Private Affair (The Private Series) Read Free Page A

control over anything at that point of my life. I was being bashed by my father. I lost all of my friends. And I lost my art dream. Most teens turn to drinking or drugs, not me. I felt control when I felt pain. But once I found music I stopped. That was my wakeup call and one song in-particular, Hold On, by Good Charlotte.”
    “Tess…” I see him eyeing my body, probably trying to figure out where my scars are, considering he has inspected every inch of me.
    “Wondering where my scars are, huh?” I try to ask casually, but I drop my head.
    He places his hand around my wrist and observes it, “Well, yeah. I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay, I never went too deep, but you can see a few light ones just below my hip.” His hand moves slowly to my hip as we sit and I close my eyes. I feel vulnerable for telling I’m, but at the same time a little freed.
    “I am okay now, but that’s why you need to give Caroline time to figure this out. Just know that I will help talk to her about it, because I have been there.”
    “I really appreciate that Tess. God, I love you and I wish we could have been together in high school.”
    I laugh, “Man, we would have been one messed up pair, with me doing what I was doing and you getting into fights…”
    “I was thinking more along the lines of making out, but whatever…”

 

     

     
     
    I never would have imagined Tess cutting or being depressed enough to do something like that in her past. I know her Dad really fucked up when she was a kid and she was an outcast in school, but it kills me inside knowing that someone or a group of people could be so cruel to a young girl who was just trying to find herself.
    If I was there when she was in school I would have kicked some major ass, I would have done anything to make sure she was protected and assured that she was beautiful and worthy of all the happiness in the world. But no, no one seems to give a fuck about who they hurt.
    I can see so much of Tess in Caroline. They are both independent and unique, along with passion and drive. Maybe Tess can talk to Caroline, if she won’t talk to me, maybe Tess can help her in some way with her own story.
    Doctor Parkers wanted to meet together in her office today. Yesterday we were all a wreck after all the travel and stress and tears about Caroline that she thought it’d be best to wait until this afternoon to speak about treatment.
    We are all seated in front of Dr. Beth Parkers large desk and I refuse to let go of Tess’s hand. I am taking in deep settling breaths and I look to my father who just looks a little lost and sad. Gwen rubs his back slightly and I am grateful for her to comfort him. This morning Caroline was up and moving, going to the bathroom on her own and her color looked much better.
    Her roommate had been the one to find her in their dorm room bathroom. She was on the floor collapsed by the sink. She had told the EMT’s that she didn’t know how long she was there for, but that there was a lot of blood and when she screamed for her to wake up, she wouldn’t budge. Hearing the story makes me a little sick and the room started to bow out.
    “Ben? Are you alright?” I hear Tess asking me. I was instructed by Doctor Parkers to put my head between my knees and breathe. She comes to me with a glass of water and I slowly sit up.
    I lean over and assure Tess with a kiss on the cheek, “I am okay, just a lot to take in.”
    “It’s a lot on all of us son,” my dad tells me and I know it’s hard on everyone. I mean fuck my baby sister nearly killed herself.
    The doctor brings our attention to herself and we start to go over Caroline’s treatment. By the end of the meeting my father had asked my opinion on the matter, which surprised me a little and we agreed that she needed to spend a short time in a rehab facility. Not a lockdown kind of place, but a place that will teach her ways to build herself up and how to better manage her depression and stress.
    “Now has she