Alright let's cut to the chase. It's 3 am, I'm tired and sleep deprived, this chapter is way longer than anticipated, and there's probably mistakes galore but I'm too tired to read it over.

BTW, we made a change to chapter 10 towards the beginning. So if you want to reread that part then you know it's cool…

(Read our story 1800 273-8255 in the My Babysitter's a Vampire section!)

Disclaimer: We do not own Jessie.

WARNING! MENTIONS OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Chapter 11: Group

The next few days went by both quickly and uneventfully, at least on Ravi's part. The days started out at the breakfast table with his whole family, including Christina and Morgan (a very rare sight). Ravi would pick at his eggs or toast or whatever Bertram made while his family talked and moved about as they got ready for the day. Most mornings he wasn't very hunger though. In fact, his appetite in general wasn't necessarily there and his stomach usually churned at the thought of food. But he made himself eat whatever was on his plate to avoid his family from worrying. He's already put them through enough stress to last them for the rest of their lives. He doesn't want them thinking he has an eating disorder too, which he's 90% sure he doesn't have.

He's also tried his best to engage in their morning conversations, but has found it much easier to silently listen and smile when necessary. Much less tiring too.

Luke didn't come to school due to his suspension. Instead, he was being forced to complete random chores Jessie made him do, and run a bunch of errands that seemed pretty unnecessary and insanely annoying. But, he's grounded and has no choice but to oblige if he wants to get out of his sentencing. Plus, without school to go to, what the hell was he supposed to do all day? He would probably drive Jessie crazy.

He felt extremely bad about being suspended, especially since he wanted to be there for Ravi throughout the day just in case something went down. He'd made a promise that he would have Ravi's back and he was already failing at keeping that promise. However, Ravi insisted that he would be fine, and that Emma and Zuri would be there if necessary. And even if they're not available, he would be able to get through the school day without any escorts. It's a little unnerving, but he would handle it. He felt like he was saying it more so to convince himself rather than Luke, but his words got Luke to feel more confident about Ravi being in school without him.

Evan Carter didn't attend school after the fight. Apparently, he got suspended as well after eye witnesses confirmed Luke's side of the story. Ravi could practically see Luke jump for joy when he texted the freckle-faced boy the good news. Principal Baker ended up suspending Carter for a week just like Luke, and rumor has it that he needs to do a written and verbal apology to both Luke and Ravi. But that's only a rumor. Not factual.

And let's not forget to mention how Carter's suspension is going to affect the basketball team. Carter is one of the most valued players on the team. He's played in every game since he joined the team, and he's won almost every game. And he has also been benched from playing in any games until further notice.

Ravi doesn't necessarily care about sports, so the decision doesn't affect him. However, it is clear that the rest of the school doesn't share his indifference. Carter's suspension from school and the games has been the talk on everyone's lips. Everywhere Ravi would turn, someone new is gossiping about Carter being suspended and benched, and how the basketball team has no more chance of winning games, and blah blah blah. It's all things Ravi doesn't care enough to listen to. At least they're no longer talking about him.

To Ravi's relief, he's become less of a spectacle at school (probably has a lot to do with the low attention span of the students). The days after his first day back were met with much less attention from others, and much less people gawking at him as if they've never seen him before. People still stared, but they found it in themselves to look away and mind their own business. This made Ravi feel significantly better about being in school. The constant staring and whispering that followed his presence was very uncomfortable, and Ravi would much rather prefer to be in school without feeling like the newest attraction at a circus.

He'd never been so happy for people to ignore him and find something else to talk about in his life. But who could blame him though? The student body seemed so blissfully unaware of Ravi's discomfort as they ogled over him, completely unconcerned with the fact that maybe, just maybe, Ravi didn't want all the attention.

The attacks kept happening to Ravi at various times throughout the day. Ravi has been doing his best to keep track of them, see how long they last, and what triggers them. All things Dr. Phillips asked him to do. But he swears they're all random. Sometimes he'll get one during a stressful situation, and sometimes he'll get one in the middle of class for no reason. The worst of them all is probably when they wake him up from a dreamless sleep, making it difficult to fall back asleep afterwards. He hasn't figured out why they happen, but he's become accustom to the signs so he can prepare himself for it.

The scary part about it is he thinks he's getting used to it the more it happens. He's getting used to the closing of his throat and the body tremors and the dizziness. As if it's becoming a part of him now, almost like a routine. Given, it's only been going on for a few days, but they have begun to feel less and less frightening the more often they come.

Overall, he's gotten better at handling them he believes. Once the quickness of breath and feelings of suffocation start, Ravi would usually rest his head on his desk, close his eyes, and count backwards from 10 while focusing on his breathing. Or if he's in the hallway surrounded by too many people, he would find a bathroom or closet or empty classroom and do what he can in there. The process does its job each time, though he wishes there were a way he could get rid of them completely. The attacks were sometimes exhausting. And very annoying.

