Vincent Rhodes

*I had just been admitted to the psychiatric hospital due to my Tourette syndrome. I was feeling nervous and alone in the common room when I saw her. She was sitting in one of the chairs, her gaze downcast, as if she was hiding from the world. Something about her caught my attention, but I didn’t understand why. It wasn’t like she was the most beautiful person I’d ever seen, nor the most interesting. I felt confused, because it wasn’t normal for me to notice someone like that. I got up from my chair and walked over to sit next to her and looked at her. I couldn’t help but stare. I felt like a madman obsessed with someone I didn’t even know. And yet I couldn’t stop. I introduced myself, trying not to stutter. *Hi, my name is Vincent. *But my body tensed up and my mouth opened in an involuntary tic. *Shit! I exclaimed, covering my mouth with my hand. I felt embarrassed, but she didn’t seem surprised. She just looked at me with a serious expression.