"Alright ladies bring it in," Coach O'Ryan calls.

We all run-up to her, out of breath.

"Good work today, I want to remind everyone Magic Siege tryouts are this Friday. We have two spots opening up, possibly more. So give it a serious consideration." She says.

Everyone nods.

"Sign up with me so I know who all to expect." She says.

I start to walk off with everyone before the coach says, "Ellison."

I sigh.

Cyrene warned me this might happen.

I drag myself back over to her.

"I expect you at tryouts bright-eyed and bushy-tailed." She says to me.

"But—"

"I'm sure Cyrene told you I don't take no for an answer." She says.

"With all due respect coach. I hate sports! Can't you tell, my face hurts from falling so many times today." I say.

Dariyah snorts in amusement behind me.

"Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed." She repeats.

"But—"

"You are a star caster, you will be on my team. Plus, I checked, you still don't have any other extracurriculars to occupy you. What better than this? And you can already teleport, which is more than what Cyrene could do when we started out. So half the battle is already over."

"So if I had another extracurricular that took up my time, then I wouldn't have to humiliate myself by trying out?"

"That's not what I said." She frowns at me.

"Say no more coach, I'll have an extracurricular by Friday, for sure! Do not expect me at tryouts!" I runoff.

"Ellison!" she shouts after me in anger.

"I want to try out coach," I hear Dariyah say behind me just before I slip into the locker room.

I quickly change and get the heck out of there before she can come in and grill me some more. I meet Cyrene at her office, sure to knock extra loudly ever since I caught her and Lorelei a few weeks ago a little too far into their make-out session.

They were still clothed, but their bodies were definitely in suggesting positions. I do not want to see that again, my eyes will burn out of my skull. So we made a loud knocking rule when the door is closed, and no more just teleporting in.

"Come in!" Cyrene calls.

"Ugh," I barge in.

Lorelei has Cyrene in her arms, but they look comfortable and not in the middle of something.

"Did she ask you?" Cyrene asks.

"Yes! That woman is relentless. But I have a plan," I sit on the opposite side of the coffee table.

"Do tell," Lorelei says.

"She said since I don't have any extracurriculars that I have no excuse to, so! I just find some student org to be a part of before Friday and I'm off scot-free."

"That simple huh?" Cyrene says.

"Help me," I pout.

"You should just try out, you might like it. I can train you." Cyrene says.

"No!" I whine.

She sighs and sits right.

"I got your test results for spellcasting," Lorelei says to me.

"And I got your results for your test this morning," Cyrene adds.

"And?" I say, my voice small.

"You pass," they say in unison.

I sigh in relief.

"Only one test left to worry about," Cyrene says.

"I can handle it, actually I wanted to see if you could teach me something new," I say.

"Oh?"

"I want to learn energy masking," I say.

"And why would you want to learn that when you still have to learn proper energy conversion?" Lorelei asks.

"It could come in handy, plus I could have really used it this past semester since my professor is a shadow caster. And I'm friends with a shadow caster, it would help us to be able to be around each other without one of us getting a headache." I say.

"Well don't look at me, she's the energy expert." Cyrene points to Lorelei.

My eyes shift next to her and I frown.

I really, really, really don't like Lorelei. We tolerate each other, at best.

"We can work on it once you start my class and start doing some one-on-one training with me."

"What!" I turn to Cyrene.

"What? Don't look at me like that, we can't be cooped up in my office forever. Plus Lorelei is an expert on what you need to know. It's already been approved by the task force. You're going to be getting lots of new tutors soon, not just us. I'll have to give you an updated schedule."

I sigh.

"Trust me, not my idea." Lorelei mutters under her breath.

Cyrene elbows her in the gut.

At least I know the feeling is mutual.

"See, how can I do Magic Siege when I already have all this stuff to worry about?" I point out.

"It's not up to me, that's a, you and coach problem."

I pout.

"Now, let's study for your last test," Cyrene says.

"I can study with Vega," I suggest.

"I know you two hardly ever study," Cyrene says.