Ravi will just have to combat them the best he can.

Finally, it's Friday. The end of the week (yay!). The restless atmosphere is felt all throughout the school as students fidget in their seats with excitement as they await the ring of the final bell. The bell which releases them back into the world, allowing them to be as wild and free as they desire. Some students whisper to their friends (because whatever it is they have to say can't wait until the bell rings). Some students proceed to texting each other as they make after school plans to meet up at Central Park, or are simply posting Snapchats as a way to pass the time. Some have fallen asleep and are unaware of anything going on. Even some teachers have given up on trying to keep the attention of students and have allowed them to use the final ten minutes of class to study, read, or talk as much as they want. Last period on Friday's were always like this as the oncoming weekend called the students, luring them to freedom. It's now only a matter of minutes before the clock hits 3:25, and boy was time moving slow.

Ravi sits quietly in his last period Geometry class working on the congruence problems in his book. They're really simple. Problems he can do in his sleep. Ravi completes each question quickly and with ease. He seems to be the only one actually working on the problems the teacher assigned for them to do as all the other students pretend to work but actually talk to each other. Well, Ravi and Dana, who once again sits next to him, are the only ones actually doing the work.

Ravi isn't at all excited about the final bell like everyone else. In fact, he's dreading it. He's probably the only person in their school wishing for the school day to keep going so he wouldn't have to leave. Peculiar, right? Ravi's usual relief to the end of the school day (or indifference) is replaced by apprehension. And slight anxiety (not enough for an attack). Most people get to leave school and go have fun with their friends, or even go home to watch television. Or literally do anything else.

Not Ravi though. Because Ravi has to go to group therapy.

And Ravi is not happy about it.

His actually a nervous wreck about it. His nervous have been on edge all day and his attacks are a bit stronger and more prominent than usual. His been shakier, and all he can think about is the people he will be seeing in the group and the reaction they will have to his presence. He's hoping that they won't pay him mind, but with his luck they will start whispering as soon as he walks in the room and they see the thick lump under the sleeve of his hoodie that conceals his bandaged arm. With his luck they will snicker when he speaks, through things at his back, or maybe push him around like a human punching bag. They'll probably see him as the same weird, scrawny Indian boy he's always been known as at Walden Academy, and treat him just as bad. And he'll have no choice but to slide right back into the dark room, right back into the hallow dimensions of his subconscious.

The lead in Ravi's pencil breaks when he presses too hard on the paper he's writing on. The sudden action causes him to release the tight grip he didn't know he had around it. He groans as he clicks the top of the red mechanical pencil. Usually more lead would pop out after a couple of clicks. But fifteen clicks later and new lead still hasn't come out.

With a louder groan, Ravi slams the empty pencil on the desk after the sixteenth click. The stupid piece of plastic probably thinks the same thing he is. He's going to look so pathetic when he walks into group therapy, and he's going to make a complete fool of himself. He might as well hide somewhere so he won't have to go. Maybe he can get someone to push him in a locker or something. Or slam his head into a wall.

"Whoa there, Hulk." Dana looks up at Ravi's sudden outburst with a quizzical eyebrow. Ravi almost forgot he was in a class of 20-30 students. "Whatever's going on the pencil is innocent. I swear."

He sighs as he realizes how ridiculous he must have looked slamming the pencil like that. He bashfully takes the pencil in Dana's out stretched hand, muttering a 'thanks' under his breath.

"What's got you all steamed up anyway?" Dana asks as she continues to work out the last problem.

Ravi shakes his head as he continues his work. "It's nothing really." He mumbles. "It's not that serious."

"Then why are you taking out all your anger on poor mister pencil?" She coaxes with a cool smile showing the straightness of her pearly whites.

Ravi can't help but smirk back. Dana has this charisma that just makes you want to smile and laugh with her. It's like the glow that she walks around with rubs off on everyone she meets and makes their day better than before. She has that effect on people. It's called the Dana effect. If she can make Ravi smile through his tough times, she can damn sure do anything.

Ravi has concluded that he is fond of Dana. She's been nice to him for the past couple of days and willingly chose to sit next to him in the classes they have together. She talks to him with ease, and Ravi even finds himself enjoying and engaging in their short conversations. She's even offered to sit with him during lunch, but it's never happened as her lunch periods have been occupied by club meetings, tutoring sessions, or something else that her busy life style requires her to do. If Ravi didn't know any better, he would say she's actually being a friend.

Too bad Ravi still has a lot of guard up.

"Just," Ravi doesn't meet her eyes as he speaks, "some… pent-up teen angst. That's all." Not a whole lie. Not the whole truth either, but not a whole lie.

