Kayla's POV

The morning sun streamed through my window, signalling another day and another appointment with Dr Sarah. A flutter of nerves danced in my stomach; things had shifted since our last session. Miraculously, I had become friends with the girl I had been so determined to avoid, but it felt like a positive change for once.

"Kayla, are you ready for school?" Mum called from the kitchen, breaking my thoughts.

"Yes, Mum! Just a second!" I replied, hastily applying a final touch of eyeliner before dashing out.

As I reached the kitchen, the smell of breakfast wafted through the air.

"Are you done getting ready?" Mum asked, glancing at the clock.

"Yep!"

"Let’s have breakfast," she encouraged.

"Mum, there's barely any time left! I’ll grab a sandwich and eat on the way," I said, grabbing our meals and tossing them into our cars.

I was out the door first, with Mum close on my tail.

“Hey, guys!” I called as I spotted the twins waiting for me.

“Hey, Kayla!” they chimed in unison.

“Did you oversleep?” Lila asked, her tone gentle.

"Kinda! I was studying late into the night," I confessed.

“You read every night, you must be exhausted,” Luca observed, his brow furrowing with concern.

“I am, but I have to keep pushing. Mum relies on me, and I want to build a good future for both of us,” I explained.

“But you guys seem fine,” Lila replied.

“That’s true, but it’s all thanks to Mum working tirelessly to provide for us. We’re comfortable now, but I want her to be able to relax and retire soon,” I said, hoping they understood.

"You’re an amazing daughter, Kayla," Lila said, her smile warm.

“Thanks,” I said, feeling a little shy.

“On a brighter note, when are you all going prom dress shopping?” Luca interjected.

“Soon! Very soon!”

“Right, Kayla, your session is today, right?” Lila remembered.

“Yep!”

“How are you feeling about it?” Luca asked with genuine curiosity in his voice.

“Honestly? I’m not feeling nervous,” I replied a hint of surprise in my own tone.

“That’s fantastic!” he responded, his face lighting up.

“You really think so?” I asked, unsure.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Lila chimed in, her brow raised.

“Because my anxiety has a way of sneaking up on me,” I admitted.

“That makes sense,” Luca nodded.

“I’ll miss you today,” Lila said with a hint of sadness.

“Me too,” Luca added, and my heart did a little flip.

“I’ll miss you both too, but I’ll see you in class,” I reassured them.

“It won’t be the same without you,” Luca said, his voice soft.

“You sound like a clingy boyfriend,” Lila teased, making his cheeks turn rosy.

“Cut it out! Luca, don’t let her get to you,” I said, laughing.

"Look at you, defending him," Lila continued to poke fun.

Once we reached school, we spotted Fiona, Ashley, and Jake waiting for us outside the building.

“Hey, guys!” we greeted in unison.

“Hey!” they responded.

“Class is about to start. Why are you guys late?” Jake asked, eyebrows raised.

“It’s my fault! I overslept and couldn’t pick them up early,” I explained sheepishly.

“Thank goodness you made it in time, though,” I added.

“Class is starting now; we’ll talk later,” Ashley cut in.

Before I knew it, lunchtime rolled around, and I headed out of the school building, my mind already on my appointment.

The drive to the hospital felt longer than usual, but after about twenty minutes, I arrived and logged in at the front desk. The wait seemed to stretch, but soon enough, they called my name.

“Good day, Dr. Sarah,” I greeted as I stepped into her office.

“Good day, Kayla,” she smiled, motioning for me to sit down.

“So, how are you doing today?” she asked.

“I’m good! How about you?” I replied, mirroring her smile.

“Doing well, thanks for asking!” she replied before steering the focus back to me. “So, tell me; has anything changed since our last session?”

“I’m not sure if you remember the new student I mentioned,” I began. She nodded encouragingly. “Well, we’re friends now,” I finished, a smile spreading across my face.

“That’s fantastic, Kayla!” she beamed.

“And I even opened up to her about my anxiety,” I added.

“Really? That’s amazing! You should be proud,” she responded, her eyes twinkling.

“Thanks!” I said, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

“And how are things with your Mum?”

I sighed, the weight of my thoughts pressing down. “We’re doing well, but it’s tough. She’s always busy with work, and I don’t want to burden her with my problems,” I confessed.

“Remember, Kayla, she’s your Mum; she’ll want to understand. With university on the horizon, you need to build that bridge now,” Dr. Sarah advised gently.

“I know, but she hardly has time. I try to help her rest when she’s home, and even when we do have time together, I struggle to start the conversation,” I explained, the frustration evident in my voice.

“You must try, Kayla. If you don’t communicate well now, it could lead to more challenges in the future,” she said firmly.

“I’ll make it a point to try,” I promised.

“Now, how are things with the twins?”

“We’re good, but…”

“Last time you mentioned finding it hard to open up to them about your struggles. Have you made any progress?” she asked.

“We’ve all been juggling school, so we don’t really have time to dive into our issues,” I admitted.

“Remember, your friends can’t know what’s happening inside your head unless you tell them,” she encouraged, and I nodded, feeling motivated to communicate better.

"I understand how you feel. Sometimes, it just becomes overwhelming," I said, my voice tinged with frustration.

"Absolutely, it can be tough. But remember, your ability to communicate openly has strengthened your friendships so far," she replied, her tone encouraging.

"I'll definitely make an effort to connect more with everyone," I promised.

"So tell me about this new friendship of yours. What's her name?"

"Her name's Fiona," I said, a smile creeping onto my face.

"And how's that going? How's your bond with Fiona?" she inquired, her curiosity genuine.

"It's been really good. Opening up to her about my anxiety felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest," I confessed, feeling the relief wash over me.

"That’s wonderful to hear, Kayla!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious.

"Thanks!"

"You know, that same sense of relief will come when you start having those honest conversations with your Mum and the twins," she advised gently.

"I know, I just need to find the courage," I replied, determination creeping into my voice.

"I’m looking forward to seeing you again in... two months. By our next session, I’d love to hear about your progress. Sound good?"

"Absolutely, Dr. Sarah," I said, feeling a mix of hope and resolve.

"I’ll see you soon!" she said as I left, the anticipation of our next chat already buzzing in my mind.