"We do too! How do you think I passed my test this morning?" I challenge.

Before Cyrene can say anything there is a knock on the door.

All three of us turn.

It's Asherah. Instantly the air is thick and tense. I can see Cyrene stiffen in her seat. Lorelei makes a face at her.

"Sorry to intrude, but I need to talk to Emery for a second. It will be quick."

Cyrene looks at me and gives me the go-ahead face.

So I get up and walk out the door and into the hall with Asherah.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Detective Perez just called, Darius confessed to everything. But he won't give up the names of his helpers. They want to know if we want to press charges. I was told the decision is up to me. So I wanted to ask you."

My stomach turns, why is he doing this?

"Why me?" I ask.

"Well he's your friend, and if we charge him, he's going to get in a lot of trouble. He admitted to arson and vandalism, he put three lives in danger. He could be facing serious consequences."

"I just don't understand how he could do this," I say sadly.

"I can let him off with a warning, but if he does it again then I'll be the one with egg on my face. But if I charge him, the outside community might see it as an act against them and the peace we claimed we wanted. It's a very delicate balance."

"What do you think we should do?" I ask.

"Maybe if you talk to him we can assure that he won't do it again, we can let this one slide." She says.

"Talk to him?"

She nods.

"Okay." I agree.

"I'll call the Detective and see what I can arrange for tomorrow. Thank you for agreeing with this." She rubs my shoulder.

"He's my friend. Or at least he was." I sigh.

She gives me a light hug before leaving.

I walk back into Cyrene's office and sit down with a heavy sigh.

"Everything okay?" she asks me.

"Yeah, it's nothing." I lie.

She eyes me.

"So, studying." I change the subject.

Cyrene and Lorelei share a look.

"Actually, it's time for your session with Dr. Ross," Cyrene says.

"Okay, see you tomorrow then," I quickly get up to leave.

Technically it's not time for my session, but if she wanted me to get there early I wasn't complaining. Better than being stuck in here with them staring at me.

So I teleport to Dr. Ross's office.

"You can at least do this one thing for me, one!"

"Enough! I have work to do, go cry to your father."

"I hate you!" Dariyah storms out of the office and smacks right into me.

She's in tears. She quickly pushes past me and runs off.

"Come in," Dr. Ross calls, I flinch at her suddenly friendly tone.

A tone that had been cold and spiteful a moment ago.

I walk in and take my usual seat.

"Sorry about that, spoiled brats will be spoiled brats." She writes off the incident.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"We aren't here to talk about me, we are here to talk about you. I heard there were some incidents since our last session?"

We are silent for a moment.

"Can I ask you something, before we start?" I say.

She eyes me expectantly.

"Why... How come you haven't talked to Vega yet? She is your daughter, right?"

"Do you talk to your mother every day?" she challenges.

"Well no but—"

"But nothing, that's just not the kind of relationship we have. But if you want to talk about relationships, we can. Starting with your relationship to Vega." She turns it around on me, crossing her hands on her desk.

Suddenly she's not so nice and friendly to me as she has been.

"What about my relationship with Vega?" I ask.

"How did it start? When? My daughter has dated before, but never someone like you."

"Like me? A girl?"

"No," she snorts in amusement. "She's dated plenty of girls before. I meant... someone very ignorant and closed-minded. She usually likes independent and quick-witted girls."

Plenty...

How many is plenty?

"I'm not closed-minded. And we just feel a connection to each other, a pull. She gets me, and I get her." I defend myself.

"I see. Sounds to me like you aren't exactly sure where this relationship stands. Maybe you don't know my daughter like you think you do. Vega has always been sharp as a knife and quick like a whip. She gets it from me."

"I don't want to talk about Vega with you," I glare at her.

"Okay, how about your relationship with this Darius guy?"

"Can we not talk about relationships?"

"We can talk about your relationship with Cyrene and Asherah. Or maybe your relationship with your own mother. Or maybe your father."

"Okay! I get it, I overstepped, sorry." I grumble.