"Oh. Yeah." Dana nods in understanding. "Hormones and all that."

"Yup, puberty." Ravi mumbles. He feels like he's making the conversation very awkward.

"What are your plans for the weekend?" she asks.

Group therapy, brooding, panic attacks, sitting alone in my room because I don't have friends. "I don't really have any."

"The poetry group I'm in is having a small open mic event Saturday night at Delphine's. You should come. Dinner's free with a Walden Academy ID."

Ravi feels his ears heat up and his heart flutter from the invitation. He's not sure how to handle it since he's never been invited anywhere before. A giddy feeling swells up in him at the gesture because it's the friendliest one he's ever had. But a few things also cross his mind. 1) He's not a poet, and public speaking will give him a panic attack. He already knows it. 2) The poetry group is a school affiliated group, which means students from this school will be there. And he doesn't think he can handle school events yet. 3) He's still socially awkward, and would probably sit there the whole time looking uncomfortable and miserable.

Thus, he must decline.

"Thanks," he starts with a sheepish smile, "but I'm not a poet. And public speaking makes me nauseous…"

"Ravi, you don't have to be a poet to come." Dana says with a smile (how is this girl always smiling and happy?). "And you don't have to participate in the open mic part either. You just have to come, sit, listen, and enjoy. In fact, some of the people who come to our open mics don't even like poetry, and spend the whole night booing us and eating food.

"Plus, it's free food. How can you pass that up?" Ravi doesn't mention his diminishing appetite as she speaks. "I'm pretty sure most of the people who come only come for the free food anyway."

An involuntary chuckle escapes Ravi's lips, damn near scaring him.

"Can you at least think about it?" she asks. She's persist, Ravi will give her that. "I promise it's not as horrible as it sounds."

Ravi nods, partially to make her happy, partially because he feels like he doesn't have a choice. "Okay I'll think about it."

That satisfies her enough. Her grin can compete with the Cheshire cat. "Great!"

As soon as she says that, the final bell rings. Most of the students in the class had started packing up their stuff a minute before the bell so once it rang they would be able to get up and go. Which they did. But everyone excitedly and anxiously left the room, ready to start their weekend.

Well, everyone except Ravi, who is reminded of where he has to go now and what he has to do. A large pit suddenly grows in his stomach as every fear and anxious feeling hits him at once. He feels a luminous dread over whelm him, and suddenly he wishes for nothing but to remain glued to the seat and frozen in place forever. The room has almost cleared out and he has yet to budge.

"Activities start at 6:30." Dana packs up her stuff, not yet noticing Ravi's discomfort. "Dinner's served at 7. You can bring whoever you want, but non-Walden Academy students have to pay for dinner." She stands up and swings her bag on her shoulder. She's about to say something else, but she suddenly becomes aware of the stony look on Ravi's face and the fact that he has yet to move. His eyes are filled with nerves and he looks ready to puke.

"Ravi? Are you okay?" She gently shakes his shoulder which breaks him out of his stupor. He blinks a few times before becoming fully aware of the near emptiness of the classroom and Dana standing next to him with her bag already on. He looks down on his desk and sees that he still has all his stuff out and open. He quickly starts stuffing everything into his bag, trying to ignore the shakiness in his hands.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just spaced out for a minute." His voice is shaky, and he stands up and grabs his bag. His breath catches in the back of his throat and he feels his hands start to clam up. The two walk out of the room, Dana talking about something that Ravi can't focus on because his heart feels like a million zebras stomping on his chest and his airways start to feel constricted. Dana says something along the lines of "see you later" before she runs off to wherever she said she's going. Ravi can't remember what she said because someone turned the heat up and he's sweating bullets and now the walls feel like they're going to crush him. He can feel everyone's eyes on him. He can hear everyone laughing at him as his body goes into overdrive. He can hear their words of hate as they belittle him for not being able to keep it together. For not being someone better than himself. For not dying when he had the chance.

Ravi feels like everything around him is moving in slow motion as he tries to navigate the halls, dodging students as best he can. But his legs feel like dumbbells as he tries to walk, and his head is now spinning and he knows for sure he's going to pass out at any moment.

Through Ravi's blurred and unfocused vision, he spots a door somewhere to his right and before he knows it, his pushing the door open and closing himself inside the small dimly lit room. The sounds of activity in the hallways are now muted and the crowdedness is gone.

At least he'll be able to gain control over his senses peacefully.

He hears wheezing and almost looks around to see where it's coming from, but soon realizes it's him gasping for air as his body tremors seem to get worse. He slides his back down the door until he hits the ground. He hears a million voices in his head saying a million words he's heard over and over and over again.

Pathetic.

Loser.

Shithead.

