Group Therapy

72 - Charlotte.

"It's okay, I know some day I'm gonna be with you."

It's Ok ~ Tom Rosenthal.

° ° ° °

Eli met Raleigh and she seems to like everyone around, l hope she does. It'd be a bit more obvious if she would just talk. But again, l can't blame her. The girl's been through so much at such a young age.

Right now eli and l are playing truth or dare, who ever chooses not to answer a question or do a dare has to either tell an embarrassing story that happened to them or show and embarrassing picture of theirs.

He chose truth and its my turn to ask him.

I smirk at him as a question pops up in my head "Are you a virgin?" l ask quietly.

"No that's not fair! My questions are nice how come l get all the evil questions?!" he throws his hands up in exaggeration.

"Says the guy who asked me who l made out with last!" l defend myself, laughing the whole time at his reaction.

"That's not fair you didn't answer it!" he exclaims.

"I don't care you have to answer this one!" l laugh.

"Actually hold on, don't answer that. Mother nature is calling me." l stand up and he chuckles as l run into the bathroom and do my business.

"Alright, now that mother nature's out-" a hand covers my mouth causing me to stop.

I give eli a questioning look and he whispers for me to hush.

He takes my hand and pulls me to hunter's door that's cracked open.

I peak in at what he's pointing at and see hunter and Raleigh sitting on the floor still attempting to build hunter's giant lego castle. They've been so into in that they haven't left it since the morning, not even for dinner. I brought them their plates in the room.

But that's not it, what he's actually pointing at is Raleigh.

"So you want to talk to him?" hunter's little voice asks as he picks up another piece of lego.

"I do, but l don't know how or when. I'm not mad at him, l don't know why he keeps saying that. I'm just hurt, there's a difference." Raleigh replies as they continue to play.

Woah, what did l just witness?

First of all, she talked.

Secondly, her speech is way beyond her years. And her mindset reminds me of hunter's, no wonder they got a long so quickly. It's hard to find someone who's been through shit at that age.

"I know. But l think you should talk to him, he's probably hurting too. I bet he misses you, just let him know you're still there then you don't have to say much if you don't want to. It's not easy to talk to someone who hurt you, l know. But it's gonna happen sooner or later so just do it." hunter explains while eli and l exchange looks.

"Have you ever talked to someone who's hurt you before?" Raleigh asks.

"Kinda, my dad. A while ago he stopped calling at all though, I'm not really sure how l feel about that." he shrugs.

"What did he do?"

"Hurt me, mom, laynie and hannah. I don't like to see him anymore." hunter replies.

"Have you ever thought that maybe he was just looking out for you? Like ryder?" she asks.

"I have but no. What he did was on purpose and there's no way he would do it to look out for me."