Author's Notes: Written last FALL. Oh, what now. One of Ralph's therapy sessions.

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Dr. Tofic thumbed to a new page in her notebook. "So, Ralph," she began, adjusting her glasses as she prepared to write. "Have you come to terms with your homosexuality?"

"What?" The outburst tumbled from Ralph's open mouth. He was now bolt upright in the reclined chair, limbs rigid.

Dr. Tofic retained her calm façade. "I asked, have you —"

"No, no, I heard what you asked," he spluttered. "I just…well, I mean…" His mind had deserted him, leaving him with a struggle to form a string of words. "I…no. No. I'm not." He took a breath. "I'm not."

She quirked an eyebrow, looking down to make a note. When she glanced back up, her face was once more clear. "But…you mentioned having some sort of relationship with one of the boys on the island."

Ralph shook his head as she spoke, eyes shut tight. No. No, no, no, no, no, no — it took him a moment to realize he wasn't speaking aloud. "No. No." He shook his head again. "No. That was…it was…" He groped in darkness for the right word. "Different."

"How?"

He only shook his head. "No. It was different. No. I…I like girls, okay? No." He knew he was repeating the same things. But he liked to convince himself that the constant "no" would help to suppress the cankered, acidic memory. Lies.

Dr. Tofic sighed, looking over her glasses as she leaned forward to pierce him with her all-knowing eyes. "Ralph, you know we'll never get anywhere with anything if you won't talk about it."

Again, he shook his head, like a stubborn child. "Look. My…" He wouldn't think the word. "With…" He refused to think his name — "It's…it's in the past, okay? Can't we just move on?"

"You have to heal the wounds of the past before you can progress into the future."

But he was done speaking.

With another sigh, Dr. Tofic leaned back. "Well, if that's how you feel, Ralph. I'll see you next week."

Ralph had hoped to feel relieved at the freedom from the grueling interrogation, but the only emotion twisting his gut was guilt for the disappointment in her voice.