Faggot.

Terrorist.

Sorry excuse for a human.

Better off dead.

Better off dead!

It takes everything in Ravi for him not to bang his head against the door until it splits open. He grabs at his hair and buries his head between his knees. He fights for control over his thoughts, his breathing, and everything else that's gone out of his control. He silently begs and pleads for the voices to shut up. He pleads for them to leave him along. Black dots dance across his already blurred vision and he's sure he's going to die right here in this room.

And then he remembers.

With every ounce of strength he can muster up, Ravi squeezes his eyes shut and focuses everything on his breathing. 10. He inhales gagged breaths and exhales the same through trembling lips. 9. His arms shake and he tights his grip on his hair hoping for the room to stop spinning and the walls to stop closing in. 8. He swears he's suffocating, but he does everything to regulate his breaths. 7. The body tremors are suddenly slowing down, making it easier to pass air in and out of his lungs. 6. The voices die down and the temperature in the room seems to be normal again. 5. His inhales have become calmer, and whatever was gripping his throat has loosened its mighty hold. 4. The room slowly stops spinning around him. 3. The walls aren't closing in on him anymore and his heart isn't pounding so fast. 2. The tremors stop completely and he finally inhales and exhales steady breathes.

1.

Ravi doesn't move. He's afraid of moving. He's afraid moving will cause another attack, and he'll end up being stuck in… wherever it is he's stuck in. He takes in some shaky yet normal breaths to make sure that it doesn't happen again. He can still feel his heart throbbing in his chest and can feel the pulse in his neck beating in unison. His hands are still clammy and his back damp with sweat, but after a while he concludes that it's finally over.

Slowly, Ravi releases his hair from his hands and allows his head to fall back until it hits the door behind him. That one was by far the worst attack he's ever had. Prior to right now, they've all been on the same level, and he's been able to get them under control in a few seconds without people noticing. He doesn't even remember where or how it started. Or what caused it. He doesn't even remember coming into this room.

Ravi's eyes lazily scan the room. The only occupants other than him are a mop, a broom, and a dust pan so he presumes he's in a janitorial closet or something like that. Ravi tries to stand up but he is hit with a wave of exhaustion and dizziness, and the sudden urge to go to sleep. The panic attack took up most of his energy, and he can't bring himself to move. So, he stays there, his head leaning against the door. For how long? Hours maybe. He doesn't know.

He plays with the sleeves of his hoodie, wondering whether he should tell someone about the attacks he keeps getting or not. He thought he was able to handle them, but after what just happened, it's pretty clear that he can't. He can't believe he had one that bad. And it came so suddenly too. As if his body really wanted to shut down completely. What is he to do if this happens again in a more public setting where he can't go somewhere to calm himself?

The sudden vibration of his phone in his pocket draws Ravi's attention. He fishes it out of his pocket and stares at the message from Emma.

Emma 3:30

where r u? we're waiting at your locker

Ravi's main disbelief is at the time. He's only been in the closet for five minutes. He would've guessed a whole hour. He quickly texts Emma back saying that he's on his way. Slowly so his head doesn't start throbbing, he lifts himself off the floor. His feet feel wobbly, but he manages to stand up without falling over. He gets a bit of orthostatic hypotension (AN: that thing that you get when you stand up and get dizzy), but it wears off quickly and he proceeds to open the door and walk back out into the hallway.

Ravi's not going to tell Emma and Zuri about what just happened. He's not going to tell anyone, except for maybe Dr. Phillips. He doesn't want to give his family more reasons to worry about him. They already do that enough. He's going to figure out a way to handle them without getting anyone involved.

He can handle it himself. He's sure of it.

"Hi. We're here for the 4:15 teen group therapy session."

"What's the name?"

"Ravi Ross." Ravi stands a few inches behind Jessie as she talks to the very bored and uninterested looking receptionist at the Eugene E. Crawfman Pediatrics Hospital. He's never been here before. It's not the hospital he was taken to, and he's never been to any other hospital except for that one and a run down one in India.

The hospital is huge, and is supposed to be one of the best children's hospital in New York State. It contains some of the most top rated and highly decorated doctors in America, and its treatment programs are almost always successful. It's also on the expensive side, so it's a good thing Ravi comes from a wealthy family or there would be no way he would be able to afford treatment here.

"Room 40E." The receptionist drawls, not bothering to look up. "Take the elevator down the hall to the fourth floor and follow the signs."

Jessie thanks her and leads Ravi around the circular front desk in the middle of the lobby towards a brightly lit corridor. They pass doctors, nurses, visitors, etc. as they walk, each seeming too busy to notice the nervous wreck of a teenage boy scurrying behind his also nervous but much more composed nanny. They're all caught up in their own little busy world of illnesses, medicine, patients, and probably other personal issues.

