the stares. We had been going out for almost two weeks, and every time he kissed me and people were around they would look at us like we just stepped out of a spaceship that landed from Mars. It was crazy, I know.
"How's Jean?"
"For the thousandth time, she's doing okay," I smiled. "A lot of legal stuff, but she'll be fine."
"I know," he chuckled lightly. "I just can't shake the sight. If anyone touched my sister like that I would decapitate him and hang his head up so he can watch me maim the rest of his body."
Dark.
I cocked an eyebrow. "Have you been talking to Shannon?"
He chuckled. "She has a very twisted way of thinking."
Speaking of Shannon.
"Hey losers!" I heard her call. "Over here."
I looked over and saw her sitting at a lunch table away from our school's side, with Justin.
I shook my head and pulled Aaron along with me.
"Ah young love," Justin joked. "Makes you want to puke doesn't it?"
"Shut up," Aaron retorted.
"So, which do you like best?" Shannon gushed, sliding a paper towards me.
I stared at the list. "Uh...what is this?"
"The names of your children silly," she replied with an eye roll. "Justin thinks my names are shit so prove him wrong."
"These are much better," Justin said, passing his own paper.
Aaron arched an eyebrow and began reading. "Justin the second, Justin the third, Justin the fourth, Justine, Justina...dude...we are not naming our children after you."
What?!
I stopped them from going any further, pretending that Aaron didn't just casually talk about our possible future kids. "Okay, can we hop off the crazy train for a second? One step at a time please."
Aaron laughed and snaked his arm around my waist, and I felt like exploding and raining butterflies everywhere.
I was still getting used to this, him, showing me how he felt in front of everyone. He was my first boyfriend after all.
He noticed I was flustered and chuckled. "You're cute."
Shannon squealed, reminding me that she and Justin were still there. "You two are so precious!"
I only shook my head and snatched the bag of potato chips in front of her. The four of us ate and talked, sharing...or rather stealing one another's food.
"Morgan," a voice sneered.
Oh no.
"Well this is interesting," came another.
I lifted my gaze and saw Macy and Paige.
"Oh lookie here," Shannon said smugly. "Where's Sienna? Did she finally ditch you two and turn the three stooges into two?"
Paige smirked. "Play nice Shannon, play nice."
"It's rich how you two always find your way to harass us somehow," Shannon chuckled. "I'd say it's an unhealthy obsession."
Macy rolled her eyes. "You run your mouth a lot don't you?"
Shannon winked. "Sweetheart that's the only kind of running I do."
Macy opened her mouth but Paige stopped her. "Don't bother...she'll get what's coming to her."
"Is that a threat Paige?" I asked, finally speaking.
She just smirked, and then she walked away, Macy trotting behind her.
"She's um...interesting," Aaron remarked.
"And hot," Justin added.
Shan smacked his head. "You know where else is hot? Hell. Get with her and that's where she'll take you."
I laughed, and then the bell rang.
"Well gotta go," Justin said quickly. "Can't land myself another detention."
He gathered his stuff and nodded, leaving.
Shannon got up too. "I just don't want to third wheel you guys while you suck face."
I stuck my tongue out at her and she winked, making sure to annoy Aaron by ruffling his hair before leaving.
Aaron chuckled. "I'll meet you at the park?"
I nodded. "Mhm."
He tucked my hair behind my ear and leaned closer. "And I'll be thinking of you the entire time till then."
I smiled. "Aaron? People are here."
"Morgan? I don't care," he smirked, before placing his lips on mine.
I couldn't function properly whenever he kissed me.
"I'll see you," I said.
He chuckled and placed one more kiss on my forehead. "That you will."
He left and I smiled to myself. Sometimes I worried that I may be falling too fast.
Oh who was I kidding. I'd already fallen pretty hard.
I sighed. Damn you Aaron.
~~~~~
After meeting Aaron in the park I went home. I stepped into the living room and was met with a pleasant surprise.
I smiled. "Laurel, what are you doing here?"
She turned with a grin of her own. Her hair was much longer than the last time I saw her. "Morgan, hello."
Jean put the glass she held on the table. "Laurel um...came to check on me. She's also helping with my case."
Right, her preliminary hearing was in a couple of days.
"I saw how Scott was with her one time they were both in London," Laurel explained. "The bastard didn't like me very much, but I stuck around."
"Laurel is...testifying," Jean continued.
"Oh, so you're just here for the trial then Laurel?" I asked.
She chuckled. "Well, that and the fact that I've missed your sister."
I tried to keep the smirk off my face. "Mhm."
Maybe it was too soon for Jean, but I'd support anyone who helped her move on from Scott.
"Yours and Aaron's testimonies will probably do me some good though," she said. "But you don't have to if you don't want to."
I thought about Aaron. Would he want the attention?
"I probably can, but I'll have to ask him," I told her.
The doorbell rang, and I turned back on my heels to go and see who it was. When I opened the door, a man in a gray trench coat stood there.
"Excuse me, is Jean Hall here?"
I nodded and yelled to my sister. "Jean it's for you."
She came to the door seconds later with Laurel.
"Are you Jean Hall?" the man asked.
She nodded. "I am."
He handed her a brown envelope. "You've been served."
With that, he walked away.
I looked at Jean in confusion. "What was that about?"
She shook her head as she ripped the envelope open. "I guess we'll find out."
She read its contents, and then frowned. "Morgan, I think I'll definitely need you and Aaron to testify now more than ever."
"What's wrong?"
