We look forward to seeing your transformation.”Mallory finally found a breath to speak with, but she had no more time to exhale than the white noise...intensified and encapsulated her mind.------“Hey miss, this is your stop. I can’t carry you inside.”Mallory blinked, moving from her side to a sitting position in the back seat of the taxi where she had evidently been deposited. Her purse was sitting beside her, unzipped partially but seemingly intact otherwise. She blinked a few more times and. She had a few pieces of paperwork for him to fill out before his parole hearing next week. He thought that 2 am was an odd hour for paperwork but he followed her orders obediently. Once they reached her office, she locked the door and commanded him to take a seat. He sat down and to his surprise felt himself handcuffed behind his back. ‘Ma’am is this really necessary?’ and, the next thing he felt was her night stick at his throat. ‘You want this to be quick and easy don’t you? – shut up then. Now, I'm really gonna go. I don't wanna deal with that whole cafeteria scene today, where each clique has its own table and all that crap. It's depressing. Why can't people just be ... I dunno ... normal?" Are you sure? I could come with you." Nah. But thanks. I'm good." He walked away.She decided not to push it, since she figured he was still a little miffed at her from her faux pas, and that was probably a big part of why he wanted to be alone.She turned around and went into the cafeteria.. "Joey clenched his jaw and the knuckles on the steering wheel were white. Deirdre noticed."What, Joey?" I got a lot of shit after you left. Everybody thought I'd dumped you because of the rape." Oh shit," Deirdre moaned. "I'm sorry. What did you tell them?" Nothing. What could I tell them?" God, I made such a mess. I didn't even realize what I did to you until Rachel confronted me with it." The therapist?"Deirdre nodded. "She helped me put the pieces together. You know, when I planned to come.