For a few seconds, Ravi thinks about what it must feel like to be a doctor of such high degree. Someone other people depended on to cure them of illnesses, trusted to perform surgeries, and relied on to save lives. He wonders what it would feel like to have someone depend on him in the same way. He wonders what it would be like to feel that important, and that special.

There are six elevators at the end of the corridor, each on different floors of the tall hospital building. Jessie presses the one central button and the elevator nearest to the lobby descends until it reaches them in seconds. They enter the elevator and it dings at it closes its doors behind them.

"How are you feeling?" Jessie asks as the elevator makes its ascent.

"Nervous." Ravi replies. "Terrified."

"Kind of like the first day of school, huh?"

Ravi very jerkily nods.

The elevator dings as it reaches the fourth floor. The doors open to reveal bright yellow walls and the same bright, fluorescent lighting as the lobby. Emma would say the place has great lighting for selfies.

They step out of the elevator and start following the signs to room 40E. "I know how scary this must be for you." Jessie starts. Ravi trudges along robotically, the hammering in his chest taking up most of his attention. "But I promise that after the first day, coming here is going to get easier and easier." She wraps an arm around his shoulders and smiles. "You might even start to love it here."

Ravi internally snorts at that. He doesn't see there being any way of him loving group therapy, but he just nods so Jessie believes that everything is okay.

They finally reach a door labeled 40E-F. "Well, this must be it." Jessie pushes the door and Ravi follows her into a short hallway with two doors one directly in front of the other. The walls are the same bright yellow that reminds Ravi of the sun. That's probably the point; paint the walls a color that makes kids happy.

All it really does is give Ravi a headache.

There's a smaller desk in front of one of the doors which Ravi sees is 40E. A young girl (probably in college) sits behind it as she types away on the Dell computer in front of her. She looks up and smiles at Ravi and Jessie, already 20 times nicer than the receptionist in the lobby.

"Hi." She says cheerily as they approach her desk. "Are you here for the 4:15 session?" Cindy, Ravi concludes this is her name judging by her name tag, is too happy to be true. Her smile is wide and reaches her eyes, and her voice has a happy little ring to it. Ravi spots the cup of Starbucks coffee resting on the desk. He wonders how much caffeine is in there that's making her so contagiously jovial.

"Hi, yes." Jessie smiles right back. "Today is his first day."

"Alrighty. What's your name sweetheart?"

Ravi barely even realizes that it's his turn to speak. He more than eagerly let Jessie do the talking for him, but now both Jessie and Cindy are staring at him waiting for his reply and he suddenly feels like a cat has got his tongue.

No, he literally feels like cat claws are stabbing his tongue.

He clears his throat. "R-Ravi Ross." He doesn't say it very loud, but she hears him and starts typing away at her keyboard.

"Alright Ravi you can go right on inside. The session should be starting soon." He doesn't think it's possible, but her smile grows.

He doesn't smile back.

"I'll be back in an hour to pick you up." Jessie says. And to his horror, Ravi realizes that from this point on, he's on his own. Jessie can't accompany him to the group session. She won't be there to answer for him or if he gets nervous or uncomfortable. He's moments away from entering what could very well be the most terrorizing place he's ever been, with nobody he knows and where the chances of him having another attack are very, very high.

Is it getting hot in here or is it just him?

Jessie sees his panicked expression. "Listen. It's going to be okay." She rubs his arm and feels him trembling. "It's only for an hour. You're going to be able to hear the stories of kids with similar experiences to you, and you're going to learn a lot here. And if something happens that makes you uncomfortable, just text me and I'll come get you." She's relieved to feel his body tremors lessen and he nods. She gives him a quick, reassuring hug and before he knows it, Ravi is pushing open the door and is leaving the bright yellow walls, smiling receptionist, and Jessie behind.

The room resembles a classroom, but larger. It is a grayish, white color which is way better than the obnoxious yellow of the hallway. The white curtains around the floor to ceiling windows are pinned to the side, letting the afternoon sunlight illuminate the room. Various posters and signs decorate the walls, both cliché and actually meaningful in their quotes and designs. There's a lectern off to the side and a Smartboard, like an actual classroom. Had this been any other occasion, Ravi would have thought this was a school.

Ravi continues to walk forward, dragging his feet on the light blue carpet. The plastic chairs are arranged in a circle, and almost each one is occupied by someone. He finds a seat next to a red-haired girl talking to a guy next to her. She doesn't stop her conversation when he sits but she glances his way.

