The students seemed as stunned as the teachers to see their former enemy in
their company. Erik himself had taken to pacing in his room, while Scott
seemed even more anal than before. Erin began to laugh at jokes too loudly,
and hide with Haley in her room. While Haley was still humiliated by her
"performance," rumors began to dissipate, as they often do.
Jade was in the middle of another therapy session, while Alan felt a breakthrough had to be close. "Now, the rooms are white. What kind of place are you in?"
"Oh God," Jade's voice was quiet. "Can't.It's so scary. Why would they do this?"
"Jade." Alan's voice was surprisingly earnest. "Tell me where you are."
"I shouldn't be here. I'm not crazy!"
"Jade? Are you here because they think you're crazy?"
"Yes," Her eyes were wet. "But I'm not. I really hear them! There's ghosts everywhere! I can see them! Mom, why did you let them put me here!"
"You're in a mental hospital, aren't you Jade?" His face was dark, and he made as if to touch her shoulder.
"Yes." Jade gave a weak sob. "I saw the ghosts! Oh God, no one believes me." She broke down, giving up and admitting.
"Jade, wake up." Alan snapped his fingers.
She felt the tears on her cheeks. "What did I say?"
"Do you remember being in a mental hospital? Think, Jade."
It was like a light switch. Her face went pale, and she bit her lip. "Is that what I said?" Alan nodded. "I saw ghosts as a child. God, it's like water flowing back to me. They thought I was crazy. But I wasn't! It was my power."
"I know. People can be so intolerant, even your own family," Alan's eyes went cold. Jade sobbed quietly onto Alan's shoulder.
"You don't know what it's like!" She cried. "Locked up, restrained, because I saw my dead grandmother. And a boy who hated me in first grade and died in a car wreck. I saw them all. And no one believed me!"
"It's not fair, I know. But you're out, and you're free," Alan smiled. "The past is behind us, but never far behind. I'll like you to keep attending sessions, Jade. Will you do that?" Jade turned to face him and nodded. They led each other outside the room, where Jade leaned over impulsively and kissed Alan on the cheek. He flushed, and Jade grinned.
"Sorry. Couldn't resist," Jade said.
"That's okay. You know, Jade, whether or not I'm attracted to you is unimportant. I'm your therapist, it wouldn't be right," Alan responded.
"I know. But it doesn't mean I can't try." She adjusted her skirt and gave a small wave. "See ya later."
_Well, therapy just got a lot more interesting_, Jade thought.
Jade was in the middle of another therapy session, while Alan felt a breakthrough had to be close. "Now, the rooms are white. What kind of place are you in?"
"Oh God," Jade's voice was quiet. "Can't.It's so scary. Why would they do this?"
"Jade." Alan's voice was surprisingly earnest. "Tell me where you are."
"I shouldn't be here. I'm not crazy!"
"Jade? Are you here because they think you're crazy?"
"Yes," Her eyes were wet. "But I'm not. I really hear them! There's ghosts everywhere! I can see them! Mom, why did you let them put me here!"
"You're in a mental hospital, aren't you Jade?" His face was dark, and he made as if to touch her shoulder.
"Yes." Jade gave a weak sob. "I saw the ghosts! Oh God, no one believes me." She broke down, giving up and admitting.
"Jade, wake up." Alan snapped his fingers.
She felt the tears on her cheeks. "What did I say?"
"Do you remember being in a mental hospital? Think, Jade."
It was like a light switch. Her face went pale, and she bit her lip. "Is that what I said?" Alan nodded. "I saw ghosts as a child. God, it's like water flowing back to me. They thought I was crazy. But I wasn't! It was my power."
"I know. People can be so intolerant, even your own family," Alan's eyes went cold. Jade sobbed quietly onto Alan's shoulder.
"You don't know what it's like!" She cried. "Locked up, restrained, because I saw my dead grandmother. And a boy who hated me in first grade and died in a car wreck. I saw them all. And no one believed me!"
"It's not fair, I know. But you're out, and you're free," Alan smiled. "The past is behind us, but never far behind. I'll like you to keep attending sessions, Jade. Will you do that?" Jade turned to face him and nodded. They led each other outside the room, where Jade leaned over impulsively and kissed Alan on the cheek. He flushed, and Jade grinned.
"Sorry. Couldn't resist," Jade said.
"That's okay. You know, Jade, whether or not I'm attracted to you is unimportant. I'm your therapist, it wouldn't be right," Alan responded.
"I know. But it doesn't mean I can't try." She adjusted her skirt and gave a small wave. "See ya later."
_Well, therapy just got a lot more interesting_, Jade thought.
