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So was my mom

They visited me at the center once, and they both wanted ured Zee’s offer was better for et pulled back into ile My so called family is the reason I ended up on that island Not my parents, but relatives—relatives they sent me to stay with

Fragile Yuck

I hate the word

But despite the strength I needed to endure the last ten years, I aht It’s a journey I’ll never be the Katelyn I was I’m not sure I even want to be

“We’ll wait a few minutes to see if Aspen or Kelly show up,” Macy says

I raise ht only Aspen and Dec—sorry, Lily—were here”

“Kelly arrived late last night,” Macy says

“I don’t think they’ll show,” Lily says

Macy sighs “You’re probably right Have you talked to Aspen?”

Lily nods “She still doesn’t feel coroup, and Kelly…”

Macy sighs again

Kelly I reem name was Opal

Kelly was…

Not friendly

Most of us understood that ere in this together, but Kelly… She got jealous if someone else was chosen over her

I used to pray souilty about that, because I was praying for someone else to be hurt instead of me

Then I stopped praying because clearly, God didn’t exist

No God could have let those horrors happen to me and to the others

No God could let any of the horrors of the world happen

And it was a man of God, a priest, who dislocated both my shoulders that time

A fucking man of God

Right

God doesn’t exist

“Then it’s just the three of us today” Macy smiles “Please have a seat, both of you”

I take a seat a few chairs away froht next to her feels too…weird Lily smiles and sits next to me

“Today I want to talk about expectations,” Macy begins “This is a good topic for you especially, Katelyn, since you’ve just gotten here It’s important to keep our expectations normal”

Our expectations? I hate it when therapists do that Act as if they’ve been through all the shit we’ve been through

It’s crap Pure crap

Macy goes on, “You’ve been through a lot of healing already, and I’m sure your therapists have told you that the road will have bumps It will, and when you come to one, you have two choices You can fall down or you can jump over it”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes This is old news

“Katelyn,” she says to me, “do you have any expectations?”

“Not really,” I reply

“None at all?”