Part 7 (2/2)

When the session was over, Dr. Cuvo stuck out his hand, as usual. I took his hand and we shook. When we were on the main unit, everyone seemed to suddenly appear. Janine ran over from the couch where she was sitting next to Tai and Chris. I thought she was coming over to me, but she jumped in front of Dr. Cuvo with a big smile on her face.

”Are you ready for me?” she eagerly asked him. She seemed really jittery and anxious.

”Not yet, Janine, but I will be with you shortly,” he told her as he tried to head for the exit.

”Why not?” She frowned, looking as if she was going to break.

Dr. Cuvo stopped at the exit door. He didn't even look at her while he was talking to her.

”I have other patients to see right now, Janine. I will be back to talk to you later,” Dr. Cuvo said.

He pushed past her coldly and stuck his key in the door. The door began to open slowly. Janine tried to stay close to him, and looked at him with anger in her eyes. I watched them closely. Everyone else just seemed to be in their own little world. I watched Janine's lips move as she leaned in closer to him. She wasn't yelling now. I couldn't hear what she was saying. Right when Dr. Cuvo was about to walk out of the half-opened door, he stopped and looked at her. Now he looked her directly in the eyes.

”Later, Janine,” he said in a serious, insensitive tone. Then, he walked out the door.

Janine almost followed him out. When she screamed out angrily, Ms. Mosley looked up from what she was doing.

All eyes were on Janine. Ms. Mosley immediately came around from behind the counselor's desk and asked Janine to sit down and join the rest of us on the unit. Janine stood, still staring at the exit door. Her arms were folded across her chest and her eyes were wide open like she was possessed.

”Come on, Janine. Have a seat over here with everyone else,” Ms. Mosley tried to encourage her.

Janine didn't flinch.

Losing her patience, Ms. Mosley yelled at her. Janine just stood there.

”Geoffrey, help me with Janine again,” Ms. Mosley demanded the young counselor.

Geoffrey stood up from behind the desk. He walked over to Janine and gently grabbed her arm.

Geoffrey said, ”Come, Janine. We are going to go sit down.”

”Get off of me! Stop touching me, you stupid pervert!” she screamed. She yelled even louder when Ms. Mosley came to help Geoffrey. She was screaming, ”No! No! Don't touch me! You can't do this! No!”

Everyone on the unit stared at Janine as she swung her arms wildly. She hit Geoffrey in the face. That's when Ms. Mosley pushed Janine to the ground and pulled her hands behind her back. Geoffrey had Janine in his tight grip. He and Ms. Mosley lifted her off the floor and carried her away as she screamed and shouted. They carried her out of a door and down a hallway that I had not yet walked through. I could hear Janine screaming until the door shut behind them.

I was frightened for Janine after I heard the door slam. After the commotion was over, everyone went back to what they were doing as if nothing had happened. Tai sat on the couch next to Chris, expressionless. I walked over to a seat at a table, near the couch, and sat down. The new guy that I had seen in morning group came over and sat at the table with me.

He leaned over and asked Tai, ”Do you know what they are doing to that girl in there?”

”BCR,” she told him.

”BCR? What's that?” he asked Tai.

I was curious, too.

”It's called a Behavioral Control Room,” Chris clarified.

”Thanks, n.o.body asked you,” Tai growled at him.

Chris didn't respond. Daniel walked into the front room from where Dr. Cuvo had exited. Dr Finch was ahead of him. Daniel smiled and thanked Dr. Finch. He and Daniel fist b.u.mped and then said good bye before Dr. Finch walked away.

”Why did they put her in there?” I asked.

Tai looked at me as if I were stupid. I felt stupid for asking. I guess it was obvious.

Tai answered, ”They put her in there to strap her down and shut her up. Don't worry, they don't use shocks here.” Tai laughed. ”I know what you new people must think when you come in here.”

”What happened?” Daniel pulled up a chair to the table. ”Janine got put in the BCR?”

”Oh, wow! You are, like, so clever!” Tai sarcastically exclaimed.

”What is your problem?” Daniel asked her.

She sighed. ”Nothing. I just need a cigarette.”

”Me too, look.” Daniel stuck out his hands. They were shaking worse than before. ”I can't even do any of my drawings. My doctor won't let them give me a patch. Nothing.”

”Wow,” Tai said. ”You're itching for a ciggy really bad.”

”She and Janine got into an argument,” Cadence blurted out. We didn't notice that she had come over to us. Cadence's creepy little doll was resting on her shoulder.

Tai stood up and smacked Cadence hard across her face. The doll fell to the floor. Cadence grabbed her face, looking shocked, and in pain.

”What? You crazy b.i.t.c.h! You want to talk to me some more? Go ahead, so that I can punch you in your mouth this time,” Tai threatened.

Cadence, still holding onto her face, picked up her doll and ran towards the Girls' Unit. She ran through the double doors and disappeared.

Ms. Mosley walked back in and yelled for everyone to go to their rooms and wash their hands for lunch. Tai stormed off. I looked at Daniel. He was laughing.

”She's the crazy one,” he commented.

Chris and the new guy walked off through the double doors that led to the Boys' Unit.

”Why did she do that?” I asked Daniel.

Daniel kept laughing. ”Tai is pretty messed up. I guess that's what drugs will do to you.”

I looked at him, not laughing.

He stopped laughing. He reached out his hand, but he didn't touch me.

”It's okay. It's just that Tai is tired of being here. Much like the rest of us.” He tried to make me smile with his smile and his sweet dimple.

”It's okay,” he repeated.

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