Saving You, Saving Me by Kailin Gow Read Free Book Online Page B

in, and I wished I knew more about each of these topics so I could be more helpful to the callers.”
    “You can do that when you get home. Right now, let’s go over some of the scripts so you have an idea where to start. He pulled a stack of multiple stapled papers, took the top one off the pile and handed it to me.
    “This one’s about cutting,” he said. He winced. “Self-injury. Do you know anything about it?”
    “I know one girl who did it,” I said. “She was much older than me at the time so I did not get to know the details, but I know it affects mostly girls than boys, and it usually affects teens. I mean I don’t know adults who continue doing it.”
    Derek said, “You’d be surprised. There are adults who still cut themselves in order to relieve tension of extreme stress from abuse or violence. Usually the cutter uses a razor to cut themselves to cut through (sorry about the pun, Sam) their numbness to the traumatic event.”
     “Ouch,” I said, wincing. “Why do girls want to harm their own bodies like that?”
    “They think it will help them feel better. It’s a temporary relief, if at all, and most cutters would agree it hurts more later. Some cut because peer pressure, others because it’s the only way they can deal with something, when they can’t talk to anyone about it.” Derek took a sip from his drink and said, “So, that’s why we’re here. We’re here for them to talk about whatever is causing them so much pain that they feel compelled to hurt themselves more in order to feel better about themselves.”
    “That’s the opposite of what I’d think people would do when they’re in pain,” I said.
    “True, but our mind works very strangely sometimes. It’s a defense mechanism,” Derek said. “But let’s go through the scenario now you have more of an idea what cutting is.”
    He lifted up the phone and pretended to be on call. “Ring ring.  Hello, you’re calling Sawyer House. What do you want to talk about?”
    I read the next line in the script. “Um, I’m not sure why I’m calling, but I need to talk to someone.”
    “Everything you say is kept confidential with us. You can talk freely with me. Why do you think you need to call here?”
    “Because I’m cutting myself and I can’t stop.”
    “When did you start cutting yourself?”
    “Last week.”
    “What happened last week?”
    “A group of my friends began cutting, and they made me do it.”
    Derek stopped then and said, “there are many pages here on cutting, but I want you to read through it so you have an idea about what to say.”
    “And after that, you want me to read through this pile of scenarios, too, right?”
    Derek grinned. “Right. It can take all night, but you get the idea. We are short staffed tonight so I have to be on call. How about joining me for this one call?  You can observe me, listen in on the other headset.” He stood up and walked to the door while I gathered all my papers together into a neat folder.
    Derek led the way back to the call area, and took me over to one of the cubicles. He gestured for me to take a seat, while he rolled another chair over. “Comfy?” he asked, sitting down. 
    “Perfect,” I answered back.
    “Now put the headset on so you can hear the conversation.” He put his headset on, and when we were ready, he gestured at a screen in front that was flashing green, indicating there was a call on hold.
    On his phone, there was a button with the light blinking green.  He tapped on it, and began speaking in a calm but friendly tone. “Hi, I’m Derek from Sawyer House. What do you want to talk about tonight?”
    He was smooth, confident, gentle, and caring throughout the call. The girl, who calls herself Becca, said she was having a hard time dealing with some girls in school who started picking on her since she began dating their friend’s ex-boyfriend. She felt ostracized because of it, and her friends who wanted to be as popular as these girls,