"So, JJ, you and Effy will go first."

"Um, that's the thing, Effy, er, didn't tell me what her two truths and a lie were, so I just didn't know what to do."

Eliza looks pissed off. "Elizabeth, how many times have we told you that you have to be responsive to the therapy in order to get released. Do you not want to get released, Elizabeth?"

"This is a stupid exercise, Eliza. We don't care to know each other; in real life I wouldn't be friends with Emily or Naomi or JJ."

"But you'd fuck me, wouldn't you, babe?" Cook yells out obnoxiously. What a fucking douchebag.

Effy grins, an 'I suck cock for money' kind of smile, and says, "Maybe. You'll never know, though, will you."

Cook smiles toothily back at her, "Well, we can find out when we get out, yeah? You'll look me up, ok? I'll be waiting for your call."

He looks so fucking sincere that I realize something: he's in love with her. Freddie is staring murderously at him. Jesus, does he like her too? It seems that despite Effy's seemingly constant silence, Cook and Freddie are interested in her, and Pandora's like her fucking BFF. I know that Emily said that she and Effy weren't friends, but I wonder is she is secretly enthralled by her as well. I feel a ping of something unpleasant in my gut at the thought, which I chalk down to my sisterly feelings towards Emily. Wouldn't want my 'little sister' involved with someone like Effy. Yeah, that's it.

"Cook, there's to be no contact with anyone you meet here after you are released, alright? And ladies and gentlemen, we've unfortunately reached the end of our time for group. We're going to have check-ins next, then dinner. We'll finish this tomorrow. Effy, you're up first. Follow me."

Effy and Eliza disappear to one of many doctor's rooms on the ward.

"So what do we do now?" I ask Emily, "More worksheets?"

"Nope, we play games or watch movies until our check-ins. C'mon let's play cards. We'll play go fish!" Her face lights up with excitement. Damn, she's really cute when she gets excited. We walk over to the table; Emily calls over to Pandora, and soon we're situated.

"Jack of spades?"

"Go fish."

I sigh, we've been playing for going on a half an hour, and I getting quite bored. I'm rescued when Dr. Phillips comes out and calls, "Naomi Campbell, please come in so we can check in with you."

"Well that's my cue, guys, it's been fun." I walk into the room with the doctor and a therapist. Sally, I think her name is.

"So, Naomi, how are you doing today?"

I shrug, "Fine."

"I heard you got engaged, that's certainly exciting, isn't it?"

I smile widely, fakely, and say, "Yeah, I'm just really excited for it. My boyfriend, excuse me, fiance, Tom, is just great. We've been together for what, a year and half I think, and still going strong."

"That's odd, Tom told us that you were broken up recently."

Damn him! "Um, well we were, but apart from that and a few other little breakups, we're doing well."

"He also said that you were engaging to promiscuous behavior for the two weeks before you were admitted. Care to discuss?"

"I was, um, horny."

Sally and Dr. Phillips share a look. "So, Naomi, how was your mindset before your, um, attempt?"

"Are you fucking with me? It was bad. My thoughts were going a million miles an hour, I was depressed as hell, I was frustrated and angry. I didn't even sleep in the two weeks before I did it. Last night was the first night I got more than two hours of sleep in a long time."

Dr. Phillips nods, "Well, it sounds like you were having a mixed episode. Suicide attempts are very common in these types of episodes. From hearing this and reading your case file, I'd say that you have bipolar disorder. With the right medication and therapy, I'm sure we can get you out of here quickly and safely, so you can go and marry Tom. I'm adding lithium to you prescriptions, ok?"

Bipolar. Fuck, I always thought that people with bipolar were always changing their moods. I node mutely and walk out of the door. Emily meets me in the room; she's just had her check-in as well. I can't stop my tears from falling, because bipolar seems so much worse than just depression.

"Naomi, what's wrong?" she asks, sounding concerned, as she closes the door.

"I don't even know why I'm crying. It's just that, that I'm now considered bipolar, and now I'll have to be on medication for the rest of my life. I don't know why I'm getting so worked up, depression is pretty serious in itself. I'm just so, so unhappy. I feel pathetic."

"Come here," she says motioning with her hand towards her bed. I stumble over, and she envelopes me in a hug as we lay down. I cry all over her shirt as she rubs my back soothingly. Finally, I feel a little more in control of myself and I sit up.

"Thanks, Em, that really helped. You're a good person, you know."

She blushes and mutters something like 'you're too kind', but she smiles, and it pulls on my heartstrings. Here's this really nice girl, and she's stuck in the institution.

"You're the first person who I've really been friends with, Naomi. I mean Effy, well she basically a self centred bitch who doesn't care about anyone 'cept Panda; Panda's a bit off, yeah I know coming from me that seems a bit rich, but she is; Cook's just an ass; Freddie, well he's alright, but a bit boring; and JJ isn't really interested in being friends with me, guess that goes with the whole schizoid thing. So yeah, you're my first real friend since I was sixteen. Congratulations, I guess."

