Filed To Story: Pretty Poisoned Novel by Elle Mitchell
“The 5 was a nightmare,” Blakely agrees.
“But I wanted to talk to you about some of the boundaries we’ve set for you coming home,” Mom says. “And we’ve talked to Dr. Miller about this, tooshe agrees that these are good rules to have to help you readjust.”
“Okay ”
“Well, first, you’ll have to start seeing Dr. Miller again once a week. Secondlyand this is a big oneno social media, no trying to communicate with any of the fans.”
“Bloodsluts,” I say.
“I’m not going to say that. It’s disgusting,” she says. “I got you a new phone with a new phone number, and you’re going to have to get a job and start helping out with the bills and around the house.”
“Fine.”
“And you cannot bring men to my home, Teagan,” she adds. “Or women. No sexual partners. You’ll have a ten o’clock curfew, and I’ll expect to see you therealoneevery night.”
“Mom, for fuck’s sakeI’m twenty-one years old.”
“And when you can support yourself and live on your own, you can do whatever you want. But as long as you’re in my house, you’ll live by my rules. Dr. Miller agrees that this is the best way for you to transition back into society. And I think once you get used to it, Teagan, you’ll like it.”
If it weren’t for the Percocet, I’d be furious right now. As it is, I’m pretty relaxed, enjoying the heavy feeling in my limbs, and I don’t bother to argue.
“Yeah, I think I’m finally ready to contribute to society. I’ve learned a lot here,” I tell her. “That all sounds great.”
Blakely scoffs and shakes her head, but my mom just stares.
“I hope you do take this seriously, Teagan. I hope you feel the weight of this.”
“Do you have any idea how many deaths they’re responsible for at this point, Teagan?” Blakely asks.
“Not really. I’m not allowed to watch or read the news.”
“Well, it’s a lot,” Blakely says. “Consider yourself lucky that you’re sitting here and not in the ground or a prison cell. And that’s because we love you.”
“I know that,” I tell them both. “And I am grateful. I just I’m trying. I’m trying my best. It’ll be easier once I’m out of here, I think, to remember who I was before all of this happened. It’s hard when there isn’t much to do aside from staring at the wall.”
“Well, you need to be better than you were before all of this happened, too, Teagan,” my mom says. “Maybe it’s better if you don’t remember.”
“Townsend?” a female voice calls.
“Right here,” I reply, turning back to the nurse. Her name is Dana; she’s around my mom’s age, and she’s an asshole. She eyes me with disgust just like she is now any time she’s burdened with my presence.
“I’m here to take you to your appointment,” she says.
“Gotta go,” I tell my mom and sister.
“I’ll be here to pick you up at this time tomorrow,” Mom says.
“Okay.”
“I’m really excited to have you home,” she adds.
It feels like a lie, but I smile anyway.
“Me, too, Teagan,” Blakely says. “I’ve really missed you.”
“Yeah,” I say. “I’ve missed you, too. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
I push in my chair before leaving the table and meeting the nurse at the front door. She scans her tag, checking me out before we leave the porch, and then takes me to the elevator and up to the second floor.
“I’m going to miss this special time together,” I say to Dana, breaking the oppressive silence in the small space. I’m not surprised when she doesn’t answer.
The elevator doors open, and I follow her down the hall to the psychiatrist’s office. She scans me in and walks away without saying a word.
“Teagan, have a seat,” Dr. Watkins says, smiling as she gestures to the seat in front of her. “It’s your last day; how do you feel?”
“Pretty good,” I lie.
The truth is I don’t feel much of anything. Nothing good anyway.
“Do you have any concerns you want to discuss?”
“Concerns?” I ask. “What do you mean?”
“Concerns surrounding the transition,” she explains. “Social, financial safety concerns ”
Safety concerns. Now, there’s one I haven’t considered. Am I safe? And do I even care?
I picture myself in pieces, all blood and stringy sinew, stuffed into one of The Order of the Red Hand’s little black suitcases. It doesn’t really faze me.
“No,” I tell her, shrugging. “I’m not worried about any of those things. I am, however, less than thrilled about living with my parents and adhering to their juvenile rules.”
“I can see how that would be challenging for a young woman like yourself,” Dr. Watkins says. “But that’s all temporary, isn’t it? You can take back control of your life, Teagan. Do you want to know what I’ve learned about you in the time you’ve been with us?”
“Sure.”
“You’re a strong, determined, and fearless woman. And you’re extremely intelligent. Imagine what you could do if you channeled all of that to change your own life in a positive way.”
I bite my cheeks and take a deep breath. Change your life. That’s all I’ve heard over the past three months. Change, Teagan. Be better. Be obedient. Fall in line. Be just like everyone else.
Sometimes, I even think I could play the part. I could go back to school, get a regular nine to five job, and live the illusion of normal for them all. My parents would be so relieved, my sister would be happy to have me at her wedding and her future children’s birthday parties.
But it wouldn’t change who I am at my core. It wouldn’t change the fact that, even though the woman across from me has been nothing other than what she considers kind and helpful, I sit here every other day, bored, imagining the different ways I could kill her with only what’s available in this room. It’s a new game I made up shortly after I got here, and I can’t stop playing it.
I could jam that steel-tipped pen into her neck.
I could bring that window down on her skull until her brains come out of her ears.
There are at least seven items I could strangle her with.
Given the setting, you’d think she’d be a little more careful. But maybe this place isn’t meant for people with my brand of crazy. I laugh to myself a little because I don’t think any place is.
“Do you want to know what my concern is for you, Teagan?” she asks.
“What’s that?”
“My concern is that once you’re immersed into the real world, you’ll retreat back into fantasies and conspiracy theories and allow them to become your reality again.”
I ball my fists, digging my nails into the palms of my hands and averting my gaze. “No. I’m not going to do that.”
“I need you to look at me and say it then, Teagan,” she says.
I grit my teeth and meet her eyes again, willing my own not to pool with tears and my voice not to crack. “I know what’s real and what isn’t,” I tell her. “I know Declan and Luca are dangerous, that they’re killers, and that they were using me and never loved me. I was manipulated and I fell for it because I was lonely. I know they aren’t coming back for me.”
“Good,” she says. “That’s good. Well, if you don’t have any other questions for me, I think we can cut this session short. I’ll let them know you have permission to spend the rest of the day out in the courtyard if you’d like. How does that sound?”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.