“You really don’t want to know what I think of you,” Alex urged, scrolling through his iPod doing God only knows what. So let the battle begin. He’s probably downloading new music. He seems to do that a lot.

“And why’s that? You think it’ll hurt my feelings? I’ve got news for you, Alex. A kid like you wont hurt my feelings,” I seethed, slumping back against the wall. So you want to play this dangerous game? We’ve been bickering for about the last twenty minutes on how much of an asshole I am and he’s getting pissed because he doesn’t seem to get the fact that I don’t care.

“You’re a dick,” he scoffed, taking the earbuds that hung loosely around his neck and plugged them in his ears. You think your done with me?

“Tell me something I don’t know, sweetheart,” I rolled my eyes at him and turned my stereo on and climbed onto the roof. I had my Anti-Flag CD in, The Bright Lights Of America. I hummed along to Good And Ready as I cooled down on the roof. I’ve got to go to my first therapy appointment in a few minutes and I don’t want to rip someone’s throat out. Like you can light the match and not get burned.

I got myself calmed down and went back inside, turning off my stereo in the process. Alex was stilling sitting on his bed with his earbuds in, completely tuning out the rest of the world. I guess that’s one of the two things we have in common. Music calms the both of us down. The other being that we both like dick but he doesn’t know that one yet. He still thinks I’m as straight as a pencil. If he wasn’t so annoying I’d tap that.

I walk down stairs and find Flyzik in the dining room with his keys in hand. “Jack, I was just about to go get you. It’s time to go,” he states, motioning for me to follow him out to his car.

We go outside and climb into his black 2009 Volkswagen Passat. I, personally, love this car. Unlike Zack and Rian who think it’s a chick car.

“You know, you should be nicer to Alex,” Flyzik says as he pulls out of the drive way. We’ve already died if we give in to everything they ask.

I roll my eyes. Im gonna be in a bad mood when I go see Mrs. Pam. It’s inevitable. The universe is trying to piss me off today. Unleash hell. “I would if he didn’t get on my damn nerves,” I tell him.

“Jack, you barely know the kid. What could he possibly do that pisses you off so badly?” Flyzik questions.

“He wont stop touching my stuff, he has to question everything I do, he’s a know-it-all, he does things to deliberately piss me off,” I pause, knowing that Flyzik is getting tired of my rant. I don’t blame him, even though he brought it on himself.

“Could you at least try to get along with him?”

I sigh. “I’ll try,” I agree, slouching into my seat. Does this mean I have to act like I like him? I hope not..

It’s silent for the rest of the drive. I attempt to turn the radio at one point only to have Flyzik swat my hand away. A minute or two after he pulls into a small parking lot of an even smaller building.

Flyzik cuts the engine and we both get out of the car. I follow him into the brick building and we walk up to a desk with a middle aged man sitting behind it. He smiles at us and asks, “are you guys scheduled for the four o’ clock appointment?”

“Yes, sir. The name should be under Jack Barakat,” Flyzik informs him kindly. Geez... why can’t he be this calm at home?

“Alright. Well, if you two could just sit down while you wait on Mrs. Pam. She should be out shortly,” he informs us. Flyzik and I nod at the man and go take a seat across the room where two couches are placed.

A few minutes later an older woman with short, brown hair walks into the room. She smiles brightly at Flyzik and I. “Hello. I am Pam Riddik. You can call me Mrs. Pam if you would like. You two are Matt Flyzik and Jack Barakat, I assume?”

“Yes, ma’am. That would be us,” Flyzik nods.

“Ok. Mr. Flyzik, would follow me to my office. I have a few mandatory questions to ask you before I can start helping Mr. Barakat,” she explains. “As soon as we are done, Jack and I will have an hour long session. You can pick him up as soon as it’s over.”

“Ok,” Flyzik says and follows her into the office.

I sit in the waiting room for about five minutes before they come back. “I’ll be back in an hour,” Flyzik informs me. I nod and stand up from my spot on the couch.

“Yes, sir,” I reply. Mrs. Pam gives me a kind smile when Flyzik is out the door and motions for me to follow her into the office.

There are two couches, a swivel chair, and a desk in the room. A bookshelf holds multiple composition notebooks, the Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, and Hobbit Series, and a few children’s books sit on the shelves. The couches are a dark, almost black, soft leather.

“You can take a seat wherever you want,” she smiles at me as she takes a seat in the white swivel chair.

I sit on the closest couch to her. She gives me another kind smile. “So, Jack, my name is Mrs. Pam Riddik. Like I said before, you can call me Mrs. Pam. Since this is the first appointment I don’t expect you to open up to me right away. To be completely honest with you, I’d be very surprised if you open up before our next appointment. Not many patients do.

“Our sessions will be an hour long. We are here to calm down your temper, as I’ve been told. I will do everything I can to help you but you also have to help yourself. Do you have any questions?”

“No ma’am,” I shook my head.

“Ok. I’ve got a composition notebook here. This notebook is your journal. It will be your lifeline in my office, ok?” Mrs. Pam explains as she hands me a black and red notebook.

I gave her a confused look. “Why do I need this?” I ask, setting this flimsy book in my lap.

“I want you to write about what your thinking when your angry. A lot of people forget what happens when they get to angry. If you write it down then maybe we can avoid the next time you get to angry and we can progress from there. You don’t always have to share what you write. This is completely up to you,” she says.

---

“Alex, shut the hell up! I don’t want to listen to you right now,” I yell, throwing a pillow across the room at him.

He dodges it and throws it back at me. “I was just asking how your session was! Jesus, why do you get so mad when I try to talk to you?”

“Because you get on my damned nerves!”

“Well maybe you get on mine to.”

“Ok! Then don’t fucking talk to me.”

“Why are you such an asshole?”

“Alex, why don’t you suck my fucking dick.”

“If you two don’t stop fighting so help me God I’ll come up there and kick both of your asses!” Flyzik screams.

Notes