I smile back at her, "You're really nice, you know that, Ems."

We fall into comfortable silence as we wait for dinner to be served.

Emily and I sit together while Effy and Panda sit at the other end of the long table. I'm actually surprisingly hungry considering I'm not a big eater. I'm tucking into my spaghetti when I notice Emily staring at me.

"What are looking at?"

Emily blushes for some reason and says, "Nothing. Maybe I just like looking at your ugly mug!"

"Ah. This face-" I motion to my face "-is that of a goddess, got it?"

"Right. A goddess, huh. What about my face, am I a goddess too?"

So we're back to flirting, I see. "Totally a goddess, Ems, totally."

She grins and my heart melts. Yeah, I know, frigid bitch and everything, but Emily's sweeter than a goddamn lollipop.

"So, Naomi, when are you going to see Tom again?" There's something in her tone, jealously maybe. I guess she wants her new friend all to herself. That's what it has to be.

"I don't know, hopefully never."

She bats my arm, "Don't say that, he's your fucking fiance. You should be all "Tom, darling, when can I see you again." She affects the end of her sentence in what I can only think is a horrible attempt at a Southern American accent.
"First off, never ever talk that way again. Second, just because we're getting married doesn't mean I have to like him."

"I see. So what you're really saying is that you like me more than you like your fiance. That is, if you like me at all. Not that I'm trying to put words in your mouth, it's just that I thought you liked me. Obviously not like that, but all the-"

I put my fingers to her lips relishing the strangely warm feeling in my belly that comes from the contact. "I do like you, Emily, we're friends. And I do like Tom, it's just that he so, well, loving. It's smothering."

"I think I would be like that, you know, loving. If I ever get out of here, that's what I'll be like." Her face darkens when she's talking, and I realize how insensitive to be talking about how loving my boyfriend is when she has nobody.

"Look, Ems, you are going to get out eventually. And when you do, you'll find someone perfect for you. Of course, I'll have to screen her to find out if she's good enough for you, but someday a gorgeous, sweet, funny girl is going to fall in love with you, ok?"

Emily looks at me, a shy smile creeping up on her face. "You really think so? I hope so. Blonde, nice legs, and a good personality, that's what I'm looking for."

I feel a lurch in my gut that has nothing to do with my spaghetti. I try to picture Emily with this blonde, and I find myself liking the unknown woman less and less. "Well I don't know anyone besides me with all those wonderful characteristics, so I guess you'll just have to settle for me."

Her face flushes red as she stammers out, "Yeah, guess so."

I wonder why she's acting so strangely. I mull over this as I finish my spaghetti. Emily keeps smiling at me, and though I find it cute, it's unnerving me. "So, Ems, what do you think about the current situation of-"

I'm cut off by Eliza who calls out, "Ladies and gentlemen, dinner is over. Please report to nursing group."

Nursing group? What the fuck is nursing group. "Emily, what the hell is nursing group? It sounds like we're all going to, I don't know, nurse like babies."

Emily chuckles, "We just talk and do little activities. It's fun."

"Fun?" I say incredulously. "I can't imagine anything in this hospital being fun."

"You'll get used to it, you'll see."

"Ok, I'll take your word for it. After all you do seem trustworthy," I say with a smile.

"Oh yeah, totally. You know, when I'm not trying to fight off my non-existent enemies and cutting the non-existent microchip planted in my brain."

"Yeah. About that, you seem to be doing much better."

"They switched my meds from risperidone to olanzapine. Changing always makes me symptomatic. But now I'm just going to get fat. That's a big side effect from the olanzapine." She frowns at the last part.

"Ew, gross, I don't think I can be friends with a fattie," I joke, "but I'd make an exception for you, ok?"

"Well, risperidone also makes you fat, so maybe I'll stop being friends with you," she counters back.

"Oh, well in that case, screw you, biotch!" I like our little banter; it's nice having someone to talk to who understands what it's like to not be alright. All my old friends are just so fucking perfect that I want to scream. Am I mean for appreciating Emily's sickness? Maybe.

"So, guys, tonight we're going to talk about guys and girls. Specifically what you look for in them for a relationship."

Emily scowls and says, "Erm, Eliza, not all of us are interested in the other sex, ok?"

Eliza looks miffed, "Emily, most of the other patients are heterosexual so you'll just have to pretend."

"I'm not," I jump in.

"You're not? But you're getting married. To a man."

"Yeah, well, that's post transition. You see, Tom was born, um, Lucy. He's very lucky to have such luck with his operations."

I can see Emily stifling a giggle as Eliza raises her eyebrows in shock.

"Really? He seems so, so manly, though."

Jesus Christ, did she actually believe me. I'm going to have to engineer Tom into this plan next time he visits. Which I honestly hope is never.

"Ok, so we're starting now. Guys, what do you look for in a girl?"

A/N: Please review, it makes my day.