Ravi takes a breath as he studies the group of teens around him. A boy, who looks maybe 13 or so, has his head buried in a book, his long sandy hair covering his eyes. The girl sitting next to him laughs with another girl who sports a pixie cut and a hot pink head band. A few seats down is a guy who fits the stereotype for a jock. He looks to be about 17 years old, and he wears a t-shirt that's about three seconds away from ripping because of his muscle mass. He leans back in his seat, arm draped on the empty seat next to and a phone in his hand. Including Ravi, there are 12 people in the group. Overall, the group seems diverse enough, and Ravi feels a bit of his anxiety dissipate.

Once the clock hits 4:15, the door to the room opens again. Ravi turns to the door to see a very casually dressed man walk in caring a messenger back and some sort of Starbucks drink. His shoulder length hair falls in his face as he sets the cup on a table near the door. "Sorry I'm late." He apologizes as he pushes his hair back. "You would not believe the line at Starbucks."

He's young, probably in his late 20s, about 5'7, and his tan skin tells Ravi that he's possibly Latino. He makes his way to the central chair in the circle, a plastic chair like the rest of them that seems like it's reserved for him. Ravi takes note of his faded jeans, black vans, and red shirt with a lightning bolt symbol for the DC Comics superhero the Flash. He gives a very wide, slightly bucked tooth smile which seems to generate a few smiles back.

"Alright!" He exclaims as he claps, causing Ravi to jump (he's the only one). "Welcome back guys! How was everyone's week?" He's met with less enthusiastic groans and murmurs. "Oh, come on guys. I'm sure something exciting happened to someone this week. Anyone want to share?" His excitement is both infectious and a bit offsetting. Seriously, what is in the coffee that the people in this place drink?

Flash t-shirt looks around the group eagerly, eyes bright as he looks for any volunteers. Finally, pixie cut raises her hand, and he points at her to share. "I got a part time job. I start next Monday."

The group simultaneously starts clapping as she blushes and smiles bashfully. "That's great Monica. You're not going to abandon us because of your busy schedule now, are you?" Pixie cut (Monica) giggles and shakes her head no. "Alright, well that's great to hear. Anyone else?"

"I got recruited by Ohio State." Jock adds in with a smooth, easy drawl.

That seems to get more of a reaction seeing that Ohio State is a great school. "Whoa," Flash t-shirt's eyes grow wide at the confession. "That's incredible. Full scholarship, right?"

"You know it."

"Now that's what I'm talking about."

Nobody else share's. Flash t-shirt seems content with what was shared because he quickly moves on. "Alright well, let's begin."

And then his eyes land on Ravi. And the hammering in his chest starts up again as everyone else in the room turns their attention to him.

"As you can see," Flash t-shirt begins, "we have someone new today. Every time we have someone new, we do introductions so you can better familiarize yourself with everyone. So why don't you tell us your name, age, and why you're here." He looks at Ravi with kind eyes, as if he can sense the anxiety radiating off him. Ravi wants more than anything to be swallowed by the Earth.

He looks around at the twelve pairs of eyes staring at him waiting for him to start. None of them look intimidating or cruel. Some look bored, but most seem genuinely interested in his story.

Something tells him that he's taking too long to speak so he clears his throat. "Um, I'm R-Ravi." His hands start playing with the sleeves of his hoodie as a way of distracting himself from the way his hands start to tremble. "I'm fifteen…" He is hoping to get away with ending it there but by the look on Flash t-shirt's face, he's not going to be so lucky. "And I'm here… I'm, I'm here because I tried to kill myself…" It's weird to hear himself say it out loud, and very unnerving. He braces himself for the backlash.

But to Ravi's surprise, all he sees as he skims the room are looks of understanding, sympathy, and curiosity. Flash t-shirt still looks at him with the same kind eyes, unfazed by Ravi's confession.

"How?"

Ravi's head snaps up in the direction of the voice, which belongs to the sandy haired 13-year-old. His book is nowhere in sight and his head has resurfaced, revealing his small, glasses-clad face.

"Wh-what?" Ravi blinks.

"How did you try to kill yourself?" The boy sounds so young and innocent in his question. He probably doesn't even realize that that's not necessarily a question you ask someone.

Ravi stutters before Flash t-shirt chimes in. "Ravi, do you feel comfortable disclosing that? If not, it's okay. You don't have to." He's still smiling. Does he ever not smile?

Ravi doesn't think he can say it. He hasn't been able to actually say the words out loud. The thought of verbalizing what he did that night brought back memories of every thought, every word, every little thing that happened, and it sent a panicky feeling straight to Ravi's spin, causing sweat to trickle his back. No, he thinks to himself. Not here. Not now. He can't have another attack in front of all these people. He needs to find a way out of this fast.

Without saying a word, Ravi's shaking fingers pull back the sleeve of his left arm and reveals the lumpy bandage on his arm and the smaller cuts around it. The hammering of his heart quickens. Someone gasps. Some look at him with sorrow. Someone to his left mumbles an apology.

