11-01-2025, 07:57 PM
Rachel listened intently, a bit surprised at his family history. Hayden's family tree was twisted in a way that she wasn't sure she could figure it out. His dad was his brother, and his grandparents were his parents. It was a lot, but she got the point. Fucked up start. He start to life hadn't been that way. It had been decidedly normal. Life had changed when her parents had died and things became super complicated. Emily had moved here and her sisters had come too. It hadn't been an easy transition for any of them, but Rachel had really struggled. Emily seemed to take it all in stride and so did Mara, but while talking with Emily more, she knew that Emily had trouble coping and taking things over. Mara did too, but she always seemed to bounce back quick.
Rachel knew what Hayden was talking about. She'd studied psychology too, even if she was giving it up. Maybe. Probably. She knew she wasn't going back to school just yet. Maybe she'd go back or maybe not. Even if she did, she might go a different direction. She'd wanted to help people, but was terrible at helping herself. She wasn't sure what to make of that anymore. Everything seemed a lot more confusing after Lucio had gotten involved in her life.
"Thank you. Even if you're doing this as a favor to a friend, I appreciate it all the same - especially for doing it on such short notice," she said with a sweet smile. Rachel was sure he probably had more important things to be doing than to be helping this strange girl with her problems. The fact that he was giving up his time to do so really meant a lot.
Rachel took another drink, trying to figure out what to start with. There were so many things she could start with. Hayden said that this wasn't therapy - it was just two people talking, so she figured it would be best to be conversational. It would help to talk things out, and if Hayden was really good at reading people, perhaps he'd see things about herself that she couldn't.
Lucio could help now...
Fuck! She didn't need this now. Rachel looked and her hands were trembling again. At this point the withdrawals were mostly annoying. She'd just have to wait it out. Still Rachel closed her hands into fists, trying to stop the intermittent trembling. It really didn't work.
"It's okay - the withdrawals are minor. I'll be fine," she explained, sure that he had noticed. She moved her chair back a bit to give space between her and her drink, not trusting that her trembling hands wouldn't spill it. But at the very least they gave Rachel something to talk about. "Hindsight is 20/20 right? I just feel so stupid about all of this. I know I shouldn't - I know it's more complex than that, but the red flags were there. I ignored them. I just..." she looked away, biting her bottom lip in thought. She couldn't change what had happened. "It didn't just effect me. So many other people - Em, Jared, and Mara. Nox had to get involved. I don't know what this is. Sometimes guilt, sometimes shame. Frustration often. Mixtures." She sighed. "Any of this make sense?" She hoped it did because it really didn't to her.
Rachel knew what Hayden was talking about. She'd studied psychology too, even if she was giving it up. Maybe. Probably. She knew she wasn't going back to school just yet. Maybe she'd go back or maybe not. Even if she did, she might go a different direction. She'd wanted to help people, but was terrible at helping herself. She wasn't sure what to make of that anymore. Everything seemed a lot more confusing after Lucio had gotten involved in her life.
"Thank you. Even if you're doing this as a favor to a friend, I appreciate it all the same - especially for doing it on such short notice," she said with a sweet smile. Rachel was sure he probably had more important things to be doing than to be helping this strange girl with her problems. The fact that he was giving up his time to do so really meant a lot.
Rachel took another drink, trying to figure out what to start with. There were so many things she could start with. Hayden said that this wasn't therapy - it was just two people talking, so she figured it would be best to be conversational. It would help to talk things out, and if Hayden was really good at reading people, perhaps he'd see things about herself that she couldn't.
Lucio could help now...
Fuck! She didn't need this now. Rachel looked and her hands were trembling again. At this point the withdrawals were mostly annoying. She'd just have to wait it out. Still Rachel closed her hands into fists, trying to stop the intermittent trembling. It really didn't work.
"It's okay - the withdrawals are minor. I'll be fine," she explained, sure that he had noticed. She moved her chair back a bit to give space between her and her drink, not trusting that her trembling hands wouldn't spill it. But at the very least they gave Rachel something to talk about. "Hindsight is 20/20 right? I just feel so stupid about all of this. I know I shouldn't - I know it's more complex than that, but the red flags were there. I ignored them. I just..." she looked away, biting her bottom lip in thought. She couldn't change what had happened. "It didn't just effect me. So many other people - Em, Jared, and Mara. Nox had to get involved. I don't know what this is. Sometimes guilt, sometimes shame. Frustration often. Mixtures." She sighed. "Any of this make sense?" She hoped it did because it really didn't to her.