Chapter 5

Three days later, people at school had finally stopped talking about the incident in the library. No one stared at Dallas as he walked down the hallways. No one stopped to whisper things about him to their friends anymore. It seemed like people had forgotten about it entirely. Except his mother. She was still brought it up at every given opportunity.

When Dallas came downstairs that morning, his mother told him that she had been doing some research and that she had finally booked him an appointment with a psychologist.

“Why?” Was the only thing that Dallas could bring himself to say.

“It might be good for you,” She told him, “Just try it this one time, and if you don’t think it’ll help then we don’t have to book another session.” She put a piece of paper down on the counter. “Your appointment is at three-thirty. These are the directions to get to his office.”

Dallas didn’t bother arguing. He knew that there was no point to it. Without saying a word, he folded up the piece of paper, then headed upstairs to get ready for school.

The day passed by slowly, and uneventfully. Dallas spent the entire day wondering about what was going to happen after school. What if the psychologist told him he was going insane? That there was something wrong with him? He didn’t want to think about it, but at the same time it was the only thing he could think about.

When the final bell rang Dallas almost considered not going. He almost just walked home, but he knew that his mother would probably figure out that he had skipped it. He figured that he might as well just go get it over with anyways. He got on the bus and headed down towards the SkyTrain that would take him into the heart of downtown Vancouver, where the psychologist’s office was.

So you’re headed to go see the psychologist today, Ara asked him as he got off the SkyTrain, What do you know about him?

Dallas looked down at the paper with the directions written on them. His name is Dr. Tristan Davies, He told Ara, That’s all I know.

Nice, Ara said, Ask him about the pictures on his desk.

Dallas frowned. What? Why?

Just do it, Ara persisted, Don’t ask questions. Just promise me you’ll ask about the pictures.

Fine, whatever, Dallas said. It was such an odd request. He couldn’t think of any reason why Ara would want him to ask about something so unusual.

Dallas arrived at Dr. Davies’ office at exactly three thirty. He took a seat in the waiting room, but almost instantly a well dressed young man came in from the back room.

“Hi,” The young man said, “You must be Dallas.”

“Yeah,” Dallas said, “Hi.”

“Nice too meet you Dallas. I’m Dr. Davies, but you can call me Tristan if you want. Whatever makes you happy.” He gestured for Dallas to follow him back into the back room where his office was. The office was pretty small. The only things in it were Dr. Davies’ desk and three chairs. There were two uncomfortable looking wooden chairs on one side of the desk, and a much nicer looking leather chair on the other side.

“I’m sorry about the chairs,” Dr. Davies said, “I’ve been meaning to get new ones for a long time, but I’ve been busy with other things. Anyways, take a seat.”

Dallas sat down on one of the wooden chairs. He half expected it to collapse underneath him.

“So, your mother mentioned that your parents split up recently,” Dr. Davies said, “How has that been for you?”

“Hard, I guess,” Dallas said, “I mean, I hated listening to them fighting all the time but I feel like they could have worked things out a bit, y’know? I guess I feel like splitting up wasn’t really the way to end all the fights.”

“I know what you mean,” Dr. Davies said, “My parents split up after I left for university. I still feel like they could have worked through it.”

Hey, Ara said, Don’t forget to ask about the pictures. Dallas ignored him. He was here to get help, not to look at pictures.

“Anyways, your mother mentioned that you had some kind of mental breakdown in school the other day,” Dr. Davies went on, “Have you ever experienced anything like that before?”

“No,” Dallas said.

The pictures! Ara cut in again, Just ask about the stupid pictures!

Dallas ignored him again. “I was just really stressed out with school, I think,” He went on, “I had a biology test that I wasn’t really ready for, and some other homework that I wasn’t caught up on. I guess I just… couldn’t handle it anymore.”

If you don’t ask about the pictures right now, Ara said, I will intervene.

Dr. Davies picked up a pen. He scribbled on a piece of paper, trying to get the pen to work. “Hang on one second,” He said as he got up from his chair, “I’m just going to go grab another pen from the reception. Mine isn’t working anymore.”

“There’s one right there,” Dallas said nodding towards a pen that lay on the psychologist’s desk.

“It ran out of ink earlier today,” Dr. Davies said, “I’ve been using it pretty much all day. I’m almost surprised that it lasted as long as it did. I won’t be too long, I promise.” He left the room.

See, Ara said, Intervention. Now look at the pictures.

Dallas looked at Dr. Davies’ desk and noticed for the first time that there were three picture frames on the desk. Any specific one I should be looking at?

Ara was silent for a bit. Try the first one to the left of his computer.

Dallas reached forward and grabbed the picture frame. It was a picture Dr. Davies when he was a few years younger, maybe somewhere in his twenties. He still had the same long, curly brown hair, Dallas noticed. He had his arm wrapped around another olive skinned man, about the same age, wearing a graduation gown and cap.

The door opened and Dr. Davies walked back in with a pen, leaving Dallas no time to put the picture back where it belonged. “I see you’ve found my pictures,” He said.

“Sorry,” Dallas said, putting the picture back where it belonged, “I was just curious.”

“No worries,” Dr. Davies said, as he sat back down.

“Who is that,” Dallas asked, “In the picture with you, I mean?”

Dr. Davies turned the frame around so Dallas could see it again. “That’s my friend from university,” He said, “His name is Ara.”