It was safe to say our first meeting didn't go as smoothly as my father hoped it would have.
I didn't like the way Dr. Crane stared at me.
His look stated that he thought I was wasting his time and brains. It was clear that he thought his talents were better suited for the criminally insane, rather than a snot nosed sixteen year old who was just a little put out by her current situation.
Little did he know the feeling was mutual.
My father watched on as we greeted one another coolly, neither of us wanting to lose the upper hand by appearing the weaker of the situation.
I quickly noted how handsome he was, but refused to back down to some pretty boy.
"Pleasure to meet you Dove, I am Doctor Crane."
"The pleasure is all mine."
My tone was blatantly dry which Dr. Crane seemed to notice, but my father completely missed.
We stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment before I gathered enough strength to turn to my father, "I do not feel this will be a private conversation with you here."
He nodded respectfully before turning on his heel and exiting.
I waited until I was sure he was gone, holding my breath before releasing it in a large sigh.
My posture immediately back more relaxed as I slouched down and pulled my hair from the tight bun I commonly wore around my father, instead letting I fall largely over my shoulders.
I could feel the stress lines on my forehead becoming more prudent as I slouched down onto the chair provided.
Dr. Crane was watching me the whole time, mentally noting my change in attitude.
He continued to watch on as I drew my Kurt Vonnegut book from the satchel I had draped over the back of the chair.
I wasn't surprised that he said nothing to me, as there was a silent understanding that both of us had better things to do then deal with one another in this hour-long period that my father had scheduled for 'counseling'.
It was relieving that the doctor was just as disinterested in talking about me as I was, it would be significantly harder to shake an interested man.
I felt Dr. Crane's eyes on me multiple times throughout the hour as I skimmed through my novel and he filled out what I assume to be paperwork, though for all I know it was a personality quiz to determine his perfect shade of lip gloss.
When my phone buzzed to signal that fifty minutes had passed, I gently closed my book and put it back in my satchel before clearing my throat to get Dr. Crane's attention.
When his eyes met mine I was encapsulated for a moment before I cleared my throat again.
"My father will be curious as to how this session went, and I know he will disregard any form of doctor patient confidentiality, so we might want to come up with a story."
He nodded slightly, his agreement clear.
"So what do you suggest?"
His voice was smooth and somewhat deep, matching him perfectly somehow.
"Tell him I refused to talk at first but I eventually opened up to you about how I was feeling a little lonely lately and how I missed my mother."
He nodded, again in acknowledgement clearly disinterested in the subject but wanting to please my father at the same time.
"That'll do."
I felt my eyebrows furrow in confusion. Didn't he want to hear the rest of the plan?
"I see you're confused, but I don't need any instruction on how to deal with your father. You're easy to read Miss Erdos and let's be honest in saying your father is fairly oblivious to the things in his whole life, especially those things involving his daughter."
His words pissed me off, causing me to bristle slightly and glare in his direction, "You don't know anything about me."
Amusement danced in those cold eyes as he leaned further onto his desk, his elbows propping him up, "I know you come from a wealthy family and you have never wanted anything, besides your father's attention. You're a people pleaser and a pushover, a little girl without a backbone. You're mother was you're only real friend and when she died you were left like a lost puppy. I assume you're a prodigy of some sort, probably a musician or writer, something heartfelt, and all you want is the attention and love your father never gave you."
I must have looked like a fish fresh out of water as I gapped at the man in front of me.
"Did I miss anything?"
I wish I was brave and strong, enough so that I could spit fiery words back at him in hopes of cutting him in the way he had just cut me, but nothing of the sort came out.
Instead my next word came out more as a whisper, "Painting."
He let a small grin grow on his face as he clapped his hands together once, "Of course."
I tugged on the sleeves of my jacket. Uncomfortable under his scrutinizing stare, I was grateful when in the next moment the door swung open to reveal my father.
"So I assume the session went well?"
Dr. Crane stood up with a forced smile, approaching my father to shake his hand, "I certainly think so, we are beginning to get somewhere."
I hopped from foot to foot distractedly as I held back whimpers as I thought back to his harsh words. I didn't understand why he felt he had to be so mean to me.
The sound of my father clearing his throat brought my attention back up.
"Why is your hair down Dove, it's not very becoming of you to look so wild."
Embarrassed, especially by the smirk on Dr. Crane's face, I pulled my hair back into the tight ponytail I arrived in.
"Sorry father."
He nodded approvingly before turning on his heels and leaving me to follow with my head down whilst Dr. Crane's eyes burned holes in my back.