"All right, guys! Time to start!" Everyone quieted down and a few were looking at me. She stood and looked at me, also. "We have a newcomer. Her name is Courtney, and I expect you all to treat her well during her stay." She sat back down and crossed her legs. "Who would like to start?" Silence for a few seconds.

"They have tater tots for lunch today," one girl said, smiling.

"Oh, are you actually going to eat them," another girl said, smirking. The first girl that spoke frowned and pursed her lips. The mean one looked at me with the same expression on her face. "Why are you here?"

"Korryn, stop," the leader lady said.

"We wanna know, Becky. Looks like bitch has some secrets," Korryn said.

"We all do," a boy said, looking disgusted with her. He was tall, had short light brown hair, and wore black jeans with a long sleeved black shirt. He looked miserable. I had to admit, he was cute. He looked at me and gave me a half smile.

"But I wanna know hers." She was looking straight at me as she said it. I didn't say a word. I just stared back at her with a straight face. I wasn't taking shit from anyone in this place.

"Korryn, I'm going to send you to lockup if you don't shut your mouth," leader lady said. A look of utter fear took over Korryn's smirk and changed it to a flat line. She sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest.

For the rest of the hour, everyone just talked about anything that was bothering them. By the end, I knew everyone's names. Remembering them was a different story.

As I was walking out of the room and down the hall to where my individual session would be, a girl (Rachel I think) was walking next to me. I looked at her and she was staring at my hair.

"I love how it looks," she said quietly. "It looks so soft. Can I touch it?" I blushed a little but nodded. She touched my hair gently and smiled.

"I really love it." I caught a glimpse of her arm and saw a raised scar covering the entire underside of her forearm. It looked like it had been burnt. I didn't stare.

"My parents never let me dye my hair," she continued saying. "They said how so many people would love to have my hair color, but I hate it." It was a really nice auburn color. Hell, I'd trade mine for hers.

"I like it," I murmured. "I would trade." I sounded like a robot. God.

"Really?" Her face lit up at the small compliment. She skipped away, waving. "I'll see you later!" She was so happy, I couldn't believe it. I walked until I got to the room my new therapist was in. I knocked. She opened the door with a smile.

"Hi, Courtney, come on in," she said warmly. I went in and looked around. This was different than Susan's office. This one looked fun, like it was specifically for someone my age. I saw a dish chair and instantly sat down in it, crossing my legs. The woman took a seat at her desk which had her computer on it. She closed it and turned her chair to me.

"I'm Dr. Serandon, but you can call me Jessica," she said. She was young. I mean, brand-new-out-of-college young. She had dark curly hair and light skin. She looked like someone that got along with everyone in high school. I nodded to acknowledge what she had said. She picked up a folder off her desk; my old one Susan had. Great.

"I have all of your information right here, so you don't need to tell me anything you already told your old therapist." I nodded again. She sighed. "You're a quiet one. How is your first day going?" I didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"How long am I staying here," I asked softly.

"As long as it takes us to profile you, get you the medication you need-"

"Medication?" My eyes were wide, staring at her.

"Depends," she said. "It all depends on how you progress." She looks at the file again. "We need to get you eating, we need you to stop cutting..." She closed it. "We need to make sure you're safe before we release you. And we need to make sure Brian is a safe guardian for you."

"You're seriously going to let him take care of me again?" I hadn't blinked yet.

"Unless you don't want him to-"

"No!" I put my hands out to stop her from saying anymore. "I'm just... surprised that anyone would let that happen..." I finally looked away.

"We're hoping you can both be healed by the time you are let back into his custody." I nodded.

"What exactly will Brian be doing while I'm in here?"

"I'm not totally sure. If you mean medically, he'll be seeing Susan once a week. Personally, we're all hoping he can focus on other things besides you." I felt like she was keeping something from me. She knew I was waiting for her to continue. She sighed and put the folder down, then looked at me. "We are going to monitor your visits with him." I nodded.

"I expected that," I said quietly. She pursed her lips. There was something else.

"We are also going to limit how often he visits you." My heart dropped.

"H-how oft-ten," I asked, my voice shaking. She took a deep breath.

"Once a month." My ears started ringing. The room was spinning. I felt like I was going to be sick. I couldn't do that. I couldn't. They lied. He lied. He said he'd be here everyday. Out of nowhere, I heard him. Outside the room. In the hall, arguing with someone.

"I have to give this to her, she needs this," he was telling someone. I bolted out of my chair and out the door, and I saw him down the hall. He saw me, too, and we ran to each other and he caught me in a hug. I was crying hysterically.

"They're not gonna let me see you! Only once a month! I can't do that, please Brian take me home!" I realized by the end that I was screaming. I had never held onto him as tight as I was. I saw that Jessica was behind me along with a few orderlies, but none of them did anything.

"Shh Courtney calm down, it's okay," Brian said as he rubbed my back. "No one will ever take you from me."

Notes

Mmmmm damn good ending.

LOL JK. This was originally going to be the end, but a lot of people wanted me to continue and honestly I don't know what I'd do if I ended this story lololol.

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