Chapter 7. ...I uploaded a day early. I know. I know. I'm sorry for breaking consistency but hey, maybe there will be one tomorrow...?

It was very odd, and Arthur wasn't sure if he liked it...

It was nearly noon, and Alfred had been quiet all morning. He was sitting there at his desk, and seemed to have been working since he woke up.

Arthur wondered what he was working on...

"Alfred," He said after a few seconds, "I'll be going to Castillo's office now, okay?" He shrugged it off when Alfred didn't answer, and figured he simply hadn't heard him. He left quietly a moment later, walking slowly.

Like the week before Arthur made his way through the halls toward Castillo's office. Had it really been a week already?

He thought about it for a moment; it was Saturday, so it must have been...

He paused as his thoughts were cut off. He heard something in the distance, a constant sound, a beat. Drums? As he kept walking other instruments became audible in the hall: electric guitar, harmonica, piano, all slowly growing louder and louder as he walked. It was a slow, calm beat, and Arthur found that he liked it very much; it had an older kind of feel, though he wasn't sure whether it was meant to be rock or blues or what...

After a few moments he heard the singer; the man's voice made him think of the famous American music he'd heard in London:

Is this a place, I can rest my poor head?
To gather my thoughts in sweet silence?

The voice was slow and calm, like the music. It only got louder as Arthur walked:

And is this a place, where the feelings aren't dead?
From an overexposure to violence?

Arthur realized that the music came from Castillo's office as he stepped closer. To his surprise the door was open, and he stood there and listened:

And is this a place, I can slowly face
The only one I truly can know

Castillo sat there at his desk, but Arthur realized that the young man had his eyes closed. Listening to the music and not realizing Arthur was there, he quietly drummed his fingers on the desk with the music, his head bobbed slowly with the beat, almost like he were falling asleep. His expression was a bit sad as the singer began again:

These are tears, from a long time ago
I've got these tears from a long time ago
And I'll need to cry, thirty years or so...
These are tears, from a long time ago...

At that moment Castillo seemed to realize someone was there and opened his eyes. He looked surprised for a moment, and then he quickly turned the music off with the click of his mouse. He said hello and said Arthur could sit, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Sorry about that," The Castillo said quietly, laughing a little, "I didn't realize you were there, and uh...sorry about that," he repeated, grinning sheepishly, though the smile faded after a moment.

"It's fine," Arthur said quietly. He wondered if he should ask anything about the song Castillo had been listening to, but all he could say was "How are you?"

Castillo shrugged a little, "I'm uh... I'm fine." He said simply, his tone a little more somber than the days before. He smiled, but it looked a bit forced, "Kind of hungry, since you always seem to come at this hour," he chuckled blankly and his smile faded after that. He shook his head, "But this is about you! How are you?" He asked, though he knew the answer: Arthur had been purging, and he could see it.

Arthur shrugged, not really knowing what he could say, "I'm okay..." He said softly.

Castillo nodded a little at that, and reclined in his chair, "Family weekend's in two weeks," he said quietly, "Your step-father emailed me and said they'd all be coming to see you..." He figured Arthur should know about it.

Arthur stared at him for a moment, and looked down slowly as he realized it, "Oh..."

"He said your step-brothers would be coming to see you, too."

"What?" He asked, blinking. He'd thought that Kevin and Declan hated him, why would they come? They always fought when they were at home, anyway... "Why?"

"Because they love you." Castillo smiled a bit. He was quiet and thought, and looked at Arthur. If the teen didn't start eating he was going to get worse, need a hospital. "You want to be healthier when they come, don't you?"

After a moment Arthur slowly nodded. They were coming? All of them?

He felt himself smile a little.

"Why don't we talk about all of them, and then we can see how they might have partially brought about your eating disorder?" Castillo asked, smiling a little, "That way we can have a group session, and everyone can help you."

Arthur was quiet, thinking about it before he nodded, "O-okay."

"What are their names?" He asked. He spoke gently, "And when you say a name, use a word to describe them."

"Allistor," He started; his eldest brother Aliistor, who was about Castillo's age was, and in Arthur's mind the perfect son. He was tall, strong, smart, and a working success with a girlfriend he was living with. He was a little surprised Allistor would be coming, "Perfect." But he spat the word out in envy.

