Determined to improve the overall quality of care in the hellhole of a unit, Kiera's book policy was surprisingly popular. Whilst some of the girls were still reserved about it or outright fatigued at the thought of reading, those who didn't know what to do for the futures or even just wanted a distraction adored it.

(In a way, all of us are the same. For Ava, her kick comes from diagnosing trauma in strangers from mangled up text books but that wasn't really a viable option for a psychiatric ward)

Beaming that her idea had blossomed into a beneficial programme, Kiera was eager to maintain it. She had no work experience with older children considering her history in pediatrics associated her mostly with babies or babbling toddlers. This was a way to prove herself she had reasoned with herself, a measure of her success almost if they just smiled or started talking more. In this spirit, she decided to expand the programme into a more educational opportunity that may actually help them when they reached the outside world again. Therefore, she created a token economy system with the winner obtaining an extra visit or community time. The tasks were listed as below:

1) A presented book review of your choice

2) short story inspired by a role model

In a way, the second task was selfishly assigned so that Kiera could bond with the girls on a more intimate level and no longer be an intimidating villain staring down at them before the dreaded dinner. The ward was scattered with diversity of families and interests, it would also be something more interesting to read when Martha was ranting down her throat. 

Lucy embraced the challenge openly, willing to prove herself and earn extra time with Ava.

(TW: mention of bulimia throughout rest of chapter)

https://youtu.be/GDKyZRZEt70

It was a no brainer for Lucy, the only consistent role model in her life since high-school had been Melanie. With plenty of book reviews already completed, K-12 had helped her escape reality for a while throughout the cult-like abuse and bullying. Her disapproving mother had always seemed more interested in the 'perfect' Christian Facebook photos before shoving her into her room. If she ever felt sick, a chunky glass of orange juice would be practically forced into her trembling hands before her door was slammed shut. This is where she started traveling the road down to Ana I suppose, it just became too difficult to hide the constant purging when her throat was always throbbing in pain.  

With the release of K-12, she found herself in a way. In particular the lyrics ' I'm watching from the bathroom, making sure I don't choke'. May seem meaningless but when that was her reality, it was comforting like she actually had a guardian angel looking out for her instead of her mum. She had dyed her hair to look like her and downloaded all her music and it helped for a while, I suppose still does because she'd never think of going back down those dark pits of hell again.

Eager to write about her, Lucy had a detailed and structured plan utilizing Todorov's ideas around the equilibrium and disequilibrium in narratology sketched out in the back of her journal. Sitting down besides Charlie, she handed Charlie one of her air-pods as she played her Spotify playlist and continued with her planning. Words just fell into place as Charlie watched her, mesmerized by how organized she was with her work. But it wasn't work, it was an art of hers really.

" How are you so good?", gasped Charlie.

" Well I know basically everything about her so it's not that hard considering she basically saved me, you must have someone like that if your here?", pondered Lucy.

"Hmm, my mum maybe", she thought, holding her breath for a second making sure Lucy wasn't offended.

" Ok, I'll carry on later anyway lets focus on you then missy", jokingly replied Lucy. 

Showing her all the artistic skills she had been taught throughout her higher English Language GCSE, she drew neatly into Charlie's journey a replica plan of hers then propped the pen down. After asking Charlie for ideas, she made some bullet point notes then handed the journal back to her.

" Thanks Luce, you'll be an amazing author one day I bet", softly said Charlie.

" No need to brag Charl, but I know I am a genius", sarcastically sniggered Lucy. "Anyways, you need to get your crap together but my Ave looks like she's falling asleep over there"

Ava gave Lucy an exaggerated thumbs up then mockingly rolled her eyes and joined them, sneaking a kiss onto Lucy's bare neck that was exposed by her shrinked top that now formed a crop top. Stepping back instantly before being detected, Ava sat next to Charlie.

" Damn, you two don't stop talking. show me then Luce", spluttered Ava, gesturing for Charlie to show her their work.

* Lucy passes Ava her journal turned to the page of her planning, looking back at Charlie nervously. She confessed so many personal details on it, a love letter to herself as she would call it*

" Ah, of course you chose Melanie lil emo. Is that the album with that weird film?", she queried.

" Yeah it is Ave,  you said they looked like possessed school girls then turned it off because of Martha when Melanie decided to go nude", retorted Lucy, nostalgia filling her brain as she remembered Martha's crude facial expression which could only be described as an animated version of her mother when she discovered her friend liked the 'gay' music.

" I wasn't included in that", remarked Charlie with fake puppy eyes.

" Wait till your out of here then dummy", proposed the girls.

With the call for dinner interrupting them, Charlie and Lucy shoved their journals away then rushed back out to the canteen. It was Chinese night with a mild chicken curry spread across the tables, herbs hiding the lumps of chicken that were an eyesore just to see. Lucy actually enjoyed the meal for once, it had been her childhood favorite after all.

After dinner, Ava was sent straight off to her CBT session with Lauren. Lucy returning to her room alone to start writing the beginning of her story, she waited for her impatiently.

*opening the door and taking a seat* "Hey Lauren", mumbled Ava.

"What's up with you?", interrogated Lauren, taken aback by her tone.

" Nothing, just tired I guess. What's new?", she professed in return.

"So I'm taking a guess that dinner didn't go so well?", speculated Lauren, almost like she could read her mind.

" Got it down, just been watching lucy and Charlie do so well with their reading and I just can't. I'm not into that stuff", admitted Ava almost instantly. She didn't want to be here anyway, may as well try and cut the session shorter.

Curious, Lauren asked her to expand on that.

" Well Lucy wrote so much about her old struggles with bulimia and how music helped her in such a short time, and she was content I suppose. I can't learn anything unless I get back into college", Ava explained.

Contemplating an appropriate response, Lauren dug deeper to see why this bothered her so much. Ava had already articulated about the promise of going back to college and doing a degree, clearly there was a deeper problem here. After some probing, Ava finally cracked under the pressure.

"Ok, you've got me. Some of the details in that journal were disturbing. Things she had never told me like I don't know... it just hurts knowing my friend went through all that and can't talk to me. Like the orange juice...", she blurted.

*reaching out and placing a hand on Ava* " None of that is your fault or Lucy's. It's good that you care, It's obvious how close you two are. Now if that is all that is bothering you just tell her she can talk, she clearly trusts you if you were allowed to even read it", carefully replied Lauren before concluding the session so that she could go home.