A couple of long days later, I went to see Marie once again, but this time she immensely insisted I brought mom and dad along with me. So I did. 

Upon the session starting, I realized Marie wearing a blue dress with blue flats. She wanted my parents here. 

I could tell I wasn't the only one that noticed, seeing as mom and dad were staring her up and down while sitting across the room. 

“How are you three?” Marie asked.

“We’re good,” answered mom with a gigantic grin. 

“Okay, well, I do think that Esther is suffering from a bit of bipolar depression,” she snatched a pad and a pen from the corner of her desk. “Though she doesn't speak to me, I can see it in her eyes.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” said mom.

“I think she would be more comfortable in a group, one of those support groups for teens. She seems to…separated. She needs to be around others her age.” 

 

I couldn’t help but intervene, they loved making decisions for me. “I don’t need to go to a support group because I’m fine.”  

“Well,” Marie quickly folded her arms and  crossed her long legs. “I can’t believe that,  I won't believe that.”  

Mom threw a piercing glare at me before turning back to Marie. “That’s great, she’ll be going!”

Marie scribbled the address and name of the group leader on a small piece of square paper. His name was John Merrick and the address was: 361 Morrison Dr.  

On the way home, while being dramatically strangled by my seatbelt, mom forced the conversation down my throat.  

“Mom, do I have to go?” 

“I know you aren't happy, I can see it.” she snapped

“I’m okay.”

“I won’t believe that.”  

❤

That exact same afternoon, I could tell mom and dad were attempting to avoid me. I sat on my bed with my knee tucked away in my chest with tears ready to flow. 

A sudden knock echoed on the door. Dad was there. “Esther, can I come in?”

“Yeah.” I said. 

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine.”

Dad's cheeks flushed red as he began to chuckle. He walked a few short feet and sat beside me only to kiss my forehead. “Sweetheart, do you know how I know you're a Scorpio?”

“How?” I asked. 

“Because you're too good at hiding things, hiding your feelings. You're a volcano ready to erupt, beneath a smooth surface.”

“Dad...”

“I won’t force you to go but your mother will.”

❤

By nightfall, mom and dad had fallen asleep, but I didn't, I couldn't. It wasn't because I wanted to cry or I was sad, I just couldn't. So, I played my music. I strattled around my room with music blasting in my ears.

I disconnected my headphones when the music was disrupted with a text message from Toby. CALL ME! He said. And so I called.

Me: “Toby?”  

Toby: “Troublemaker?” 

Me: “Cowboy.”  

Toby: “What are you doing?” 

Me: “Umm…well I was sleeping. Toby it’s late! What are you doing up?” 

Toby: “I need you go out to the bench.” 

I decided to walk out to the bench and sit down. Only, I was shaking a bit, presumably because I was in one of my very few gowns.  

Me: “I’m out here.”  

Toby: “Look up at the sky.”

I did. An abundance of luminous stars devoured the blackness of the sky. Some were dull and dim, and other twinkling out of eye sight. But still, there were billions of dancing balls of light and gas illuminating the dark.

Me: “It’s beautiful.”  

Toby: “Keep looking, wait a few minutes.”

I watched, and then I finally saw something. A ball of light soaring across the sky, moving rapidly. Leaving a streak of stardust in its wake. Suddenly, the next thing I knew, the ball is fading out little by little. In only seconds, its trail was gone. 

Me: “Wow.” 

Toby: “Troublemaker?” 

Me: “Yeah?” 

Toby: “The star, that gigantic star in the middle of the sky, I named it.”  

Me: “What’s his or her name?”

Toby: “It’s a she, and I named her Esther.” 

Me: “Toby, you’re such a dork.”

Toby: “I know.”

Me: “Maybe I will take you up on that date.”

Toby: “Someday?”

Me: “Someday.”