chapter 2

Chapter 2

Vanessa

"Vanessa... Vanessa..."

"Could you maybe continue?" the therapist said, and I felt my palms becoming even sweatier.

"You stopped at everyone getting the video sent to them except you.

"So, continue."

She was patient. Her voice was so calm, and even with all the anxiety I felt, I still felt a little calmer with her.

Everyone started laughing and pointing at me. It was a whole lot.

The more I spoke about it, the more everything started coming back. It was so vivid, and I was reliving that moment again, and I didn't want to.

"Can I go now?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"Vanessa, this is a two-hour session. You've been here for only one hour."

"I'm tired of this. I do not need therapy. Therapy isn't helping," I yelled, my palms dripping with sweat, my heart racing so fast.

"You experienced something traumatic, and it takes a lot for people to come back from what you did."

"It happened a month ago. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Your parents told me you haven't been eating properly. You rarely talk. You are no longer yourself. That's why I'm here to help."

I laughed.

"You're here to help? Really? Help with what exactly? Help me miraculously lose weight or stop people from bullying me?"

She leaned back in her chair and just studied me.

"I've been your family therapist for almost ten years now. Vanessa, you are one of the strongest and most brilliant kids I have ever known. And I don't just mean strong physically. You never used to let your weight bother you. What changed?"

"Well, let's see. I began going to high school where the moment you're overweight, you become the laughing stock of the school and..."

I paused.

"You know what? I just... I just want to go home, please."

"You've spent all of summer indoors. Do you plan on going out, going to a party or something?"

I clenched both my fists on my lap.

Was she being serious right now?

Everyone saw the sex tape of Nathan and me, and she thinks that I can show my face in school or go to a party?

"Do you know what people call me now? They call me Godzilla, and they keep making memes with the tape, keep making funny stickers, making a mockery of me. I don't know how to resume school next week."

My voice cracked.

I was fighting back tears.

"I hate my life."

"Don't say that. Do you know what a lot of people would give to be in your shoes?"

"Are you for real right now?" I snapped because every single word that came out of her mouth annoyed the hell out of me.

I stood up, unzipped my hoodie, placed it on the sofa, and lifted my shirt up.

My stomach was fat, the skin flabby.

"Can you say this? Nobody would give anything to be like me."

I dropped my shirt and sat back down on the chair.

"Do you want to know the worst part about all of this, Doctor Rose?" I asked calmly.

She nodded.

"I am the only one everyone is making fun of. Nathan is being praised for what, I don't fucking know, and it turns out our relationship was all a bet from the football team. They wanted to see how long he would last with me. I thought he loved me, but I was so stupid."

"Well, it's his loss," Dr. Rose said. "You are so beautiful, Vanessa, and who fucking cares if you have a little bit of skin on your stomach? That doesn't change anything."

For a moment, I just allowed myself to reminisce on the memories of when I used to be confident in my own skin.

I missed those days, and I didn't know how to get that confidence back.

"Do you have a plan for school on Monday?"

"Well... I've begged my parents to let me transfer schools, but they refuse. The school isn't suspending Nathan for what he did to me, and my family doesn't have enough money to take him to court, so I'll have to see him again."

"Or you could just escape to England and start a new life there."

We stared at each other for a moment before we both busted out laughing.

She stood up from where she had been sitting and walked to where I was.

She took both my hands in hers.

"You are going to be fine, and soon enough you will be done with high school. You'll get into a good college, and you will forget how trashy high school was."

"Thank you so much."

Her hold on my hands tightened just a bit, and I felt like she understood me even more than my parents ever could.

A knock landed on the door, distracting Rose.

She got up to go get it, and I picked up my things, ready to leave.

Today had been a long day, but for the first time in a while, I felt like we had made progress.

As I was about to leave, her next patient walked in.

Our gazes locked together for a brief moment, and it was none other than Cole Grayson.

He had this unreadable look on his face, and even when the door had closed, I still stood there.

Who knew cool people needed therapy?

When I got home that night, I couldn't sleep.

We would be back to school in a couple of days, and everything scared me.

I kept hoping and praying to the Moon Goddess for her to wipe everyone's memories and make them all forget about that night, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

And at the same time, nothing was going to happen to Nathan for what he did to me.

Lillian was right all along.

I should have just listened.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand.

I stretched my hand, picked it up, and saw a notification from I*******m.

Cole Grayson just followed me on I*******m.

"What the hell?"

I sat up so fast, and immediately I got a DM from him.

It only had four words.

"We need to talk."