Cut

That night Maura gets in late. She says she has been talking to Jenna in the bathroom. Jenna has told her about our night of adventure.

Maura: Emma! Ohmygosh! I heard what happened last night. I heard everywhere. In Group, at lunch, in the bathroom. How are you doing?

How am I doing? I don't know.

Maura runs over and sits on my bed, wide-eyed, waiting for an answer.

Me: Uh....

Maura: I should have told you! I knew I should have told you about him. But....I just....I wanted you to figure it out for yourself. But not like this. I'm so sorry, Emma.

Me: Maura, it's alright. Nobody knew how truly bad he could be. It's my fault. I should have listened to my instincts. I should have known by the way everybody looked at him. I should have know by the way he looked at me....

There is a short pause.

Maura: So they're not making you go home? I can't believe that. After all that happened....

Me: Actually, my mom wanted to take me home. She still does. She's been calling every two hours wondering if I've changed my mind.

Maura puts her hands up with a face of non belief.

Maura: Wait, wait, wait. You want to stay here?

I nod slowly.

Maura: Why?

Me: I still have a problem and I still need the help. That's why I came here; to get better. And I'm not leaving until I am.

Maura smiles big at me. If I look close enough I can see a small tear in her right eye.

Maura: Are you sure you're not already?

* * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning Rita comes in and wakes me gently. Maura, I see, is gone.

Me: Where's Maura? What time is it?

Rita: Maura's already at Group.

Me: What?! Rita, I told you, I don't want to be treated any differently. I want to go to Group just like the rest of the patients here.

She gets a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Rita: I think you'll like what we've got planned for you a little better than going to Group, today.

I look at her, confused.

Rita: Get dressed, then I will meet you at the front desk in five minutes.

Me: What? Wait. Rita, I don't have an escort.

Rita: We'll let it slide this time. Now, hurry.

After she leaves I put on a t-shirt and jeans as fast I possibly can then sprint to the front desk of Royal Jokes. Rita is waiting for me just as she promised.

Rita: Come on. We'll get breakfast on the way.

This time I do not ask where we are going. I simply follow Rita out to an old, beat-up, blue truck and hop in. We drive for a few moments and pick up some breakfast, just as she said, at a fast food restaurant called Benny's Burger Barn. We eat it on the way and I talk between bites of my biscuit.

Me: Rita, where are we going?

Even though I have no idea what is going on I seem to be having fun.

Rita: Just wait, we're almost there. Finish your biscuit.

I do as she asks and before I know it we are pulled up in front of a hospital. My heart is racing.

Rita: Thoughtcha might want to see your friend.

I smile at her and as we get out of the car and walk down hallway, after hallway. I feel numb. Almost as if this can't be real. It is to good to be true. Or to bad? I cannot tell which emotion I am feeling.

Finally, Rita and I arrive in front of a closed door; Room 115, it says. Rita knocks and a nurse answers the door. I can hear the two talking but do not listen to what they are saying. Instead, I walk in over to a small, weak body in a hospital bed. The body's eyes are closed and one is bruised but other than that there are no flaws on the body's face whatsoever.

I stand over the body for a moment until it opens it's eyes and smiles up at me. Then, and only then, it occurs to me that this isn't just a body I am looking at. It is my best friend.

I smile down at her and then hear something that Rita says.

Rita: She's doing better.

I'm not quite sure if she is talking about Elena or me, but in both cases, it seems that it is true.