I hear crying from the room beside me, the strangled and terrified cries have me rocking back and forth trying to tune out the sounds. The reality is that you can’t, a 13-year-old child is getting stuff he doesn’t deserve... you can’t ignore that. I sit there and attempt to keep my thoughts together, before I get up and get him clothes. He is probably moving into my room because we are the youngest. I’m 14, he would be 13... They try to keep 2 per room for safety purposes (don’t ask me why on this one I stopped trying to figure out why they do what they do a very long time ago.)So, I go to my closet and grab a pair of boxers and an oversized hoodie for him... considering all my sweatpants will not fit him. My door opens and I hear a thump, my heart drops.
I turn to see him, his limp body looking like a dropped puppet... at least he is breathing though. So, I slowly walk towards him, and attempt to get a good look at his face. Right as I get near him, he opens his eyes and recoils back.
“Don’t touch me! Please don’t hurt me. Please!” He cries, moving slowly though.
He’s injured, I already know that.
“I won’t touch you or do anything without your consent, or at all. My name is Alexander, but it is Alex for short. I’m just going to help you; bathroom is over there, and you can take a shower. I have clothes for you too. I advise that you take a shower, you’ll feel better. If you don’t want too, well try taking one soon please. I have blankets and a mattress. I’ll take the floor.”
“I just wanna stay right here.” He mumbles.
“Do you want a blanket?”
“Please just leave me alone.”
I nod, and like I told him I wouldn’t do anything without his consent, I follow what he says. I end up laying in my bed for hours, pondering where he came from, how’d he get here. Why is he here? Were we picked up by the same guy? Why are we really sharing a room?
He mumbles things in his sleep, and finally after a good two hours, I see him on the floor, shivering. Carefully, I grab one of my blankets and drape it over him before I go back to my bed.
“I’m so sorry you are here.” I mumble before going to sleep.
“Yes... I mean no... not exactly.” Here I am clarifying things with Willow.
Willow doesn’t know the whole thing, but now she does. She sits across from me at the table, and I’m honestly internally panicking considering I haven’t shared my story and stopped going to therapy after two years.
“So, you guys never actually went on a date or anything?”
“Not exactly I mean... he had a ring I gave him and a couple of my hoodies, we were young. Yes, we did things, but I haven’t seen him in 5 years, and yes, I still love him. I haven’t gone a day without thinking about him in literally 5 years.”
“Oh dear… Alex... why didn’t you ever tell me the full extent?”
“I didn’t want you to see me in a different way, honestly. I was afraid.” I look away.
“Okay situation is this, he has nowhere to go, and he is constantly afraid. Serious PTSD, and a lot of other issues. So, my best advice to you... he is very traumatized and scared, maybe make sure he gets what he needs. He needs support from a positive influence that he knew.”
“I know.”
“Alright. His projected discharge date is in two weeks.”
I pick up my assignment and walk up to his room. He sits up slightly and looks at me, “Do you think I’ll have a place to go?”
“Yea. I’ll give you my contact information and everything. Just let me visit you off the clock, alright?”
He nods. 557Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKaaEdxvOY
