It's 10:30pm when Sebastian and I are escorted by a small energetic blonde woman, who introduces herself as Carla, into Redwood Pines. The place looks more like a large old fashion lake house than a treatment center, sitting on a hill secluded by forest and in front of a lake with a private beach.

"Redwood is specifically for young men so everyone here is ages 16 to 35," she tells us. "Since this is residential you have a lot less restrictions here than you would in a hospital psychiatric unit. This building was actually built in the 1940's as a vacation home," she confirms my theory. "The owners of the center thought it would be a more comfortable setting to recover in."

We're brought through the mudroom and into a cozy and rustic looking living room. It does surprise me. I was expecting sterile and white walls like the hospital but this just looks like any other lake house.

"Why don't you two sit here and wait for Jeff to come and do your intake paperwork," Carla gestures to a large and very cushy and comfy looking cream colored couch before disappears up the large staircase. There's a woven blanket over the top which Sebastian drapes over himself when he sits down and curls up into himself. I sit down on the opposite side and tuck my legs under myself, taking in my settings. None of the furniture matches and the TV is incredibly outdated. The monster of a rug covering the living room floor is soft but faded with age. There's a large opening in the wall opposite the front door that leads in to a large country style kitchen. Behind the stairs which face the front door there's a hallway leading to god knows where. A large clock with different kinds of birds on it hangs on the wall across from where we're seated, ticking away the seconds noisily.

I glance over at Sebastian. He's hunched over and picking at a loose thread on the blanket, seemingly deep in thought. He notices me looking and sends me one of his crooked smiles.

"Nervous?" he asks with a small chuckle.

I answer honestly with a nod.

"Yeah, me too," he sighs, looking back at his lap. "I know I have to do this but that doesn't make it any less terrifying."

"What made you decide to get help?" The question slips from my lips without my permission. I don't want him to think I'm prying and I quickly explain, "I guess I'm curious since I can't imagine willingly sending myself away from everything that makes me feel better."

"Yeah, I couldn't imagine it either until about a week ago when I almost died from an overdose. I knew what was happening and managed yell for my roommate before I passed out. Told her I wanted help. She called 911." He looks down, regret in his prematurely aged features, "The withdrawals were terrible. Heroin is a bitch."

"Is that why you're insisting on wearing a hoodie? To cover the track marks and bruising, I mean," I pry without thinking about it but a moment later cringe realizing what I asked was way to personal.

He doesn't seem to mind though and shrugs. "I guess. They'll make me wear one here till everything fades or at least bandages on my arms to keep me from triggering anyone else." Sebastian looks at me again and gives me smirk, "I don't mind the question but I think I kind of have a right to ask what got you here now."

"My mom," I tell him, dodging what I know he's actually asking. For some reason I can't bring myself to utter 'cocaine and alcohol'. It may have become clear to me that I have problem but I can't bring myself to admit it. That would make everything too real.

"Getting to know each other?" A man with short brown hair dressed in a white polo shirt and khaki shorts comes down the stair case, interrupting us. He looks way too clean cut to be a patient.

"I'm Jeff," he introduces himself as he sits on a cushy flannel patterned chair next to the couch. For some reason I like him right away, he has a kind smile and eyes. "I'll be doing your intake." He flips through the papers for a moment before glancing at Sebastian. "I wish you didn't have to come back but I'm glad you're reaching out for help," he tells him with a gentle smile.

Sebastian gives what I've come to think of as his signature half smile back. "Yeah. Two times the charm. Heh heh," his laugh isn't genuine but more or less trying to break up awkward tension that he must be feeling.

"Better late than never, right?" Jeff says as he clicks out his pen and sets down the paper work. "You guys don't mind doing your intake together, right? I mean, you'll know more about each other than you'll ever want to over the next years, so might as well get a head start," he chuckles.

"Yeah, that's cool," Sebastian agrees. I nod my approval.

"Alright. So, Alois Trancy, born November 5th, 1997," Jeff looks at me for conformation of what he stated.

"Yes," I tell him.

"What?! Dude, you're way too young to be fucking around with that shit!" Sebastian cries, looking at me with extremely wide eyes.

I shrug. "You said you were here when you were 18," I remind him.

"Yeah, but, like," he sputters for a moment before finally deciding on, "that doesn't give you permission!"

"I didn't think I needed your permission," I mutter.

Jeff decides to break up our little disagreement. "Well, what's done is done, right? What matters is that you're both getting the help you need. Now, you'll have to take a drug test before you go to bed, but what do you think is your biggest problem substance?"

I look down and pick at the skin around my nails.

"Alois?" Jeff tries to get my attention.

I shrug.

"Don't feel like talking?"

My hair whips my face as I shake my head no, never looking up at Jeff and Sebastian who I'm sure are both staring at me.

He moves on to Sebastian, asking him how he's been and reconfirming all his information. I find out he's 25 and "definitely been better." That was a little obvious though, seeing as he's here.

It's getting close to midnight by the time they finish intake. I don't have to talk about what happened (though Jeff assures me I can't keep it to myself forever) but I do have to verify all my personal information.

"Why don't I show you to your rooms now?" Jeff says, "I know having your own room would be preferable, but you're both going to have roommates." I'm definitely not happy about that but I hope they'll put me with Sebastian since he doesn't seem to be a creep or weirdo.

Jeff leads us up the large staircase which empties into a long hall. It's dimly lit in a calming way and doors that I figure open to rooms are every 6 feet or so.

"Bathrooms are there," he points to the cracked door on one end of the hallway with light spilling from it, "and what we call the 'day room' is there," he points to the arch next to where the landing is that opens into what looks like a large room, though the lights are off so I can't really tell for sure. The bit of light from the hall does illuminate outlines of furniture. "There's a TV and a few video game systems in there, we also have some old board games and cards," Jeff tells us.

"But anyway, onto your rooms…" He knocks on a door a few down from the landing, with the name Claude in one of the slots, the other empty.

A guy probably about Sebastian's age with messy dyed plum colored hair answers in a few seconds. He's wearing a plain navy blue pullover sweat shirt and a pair of gray sweat pants.

"Yeah?"

"This is your new roommate, Sebastian," Jeff says to him as Sebastian gives an awkward wave.

"Oh, cool, come in," Claude gestures for Sebastian to follow him, though he seems unenthusiastic.

"I'll see you in the morning, I guess," Sebastian says to me, "goodnight and good luck."

"Yeah, you too," I force myself to give him a smile before he follows Claude into the mostly dark room. He's a nice guy and I'm admittedly disappointed that I don't get him as a roommate.

"And you'll be in here," Jeff knocks on the door on the opposite side of the hall closest to the bathrooms.

There's no response and after a minute Jeff knocks again. This time almost instantly the door is whipped open so hard it slams into the wall revealing a short and very thin blue haired kid wearing an eyepatch over his right eye sporting the angriest expression I may have ever seen.

"What?!"

"Eh…Alois, this is your roommate, Ciel."