"It's Scott," she said in disbelief, showing the papers to Laurel and I. "He's suing me...for slander and defamation."
~~~~~
"What a bitch," Shannon remarked. "Can't even own up for his own shit."
"I know," I agreed. "Jean's lawyer says we'll most likely have to take the stand."
"Are you okay to do that?"
"I guess," I shrugged. "It's for Jean, I'd do anything for her."
"And Aaron?"
"Not sure," I answered.
Speaking of Aaron.
"Here he comes, I said. "I'll talk to you later."
"Alrighty, bye."
She hung up and I put my phone in the pocket of my blazer, smiling at my boyfriend.
Boyfriend.
That still seemed surreal to me.
He pulled me into a hug and I rested my cheek on his chest and sighed, inhaling every bit of him.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
I chuckled. "Why do you think something's wrong?"
"I know you," he said. "And besides...you have that sigh."
"That sigh?" I laughed.
He nodded, brushing my hair out of my face. "You know, that I'm carrying the whole world on my shoulders sigh."
I rolled my eyes but kept smiling. "I'm not carrying the world."
He chuckled, and then kissed me.
"What was that for?"
"Sometimes I'm just reminded of how lucky I am that I have you," he replied.
I tore my gaze from his and he laughed.
"Morgan?"
"Hm?" I answered.
"Look at me," he teased.
I reluctantly rose my eyes to meet his. "I'm looking."
"Good," he said. "And keep your head up okay? Always."
What did I do to deserve him?
"So," I began, getting to the point. "Scott Wilde is playing a...dirty game."
"How dirty?"
"Real dirty," I said. "Would you be willing to testify? You don't have to if-"
"If it means he gets what he deserves, then I don't mind," he interrupted.
I sighed in relief and hugged him. "Thank you."
He hugged me back. "You should know by now Morgan, that I would cross oceans for you. If you want me to help, I will."
Cue the zoo animals inside me.
"I have to go see my therapist."
"So that means I have to let you go?" he asked.
"Only for now," I chuckled.
"Come back to me?"
He was so cute.
I smiled. "I will."
"Good," he said, before lowering his head to kiss me once more.
This time I let it linger, pressing my lips onto his deeply, entirely captivated by him.
"I have to go now," I smiled.
He pulled away and chuckled. "Have fun."
"We both know I won't," I said before letting myself into my car.
He shook his head in amusement as I drove away to my mandated therapy session. When I got there, I checked in like usual and went up to Dr. Marin's office.
She was all smiles, shocker.
I took a seat, waiting for her to begin.
"Well Morgan, how are you today?"
"Fine," I answered truthfully.
"Do you want to talk about anything or do you want us to continue from where we left off?"
I shrugged. "We can continue."
She nodded. "Well Morgan, given your responses over the last couple of sessions, I'd say that you have a mild case of claustrophobia."
I chuckled skeptically. "I'm pretty sure I'm not claustrophobic."
"Really, why?" she asked, looking like she knew my reason was going to be shit.
"Well for starters I rode the elevator up here, I wouldn't be able to do that if I was would I?" I pointed out.
"Anxiety is triggered by many things Morgan," she told me. "Things which differ from person to person. For you, it's being surrounded by people."
"I can be around people," I said. "I've been to parties...concerts..."
She nodded. "Yes, but you've never been the center of attention. Morgan I'd like to read you some of your responses. You said that you felt cornered, like you couldn't breathe and we're going to suffocate, afraid, li-"
"I get it," I said softly.
I thought about it. I mean, I always thought my desire to be invisible was normal. Then again there had been certain moments in my life that I guess I could attribute to that. Like when I was ten and I freaked out when my family gathered around me to sing happy birthday...or once when I thought I was going to die in P.E. after three other girls tackled me at once.
"What, so I've just been walking around with it all my life and I never even knew?" I asked.
"Different circumstances trigger your anxiety," she said. "But all with one common factor. You mentioned you'd never really been in the spotlight until recently. I suppose the sudden change could have intensified it."
I shook my head. "No, there's nothing wrong with me."
There couldn't be. That would only mean that my mother was right, and I was messed up in the head.
She couldn't be right.
"Morgan there's a lot of things we can do to help you cope," Dr. Marin informed me. "There's medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, visualization exercises-"
I got up, interrupting her. "You're very good at your job Dr. Marin, I respect that. Just please don't let my mom know I'm sick in the head, because well I'm not."
"Don't put it like that dear," she said. "A lot of people manage this, it's really nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn't make you any less of a pers-"
"I have to go," I interrupted once more. "There's doctor-patient confidentiality right? You can't say anything to anyone."
"But we've barely begun."
"I'll see you later Dr. Marin!" I said, ignoring the fact.
I walked out of the building and to my car, sighing once I sat down.
What if there was more wrong with me? My mom couldn't be right, I'd hate it.
"Claustrophobia my ass," I muttered, turning on the ignition.
I drove to the park and found Aaron sitting on the bench, listening to music on his iPod. I sat beside him.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be in therapy?" he asked.
I nodded. "I am."
"Want to talk about why you're not?"
"Nope," I answered.
He chuckled, and then handed me one of his earphones. "Should we just shut up and watch the pretty sunset?"
I put it in my ear and sighed, leaning my head on his shoulder. "Just shut up and watch the pretty sunset."
A/N
They're so cute I could die...ugh. If only I could order an Aaron online.
If only.
Some of you guessed Morgan's diagnosis though so good for you!
Anyway, you know what to do! :)
- amani