Chapter Text
“Have you eaten today?” It’s not an uncommon question my roommate asks me. I just nod a little, keeping my eyes on the book I'm reading. “Would you like to come to dinner with me?” She asks and I shake my head.
“Not that hungry.” I reply as she sighs.
“Okay…” She tries to get me to be social, she does, bless her heart. I’m just uninterested. I am uninterested overall, in almost everything. Classes, friends, food. Maybe this is depression. Maybe I’m just not meant for this.
An email on my phone reminds me I have to go to the clinic tomorrow, that when I applied I didn’t take a dumb test, and now I have to if I want to stay here. It’s just a blood test, but it still sucks. It means leaving my half-packed room. I moved in alone, my parents not wanting much to do with me the second I turned 18, so I took my car and packed some stuff and left. Then I came to college, and just haven’t really unpacked. I unpacked the things I use everyday, clothes and toiletries, but that’s about it in all honesty. It makes my roommates side of the room look great, her side all beautiful and decorated. Pinks and pictures and she even got into a sorority. She’s doing great.
I’m left just curled in my bed. I should be working on school work, or probably eating, but I just don’t have the energy. So, I don’t feel terrible rolling over and going back to sleep.
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“Do you experience any periods of low motivation?”
“No.” Liar.
Somehow I convinced myself to make my way to the clinic, to sit and let a nurse draw blood and answer her questions. Was not exactly the highlight of my day.
“How are your grades?” She asks and I shrug uninterested. I really am. Everything is just, not good. Everything really kinda sucks. I kind of miss home, even though they don’t want me.
“How’s your sleep?” She asks.
“Fine.” I sigh.
“Have you been eating well?” She asks.
“Yes.” I continue to just answer her questions boredly, beyond happy the second she says I can go.
“Expect your results later today.” She smiles, but I’m out the door before she can say much more.
--
Jinxx
“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to be looking for a new project? I heard your trying to get back into the swing of things?” It’s a familiar voice to me, and I sigh lowly.
“Yeah, the rumor’s true. Back in town, ready to just move on, work again.” I tell him, leaning back a little in my chair. I’d been strumming the guitar for a few, trying to find words to go with it, but nothing has really come to mind. Nothing worth anything.
“Well, we have a case, an easy one to get you back into it.” He says. He is John. He’s found me all of my cases, helped me a bit over the years.
“Yeah? What kind of case?” I ask.
“College kid. She’ll be given the choice of being dismissed from school, or letting you keep an eye on her.” John tells me.
“Does she know she’s little?” I ask curiously.
“She’s about to. If you want to be there while they’re telling her, they’re going to pull her in tomorrow morning.” He says.
“Yeah, let her meet me before she chooses I guess.” I hum.
“Great, I’ll send you the time when I know. Hopefully, she makes a good choice.” He says and I nod.
“Hopefully so.”
The call ends shortly after and I sigh. I’m not getting anywhere with the music right now. So I get up, finding my way to the spare bedroom. It hasn’t been used in a few months, a layer of dust falling over the wood. I’ve not been myself in a few months. Life hasn’t been fair. It wouldn’t have been fair for me to be taking care of a little while I was struggling. I’m still struggling, but it’s better now. Easier. I go to therapy once a week to keep stability, but besides that, I’m okay I think.
I wipe down every possible surface, tidy up things I had just left scattered. I know the toys probably won’t be touched for a while, so I tuck them neatly into the toy chest. I pull the crib bars down to make the bed more normal. It looks sorta like a toddler’s bed, the bars only half-raised around the bed to allow them to get out of the bed of their own free will. I change the sheets as well, fresh light pink sheets cover the mattress, covers with soft cartoon hearts go over. It’s cute enough, so also not too babyish. I’ve done the college student route before, I won’t force her super little, not unless I decide it’s necessary, but she won’t be treated like an adult. I set a knitted blanket at the end of the bed before cleaning up the closet.
It’s fairly bare, what is in there I don’t hide. I leave the diapers and pull-ups on a shelf, along with changing supplies and pacifiers. There are some onesies I have hanging up, and I move them so they are all on the same side of the closet, giving her space to put her own stuff. Over time I’ll likely buy her more personalized little things, but until then it’ll be generic. I lastly vacuum the room and turn on a wax melter for a few, a soft vanilla scent to make the room smell nicer.
Shutting the door, he decides to leave the guitar alone for the night, maybe tomorrow.