Therapy

"So I saw your melt down last night." Jack said, sitting beside Alex in the day room. It was a little after seven and they were the only two out there. "Shit got crazy. I'm surprised you didn't get twenty four hours room time."

Alex glared at him through half-lidded eyes. After that nightmare, Alex could not fall back asleep. He just wasn't tired. He only got a couple hours of sleep and it was way too early for Jack's crap. As much as Alex wanted to tell Jack to fuck off, he knew the nurses were watching. So Alex mustered up the most convincing smile he could manage and replied.

"Yeah, me too. Guess it's because I'm new."

Jack blinked, as if he wasn't expecting a response from Alex. That was actually probably the longest reply he's given Jack.

The other kids slowly joined them. Jack got up to sit with Zack and Rian at the table where they started a game of cards. Almost immediately after Jack got up, Megan took his place.

"Morning." She chirped. Megan was a morning person? Gross. "So what happened last night? Jack told us you freaked out and it took two security guards, a doctor and a sedative to get you under control."

"Yeah, I got upset." He said simply. Instead of prying like Alex expected, Megan just nodded.

"I heard Jack freaked out during family therapy a while back so his parents aren't allowed to visit anymore."

"Really?" That explained why Jack was sitting out in the day room last night.

After everyone was in the day room, Mr. Anthony called them all to the couches for their goals for the day. Every night they write down what they wish to achieve the next day and now Mr. Anthony asks how they plan to accomplish this goal. Alex was glad he missed it so he wouldn't have to participate in this bullshit.

"Zack, we'll start with you. Last night you said you wanted to find more ways to release anger without using violence. How do you plan on doing that?"

Zack shrugged. "I dunno. I guess by using techniques we learned in rec therapy."

"Good." Mr. Anthony said. "Jack, you're next. You said you wanted to help Alex open up."

Alex stopped playing with his knotted hair at the mention of his name. Jack wanted to help him "open up"? What the fuck is that?

"Yeah, he seems really sheltered and I want to help tear down those walls."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

Alex expected some stupid answer followed by Jack's even stupider laugh but Jack surprised him. "By listening." He said seriously. Alex gave him a curious look but Jack wasn't paying him any attention.

"Interesting. But if he's closed up, what is there to listen to?"

Isn't it great when people talk about you like you're not there? Alex loved that. Not.

"He doesn't have to speak for me to listen." Jack said cryptically, ending the conversation.

Mr. Anthony moved the discussion along but Alex was stuck on Jack's answer. Jack made no sense. Was he trying to say he could read Alex? That was unlikely. He put up those walls for a reason; to keep people like that out. He didn't need some hyperactive idiot trying to analyze him.

A little before 7:30, everyone lined up for breakfast. Alex was towards the back, listening to Megan sing. She wasn't actually a bad singer... expect when she tried opera.

Cam was talking to the doctor and his two associates in his room. Mr. Anthony said they couldn't go until Cam came back and Jack was getting impatient.

"Can we please leave without him?" He whined.

"No. You can wait a few minutes."

"What if I can't? What if I die of starvation before he comes back? Do you want my death on your conscience?"

Zack and Rian were snickering quietly but Mr. Anthony didn't find it amusing.

"Shut it, Barakat. You know better than to talk like that."

Cam strolled over then, a huge grin on his face. "I'm getting released today!" He exclaimed.

"No way! That's so not fair!" Megan said." We've been here the same amount of time. How are you being released?"

Mr. Anthony unlocked the door and they started their trip down to the cafeteria. Jack of course made sure he pressed the elevator button and tried to guess which of the four elevators would come. He was wrong.

Down in the cafeteria, Megan and Cam continued their conversation but Alex tuned out as he grabbed his food. Ham, eggs, and toast. He placed his trey at the table and went to grab a small container of peanut butter and some orange juice. Jack walked up beside him, grabbing chocolate milk from the mini fridge.

"Hiya. How ya doing?" He said. Alex gave him a quiet "Fine." and turned to leave. "Aw, Lex. I thought we were past the mumbled, one word answers!"

Alex doesn't know why, but he really felt like beating the shit out of Jack. They haven't even known each other that long but he just got under Alex's skin. Somehow he knew how to push Alex's buttons.

Annoyed, Alex spun around. "Don't call me that!" Instead of getting upset or angry like Alex hoped, Jack just laughed. Alex squeezed the cup of orange juice in his hand, crushing it. Oh, how he wished it was Jack's head.

The liquid spilt over Alex's hand and the counter then dripped onto the floor. Alex tossed the cup into the trash and shook his hand out to try and get the juice off then reached for a stack of napkins.

"Angry, Lexi?" Jack giggled. Alex's arm movements stopped halfway to the napkins.

"What is your problem?" Alex yelled. "What do you want from me? Huh, Jack? What?"

"Alex!" Mr. Anthony's deep voice roared. He appeared behind Alex, towering over him. "Jack, go sit down. Alex, you're going to clean this mess up then I'm taking you up to your room."

Alex's face burned with anger. He wanted to scream and cry and break any and everything he could get his shaking hands on. Starting with Jack.

Mr. Anthony shoved a wet rag at Alex and stood sternly as Alex cleaned up the juice, cursing everyone in his mind. Fuck his lawyer for not trying harder. Fuck the judge for forcing him to go here. Fuck his parents for letting him. Fuck Mr. Anthony for making him clean up the mess that Jack caused. Fuck Jack for being an annoying ass, stupid prick. Fuck orange juice for being so sticky.

Once it was cleaned to Mr. Anthony's standards, he dragged Alex back up to the ward. The nurses all gave Alex those stupid fake sympathetic looks as Mr. Anthony shoved Alex into his room.

"Twenty four hours. You will not leave this room. You'll have plenty of time for an attitude adjustment."

Mr. Anthony slammed the door shut. There was a small click- him locking it- and Alex screamed "Fuck you!" And pounded his fist against the wooden door.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in his hand, Alex flung himself onto the bed childishly. Twenty four hours of doing nothing. This is just fan-fucking-tastic.

Now more than ever Alex wished they allowed him to have his iPod. It had only been a day and Alex already missed his music. And his guitar. Oh God, did he miss that thing.

All Alex had to do to pass the time was sleep but he wasn't tired.. He was restless; like he could run for hours and not even break a sweat. He couldn't stop shaking. His mind was racing a million miles a minute but he couldn't make out a single thought.

Alex sat up, holding his face in his hands. Twenty four fucking hours.

Alex spent the next couple hours doing absolutely nothing. He barely moved from his spot on the bed. Though he tried to calm his mind down enough to sleep, he couldn't.

At noon they brought him a trey of food. Ham and cheese sandwich, an apple, and a carton of milk. Not the best meal but Alex was starving seeing that he didn't get to eat breakfast this morning and scarfed it down.

Then Alex began to pace, unable to sit still any longer. He was- for lack of a better term- going insane and he was bored out of his damn mind.

Suddenly Alex stopped mid-step as his eyes landed on the desk. His brain sparked an idea. He climbed on the bed so he was standing directly in front of the camera.

"Hey! I know you're watching me! Come here."

A moment later, a nurse walked in looking annoyed. "What, Alex?"

"Get me paper and pencil." Then he added with an eye roll. "Please."

The nurse sighed as she left to get Alex the paper and, instead of a pencil, she brought him a crayon. Apparently patients weren't allowed to use pencils because they're dangerous. Because Alex was definitely going to cut himself with a damn pencil.

"Next time, Alex, if you want our attention use the call box."

Alex hummed in acknowledgement and sat down at the desk and began to write.