Page 72 of Dream a Little Dream

So how did he feel about Kenny?

Fucked right off.

When Aaron refused to voice any of that, Drew went somewhere else with his questions. “Are you aware of Dr Lyons’ involvement with the police?”

“He’s a criminal psychologist. Of course, he’s involved with the police.”

“But how he’ll be feeding them information, ideas, theories about Rahul’s death?”

Aaron sat up, curiosity piqued. He glanced at Drew. “Your point?”

“How does that make you feel?”

“Fuck’s sake.” Aaron slammed his head back.

“Okay, let me ask something else.” Drew took off his glasses to wipe the lenses on the bottom of his jumper. “What’s bothering you right at this very moment? And you’re not allowed to say me.”

Aaron huffed, glancing back at Drew to see his twisted smile. He probably thought he was being funny. Trying for a rapport.Prick.

“Heather.”Therewas some honesty. He was proud of himself.

Drew put his glasses back on. “Who’s Heather? A girlfriend?”

“Someone else’s girlfriend.”

“Ah.” Drew nodded, pursing his lips. “Unrequited love.”

“I’m not inlove.” He wasn’t. He was sure of it. Because love meant he felt something. And as he’d established in his own head while Drew spoke drivel to him, he only felt fury. “I just don’t think it should be her who gets to be.”

A timer went off, indicating the end of their session, and Aaron stood, grabbing his bag from the floor. “How many more sessions do I have to keep coming to?”

“Until I think you’re stable.”

“So, forever then?” Aaron threw the bag over his shoulder and marched toward the door.

“Aaron?”

Hand on the doorknob, Aaron turned over his shoulder.

“There is a switch.”

“What?”

Drew sat forward, pointy elbows resting on his bony knees. “A switch for your emotions. Once you find it, you’ll be untouchable.”

Aaron furrowed his brow. “Yeah. Okay.” He then yanked open the door, but something caught him off track, and he hesitated, glancing back. Drew was nose down in his notes, so Aaron shook off the unsettling weirdness to flee into the corridor.

The stark fluorescent lights blinked overhead, causing him a headache, and the dull beige walls, adorned with posters promoting various campus events with their edges curling from years of neglect, were closing in. So he hurried past the bustling student canteen, where murmuring voices, clattering trays and students laughing, had him tense and annoyed. He envied how their lives were untroubled. Because the darkness shrouded Aaron like he was born into it.

Would he ever be free of it?

Did hewantto be?

Or did he want to dive headfirst right into it?

He chose not to think about that as he pushed through the double doors leading out of the student centre and stepped into the crisp air of the campus, trundling down the concrete steps to the expansive green lawn stretched out before him. The students lounging in the unprecedented warm late October sun felt almost surreal after the claustrophobia of the counselling room, and he stormed past, heading to fuck knew where, when someone leapt up from the grass and called after him.

“Aaron!”

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