stolen identity

Elliot furrowed his brows a tad as she spoke. The simple statement she mad ‘I do want to help you’ kept ringing in his head. Although her intensions were clearly good, the boy couldn’t help but question them. How could she want to help him when she didn’t even know him? How did she know he even needed help? How did she know he even deserved help? On the surface, Elliot was quick to deny that he needed help… He was quick to say that he was fine, and that nothing was wrong. However, he knew- no matter how hard it was for him to admit it out loud, that there was something wrong- many things wrong. And that he did need help. The main thing that kept him back wasn’t the refusal to believe he needed help, but the refusal to believe he deserved it. 

“Isn’t it…—hard? Working here?” He asked suddenly after a few seconds of internal monologuing. 

“It’s hard working plenty of places.” Tara said with a little shrug.

“U-Um…—Right… Alright.” He answered as if he was still going over the pros and cons of continuing to argue with the therapist. After a few more seconds, he let out a quick sigh and pushed his wheels forward to enter her office. “Sorry, for…— Y’know… being difficult, and all…” 

“You don’t have to be sorry.” Tara said with a little shrug as she looked back at him. “You don’t have to talk to me... but I do want to help you.”

“Well— then you could use this as a time to relax right? I– I’m sure you’re usually busy, right? Don’t you want a break? Or… something?” In Elliot’s mind, there was no way he’d allow himself to talk to anyone about– anything, so any therapy would just be a waste of time- for everyone involved. Maybe Tara needed a break! And then she could have a better chance of helping people who actually needed help, and people who had actual problems. 

Tara looked back at him steadily for a few moments before shaking her head. “I’ve just had a break but I don’t really mind being busy.” She told him, putting her pen down. “Comes with having a job anyway.” Especially one like hers. She knew he was trying to deflect.

Alastair was trying to build a mental map of the hospital, gently sliding his walking cane from one side to the other.  Although he’d never openly admit it, he was terrified. For obvious reasons, he wasn’t too fond of new places… At least at home and at school, he knew where everything was- including odd cracks in the floor or randomly placed poles or other things he could potentially walk into. His concentration was broken when he heard a lady’s voice directed towards him. At least— he assumed the question was for him. “I’m fine.” He muttered, not bothering to hide his annoyance. 

“Yeah, umm— Sorry.” He bit his lip, not sure how to explain his lurking. He had a therapy session scheduled with Tara in a few minutes, and he really did not want it. However, he knew if he didn’t show up, he’d just be more difficult than he already was, right? “I just– I think I have a meeting with you, umm— soon.” He spoke in a soft mumble with his head down. “But, um– I can go! If you have other stuff you’re supposed to be working on.” Honestly, it was less of an offer and more of a plead. 

Tara shook her head. “I really don’t.” But he looked a little desperate and she was used to seeing that look on the faces round here. “You can just sit if you like... we don’t have to talk about anything specific.”

“I just wanted to be out of my room for a little while”

“I know exactly where i’m going, how about yourself?”

“Sorry then. I’m all good.”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine… just tired.”

She went to argue but she didn’t want to get put into isolation so she sighed, deeply irritated. “Fine” she said through her teeth. “Tell him that too then.. please” she muttered.

Felicity was waiting a few minutes outside Tara’s office before the session started. Showing up a little early meant she was committed and alert… and fine. At least that was what she hoped to imply. When the office door opened, Felicity made her way into the room and sat down on the chair across from the therapist’s. On instinct, the girl smiled at the woman and hoped her facade was believable… she hoped she was completely opaque. 

“I’m feeling good.” She answered without any hesitation. At some points, Felicity felt a little guilty for lying so much… but it was the big picture that mattered. She didn’t belong to be at Brielle, so what was the harm in lying a little to get where she needed to be? “How are you feeling?” 

It was fairly common for the first response from a patient to that question to be something positive. Something along the lines of good or fine. Tara was used to it and she could understand because talking about your feelings and emotions wasn’t easy. Mental health, as a whole, wasn’t easy.

She smiled at her. “Yeah, fine. Thanks.” She glanced back down as she scribbled something on her notebook and then looked back up at Felicity. “Why don’t you tell me how the week has been?”

The name Felicity reminded her of her old name. Felicia. It wasn’t really the same but silly little things could bring it back. Her past. Her sister. The fact she could be busted for identity theft any time. Tara often pushed it to the back of her mind and she was quite good at it. Still sometimes the other Tara would push through to the front of her mind.

Tara stood up to leave the room and smiled at the girl sitting outside waiting. “Come on in.” She turned and held the door so Felicity could come into the room and she made her way over to her chair, sitting. She opened the notebook and looked up at the other girl, smiling again and hoping she was reassuring if nothing else but these things could be tough to start. “How are you feeling today?”

It was a relief that the girl had responded in such a friendly manner. Hannah had taken a chance by asking someone who was already doing something. “Well, I like sports,” She began, a grey tone in her voice, “but I can’t play them.”

Tara nodded a little, not knowing the girl in front of her was one of her new patients yet. “You can’t? Why not?”

“Evening tea is great.” Felicity agreed, elongating the middle of ‘great’ for a more enthusiastic effect. “I’ve got a bunch of camomile tea back at home.” She said before pausing for a moment. “Speaking of… that…” Felicity set the cup of tea down on the table and looked the therapist in the eyes, searching for any sort of reaction. She still tried to keep her smile on her face, but there was no doubt that her tone shifted to a slightly more serious one. “When am I going home? I mean…—Soon. Right?” 

Tara eyed the girl in front of her as she started switching the subject to when she could go home. Getting out of here, that’s all most of the patients ever seemed intent on and Tara supposed she probably couldn’t blame them. “That’s something we can talk about next time you come into the office.”