"My name is Tecna and I have Schizophrenia." the girl with pink hair said while we were in a group meeting.
"Hello Tecna."
"I was diagnosed when I was 15. But I remember having it from when I was quite little. I would always hear voices in my head, telling me about world and telling me what to do. I still hear them,you know. But I though that was normal. When I was 14, I had my first experience of weird visions... They were not weird to me, but nobody saw stuff that I saw. I saw weird colors, dancing around the rooms. My mother decided to take me here when my voice told me to attack my dad. I listened to it...and... that's about it. I cant say much about my disorder, honestly. What ever I say, I'm not sure did it really happened or did I made it up in my head... I'm 16 now and I've been here for 6 months."
"We don't judge." we said and I sighed. I couldn't listen to anything. I was so lost in my thoughs. While I was thinking about who knows what topic, I moved my eyes on Flora. She then looked at me and smiled. I smiled back and moved my eyes on the floor again. Someone busted in our room.
"Flora, I need to talk to you dear! Now!" Miranda was screaming at the doors. Flora nodded and walked away with her. Everyone was talking... but me. I was waiting for Flora. I wanted to talk to her. Get to know her... And I felt like she was the only one I could talk to and calm down. She was shy and she didn't seem like someone who would want to talk about them self. She seemed more like someone who would just listen and give advice. And that was just what I needed. I knew It sounded selfish, but I just needed someone like that. So I waited. For an hour. Two hours. Soon It was three. She was still not back. I got out and tried finding her. After a few minutes of knocking on doors, I finally found her. She opened the doors and... she was crying.
"Flora,what happened?" I asked and she hid her face with her hands.
"Nevermind. What is it?" she asked and I walked into her room. She moved her hands from her face and looked at me surprised.
"Whatever it is,can we talk later? Please?" she asked while keeping the doors open.
"I'm sorry,but no. I wanted to talk to you,but now, when I see you like this, you are going to be the one talking." she closed the doors and walked up to me. We sat on her bed.
"I'm not really a talking time..." I started laughing,but she looked sad I stopped.
"It's okay. I know you're not. But I think, just for today, you should be the one talking. Not listening. Nor running away."
"Why did you even come here? You didn't know that I needed someone to talk to."
"Well I needed someone to talk to,also. But it's okay. I can wait." she nodded.
"A... man that I knew who did something.. against the law.. got out of jail today..." I was confused.
"That someone ran away from jail?"
"No, they let him go... he made some stuff up and they now think he is not guilty." she started crying even more. I took her hand in mine to calm her down, but she moved it right away.
"I don't really get why is it that important,but don't worry, the guy... man, who ever it is cant hurt you as long as you're here."
"Thank you..." she said and stopped crying.
"I'm sorry If I'm asking to much,but what did the man do? And who was he? Why are you so scared of him?" she closed her eyes and another tear went down her cheek.
"I... cant really talk about that... It's not the right time."
"A... lets call him a friend, once told me that for some thing, there is never the right time." she looked at me.
"... But, I cant..."
"Please. If you try talking about it, maybe later on it will be easier for you to deal with it." she froze for few seconds and then she nodded.
"What I'm going to tell you,I never said to anyone but to my mum and the police."
"You're scaring me." I said and she sighed.
"I won't really go to details." I nodded.
"Um.. when I was 6,my dad died of cancer. I... I barely remember him. But,my family is small. From when my dad died,It was just mum and me. I never really got to chance to meet anyone else from my family.. and because I didn't have a male figure in my life, I never really got the chance to hang out with guys. I was a shy little girl with like... 3 friend. Only girls. And,when I was 14..." she stopped and started crying.
"Are you alright?"
"...When I was 14, one night I was walking back home and... it was dark... I was alone because everyone was going to some party and I was not invited... and... a man ran towards me... he... he pushed me to the ground, and... he raped me." I froze. I didn't know how to react. I didn't even know her, but I felt so protective of her. I felt the need to find that guy and beat the crap out of him... But instead I just took her hand in mine again. This time, she didn't move it. She just cried.
"I screamed and yelled,but no one heard me... no one saved me... after that, I isolated my self even more... I was alone. I tried staying home as much as I could. One day, my mother asked me why was I acting that way... It took me 2 years to tell her about that night. She called the police and the man was arrested... I got here 3 months ago. My mother took me here because all I did was sit in my room and cry... I guess not much has changed... and... even tho now 3 years passed I still cant forget it,not even a second of it..."
"Ofcourse you cant." she turned to me. I wiped her tears with the sleeve on my sweater.
"That is not something that you can just forget about. It will always be something that happened. You will always remember it. But the good thing is,you can cover it up with good memories. You can, instead of sitting here and thinking about it, go and have fun. I'm sure everyone here would love to be your friend. starting with me." she blushed and I smiled.
"Why would people want that?"
"Because they can see you're a loving and caring person. At least I can. When Timmy was crying because he couldn't finish his story, you cheered him up a bit. When Tecna had a panic attack, you got out there and calmed her down. When I was fighting with Riven, you ran in the middle to stop us. You are a special girl,Flora." she moved her face so I wouldn't see the blush.
"Plus you are a beautiful one,too." I added and she whispered 'thank you'.
"Now.. what did you want to talk about?" she asked me as she looked back at me.
"Nevermind. I'm okay now." I said and stood up.
"Meet you at 9:00am in the hallway,next to the clock?" she nodded. I got out and went to my room. I went there so I can tell her everything and calm down. I ended up listening to her, and just her smile and holding her hand made me feel calm and collected... even happy.