Page 29 of Never Stop
I can't help but sigh. "I'll give it some thought," I say with a smile. One that is entirely too forced.
"That's all I can ask. No matter what you tell yourself, you are doing so well. I'm so proud of how far you've come and the work you've put into healing those parts of yourself that feel beyond repair. You need to remember that life is for the living, and you can't forget to do things that can bring you joy. You matter. "
"Got it, Doc!" I laugh as I grab my purse and start to get up. Our time still isn't up, but I've had enough for today. Dr. C doesn't stop me this time. She nods and starts to discuss scheduling my next session.
Chapter twelve
Via
2023
Imake my way out of Dr. Carr's office and get to my shiny blue Chevy Malibu, whose name happens to be Sheila. She received her name from none other than Izzy. Stepping closer, something catches my eye. A folded paper sticks out like a sore thumb under my windshield wiper blade. Audibly inhaling a sharp breath, I open it.
I am thinking of you.
My spine stiffens, the hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I begin spinning around, looking over my surroundings. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, I let out a sigh. Dr. Carr's office is down a quiet street, and it would be easy to spot anything or anyone out of place here.
Rolling my eyes in disgust, I crumple it and shove the discarded paper into my purse. This isn't the first random note I've gotten in the past few weeks. I've even gotten some creepy-looking flowers. Just last week, I found a bouquet of them lying inside my car on my dashboard after work. That one scared methe most, to know someone had gone inside my car. I always ensured my car was locked, and for me to leave it unlocked didn't add up. I've been more diligent about assuring my car is locked since then.
The strangest thing about it all is the color of the roses. They're always a deep red in the center, and the outer petals are jet black. They're fresh flowers, but the color always makes them appear dead.
I have a strong feeling I know who the sender is.
Clark, one of my coworkers, has been anything but subtle with his attempts to get with me. He always makes me uncomfortable, but this is extreme, even for him. Instead of addressing his attempts like I probably should, I choose the path of indifference. All in all, I ignore it. Hopefully, he'll give it up soon enough because this is just creepy now.
The first few times I found things, I brushed them off. However, as time passes, the places where I find them gets creepier making it difficult to ignore.
No one knows I am here right now, not even Izzy.How did he find me here?I visibly cringe at the thought of being watched and followed, and I can't help the eerie feeling of discomfort that races through me.
Moving quickly, I grab my keys, unlock my car, and hurry to get in. Once inside, I instantly lock the doors, looking around the street again for anything or anyone that seems out of place.
Not wasting time, I turn on the engine and blast the AC. The south Louisiana heat, even in the middle of October, is not for the weak.
It can be hard being back home sometimes. Everywhere I turn, I constantly remember what I've lost and that night. The break I got while I was away at college was nice. I've never felt the same as I do here and missed it more than I thought I could.
It's not the type of small town where everyone knows each other. Odds are that you've probably heard of them, but it's spread out enough that you can keep to yourself and remain a mystery if you choose to.
After a few minutes of resting my face on the AC vent, I powered on my phone before taking off. Ahh, five missed texts from Izzy; this should be good.
Izzy:"Via! You will either hate me or love me!!"
Izzy:"SOOOO! Do you remember Maverick's friend I told you about?"
Izzy:"WELL! I could go into a ton of details, but it's a little late for that. We're having a double date tomorrow night: me, you, him, and Maverick. I already checked your schedule on the fridge, and you aren't working tomorrow night, so no excuses. You can hate me or thank me later!!!"
Izzy:"Bruh, y aren't you answering my calls!?!?!?"
Izzy:"Wait! Why is your location off!?!?!?"
I feel the annoyance bubble up into anger, and I drop my head into my hands over my steering wheel. What is she thinking? In what world does 'I'm not ready to date' translate into 'please set me up on an extremely unwelcome, awkward double date with you and your boyfriend.'
Damn!I can't help but think Dr. Carr must have had some sixth sense that this was coming, as she just brought up the topic.
Izzy can be a bit much sometimes—who am I kidding? Practically, most of the time. She never seems to hear what I say. Correction, she hears it, but it doesn't register. I've always found this frustrating about her, but I know her heart. That part of her is pure, especially regarding me.
We have lived together since I was eighteen. Izzy's parents let me move in with them after that terrible night. Even after we leftfor college, we lived together in an apartment. Now that we are back home in Sugarland, we still live together, for now.
At this point, I can't imagine not living with her. She's been a part of that feeling of 'home' for me for years—the feeling that I lost whenever I lost my family. She became my family.
