College Cutbacks: Spring Break Book V

Eli's POV

"So, Elissa, how have you been?"

"Fine, as I always am."

"I see that. Every session I ask you how you are and your answer is always 'fine'."

"Because I am fine."

She sighed in frustration, pinching between her brows. She straightened her posture and tan suit jacket, wiping her hands on her matching pants. She crossed her legs and threaded her fingers, looking at me dead on.

"Elissa, you've been through some very traumatic events. You have nothing to say about it?"

"No. I wasn't there. Can I leave?"

"You know the agreement. In order for Pennbrook to continue with this program, you all have to attend therapy twice a week."

"Okay. Mind if I get some homework done then?"

"Fine." She ceased all attempts of trying to get me to talk. I didn't mean to frustrate her. I just didn't think I needed therapy for something I wasn't present for.

I pulled out my laptop and began working on my paper that was due tomorrow. I could feel Dr. Snider peeking at me over the writing pad she held close to her face as if she was reading. I know she was trying to analyze me off my behavior since I refused to give her anything. Her energy should be put more into the ones that were involved. My energy should be on them, but no. I'm stuck in here with Ms. Know-it-all for another, I glance at the time on my laptop, rolling my eyes... Forty-five minutes.

After the police took Ali away, she was put into a psychiatric facility. Her parents said something about an attachment disorder. When they explained that this has happened before and they thought it was just a phase, I nearly lost it. Them not taking their daughter's mental illness seriously could have cost us our lives. From what they told Emery when they stopped by to plead their daughter's case, the parents of the girl she "attached" herself to before was very lenient and told her parents that if she went to therapy, they wouldn't press charges. Emery kicked Ali's parents out before they could finish presenting their case. She broke down right after. Poor girl. Roman gave zero fucks and didn't even allow them in his hospital room. An apology wasn't good enough. Ali needed real help, not just a few months of therapy or a cover-up to save her family some face. I'm glad she's not just getting a slap on the wrist. Her actions severely changed our lives. Emery's, Roman's, and Lewis's more than anybody. The rest of us were cautious for a few months whereas Emery, Roman, and Lewis's lives changed drastically.

Emery moved in with Ryan and absolutely refused to leave his loft. She even refused to go see Roman in the hospital. She quit her job at the bookstore and switched to online classes. She even switched her major to psychology. She was messed up behind this. I think she was trying to understand what could make Ali act the way she did. On top of all that, she had her first pregnancy scare. Unbeknownst to me, Roman and she have had unprotected sex several times! She's was lucky it was just a scare.

Roman suffered from PTSD. I know I didn't like him, but he was the brother I love to hate. He's a douche, but he's our douche. He put on a tough face, but he couldn't hide the fear in his eyes. The bullet just missed all major organs, but he flatlined twice. Damion and I would take shifts watching after him. He eventually went back to school, but with some major adjustments to his personality. His anger was getting out of hand. Understandably. He had been arrested twice for fighting outside of a bar. A friend got him out. Wagner? Warner? Something like that. Those were the only times he got caught. Other times, people were more worried about getting in trouble for underage drinking than they were about calling the cops on the traumatized student who almost lost his life. That being said, plenty of girls flocked around here trying to comfort him. Fix him.

Lewis, on the other hand, changed absolutely nothing. He acted as if nothing happened. He walked around quiet as before with no acknowledgment of what had occurred. He still avoided girls like the plague. He did visit Roman a few times before winter break. We all went our separate ways during break. Roman stayed at the house. Emery stayed with Ryan at his loft. Damion and I went home. Lewis went to his aunt's house. And Ali...she probably occupied a padded room right now.

The timer went off, startling me. "That's time!" I yelled. I quickly gather my stuff while the doctor stumbled over her words. I quickly made my way through the door, only catching some of the doctor's farewell. I walked out the front double doors to see Ryan leaning against his car, waiting for me. He became extremely protective of Emery and me even though I told him I could handle myself. He wasn't having it. Wherever I needed to go he took me. He said he didn't want to risk another crazy person trying to kill us. I thought it was sweet.

"Hey." He pecked my lips. I couldn't help but snatched my bottom one in between my teeth.

"Hey."

"How was therapy?" He asked, opening my door for me.

"Same old, same old."

"So, in other words, you're giving her a hard time."

"No." I paused until he rounded the car and got in the driver seat. "I just don't think I need it. I would have beat Ali's ass a long time ago if it was my problem to solve. I would have knocked the crazy right out of her."

Ryan chuckled. "She had a gun, E."

"Yeah. I got two." I kissed my biceps for emphasis.

He was in full-blown laughter. "I think they might have locked the wrong "crazy" up."

I playfully punched his shoulder. "Shut up and drive."