Episode 4

I know Adrian's problem was psychological, but I can't figure out exactly what was wrong with him. I sighed as I watch him in the clinic bed, we had rushed him to the school clinic after calling him several times and he was still unconscious, but he had been attended to after immediately he was brought. Mrs. Smith entered as I watch him sleeping peacefully after he was attended to, Mrs. Smith sighed after placing her hand on his forehead. 

"What happened?" She turned to me and asked after that. 

"He put up for me when I was ganged up against. Then he suddenly-

"Reacted " Mrs. Smith completed and took her seat next to his bed. 

"He has a psychological problem. He is sociophobic, can't stay in a social environment, he is isolated, I didn't want him to be sociopathic because of his phobia, that's why I had him transferred to have him under my watch, so he can relate since we had it under control. We already get him some drugs that seem to work perfectly for him I just-" She sighed after explaining slowly. 

"I'm sorry," I said sympathetically. Suddenly feeling sorry for her, she smiled and looked at me

 "You know...I think Adrian likes you, he just doesn't know how to relate or make friends, but he wants friends too, he wants to have fun too. He got his phobia when he was 5, when he was abducted, his dad's a cop, and he was taken hostage, it got worse when he was used as a hostage again by a robbery fugitive, and he had to repeat class because he got so sick and find it hard to trust anyone, always thinking everyone meant him harm, it was hard putting his phobia under control...I should go bring his drugs" She concluded heading outside while trying to stop her tears. I could imagine how it felt since I'm also a victim of something that keeps me isolated, he opened his eye and raise his hand to see the infusion needle in it making him sigh.

"You okay?" I worried as I move closer, but he shrieked and I backed away. 

" Sorry," I said in a distance. 

"Oh it's you," He said trying to be calm. 

"Yes" I answered softly. 

"Sorry...I didn't know it was you... I mean I didn't expect anyone to be here" He said not looking at me. 

"You stood up for me Adrian... I'm your friend, I should be here" I said trying to calm him.

"You are?" He asked surprised and I nodded. 

"Thanks," He replied warmly. 

"What happened?" He inquired looking around at the not-properly facilitated clinic. 

"You fainted" I revealed and he heaved another heavy sigh that was starting to get me worried. I guess he's used to it

 "Why did you do that?" I questioned. 

"Do what?" He asked sounding clueless about what I meant. 

"Stood for me despite your condition," I asked. 

"Oh, well you did the same for me, and as you said, we are friends, right?" He asked and I grew a warm smile.

"Sure..friends?" I asked issuing my hand for a handshake and he seems to consider it for a second before taking it. 

"Friends" he answered and I chuckled softly, withdrawing my hand abruptly as Mrs. Smith came in. 

"You're awake?" Mrs. Smith beamed. 

"Yes mom" he answered sitting up to rest his back against the headboard. 

"I brought your drugs," She announced passing some pills to him, it was plenty, and he seems a little bit inconvenient using them in my presence. 

"I'll take my leave now," I said turning to go but Mrs. Smith called me back. 

"Yes" I answered almost immediately, I could hear her thoughts hoping I could go home with them and help with Adrian's missed work in class. 

"Is anyone picking you up after school?" She inquired courteously. 

"No" I replied frankly. 

"Well...you could catch a ride with us then "She offered nicely I would have rejected but the nice pretty look she was giving me wouldn't let me.

"Yes Mrs. Smith, Thank you for the offer," I said gratefully I guess I would start saving my expense on the bus I thought as I headed aside after waving them bye. 

I helped Adrian pick up his bag in class since he didn't return back to class, and I borrowed some notes from Cassie, the shy hot redhead in class, she likes me a little and didn't resist when I asked for her notes, and I heard Hanna and Bob are being punished for bullying me in the cafeteria, that serves her right, I thought as I headed Mrs. Smith car, Ashley was just on her way to help with his stuff when she saw me and it looks like she was happy, from her thoughts she had a conversation about me with her brother, saying he was now my friend I smile as I see her jump up. 

"Thanks," she said gratefully with a broad smile on her face. 

"I was just about to go for that, you are a good friend Natalie" She complimented with a child-like wink. 

"Thanks, Ashley" I returned as we both walk up to the car, Adrian was already there with an earpiece plugged into his ear through his phone...I guess. 

"Hey" I greeted and he remove the earpiece right away. 

"Hey" He greeted back smiling, Thankfully. 

"How are you now?" I asked casually. 

"Fine...thanks" He replied before putting back the earpiece, in one of the ears actually. 

"What are you listening to?" I asked trying to strike up a conversation. 

"Umm ...Michael Jackson-" He was still saying. 

"Wait ...are you a fan of Michael?" I asked eyes bulging out excitedly. 

"Umm yeah," He replied timidly. 

"I'm a fan too," I said and Mrs. Smith appeared. 

"Sorry guys... I couldn't find my smartphone, Let's go" she hollered as she started the engine. 

Getting home was exhausting, surprisingly I didn't meet mom at home, I just freshen up, eat, and left the house, I was so excited to actually have a friend...maybe my life could actually be more fun, and fortunately, I can't hear Adrian's thought, so I won't be disturbed by his thoughts, and our place is reserved not much human movement so I could actually go out without my headset today but I still have it in case, I carried some books in my school bag and made my way out, I knocked on the Smiths door and Ashley opened.

"Hi Natalie, did you wanna ask for Adrian?" She asked excited as well.

"Yeah?" I answered with a question suddenly wondering why it was so obvious. She was in a white top and yellow mini skirt covering only half of her thighs, she was looking and admiring my dress too, I was in a velvet gown with gold taping at the edges. 

"Your clothes are nice" She complimented as she gestured me in. 

"Thanks," I said gratefully. 

"Adrian?" She literally yelled his name. 

"What?" Adrian yelled back as he walk down the stairs, he was in a black and white polo and panda shorts, he looked stunning with his oblong face, turn-up nose, and bushy brows. 

"Hey" He greeted casually on sighting me. 

"Hey" I greeted back. 

"I was thinking we could make up the notes we lost together," I said and I can tell he was eager too. 

"yeah...sure, just a sec," he said going back upstairs and reappearing with his school bag almost in a twinkle of an eye.

"We could use my playhouse" He suggested. 

"Playhouse?" I asked with no idea what he meant. 

"He built it himself from planks and coverings...it's in the backyard" Ashley explained pointing towards the direction of the backyard door which existed between the kitchen and the stairs. 

"Okay" I breathed softly. 

"Let's go?" Adrian asked rushing me towards the door and I followed, it wasn't bad, in fact, it ain't bad at all, it was like a tree house but built on the ground and opened with arrays around it. 

"Wow" I exclaimed studying the beautiful surrounding around the playhouse. 

"You built this...on your own?" I asked amazed how anyone could sit and construct something like this alone. 

"Yeah" he answered shyly. 

"It's so...wonderful" I praised putting my hand on the arrays, I could see our own backyard from there. 

"Thanks," he said sitting down, there was a rug spread on it, I smiled and sit with my legs crossed over each other. 

"You'll make a great architect you know?" I commented and he smile, it was nice seeing him smile. He looks more handsome than I thought then I force my mind back to the issue at hand.

I didn't have problems explaining to him, he seems to get it more easily than I expected, he was doing just great with the homework even helping me with mine when I got stuck, then I heard his name, and we both turned tp in the direction of the completely unfamiliar voice. 

"Dad?" I heard him call as he stood and I also did as well to face a muscular man in his mid-forties I guess, he had a neatly cut beard and long lashes, a perfect turn-up nose like Adrian's, he must have been very handsome as a youth. 

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