The Apodictic Cure

"She doesn't trust me anymore..." Brielle sat on the floor, staring at her own hallowed reflection. Her platinum blond curls seemed to have flattened over the several weeks she'd spent in this facility. There used to be a shine of hope in her hazel eyes, but now they seemed to have been swallowed by her sockets, darkening with each passing moment to bleak, cold waters. We don't need her. She's heavy baggage Her reflection smirked, but the eyes seemed wild in panic. "She's my best friend!"

Wrong.

"Stop!" Her hands grasped clumps of hair, squeezing together at the temples. "I don't have anyone else..."

You have me! I am all you need, That girl hates you, she's too good for you, and she doesn't trust you. I am you.

Her hands impacted with her skull one at a time, in turn. Tears streamed down her face and dripped off of her chin onto her pale blue capris.

But it's okay, Brielle. Because you still have me.

"But I don't want you!"

"Brielle?" Jessica put her hand on Brielle's fist, her eyes, for the first time, showing genuine concern. Brielle folded her hands in her lap, forcing her own eyes away from her reflection. "Is everything alright?" In her hand, Jessica held two plastic cups, one containing Brielle's nightly pills, the other with an inch of water.

"Yes." Brielle took the pills, swallowed them, and asked for more water. Jessica left to retrieve it and returned again with her usual uncaring smile. She left Brielle to bed without another word about the situation she'd witnessed.

__

Brielle rapped on Miel's door and waited a few moments. When the door didn't open with a miserable girl hanging on the knob, she took it upon hersel to open it and walk inside.

Miel was curled up n the twin sized bed, on top of the yellow-ish floral sheets, facing the wall. Her eyes were closed, but still scrunched a little, her face doing that which she did when a headache overcame her or was thinking a lot. She never looks relaxed... Brielle tried thinking of herself while she slept. Did her pains and worries in the real world show like this, even during sleep? She placed her hand lightly on Miel's shoulder and watched her long black lashes flutter open. She even almost smiled upon seeing Brielle, but then her mask was replaced.

"Morning." She tried to sound cheerful for Miel's sake, but it was difficult in such a dreery place. "Sorry for waking you."

"Not a problem." Miel got up and sat cross-legged on the bed, now. Brielle slung her feet on the bed, mimicing Miel's position, but facing her. It looked as though Miel's body was becoming healthier, but by the look of her expression and posture, she was feeling run-down.

"You haven't been sleeping, again." It wasn't a question, but Miel still shrugged.

"Have you been?"

Brielle twiddled her thumbs in her lap, staring down at them. It's all I do when I'm not with you or at therapy. " Miel nodded in responce. This is how it had been the past couple weeks since Dr. Jonson asked Brielle to help with Miel's recovery. They barely talked. Miel even flinched when Brielle went to hug her, or hold her hand.

"Miel, I haven't told them anything, you know." That got her attention. Her hands, which were combing through her hair, fell to her sides. Her eyes, to anyone else, wouldn't have seemed to change, but Brielle knew better. "You know I'm not lying, deep down. And I'm not going to tell them anything you don't want me to. I wouldn't do anything to betray your trust."

"But you said you were going to help them." Brielle smiled genuinely, and wrapped her arms around Miel's shoulders. After a brief moment Brielle held her at arms length.

"No, I said I was going to help you. Having one more person in your life break your trust isn't going to do that."

They sat there, examining one another for a few minutes before Miel finally gave her a small nod. Brielle didn't exactly know what it meant, but she felt like she'd done something good for Miel today.

A knock sounded at the door, signaling that their time was up. Had it really been an hour already? "Don't forget that our parents are coming tomorrow." It was hard to leave Miel, but Jessica tugged on her arm out the door, and lead her to Dr. Jonson's office.