The Academy: OCD Style

Delusional Drugs

A week had passed, we seemed to have a routine down. I had barely been alone at all. I had gotten a ride from Kota and the boys so my house was not too far away. Luke and I were walking home but, he acted... Different. He was still easy-going but there had to be plenty on his mind. He did not walk with me, but ahead of me. My mind retraced everything I had said to him in in the past 24 hours, I must have said something wrong. He kept glancing back, rushing me with his eyes. 

"Luke," I stopped. 

"We can talk, but let's keep walking."

"I'm sorry. Did I upset you?" That made him come to a halt. 

"Sang, no you're okay. I just have to get you home quickly, but your legs are so small you can barely keep up." He said, almost laughing. Luke came closer to me and hoisted me up onto his shoulder. I allowed this, I'd let him carry me if it meant I could ease any of his worries. 

"Is everything okay?" I asked. He gripped onto the back of my upper thigh, I didn't mind. However, touching was still a new thing for me. 

Friends do this, touching is normal, I reminded myself. 

"Yes, I've just got important assignments for school." 

"At the Academy?"

"How do you know about that?"

"When Doctor Green was disinfecting my...um... Knees. He mentioned it."

"Shit." he said, glancing at all the missed messages on his phone. Luke set me down in my backyard, "Are you okay to get in safely?" I nodded and hid my anxiety with a smile. "Take my phone, if you need anything, text Nathan or Kota." The phone was warm in my hands, Luke jogged toward the other direction.  

I was not sure where to put his phone. I couldn't let my mother find it, I tucked it in the cup of my bra. It felt strange to have a boy's phone there, but that is where it would be safest. My cheeks heated, Luke trusted me with his phone! I felt so honored. I quietly rushed to my bedroom and walked into an already open door. My mom was drenched in sweat. Her hair was out of her usual low-ponytail and looked like it hasn't been washed or brushed in weeks. 

"Mom?" I whispered. 

Her head snapped up, "What took you so long? Marie was here before you."

"I walked home." I hid my shaking hands behind my back, "Where's Dad? I could make you some soup, if you are hungry." 

"What? No, stop deflecting. Were you with a boy? Are you on drugs?" She interrogated, reaching for her orange bottle with prescription medication inside. She popped one into her mouth, dry. Her accusation seemed hypocritical, I could not even count how many of those she took daily. 

"No Mom, I would never..." I looked to the ground. Her own delusions had already convinced her.  

 "I can't believe you would show up to the house in this state of mind. Did you even stop to think about how this would effect the family?!" Her voice growled. "God, you're so selfish." She gripped my wrist and pulled me against the door. She forced it shut with my body, causing me to wince. 

"I have never done drugs, I swear Mom. Please." I quietly pleaded. It was no use. Her voice shot out over mine easily. 

"Don't give me that, Sang! You're even lying about it too, I know when my own daughter is lying. Don't think you can fool me." My mother grasped at the collar of my shirt, dragging me by the shirt's neck line.