SILENT OBSESSION

Hu: "Everyone has problems, Hu, and having someone to talk to about it is what makes it easier to cope." I hear a crack in her voice, which makes me curious about what's weighing her down. I want to know who or what hurt her, so I can teach them a lesson and protect her from whatever it is. "I know what it feels like, so I'm ready to be your comfort if you want me to." I try to push away the thoughts of her being hurt, but they linger. My hands form a fist, and she reaches for it, sliding her fingers into mine, making me loosen up as she straightens them. Maybe if I get through my shit, she'll tell me hers. "Continue, please," she says, and I nod, swallowing hard as I try to steady my mind. "When I woke up, my mother wasn't in the best shape. I was taken to rehab, and I hated my stay there. It was hell. I was forced to do a lot of things in the name of therapy. Worse, I had an outburst and injured someone." I pause, forcing myself to breathe. "I hate my life most of the time, and it hu