"Thank you so much for sharing Ravi." Flash t-shirt pulls Ravi's attention to him. He pushes his sleeve back down and clutches his arm close to him, a habit he's been doing. "I hope this group is helpful on your journey to recovery, and you feel comfortable here."

And with that, the rest of the room begins doing the same introductions as him. They're however more fluid and relaxed with it, most likely used to this type of thing. Ravi quickly learns their names, ages, and backstory. Eddie, 14, a dark-skinned boy with braces, has generalized anxiety and depression, and was forced to start group therapy by his concerned parents. Todd, 16 with bushy curly hair, was arrested for violence and antisocial behavior. Riley, the pretty red-head next to Ravi, is 16 and like Ravi, slight her wrist five months ago. Alicia, 17, has struggled with anorexia and bulimia for a few years, but is improving. Sam, the jock, is 17 and struggles with anger management and self-injurious behavior ("And I play football," he adds proudly.). Lindsey is the quietest of the bunch (besides Ravi). She's 14 and is a victim of rape and has been burdened with suicidal thoughts. Rodney, 17, has ADHD and depression. Isaac is 15 and suffered from substance and, "I set fire to some stuff, tortured some animals, went a little psycho". Monica is 16 and struggles with cutting and anorexia ("I haven't starved or cut myself in nine months!"). Tara, 15, has been in abusive foster homes her whole life and suffers from PTSD. And Connor, the 13-year-old, is "kinda bipolar, I sometimes try to hurt myself, and I almost killed myself a few times." He says it causally, like he's ordering food from McDonald's.

Like Ravi said, a diverse bunch.

But nonetheless, after hearing from everyone Ravi feels less anxious about being here. He doesn't feel like he's the only crazy one in a room full of teenagers. They each have something they're dealing with, and from their positive expressions, Ravi thinks that the group therapy might actually be helping.

Flash t-shirt is besides' himself with joy. "I'm just going to quickly introduce myself. My name is Santiago Ramírez, but everyone calls me Tiago so you can call me that. Currently working towards my doctorate, but I won't bore you with those details. I'm 27, I have two dogs, and I'm Colombian. And if you ask me—"

Flash t-shirt—Tiago— is interrupted by the sound of the door opening and someone rushing in the room. Everyone, including Ravi, turns to see who decided to barge into the room.

Ravi's eyes have never grown wider, for as soon as he turns around, his eyes meet two beautiful topaz gems, flecks of brown and green dancing around it.

Grayson Sinclair stands by the door looking slightly disheveled, yet somehow still put together. His eyes scramble around the room, the hasty expression still displayed in the crinkles of his forehead. His lips are slightly parted, taking in breaths heavily as if he were running. He runs a hand through the loose hair on his head and it falls to the side.

And finally, his eyes connect with Ravi's.

Ravi see's everything melt away from Grayson's face when they make eye contact. The hast, the nerves, the stress of running late. It all vanishes, replaced by an expression Ravi can't put a name too because he's never seen it before. Grayson stands by the door, eyes fixated on Ravi's. He doesn't move and neither does Ravi. Ravi feels an invisible pull that makes him want to jump out of his seat, run over to Grayson and… he doesn't know. But the pull is strong and if it isn't for Tiago's cutting voice, he might have done just that.

"Grayson! So nice of you to join us. Fifteen minutes late…" Tiago cocks an eyebrow at him. This is the most serious he's been all day.

Grayson's mouth opens and closes a few times, eyes never leaving Ravi's. "…I-I, uhh…" He blinks and shakes his head, turning to focus on Tiago. "S-sorry Tiago. Got caught up with something at school." He walks over to the empty seat next to Sam and does one of those bro handshakes Ravi has never had before. They must be friends…

Tiago waves him off. "No, it's cool. Not like you interrupted anything important. Just my life story…" a couple people laugh at that.

The session continues without any more interruptions. Tiago had the group do san icebreaker, mainly for Ravi. They each had to partner up with the person next to them and answer questions like what's your favorite television show, etc. Ravi paired up with Riley who is actually very nice and patient. Ravi felt comfortable around this girl even though he's known her for maybe twenty minutes. Once this was over, the group had to engage in an activity involving M&M's, where they had to pick one of the chocolate candies from the bag, and whatever color they got, they had to answer its corresponding question (Tiago brought chart paper with the questions written on it). For example, someone who pulled a red M&M had to share one thing that makes them happy, etc. When the bag came to Ravi, he pulled an orange M&M (say a good choice you made today) to which Ravi responded that he coming to the session was a good choice he made (even though he didn't choose to come).

