Handful Of Moments

Josie glared out the window as Alex drove them to their therapy session. She thought it was pointless. Jose doesn’t need help, she thought, she’s perfectly normal. All teens go through this, right? In a way it’s her rebellion and every teen goes through a phase like it.

“Oh c’mon, Jose, it’s not going to be that bad,” Alex tried to brighten her spirits.

“I’m not talking,” she growled.

Alex chuckled, “You do that already.” Her eyes glared at him now, “Hey I’m just stating the truth.”

Josie huffed, “This is stupid.”

They arrived to the building, which was in the middle of the downtown Baltimore. Alex got out and started walking. He noticed he didn’t hear little footsteps behind him; he turned around to see Josie still buckled and her arms crossed her chest. She looked like she was in a rambling frenzy to herself.

Alex opened her door, “Jojo, you have to do this. I know you don’t want to, but do you think I want to?” Josie gave him a look and didn’t move. “Fine, I’ll carry you in.”

She still didn’t move. Alex unbuckled her and lifted her out of her seat and threw her over his shoulder. Her fist kept pounding his back as her legs tried to flail all over the place. He held her legs down with his other arm, but couldn’t stop her weak punches. People gave them weird looks as he carried this petite girl into the high-class building.

“Can you put me down?” She screeched into his ear as he entered the elevator.

“That was my fucking ear,” he hissed, “Now stop acting like a toddler!”

“Put me down then!” Jojo growled.

“No because you’re gonna take off running.” He said as they reached the fourth floor.

Alex walked to the front desk, the receptionist gave him a weird look. Alex told his info as he did for Josie also. The receptionist told them to sit as the therapist is just finishing up with his patient. Alex nodded.

He placed Josie down in a seat, “You better not take off or next time we come here I will handcuff you to the chair.” She just rolled her eyes in response.

The door opened and showed a middle age woman sniffling thanking an early thirties man. He smiled sympathetically to the woman as she walked out. He was dressed nice with a few gray hairs in his brown curly locks.

“Hi there, you two must be Alex and Josie.” He greeted and Alex nodded, “Well we’re going to do a fifteen minute personal session and then a thirty minute group session, sounds good?”

“Sure whatever you want, doc,” Alex said.

“So let’s start with Josie then you, Alex.” The therapist said as Josie scowled. Alex smirked as he let out a low chuckle. Jose hit him on the arm as she walked towards the therapist.

---

“I’m Dr. Scott Miller, but you can call me Scott. So you’re seventeen right?” He asked.

She just sat there arms crossed and stared at him with a blank expression.

“So I see you don’t want to be here. Well I’m still going to keep asking questions,” Scott said

Oh like that’s a threat, she thought. She let out a “psh” noise.

“Your dad told me that your mother died almost three months ago,” he stated, “Can you tell me about that?”

That was the last straw. Tears were brimming her eyes. The accident was her fault, but she’d never tell anyone. She had an argument just because she wanted some special heels for her pageant dress that cost more than her car, which was the next day. God, she couldn’t believe she used to do pageants. That moment she wished she could change.

Josie stood up and stormed out of the office, “It’s your goddamn turn,” she seethed through her teeth to Alex.

Alex never seen her this mad. Hell, he never seen her mad. He just nodded as she took a seat.

“What did you do to her?” He yelled at the therapist.

“Nothing,” he simply said.

“I don’t think this is going to work out today. We’ll see you next week,” Alex told him. Scott just nodded.

Alex grabbed Josie’s hand, “C’mon, Jojo, we’re going.”

Once they got into the elevator Alex had to ask what happened. She just shook her head no.

“Josie, come on just tell me. I am the only person you actually talk to,” he pointed.

“If you keep asking, that might change,” Josie growled.

That shut Alex up. He doesn’t want her to stop talking to him even though she would still talk to him. But what he still doesn’t know anything about her. He’s been trying to make her open up, but nothing comes out. She didn’t even tell him her birthday when he asked. He was hoping therapy would help, but it just made matters worse. It was his personal mission to break down her walls.