A/N: Here is another new story! Please review! I hope you like it...

Academic Institute. You have to be kidding me.

I fiddled with the sleeves of my sweater, pulling them lower as my mother talked to Dr. Morgan- Travis, he said to call him. He was one of the main psychiatrists here a this…school. Institution. Whatever you wanted to call it.

“How long will she be here?” My mother asked, wrapping her cold hand on my arm. I winced, breaking out of her hold.

“That depends on Addison.” Travis said, his bright sapphire eyes meeting mine. I didn’t show any emotion, there wasn’t a reason to. He shifted his eyes back to my mother. “At least six months. That’s the initial period. After that, we make all decisions.”

My mother let out something that sounded like a sob. I winced again.

“Well, are we ready?” Travis asked gently, giving my mother a small smile. She nodded, placing her hand on my back once again.

I stood, once again shaking her hand off of me, and followed Travis. He led us around the school- a institute that actually teaches you things. He showed us where the classes were held, then to the rec room and cafeteria. Then he led us into another building. “This is the rooms.” He said, as we walked into a huge space on the first floor of the new building. There were kids lounging around everywhere, watching movies, playing games. They all looked at me curiously, and I instantly started fiddling with my sleeves yet again. Travis’s eyes instantly followed the motion.

I stopped, glaring at him.

“We have groups here, Addison.” Travis told me, nodding to a woman who was sitting at the front desk. “Every wing is directed to a group. Your in group F. So,” He said, leading us down the hall and to an elevator. He pushed the second floor. “There are five floors. The first floor is groups A-D. Second floor is E-I. Third floor is J-N. Fourth is O-T. And U-Z.” The elevator came to a stop, and Travis motioned for us to follow him. He handed me a small room key. “This is for your room.” He told me, turning down a hallway that had a F at the top of the door frame. There were four rooms in the hallway, each with a number on it. F1, F2, F3. The other room said Council Room. “You’ll be sharing with Melissa.” He told me, motioning to room F3.

He knocked on the door, and it was pulled open only a moment later. The girl in front of me was really, really skinny. She looked sick. She had long blond hair that had no life, or shine, to it what so ever. I could tell she was really pretty, but at the moment, her cheek bones stood out against her hollowed cheeks. Her eyes had dark circles under them, giving her eyes an eerie look.

“Melissa.” Travis said, smiling at her. “this is Addison. Your new roommate.”

Melissa’s gaze took me in, looking from head to toe. She gave me a brief nod, then stepped to the side, letting all of us in. The room was small, but big enough to fit two twin beds, two dressers, and two desks. There was a bathroom as soon as you walked in.

“This is nice.” My mother mumbled, throwing my bags on the unoccupied bed. I slid my own bag on the floor, not saying anything.

Travis continued talking. “The Council Room is right next door. You have your group therapy sessions with Veronica every other night at seven. Your individual therapy sessions will also be in there. I have you scheduled for three, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”

I nodded. Travis handed me a piece of paper. “Everything you need to know is on here. I’ll leave you to unpack.” He gave me a nod, then turned and left the room.

Mom instantly pulled me to her, hugging me close. “I’ll miss you. Please be good.” She whispered. She kissed my head quickly, then she to left.

Melissa sat on her bed, watching as I started to unpack. “So, I guess I should show you around.” Melissa said, not sounding thrilled in the least.

I felt a stab of that familiar sadness. “Don’t put yourself out.” I muttered, hating how everyone wanted to stay away from me. Like I wasn’t good enough for them. I wasn’t good enough.

“Oh.” Melissa said, giving me a knowing look. “You’re one of them.” She said.

“Them?” I asked, turning to face her.

“One of the depression kids.” She nodded, looking me over once again. Her eyes landed on my hands, which were fiddling with my sleeves once again. She nodded once again, like she instantly knew my secret.

I turned away from her, fighting back tears. She acted like she knew me. Like she knew what I went through.

She didn’t know anything.

“Anyway, I’ll tell you about our little…group.” She spat, shaking her head. “Across the hall is Logan and Tim. Next to us is Ashley and Alex.”

I turned back to face her, eyebrows raised. “They let a girl and guy share a room?”

“They’re twins.” She said, waving her hand. “And they’re both really screwed up.”

I bit back a retort.

She looked at the clock, then made a face. “Come on, its time to eat.” She muttered, standing. I followed her, not saying a word. She led us downstairs and outside, then over to the main building. Then into the cafeteria. “We sit by group.” She told me, nodding to a table with an F on it.

She led me through the huge line, and we both grabbed some food. I admit, the food looked better than it did at usual schools. Melissa glared at every piece of food, buy a woman came up and started putting some on her tray.

“Veronica-”

“Eat.” The woman, Veronica said sternly. Her eyes landed on me. I smiled slightly. She was a pretty woman, and her eyes were kind. “You must be Addison.” She said, smiling. “I’m Veronica, I’m in charge of the group therapy sessions.”

She held out her hand for me to take. I reached over, but misjudged how long the sleeves of my shirt were. It rode up as I grasped her hand, revealing a series of scars. And some fresh cuts. Veronica’s eyes looked at them briefly. Melissa scoffed knowingly.

