FORREST
“GOOD TO see you again, Forrest.” Dr. Diana Reed sat back to her chair after our handshakes.
“You too, Dr. Reed.” I took a seat on the couch across hers while she was taking her notes and pen.
She smiled. “So, what brings you here today?”
I rested my arms on my thighs and linked my fingers together. “I don’t know.”
She studied me for a while before she asked. “Have you been having trouble sleeping lately?”
“No.” I hated it when people tried to read me, but this woman helped me a lot over the years. Alan usually gave me a long speech to visit my therapist if he knew constant nightmares were keeping me awake, but this time, I came here willingly. For what reason? I didn’t know.
“Something’s bothering you.” She smiled knowingly. “Let me rephrase. Is someone keeping you awake?” She must have noticed the dark circles under my eyes.
I licked my lips and shifted on the couch. I always kept everything under wraps, but I didn’t have an excuse when it came to my therapy. I had to talk about it somehow. “What made you say that?”
“I am your therapist, Forrest. You said you don’t have trouble sleeping, then this might be something new. Tell me about it.”
“I can’t say that she’s a bother though.”
“But?”
There was definitely a but. Of course. I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn’t put what was bothering me into words. So I shut my mouth again.
“Okay. Tell me three things you think first thing in the morning.” She scribbled on her notes, then glanced back at me.
Fuck. Me.
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Forrest.”
“I am not ashamed, Dr. Reed.”
“Then you knew everything we discuss here is just between you and me. It’s normal to feel something toward a woman, to be sexually attracted over someone. And you’re young and good-looking.”
“I know. It’s just. It’s not about myself I am troubled about.”
“It’s normal to worry about someone.”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“Let us think that you’re not talking to your therapist right now. Think of me as someone you trust.”
“I trust you, Dr. Reed.”
“So you have feelings for her.”
My gaze snapped at her. Her? Do I have? ”I am not sure.”
care about
Something kept me from not doing so, instead, I crossed my legs, resting my back against
me about it.”
ago. I just don’t know if she knows that I’d been watching her. We don’t talk, I mean we exchanged his and hellos a couple of times, but we never got a chance to have a long chit-chat
not?”
have nothing in common. We have different perspectives
two opposite people attract?”
I shrugged.
made you say that you
it sounds
me about
loose-tongued sharpness. I know not most men like that quality in a woman, but I like her just the way she is.” Whatever her reasons for avoiding a relationship, I wouldn’t stop until I figure out. “I have different views about sex. I want a deeper intimate connection with my sexual partner as much as possible or at least I trust her with myself, my
great. Go on.”
been in a serious relationship as well. I can handle the temptation, I am
“And you believe that she doesn’t believe in relationships?”
“I think so. She’s a commitment-phobic. Her friends’ word. Not mine.”
it’s bothering you.”
thing is—” Fuck! I sighed. Why does it hard for me to
“How so?”
her so down since I met her, but I can’t just tell her to open up to me, besides, she already questioned my motives on why suddenly, I am talking to
“You want to gain her trust for her to open up to you?”
I’d been watching her, and I was satisfied with
flipped inside me and told me to do
was right, it was immensely bothering me.
wish it’s that
just have to trust yourself, Forrest.”
***
The Fleur Gym was just next door from the tattoo shop, also owned by Alan. I didn’t know what I was doing
approaching Megan and asked her if we could talk over a coffee. I scoffed. Now, I’m weird. Over a coffee? Yeah, I kinda knew what coffee she liked. Just
did a few bench pressing. Then, I placed the weight back, sat up, and growled
looking down at me. “Try sharing. It’s not bad to talk to someone
denied, raking my fingers through my damped hair.
“Grow some balls already and just do whatever you are planning to do,” he added. Yeah, maybe it
fine.” Pissed, I stood up and
“Whatever grow your balls, Wood!”
“Your balls need
up with my priority that I’d been investing over these years. Personal entanglement was the last thing I wanted. It would complicate things. I kept reminding myself that many times for a week now, but it didn’t help. I realized it was too late. My life had
what I’d become. Nothing was going to change my past. I was happy with it, until recently that I
and I liked the feeling that I cared about someone more than myself. Damn it, Megan!
over
don’t even know what I am doing at the diner across the tattoo shop, but here
her message. It was really from her because I had her number saved for almost two
doing here, Megan? Wanna get a tattoo?
in the air, rereading my message if it was right to ask or I sounded like a stupid. Finally, I hit send.
Megan: I am at the Diner. What do you think? I
her
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