Split Person Continued...

(Sorry this took so long, everyone)

Split Person

J. N. Cloutier

(To remind you of how it ended)...

     In her room, she lay on her bed. just when she was starting to get used to this place, fit in, and find friends they had to move. She did not know this, but the move would take a huge toll on her. She would be affected in ways that were only dreamt of.

But dreams can be reality...can't they?

.  .  .  .  .

     The sun was shining as Nicole walked to the counseling center. "I'm only going because Therese told me I should," she told herself. "I'm just experimenting." The nightmares had gotten more detailed and scary over the few weeks they had lived in Asheville. Therese, who had moved around the time Nicole had, was a new friend Nicole had gained. The girls got along right away and shared a lot of things in the first few days of summer. They had clung onto each other as lifebuoys amidst the storms of life.

     Nicole smiled as she thought about her friend. They looked different, but had their similarities. Therese's eyes were ever-changing, while Nicole's stayed sea grey/blue or grey/green. Nicole's hair was straight and layered, while Therese's was long and wavy. Therese, although younger, was taller than her friend.

     Nicole reached the counseling center and entered after a few minutes of hesitation. A plump woman greeted her warmly.

"Hello! My name's Julie. May I help you?"

"I have an appointment with Dr. Sterling." Nicole felt uncomfortable, despite the motherly gaze given by Julie.

"Permission slip?" The lady waited as Nicole dug through her backpack,

Pulling out a wrinkled piece of folded paper, Nicole handed it to the woman. "I have this. Is that okay?"

"Lemme see," the woman grabbed the glasses that hung around her neck and read the note.

"Please, please, please believe it!" Nicole prayed.

"Hmmm... alright then! Through that door" The woman smiled. The woman kindly pointed to a door to the right of the desk where she sat.

"Thanks, ma'am." Nicole's response was a grateful one.

     Through the door and down the hallway, there was a waiting room with five cushioned chairs. A painting of a bowl of fruit hung on the left wall. A second painting, this time a vase of wildflowers, decourated the right wall. The light green chairs matched the yellow and green designed wallpaper.

     "If these are supposed to make me feel welcome or comfortable, they're not helping." Nicole thought glumly. "Why would they want me to be comfortable? Is there a deeper reason? Are they hiding something?" Nicole began worrying too much, so tried to stop; taking a breath, she released the anxiety and concerns. "There. That's better. At least I'm the only one here..."

     Just then, a tall woman with thick, dirty-blonde hair walked in. She wore her hair in a short ponytail at the back of her neck. Black slacks and a long maroon shawl was her attire. She smiled at Nicole and greeted her.

"Hi! I'm Mrs. Adler."

"Nicole."

"You look about my son's age. His name is Nate."

"Cool." Nicole stated. "Why is she telling me this?" "I'm 13," she said carefully.

"Exactly his age!" The woman smiled warmly.

"Is everybody full of warm smiles today? Seriously..." Again, Nicole tried to tame her negative thoughts. Changing her thought process, she thought "I like her smile, and the way she talks seems genuine, ass if every detail is important."

Right then, a man in his early 30's walked in. "Ms. Hills?"

"That's me," Nicole stood slowly. She did not want to leave this woman because she had a lovely light aura. "Maybe I'll see you around, Mrs. Adler. I loved talking with you."

"Goodbye for now, Nicole." The woman did not know that her words "for now" were very accurate.

.  .  .  .  .

     "Based on the papers you filled out," Dr. Sterling said after they were seated in his office, "I would say something traumatic happened to you when you were young. Say, six or seven."

"Yeah. Okay. Um... now what?" Nicole awkwardly forced out.

"Well, first tell me about your nightmares." The doctor leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and tucking his hands under his chin. "You may begin."

     That's exactly what she did. Forty-five minutes later, she emerged with a list of homework. She needed to:

• Journal every time she had the dreams
• Connect the situations
• Think of her feelings/thoughts and write them down

     "Okay. This is gonna be... different," she mumbled. Nicole did not write often, but when she did- it was passionate, detailed, and honest. "Guess I'll need a new journal," she continued mumbling. Nicole pulled out her cellphone and dial Therese's number.

"Hey, girl!" Came the answer.

"Yo. Wanna get ice cream and I'll tell you about my session today? I havta get a new journal too."

"Absolutely!"

"Awesomesauce! Oh, I'm still here. And you're the best!"

"I know," Therese laughed. "I'll be there in 10-15."

"K, see ya." Closing the phone, Nicole started counting...

.  .  .  .  .

     Therese pulled up on her bike, carrying a skateboard in the bag on her back. "Let's go!" The girls rode up to the ice cream shop, ate their cones, talked about the session, then headed out to the Dollar store.

     Bells jingled when they stepped out of the heat and into the coolness of the store. "Welcome to Dollar Tree. If I can help you with anything, don't hesitate to ask," the cashier said unenthusiastically. 