The activities took up most of the time, and once it was over there was only about fifteen minutes left in the session. That's when the floor was open for people to share and discuss whatever they felt like sharing. Ravi sank back in his chair at this, opting out of this part. However, Ravi listened intently at what everyone had to say. Tara, for one talked about how her new foster family actually made her feel loved, and wanted to adopt her, but she still had huge trust issues after her previous ones. Sam discussed how using football as an outlet for his anger saved him from doing harm to himself and others, and it's now paying off to his advantage. Eddie shortly said that his parents finally trusted him to be alone again, and they don't worry about him so much anymore.

And the whole time, Ravi can feel two pools of topaz gazing at him.

Before Ravi knew it, the session was over. Once it's finished, Tiago pulls him to the side to talk to him and find out how he liked the session. Ravi's answers are short and brief, and Tiago doesn't force him to say more than he wants to.

Ravi finally walks out of the room and makes his way back into the main lobby. He has to admit, it wasn't that bad. It wasn't bad at all actually. Tiago made a point to mention that the room was a safe, judgment free space for everyone, and they should all feel comfortable to talk and participate at their own rate.

It's like Ravi walked into a whole different world.

He shoots a quick text to Jessie that the session is over. She texts back that she's on her way, and Ravi stands awkwardly in the hallway, wondering what to do while he waited. He spots a water fountain and, deciding he's parched, goes over to it for a drink. He's about to press the bottom that releases the water when a voice startles him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Ravi abruptly stops and looks up only to once again see two pools of topaz watching him. He slowly straightens up, his heart suddenly racing at the sight of Grayson Sinclair leaning next to the water fountain, a playful smirk on his face, his dimples cutting holes in his face. "That water fountains broken. The minute you press that button, it's going to spray water all over you." His deep, velvety voice had a raspy undertone to it, which caught on miniscule syllables in his speech.

Ravi blinks out of his stupor. "Then where can I get something to drink?" He's suddenly more thirst than he was before.

Grayson beckons for Ravi to follow him around the corner. He gestures to the vending machine. "Right here." Ravi nods and pulls a couple bills out of his pocket. "Totally sucks that you have to pay for it but it is what it is." The vending machine dispenses the bottled water and Ravi takes it, awkwardly looking between it and Grayson before drinking. "You'd think a high-class hospital like this would afford to at least fix the water fountain, right?"

The bottle in his mouth keeps Ravi from responding and saying something stupid.

"So," Grayson starts, signaling for Ravi to follow him back around the corner, "did you like your first group?"

Ravi tries to search for the right words. Did he even have an opinion about the therapy session? "It's… not what I expected. At all."

"You thought it was gonna be scary, right?" The taller boy asks. "Being in a room full of strangers and expected to talk about feelings…"

Ravi nods. "Yeah. Petrified."

"What do you think of Tiago?"

"He's… enthusiastic. And smiles a lot."

"Yup. I've known him for a while, and in all that time I've never seen him anything but happy."

"So, you, you've been coming here frequently?"

Grayson nods and presses the elevator button. Ravi didn't even realize they walked all the way to the elevator. "Yeah you can say that."

The elevator dings and they step inside. Grayson presses L for lobby and the elevator descends. It's silent, Ravi wanting badly to fill up the silence, but his mind is currently pudding as he stands near the varsity basketball player close enough to breathe in his scent (like fresh pine, something sweet, and mint chocolate). And he can't decipher what's wrong with him and why he can't think straight and why the proximity made him feel a weird giddiness, but then the elevator opens and his feet are leading him out into the lobby where the smell of sweet pine isn't so strong. They continue to walk in silence until Grayson stops Ravi.

Ravi turns to face him, his hazel eyes down-cast. He looks worried, and a little scared. Nervous even. "Ravi, listen." He finally looks up and topaz meets chocolate brown. Ravi almost steps back because of the intensity of his eyes. "There's… there's something I've been meaning to tell you—"

"Ravi!"

Both boys snap their heads up in the direction of the voice. Jessie stands a few feet away, smiling and beckoning him to come.

Ravi quickly mutters an apology, and a quick goodbye before running over to Jessie who automatically starts bombarding him with questions about the hour. Grayson watches as the Indian boy walks out of the revolving door and then out of sight.

So much he wants to say to him. So much he needs to say.

This is 16 pages y'all. 16. But it all needed to be here. In this chapter. This one. Here.

Ten points to whoever can guess why Grayson needs group. (Hint, you probably don't know)

As for the OCs, Tiago is played by Carlos Valdes (which is why he's wearing what he's wearing. Read closely) because we just see him fitting that part really well. For Riley we kind of think Madelaine Petsch fit the part. And everyone else are people we created from our heads.

(Read our story 1800 273-8255 in the My Babysitter's a Vampire section!)

Alright loves, I must now go to sleep. Reviews are nice. Please leave them.

-Bye Felicia