"Hey Michael!"
"Hey Tori, how's the radiant smile?"
"WONDERFUL!"
"Sometimes I think you get too excited by things and you set yourself up for too much sadness. But then I see some other patients, and I can't help but love how extreme you let your life be. So what's wonderful?"
"Toy dinosaurs and girls."
"Has there been a development with the girl we were talking about last time?"
"Yes! I got cast as her husband in a school play!" Tori completely missed his dawning realization and his eyebrow lift, thanks to her enthusiasm.
"Tori, I don't understand why you like her after all she's put you though. Do you have any insight on the subject?"
"Well, every action is a reaction. Since the beginning of time. I figure we're not always in control of our actions, considering they're reactions. And even though I try not to judge people based on their actions, I try to use what I know about what it's a reaction to and their personality to find out more about them. She's a tortured poet, I just know she is."
"Have you considered you may be obsessed with broken girls?"
"She's not broken!"
"I didn't mean—"
"I know you didn't. I just like the same people romantically who I like platonically."
"So do most people Tori, that's why their lovers either start out as or become close friends."
"Right, well, I love people for the pain they've been through. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish pain on anyone, but on top of being able to relate to them better, they're just so compassionate on the inside. Like they want better for everyone else. And then, like you said earlier, my prime need in any relationship is to feel needed, because I'm scared of people leaving. And if they need me, I know they won't."
"One of my patients was just illustrating your point about, as you put it, tortured poets. She told me, 'remember to tell them random people care about them, just because they don't want to see people go through the same things they've been through.'"
"Wow." Okay, I lied. The only people I've wanted to kiss for months are Jade, and whoever keeps feeding Michael those genius quotes. This one was almost as good as the one about everything sucking, but maybe turning out alright because people care.
"So, is there anything else you'd like to talk about, Tori?"
"Not really. You can just spend the rest of the time asking me your therapisty questions."