Stay

My alarm clock barely woke me up. I couldn't sleep last night because of the baby in the apartment next to us cried the whole night. Somehow Lila, my girlfriend, could sleep through it. I had to keep checking on her to make sure she was really asleep and not dead.

I sat up on the edge of my bed for a little until I could see properly since the sun light was so bright. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and got ready for work. Once I was done doing my morning routine I bundled up since it had been cold in the morning lately. I found my bike by the door and left.

Instantly, once I opened the door I could hear the rush of New York City in the morning. I got on my bike and left. My breath came out in little clouds. It was colder that it had been, my cheeks stung from the pre-winter air. As usual everyone was in a rush to work today. A man on a bike wearing a black face mask passed me by almost hitting me. I wondered where he was going. Finally Columbia University, where I work, came into view, and I was relieved to see it.

For the past few weeks I had been filling in for one of my fellow workers, Beth Levy, who had been very depressed lately. I didn't know how she was doing because every time I tried to call to her she wouldn't pick up the phone, which worried me.
I went to my locker and bumped into Lila and spilt her coffee, and she pushes me back. "Watch where you're going, old man" she said. I kissed her.
Lila was an art professor at the college.

"Jesus kids these days" I smirked playing along

" I don't have time to flirt with you, I have an exam to give" I ignored her comment and bent down to pick up her now empty coffee cup. I tossed it into a near by garbage can and she smiled at me. " Good thing none of the TAs looked like you when I was younger, or I'd have failed." I looked at her and nodded. "By the way Sam, you owe me a cup of coffee."

"How could you sleep last night?" I asked remembering the sleep I didn't get last night.

"Fine, why?" She asked.

" Well our neighbor's baby was crying the whole night."

She gave me a look. "Our neighbors are ninety- years-old, Sam"

I smiled and walked away hoping I wouldn't be late for my next appointment. Lila called after me, " Don't forget, you have an appointment with Henry Letham."

I walked into my office which was a slick room with glass sound proof walls, and the warm air that I had been oppressed of on the ride over, and it felt so much more welcoming than ever this past week. I was on my way to the office Beth and I would share. When I came in I saw my first patient had already been waiting for me looking out a window. I looked on my desk to see who he was. In print it said Henry Letham. He was a college student and had been diagnosed with depression a few months back and refused to take any of the medications recommended.

"It's gonna hail today" Henry said still looking out the window.

"Ya think?" I replied trying to see out the same window. It had been chilly, but the sun was out.

I seemed to have caught him off guard as to who I was. He turned around looking angry. "Who the fuck are you?" he said looking repulsed by my presence. I was surprised by his reaction.

"I'm doctor Sam Foster," I said calmly so I wouldn't seem offended about what he said. I took out my hand for a shake but he just looked at my hand examining to see if it was sanitary.

" Where's Dr. Levy?" He asked not changing his expression.

" Well, she just had an appendectomy, she'll return is a few weeks. I'm just filling in for her." He just stared at me. I reminded myself that he was a troubled kid who needed my help, so I kept calm. There was a heavy silence in the room. I could see Henry eyeing the door. "Take a seat, Henry" I offered, which he ignored. He was the kind of kid who was insecure, I could tell since he still looked uneasy about trusting me.

" So what are you? A substitute shrink?" Henry concluded. I gave him an amused smirked. This was going to be an interesting morning, Henry was a good challenge for me.

" I guess you could call me that." I cleared my throat. " So I read your files...."

" Oh yeah, can I read your files?" He interrupted, and sat down.

I paused searching my mind for things to say. "Tell me why you're here."

" I thought you read the files." He replied indifferently.

" You torched your car. Why?" I said looking at his information. I took a glance at him and he was still looking out the door. I was expecting him to leave at any minute, maybe we were going to have a break through today.

" I dunno, I was in the car and the next thing I knew it was on fire. I didn't mean to hurt anyone" I shrugged. I sat there. Who could he have hurt? There was nothing on the news the previous night.

" Who did you hurt?" I said furrowing my eyebrows to show interest.

" I don't remember," He stood up. His pants were covered in blue paint, "I'm gonna go before the hail starts." He said making his way for the door.

" Wait, Henry. Stay here" I said hoping he'd listen, but it was futile. He left.