Castillo jotted it down next to the name.

"Owen," he said. He had to think about this brother, who was twenty-one. Owen was strong and smart like Allistor was, and he did very well. But he never needed to try and was actually very lazy. He was jealous, really. Straight As with no effort, that was Owen. "Lucky."

Arthur was quiet for a moment before saying "Peter." Oh God, Peter. Twelve years old and always bothering him. It was the one good thing about being in this place, being away from the runt. "Nuisance."

Castillo chuckled softly as he wrote that down, "That's what brothers are," he said. "Now your step brothers,"

"Kevin," he started. Eighteen. He used to be mean to Arthur, but that was probably just because he knew Arthur wouldn't fight back, and also because Arthur used to borrow his things without asking. Now that he thought about it, he himself might have been treating Peter that way... "Jerk." he kind of meant that for himself, which came out in his tone. He was sure Kevin was worse to him than he was to Peter; Kevin would hit poor Arthur sometimes, or call him a 'fag.' God, Arthur hated to be called that...

Castillo shook his head a bit as he wrote it.

"And Declan." He said simply. Only a year older than Peter, the two of them were friends. But Declan was a bit more distant toward Arthur, "Quiet."

They were silent after that for a few moments, and Castillo thought, "You get along with your parents?"

Arthur nodded, "Yes," he said, and didn't say much else. His mother loved him very much and he knew that, and his step-father loved him too. Arthur wanted to believe that they hated him and wanted him gone, but deep in the back of his mind he knew it wasn't true. He wanted to say 'They hate me' but the words wouldn't come.

"Do you want to play the classic game once more?"

Arthur nodded.

"Mother."

"Kind."

Castillo smiled, "Step-Father."

"Patient."

"Brothers."

"...annoying."

Well, that was certainly a better word than hate. Castillo laughed a little as he wrote that down. After that he was quiet and looked over at Arthur, and finally remembered that he'd been purging. He sighed quietly, "Food."

Arthur tensed up noticeably, and his voice shook, "Uh...bad."

Castillo shook his head a little, and thought. "Let's break the game for a moment," he said simply, "I would like to trust you," he said simply, "Do you think that I can trust you to eat this week? Maybe with Alfred's help?"

Arthur shrugged.

Castillo sighed and reached into his desk, and pulled out a blue card. He handed it to him. "I want to trust you." He said softly, and didn't make eye contact for a moment.

What the hell? He was giving him a blue card? So...he didn't need to sit with Castillo now?

Why would Castillo do that?

"Thank you..." Arthur mumbled, though he was still confused.

"Let's continue with the game," The young man said simply, "Women,"

"Pretty." He said softly. Well, they were, right?

Castillo wrote that. It was all odd; Arthur's outlook seemed to be improving, but physically he'd gotten worse. He'd never seen that before. "Men."

"Handsome."

"Alfred."

Arthur blushed, "Uhm...nice." He said softly, looking down nervously.

The young man smiled, "Castillo."

"Odd."

...Well alright than. "Arthur."

He was quiet, and sighed softly, "Scared." He knew that he was going into the danger zone with his weight, and he knew if he didn't get better, he would die soon. He didn't want to die, but this was so hard...

I'm scared too, Arthur. Castillo thought, I'm always scared.

At that Castillo stood up and went toward his door, "I'm hungry," he said, and looked at him, "Alfred won't be coming to dinner tonight. If you go to the dining hall and eat with me now, you don't need to come later." He gave him a look, "But you need to eat something real."

Arthur straightened out nervously. He didn't want to eat, he really, really didn't want to eat...

But still, he had to be strong now...

He nodded and got up, going toward the door. He wanted to ask why Alfred wasn't going to go to dinner, but he stayed quiet.

Castillo smiled to him, and put a hand out toward him, "Friend?"

Arthur looked at the therapist's hand; a big hand, strong, callused. He looked at his own; thin, delicate, weak. He looked up at him and shook his head a little, frowning sadly, "N-not yet..." He wasn't ready to call someone his friend yet.

And after that they walked there together, and Arthur wondered why Castillo seemed more somber, and why Alfred wouldn't be going.

He wondered what was wrong.

End of chapter.