Distraction is the Best Medicine

        I am fortunate enough to has lived the most privileged of lives. While my life amounts to a mere sixteen years, I'm certain of the fact that I am well off. My parents were neither rich nor poor, but we had as much as we needed and more. Holidays were filled with gifts and food, warmth and family. My childhood was truly golden. I'm not exaggerating, it was wonderful. Yes, it's a stereotype that I would come from a broken home considering the circumstances, but that simply isn't the case. My family gave my sister and I everything we could ever want; unconditional love. But how far will love go? It was at this time, that I was skeptical that their love will last though this journey.

 

        The drive to the hospital was less than an hour, but silent the whole way. The only noises were the anime theme songs bursting out of my earbuds into my ear and the raging thoughts in my mind. I've always wondered how people come up with such unique ideas for shows, specially animes. I mean, to be quite frank, the idea of a girl being mistaken as a boy and being forced to join a "Host Club" filled with photogenic, possibly gay boys isn't necessarily an idea that pops out of no where. I'm still not sure why it is that I like anime so much. I have little interest with the Japanese culture (therefore I am NOT to be referred to as a "weeaboo") so I get confused as to why those big eyes and bight colors enthrall me so much. Actually, I do know. I like the idea of an adventure, one that I don't have to go on myself. Something about watching these people overcome obstacles and tribulations to come out on top in the end is just pleasing. I'm not that ignorant, though, to think that's how life always is. Especially then, as I was driving to my new life.

 

        We arrived early in the morning in front of one of the biggest and fanciest buildings I've ever seen. There were two buildings adjacent to each other; one right in front of me and the other behind. At the sight of this insanely beautiful mansion like estate, I felt a twinge of nervousness inside me. What am I even doing here? Is this like vacation?  I forced myself to tune out my brain just for a minute as I got out of the car. I slammed the door not so quietly, making me instantly self conscious due to the extreme silence of this strange place. My mom's face was impassive, but when she turned to me she forced a smile.

She knew how hard this would be more than I did.

 

        I gathered up my suitcases, just another reminder of my stay, and attempted to find the entrance. This damn place was so big that even my mom looked frazzled as to where to go. Not to mention there was about 6 inches of snow on the ground which is not good for an anxious and clumsy person such as myself. We plotted around in the snow for a bit which was a nice distraction from my life. The distraction was short lived when we were both standing right in front of the entrance. Looking back on this, I can't even remember what I was feeling, if anything. All I vaguely recall is a weird buzzing in my head. Almost like an alarm going off warning me to brace myself. Me being me, I didn’t catch on and nonchalantly opened the door. The inside was even more eccentric than the exterior. The floor was tiled and had been cleaned recently as I could see my tired face in the reflection. Around me there were mirrors, paintings, and a freaking chandelier. Was this a hospital or a honeymoon resort? As I made my way to the front counter, I took extra precaution with each step. In a high class place like this, I'm basically a disaster waiting to happen, trust me. With my luck the chandelier would fall on me.

 

        The lady at the front desk looked up from her paper work at my mom and I and smiled a slightly too big smile.

       "Hello there, are you-", she paused and glanced down, "Ashley C. Valentino?"

        Oh gosh, she knows my full name. Creepy.

       "Uh, yeah that's me.", I smiled awkwardly.

        "You're being admitted today as a resident, correct?"

         I never liked the word resident from the moment she said that to now. It makes what happened sound more real than it needs to be.

       "Yes.", my mom answered for me.

        The lady motion to a little room to our left. "Please wait in there while I get everything ready, and I'll be with you in a few minutes."

        Without responding, I lugged my suitcases over to the little room. The chairs had stitched in flowers on the cushions and a small glass table in the center. My mom and I took a seat, but the chair was cold in contrast to the beautiful display on it. My eyes scanned over the whole room looking for a clock. This will probably sound really strange, but I have to know here a clock is in a room. There's just something in me that has to know the time constantly or else my I feel like I'm going insane. It's probably just a coping mechanism for being anywhere other than my house. This room had a digital clock above the entrance that read 9:04am. I would've been in English class if I wasn't there. I would have been reading "The Odyssey" but here I am in a hospital.

 

       Time passes and I start to get fidgety. This always happens when I sit down for over 30 minutes. My foot starts tapping, I crack my knuckles, I cross my left leg over my right than my right over the left. Finally, after only 20 minutes, a different lady comes in.

 

      "Hi! Nice to meet you, Ashley!", she shook my hand gently almost in fear that she would break me if she did it any harder.

      "Hi."

      "So here's your schedule for today," she handed me a piece of paper with my name at the top and a list of times and things I would be doing today. Great. "You'll be meeting with your team one by one for about an hour each. They will ask for information regarding your mental and physical health and answer and questions you have. At 12:00 you'll go in the dining hall for lunch with the other residents. Don't worry, we'll show you where to go. Then after lunch, mom will be leaving." My heart sunk. I completely forgot about the fact that my mom has to actually leave me in this place. And based on her expression, she forgot too.

 

      The lady didn't seem to notice, "But first, I need you to step out here for a picture."

A picture? Does she think I'm that pretty? She took me over to the corner of the room and pointed a camera at my face. I think she could tell by the horrified expression on my face that I was two seconds away from bolting out of this building.

     "Oh, we need to take a picture for identification purposes. Also, you'll be given a name tag with this picture inside as well as your number." She pointed the camera again.

     "W-Wait!" I threw my hands in front of me. "Uh, should I smile?" Probably just about the dumbest thing I've ever asked to anyone in my life.

      She looked at me weird but smiled regardless, "If you would like.". I gave the best no teeth smile I could muster and was blinded temporarily by the flash.

     "Good. I'll just laminate this and give you your name tag in a minute. You can go back in there and sit with your mom."

     "Okay." I muttered, still a little blind sided by the unexpected picture. No one told me it was picture day.