Shady Acres Treatment Facility
Chapter 1/?
Blaine Anderson is always the new kid. First at school and now in this facility. His parents tell him "it's for the best" and "it'll will help you cope with everything". Blaine knows that's bullshit. He knows they don't want him around, no one usually does. Once he steps through those doors maybe he won't feel so alone. Maybe he won't be so needy, maybe his parents could love him after his time here. He walks hesitantly toward the perfectly cleaned glass doors and grips the handle. He admits he is frightened, he wishes that his mother could have at least walked him inside. She knows how anxious he gets alone. His palms are sweaty when he pulls open the door.
"It can't be that bad here. Everyone is exaggerating." Blaine says to himself trying to calm his nerves. He moves towards the desk in the lobby hoping that the nurse seated behind it will be able to help him. "Um..Ma'am, I – I- I'm new here. I just...I don't know what to do." Blaine hated that he sounded so desperate, but it's not his fault, it was his parents. They feel like they've done their part by dropping him off outside like dropping a puppy off at the pound. The nurse looks up at Blaine's hands that are resting on the counter, clutching and releasing themselves repeatedly. Blaine looks down at his hands, his shirt sleeves have slid up enough to reveal his wrists. He pulls his hands away and pulls his sleeves over his hands, the last thing he needed was anymore judgement over being here.
"Honey, it's fine. No need to worry about your scars here. We've all seen worse." The nurse, Anna, tried to comfort him. "Can I have your name, Sweety?" She asked in a soft gentle voice.
"Um..i-it's Blaine..Blaine Anderson." Blaine said glancing around the room quickly. They were alone in the lobby, Blaine was alone.
"Oh, you're the Anderson boy. Your parents phoned yesterday about you, we've got all the paper work done so there is no need to worry about that. We set up your room late last night. You're going to be rooming on your own for a while until we can find a suitable roommate for you." Anna said trying to get the boy's nerves to calm. Blaine openly flinched at the words "on your own". He unconsciously moved closer to Anna, who had moved from her place behind the desk. She grabbed his luggage that he was tugging along behind him. "Come on hun, we'll get you settled in. Then you can meet the other kids." Blaine perked up, his parents hadn't informed him that there would be other teens in Shady Acres. All he found out from their website is that they took in patients who suffered from anything from addiction to a seriously mental illness.
Shady Acres only held a very vague description as a treatment facility. They were there to help people cope and to even help manage some of the disorders which patients had with therapy and/or medication if need be. Blaine knew he wasn't in need of a padded cell and that he wasn't a danger to the general population but everyone said he wasn't "normal" or that he wasn't the "average teenager". Blaine knew he wasn't like everyone else his age but he knew that no one is "normal" and he was thankful he wasn't the "average teenager". So Blaine likes to cling to people, so what? That isn't a bad thing. He doesn't like when a relationship ends, neither does anyone else! He was who he was, it was everyone else's fault for not accepting it.
Blaine and Anna reached the end of the stark white hall, Blaine could hear a little chatter from the hallway next to them but didn't pay it any attention. Anna opened the door and walked in leaving Blaine standing at the doorway. This would be his home. This would become his safe place. There was too much room for one person, he notices another bed that is nearest to the window and goes to stand by it. He doesn't hate it here, but that doesn't mean he likes it either. He sits on the edge of his bed and doesn't seem to notice that Anna has left. He is alone. He lifts his sleeve to stare at the scare lining his wrist. He remembers the last time he was alone like this, the night he told his parents about Jeremiah.