"Yep! You actually can help us," Nicole smiled brightly. "Where are the journals?"

"Aisle 3, left side, far end."

"Thank you, sir," the girls replied in unison.

     As the girls strolled to the aisle, they talked about their plans for the night. They were to get snacks for their sleepover.

"Check it!" Nicole was holding a journal in her left and.

"Wow," Therese blew out the word.

     An ocean coloured journal with a black stenciled coverlet stared back at them. It said "Some say roses have thorns; I believe thorns have roses."

"This is the one," Nicole stated matter-of-factly. "To the snacks!"She raised her arm and began marching backwards down the aisle.

     When they turned the corner to where snacks were, they spotted a young man looking at the Snickers bars. He wore a blue shirt with the Nike symbol on it, tan shorts, and a black sneakers. The tall boy looked up when Nicole bumped into a cardboard shelf holding peanut bags. She refused to meet his gaze; instead, she stared at the chips.When she thought he was gone she snuck a peek in his direction to find him openly staring at her with striking blue eyes. His shirt made them only bluer.

"He's so handsome!" Nicole blushed. "At least I wore my favorite jeans, converses, and tank top that makes my eyes look blue." She looked away.

Therese coughed. "I'm Therese!"

"Nate.. What's your name?" He directed his gaze towards Nicole.

"Nicole. Nicole Hills."

"Nicole Hills?! Oh! Coolio!"

Nicole looked at him questioningly.

"My mom told me about you. Mrs. Adler?"

"Oh! Her!" Nicole smiled. Mrs. Adler had failed to mention how attractive her son was.

"Your going to Asheville Middle School. Same." He smiled.

"Wow," Nicole thought, "His teeth are really white!"

"Uhhhh... here. Here's my number," he said after he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and scribbled on it.  

"Thanks," Nichole said as she reached for it. Their fingers brushed and Nicole smiled and her heart skipped. "Ya want my number? In case I lose yours?"

"Definitely!"

Nicole recited it while Nate put it into his phone. "Thank you! Bye, Nicole! Bye, Therese. He smiled, as did Nichole.

"Maybe this school year won't be so bad after all," Nicole thought as he left.

     .  .  .  .  .

     When the girls got to the apartment, they went straight to the fridge. With drinks in hand, they sat on the couch and opened the bag of chips.

"Wait, I should journal first, "Nicole said mid-chew.

"Alright. You do that and I'll pick a movie." Therese picked up the remote and went to Netflix.

Nicole grabbed her journal out of the bag and opened it up.

June 2, 2011 - Wednesday

I have been having these nightmares recently. Well, for a while now.

Real                                                                                 

1. Picture of young woman daddy burned                                      
2. Scar on my right knee                                                             
3. Scar on my father's left hand                                                  
4. I'm Nicole                                                                           
5. I'm thirteen                                                                          

Dream

1. The same woman
2. I fell/cut right knee
3. I cut the man's left hand
4. I'm Nicole
5. I'm 6-7

She stopped. Could this have happened to her? Could the dreams be...memories? She continued...

Feelings (real)                                                        

1. After I have the dreams, I feel alert & scared                        
2. Feel abandoned by my mother                                               

In Dream

1. Alert/scared as girl in dream
2. Feel abandoned by woman

Again, she stopped. 

"Is the woman in the dream my mom? Did something happen to her? This is too much. I just need to hang with Therese." Nicole closed the journal . "I'm ready now."

"Let's have an all-nighter!"  Therese bounced on the couch.

"Okay!" Eagerness was in Nicole's voice. "If I do- it'll be fun. Plus, I can't dream if I'm awake," she thought, smiling.

.  .  .  .  .

"Hey, Liv."

"Tyler Sterling! You are 7 1/2 minutes late!" Liv Hills had been dating Dr. Sterling for two full years now.

"Sorry, babe," Tyler grinned over the phone. 

"How was today's counseling session?" Liv asked with genuine concern.

"Good. There was a thirteen-year-old girl that came in..." He said this hesitantly because Liv had lost a girl to a kidnapping. The girl would be 13 now. That is, if she was still alive.

"Ah. So are we still on for tonight?" She ask with an excited voice.

"Yeah! It's a surprise, but it doesn't matter what you wear." Ty told his girlfriend. "Plus, you're beautiful in whatever: sweatpants or a dress!"

Liv laughed and blushed."Okay. I love you!"

"I love you more. See ya in a bit."

     Liv hung up the phone and sighed. She thought that Tyler would've seen through the forced excitement in her voice. Well, she was excited... but hearing about the girl caused an ache to start up again in heart. Tomorrow, she would put a "Missing" notice in the paper. Just the thought sparked a hope in her.

.  .  .  .  .

(a'ight... that's all the time I have tonight folks. The last part of the story will be later this week:)

*OMADG