Soooo I finally got around to actually putting this in story form. I'm not sure how long I'm going to make each chapter yet. I'm debating whether or not I want to do a bunch of shorter chapters like this one or do longer chapters. I usually like doing longer chapters as I feel more accomplished that way, but I guess it really depends on my time schedule. Well I hope you lie the read and please review! I think I'll do alternating perspectives maybe every two or so chapters. Again hope you like!
The air around them was overbearingly heavy, thick as a winter's blanket and as suffocating as summer's hellish humidity. Silence traced the air in weaving patterns, going through each atom in the room, infecting everything that had the potential to carry a noise. The windows rattled a tiny bit from the wind outside making an earthquake from a pin dropped on the floor. An awkwardness personified itself between the two women. Well, between the woman and the girl.
Sally Blofis' office was rather posh and very up to date with modern times with a flat screen TV, an austere desk meant for aesthetic more so than function, and two mega sized black bean bags that were more like black holes than seating. A funky lamp decorated the corner with bends and twists in its silvery post. The hardwood floors were darker than mocha and the rug decorating them whiter than the tundra. Yet, it still had a nostalgic feel of home and warmth. It felt as though a fire was burning somewhere, shedding its light and wellness to the occupants of the room despite there being no fireplace. If one tried hard enough, they might've even been able to smell chocolate chip cookies baking.
Piper wasn't sure if it was the place itself that gave off the comforting ambiance or Sally Blofis herself who seemed perfectly capable of bringing the particular air wherever she went. Even her smile when she greeted Piper reeked of happiness, patience, and the general sense of being safe.
Piper hated it.
Just Sally's smile made it hard for her to keep up her tantrum. She knew sixteen was way too old to be acting the way she was, but at the moment she honestly and truly did not care. Piper wanted to throw a tantrum and she would. She'd throw the best goddamn tantrum on the planet including feet stomping, the silent treatment, and other arrays of childish behavior.
In her opinion Piper shouldn't have even needed to come to Sally's. Piper didn't need a psychiatrist or psychologist or whatever the hell Sally's profession was. Piper hadn't exactly been in the mood for listening to her father when he told her of her Saturday plans.
So here in Sally's office Piper sat, her feet purposefully propped on the couch along with the rest of her body curled in a ball. It had been raining out that day, hard rain with plump rain drops that splat! consistently on the ground and Piper's years old Converses. She had made sure to step in all the mud she could before entering the building with Sally's office and now she made sure to put that mud to good use.
Agitation stirred in Piper's abdomen. She was just so angry. She wished a thousand times she didn't have to be there in that stupid office with its stupid furniture and stupid vibe. She wished a million times that her father hadn't pushed her over the edge that ended with her here. She wished a billion times that the whole scenario could be erased from history. She wished a trillion times that her father had never taken that high profile case all those years ago.
So maybe she shouldn't have been taking it out on the poor woman who had been nothing but nice to her, but it felt so good. She knew her father was paying big money for these sessions and it was decadently evil for Piper to waste them. She felt like Eve taking the first bite of that poisonous apple.
Ten painful minutes passed by in the room without a word breathed in the air. Sally sat in her own chair, waiting patiently. She didn't seem to be in any hurry and looked perfectly content with waiting no matter how long and excruciating it was for Piper.
Piper still had her knees drawn to her chest, but she was getting severely antsy. It was hard to play the quiet and still game when one had ADHD, but Piper mustered all her willpower to keep going. She didn't think she could keep the attitude up much longer.
Another minute ticked slowly passed.
Finally, Sally said something.
"Piper, would you like to talk to me?"
Her voice took Piper by surprise. Of course she had already heard it when she first arrived to the office. Sally had introduced herself as Sally Blofis, saying she preferred to be called Sally, and she stuck out her hand to shake with Piper's. Piper had stomped past her without so much as a glance and plopped herself on the couch while her father carried a hushed and rushed conversation with the older woman. They had acted like Piper didn't know they were talking about her. Well, it was more her father that acted like that. At least in her opinion.
So, no, it wasn't the sound of Sally's voice that took Piper by surprise, it was her tone.
Whenever Piper pulled stunts like this with her father he'd always grow incredibly hot and frustrated with her. His voice would turn a bit hostile and he'd act as though she'd been wasting his time.
With Sally, her voice remained gentle and serene. She didn't sound upset that Piper was as unresponsive as a rock or that she had muddied her most likely expensive couch. Sally sounded like she genuinely wanted to actually help Piper, not that she wanted to not have to deal with Piper.
Maybe it was this change in pace that caused Piper to blurt out a quick and scratchy, "No."
Sally nodded respectfully, but Piper saw her trying to repress a smug smirk. She hadn't expected Piper to talk at all, so the simple one word was already progress.
"Well," said Sally just a tad too casually. "If that's the case then I'm going to make myself a nice drink. Would you like anything, Piper? I have coffee. I'm not much of a coffee person myself, too much bite and bitterness to be enjoyed, but I do love hot chocolate. Would you rather hot chocolate?"
This time Piper didn't answer, but Sally didn't seem dissatisfied.
Sally hummed a tranquil tune that Piper recognized, but couldn't place as she made her drink. Out of a mini fridge Sally pulled a can of whipped cream and towered it on to the steaming hot chocolate. Piper felt her mouth begin to water, she was always a sucker for chocolate, any kind really, and she felt the immense nagging of want. Piper tore her eyes away.
To her surprise, when Sally walked back to the sitting area of the room she didn't take the drink with her and instead placed the mug on a daffodil coaster on the coffee table in front of Piper.
"This one's not for me." She said sweetly, her blue eyes with traces of mirth.
Sally went back to the mini kitchen and made another hot chocolate with not nearly as much whipped cream and sat back down in her original spot.
Piper still hadn't touched her drink yet and Sally pretended not to notice. Another minute ticked by in the same silence that echoed throughout the room like a ghost. Neither was tangible and both always made one feel slightly haunted. Tentatively, Piper reached her tan hand out to grab the mug. She was careful not to let it spill over as she brought it to her lips and blew on it before taking a sip. It was absolutely delicious, probably the best hot chocolate she ever had. Piper couldn't understand how just a drink could make her bubble inside with some sort of chocolate induced joy.
A small smile started to creep onto her face, but was quickly vanquished when she realized it.
Sally still didn't say anything. Piper really, really appreciated that.
Four more minutes ticked by. Piper wasn't sure how long she'd been here, but the rain was beginning to let up into a small sprinkle with needle drops. She felt her lip coated in whipped cream and wiped her jacket sleeve against it, adding to the many stains that already decorated the article.
"You know, Piper, we don't have to talk about why your d-, father, brought you here. We can talk about anything you'd like. Or we could even just play a bored game. I'd just really appreciate some interaction between us if it's okay with you." Sally sounded so sincere.
She reminded Piper of something she'd never have with her patience and kindness and all around loving nature. She reminded her of a mother.
"I-I don't think I'd like to talk now." Piper said a bit shakily in her raspy voice.
Sally's face fell, almost imperceptible, but Piper saw it and quickly made amends.
"Uh, but I'd be up for a board game." Piper rushed the words from her mouth. For some reason she really didn't want to hurt Sally's feelings.
"I'll go get a couple." Sally beamed a smile, and walked over to a dark wooden bookshelf littered with colorful boxes, her heels clacked against the floor.
Piper had to go there three times a week. When her father first told her that she had slammed her bedroom door in his face and locked herself in her safe haven. Now, she wasn't so sure how bad it would be.
