The Meltdown-Chapter Five

He told Anna all about his stay. They hunted early that morning then hanged for school. This time he felt alot better about seeing her. He felt more in control.

Beatriz wandered down the hallway, somewhat absentmindedly. Her eyes scanned the various room numbers. She was thinking about...everything and nothing, all at once. She was trying not to focus on the fact that she would need to get another job, in order to support her younger sister. She was hoping she wouldn't run into Caspian or Anna. Beatriz had so much on her plate...she just couldn't deal with them right now.
Speaking of things on her plate, she also had to worry about her mental state. She was slipping up. Again. That call to her mom? Disastrous. If she could, she would have erased the entire thing. If only she had a time machine.

Caspian drove to school with Anna. When they got to school early (since he drove like a speed demon), they went to class as usual. He had stopped by the office to make sure his absences were covered.

Beatriz sat down in her first class, opening up her notebook. She carefully pressed down the edges of the pages. Frustrated, she bit her lip. It just didn't feel right. As the rest of the class was filing in, Beatriz was still trying to get the perforated edge of the pages to fold down neatly. It wasn't working. Tears of anger filled her eyes, winding its way down her cheeks. Her seatmate was staring now. Bea was sure the girl might have said something like, "Are you okay?" but she heard nothing. She could only angily focus on this notebook in front of her, this thing that was taking up so much of her time. She was freaking out. Again. Please, anywhere but here, Beatriz thought to herself. Her OCD couldn't flare up here, during class.
Even the teacher was staring now. Luckily, she knew that Beatriz had Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. "Everyone, start working on chapter one. Do every problem," the teacher demanded. The students all turned back to their assignments, too shocked to respond. The teacher approached Beatriz, crouching down beside her. "Let's get you to the counseling office," she said, pulling gently on Beatriz's arm to help her stand up.

He was sitting down in the counseling office, waiting for the counselor to see him and check on his absences when he smelled a hint of someone he'd missed for days on end. But it hit him strong even from far away. Being away from her, like Edward said, made it only harder at first. Only if he was away for long, months on end, then it would be second to his love for her. But he didn't want to do that and Edward didn't suggest it. He cringed when talking about it.

Beatriz sat down in the chair outside the counseling office, hunched over. She was just falling apart. The tears wouldn't stop coming. Her father was gone, her mom and little sister had disappeared off planet earth, she didn't have the money to pay for anything, and now her OCD was coming back. What was she going to do? She was just a kid! She didn't have money for medication or a psychologist! What could she do?

He watched her tears fall and fought with his desire to help. He knew it wouldn't help her. How long would he be able to stay away? He remembered when Edward told him that he tried, he failed (obviously). But what could he say? She was probably freaked out because she wasn't Bella. He quickly pulled out his phone and texted Edward, asking him for a favor. If he could maybe come down and help him get insight on her mind sometime...but for now it would have to wait. He quietly picked up a tissue and held it out to her. She hoped THAT didn't freak her out. Friend first. Keep it light, he thought to himself. That's what Edward had suggested.

Beatriz turned to look at the person offering a tissue, her hand already outstretched to take it. When she saw Caspian's face, her eyes widened in horror. No! It was him! It was the person who had caused her all of this pain and suffering! She stood up, nearly tripping over the chair leg. "Get the heck away from me!" she screeched angrily. Beatriz waved her hand frantically, trying to bat away unseen forces. "Just get away!"

He just looked down and away as the feeling of rejection swelled and punched at his dead heart. "I apologize for scaring you. Please, don't make a scene. I'll sit somewhere else if you want me to" he said in a desolate voice, getting up slowly, feeling like his heart was weighing him down. He walked to the other side of the little waiting room and sat down as far away from her as possible.

Beatriz's hands were shaking. She placed them on the armrests of the waiting room chair and took in her breath in little short gasps of air. She had to calm down. She just had to calm down. If she didn't...people might figure out what was going on. They might realize that the two of them-Beatriz and Rosita-had been abandoned. Again. People might have them separated into foster homes. She wouldn't be able to take that. She had to be with Rosita. That meant she would have to pretend she was alright, it was merely a minor breakdown. Beatriz didn't know how she could accomplish such a mighty feat. She just knew she'd have to.