I ripped my hand away from her. She didn’t say anything, just continued to walk.

Melissa led me over to the table once again. This time, it was full, only two seats open. Melissa slid into one, and I hesitantly took the other. Everyone stopped speaking, looking at me. I blushed, hiding my face behind my long, dark blond hair.

There was three boys, and one girl. Well, beside Melissa.

The girl was pretty, with pale skin, dark green eyes, and dark auburn hair. But she had deep purple circles under her eyes, like she hadn’t slept in a week. Or two. She gave me a small smile. “I’m Ashley.” She said softly, giving me a small smile.

“Addison.” I answered, once again hiding my face. Why smile if I didn’t mean it?

The boy next to me slowly moved so he was in my line of sight. He looked like Ashley, with the same pale skin and auburn hair. It was messy, going in every direction. His eyes were also green, but brighter. Even when sitting, I could see the way his t-shirt hugged his form. I swallowed hard as he gave me a side smile. “Alex.” He said, introducing himself.

Ah, Ashley’s twin. Duh, that makes sense. He didn’t have the circles under his eyes, like his sister. He looked…amazing.

“I’m Logan.” Another boy said, nodding to me quickly. He was twitching, and I saw a glisten of sweat on his face. His dark grey eyes kept moving around, like he was having trouble sitting still. I noticed he didn’t even have a plate of food in front of him. His hair was shaggy and blond, and he kept shifting his chair closer to Ashley’s. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and he instantly calmed down, though I noticed his breathing was shallow.

“And that jerk over there is Zack.” Melissa said after a minute, while everyone was waiting for the other boy to speak. He sent her a glare, then stabbed his fork into his food. He was big- bigger than the other guys- with huge muscles. He had black hair, and deep hazel eyes. He glared at Melissa the entire time he was eating.

Melissa rolled her eyes.

“So, what are you here for?” Ashley asked me lightly, taking a huge bite of food.

I looked at her, startled. “Excuse me?”

“I have insomnia.” Ashley told me, shrugging. “I don’t sleep. I cant sleep.”

“Which is why she looks dead.” Melissa muttered.

Now Ashley and Alex turned to glare at her. “Says the girl who is killing herself.” Ashley snapped back.

“Hey.” Zack snapped, speaking for the first time. I looked at him in surprise. He had just been glaring at Melissa, now he’s defending her?

“Melissa has anorexia.” Logan said, shaking once again. I raised my eyebrows and he gave me a shaking grin. “I’m going threw withdraw.” He said, gripping Ashley’s hand. “Cocaine.”

“I have Aphenphosmphobia.” Alex told me, then he saw my confused face. “I’m afraid of people touching me. Or of me touching them.”

“Just think he has a huge bubble around him.” Zack said mockingly. “Don’t step inside the bubble.”

Alex didn’t say anything, he didn’t even look towards Zack. He just continued talking to me. “Zack is here for anger issues.”

I heard Zack mutter something, and from the way Alex’s face darkened, it couldn’t have been good.

“She is one of the depressed ones.” Melissa said mockingly. I instantly turned to glare at her. She ignored me, and continued talking. “And, from the multiple scars on her arms, I’m guessing she took the cutting a little to far. Attempted suicide?”

I felt the tears on my face, and I knew now everyone knew. I stood quickly, ignoring the way everyone looked at me, and walked from the room. “You’re really a bitch, you know that?” Someone spat. I heard a chair push back, and then footsteps behind me.

“Addison.” Someone said softly, coming up beside me. I looked up behind my curtain of hair. Alex was walking beside me. He reached his hand out slightly, as if to touch me, but immediately let it drop. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, continuing to walk. He walked beside me. “Ignore Melissa. She’s a bitch.”

I let out a strangled laugh at that.

He chuckled to, and we made our way to the elevator after checking in with the woman at the desk. “We have group counseling in an hour.” He told me, as we walked into the elevator.

“Great.” I said sarcastically.

“Veronica is cool.” he told me, shrugging. “She and Travis are married. They just- they try to help. Its more than I can say for most people.” He muttered that last part.

We both made our way to the F hall, and then we stopped as we came to my door. “I…” I started, but I didn’t have anything to say. At all.

“Do you want help unpacking?” Alex asked me smoothly, giving me a small smile.

I looked at him. Why would someone like him want to be around someone like me? Most people stay far away from me. They say I bring them down. “Sure.” I muttered, then opened my door.

Alex followed me into my room, then asked what I wanted him to do. I motioned to the bag on my bed- it was full of books. “Can you find a place to put those?” I asked, blushing slightly.

I heard him chuckle as he opened the bag. “You like to read, huh?”

I nodded, still blushing. That caused him to ask me what my favorite book was. From there, it went to movies, to music, to color.

I had never talked so much- well, not since… since that day.

Finally, Alex looked at his watch. “We need to go to group now.” He said, sounding a little upset about it. He stood from where he had been sitting on my bed, and then motioned for me to follow him. “Be careful.” He warned me, as we walked into the hall. “She’s good at getting you to say things you don’t want to say.”

Great.