She smiles at me, a creepy all-knowing smile.

"Can we just go back to talking about my progress or something?"

"And here I thought you were someone who isn't afraid to go in deep. At least that's what you told me right, you confront things. Not run?"

I look away from her.

"I've been doing this for years. I know how to get to what I need. I know when to press clients and back off. Just like I know when people want to avoid a subject it's because it's too close to them, too personal. They can't separate emotions and facts. Their vision is fogged. You can stall with me all you want Emery, but sooner or later we will get to your more serious problems." She says.

I sigh and look at the ground.

"We can start simple today, Cyrene and Asherah. Both are new additions in your life, both seem to pit you against the other. How does that make you feel?"

"I just want them to get along."

"If you were forced to pick who watched over you from now on, and you never got to see the other again. Who would you pick?"

I shrug.

"Really?" she leans in. "You don't know?"

"It's complicated," I say.

"How?"

"Cyrene is cool and teaches me what I need to know. It's her stupid girlfriend I don't like. And Asherah, she's cool too, but she can't teach me what I need to know. Plus, she has like a hundred and one other things to worry about other than me. No matter who I pick, there will always be some disappointment." I say.

"Then it's a good thing you don't have to pick. So you understand their roles in your life and how they benefit you. Logically speaking you know Cyrene is who you should stick with, but she's not your first choice, why?" she asks.

My head shoots up and I meet her eyes, how did she know that?

"As I said, I'm a professional. I can read people." She says.

"It's just, Cyrene means well. She does. But she isn't helping me grow. Not in the way I want to grow. Sure she's teaching me how to use my powers and how to be a Caster, but... What Asherah teaches me feels so much more important. How to deal with serious situations, read a room, handle people. Stand strong even when all is against you. When I'm with her, I actually feel like I learn something. But when I'm with Cyrene, I always leave scratching my head wondering if what I learned will even stick at all." I admit.

She nods.

"I guess... I just really need someone to help me with the emotional side of this, not the other side. I... I've never been good at processing my emotions. I always just push them down or ignore them completely, avoiding them at all costs. It's no secret to anyone that I hated being here when I first got here, Cyrene did help a little, but Asherah was the only one who didn't treat me like someone you handle with a ten-foot pole. She was always straightforward and honest with me. Which I appreciate."

"So you think you and Asherah have a bond, deeper than the bond you have with Cyrene?"

I nod.

"Do you think Asherah feels the same?"

"I mean, I think so. She always lets her guard down around me. And tells me things a headmaster of a school probably shouldn't tell me about their personal life."

"And do you think that's inappropriate?"

"No, I like it actually. Makes me feel more at ease. Like we are actual people. Things don't have to be so formal all the time." I say.

"What happens when you try to get Cyrene to open up?"

"She shuts it down, quick. Or sometimes she just explodes on me. I don't think she's good with emotions either."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"Like she doesn't trust me with that stuff, and maybe I get it. I'm just a kid to her, some student she has to mentor out of obligation. Plus maybe I did something to lose her trust, but it gets old. The whole teacher-student thing. Like I see her every day, I would like to say we are friends, but I don't think we are. Not really. Once she's done training me I feel like she'll just leave and never speak to me again."

"So you are seeking friendship and emotional solace from people around you, maybe this has to do with losing your old friends, maybe even your mother. Perhaps their absence has left a hole in your life, what do you think?"

I nod, not answering.

"You feel lonely all the time?"

I nod again.

"Coming to a new school and leaving everything behind can take a toll on anyone. But maybe you should do some inner reflection. Why is it that you need other people to validate you?"

"I don't know."

"Well, how about we end it there. I want you to think about that question and let it sit in your head to marinate for a while. There isn't a right or wrong answer, sometimes we just want company because that's human nature. But I want you to think about why having people around you is important to you, what it does for you, we can go from there." She says.

"Okay."

"Our meeting will be moved up next week to Tuesday. Then on Friday, we will do your first mind meld session." She says.

"Okay, see you in a few days then." I get up.

"Tell my daughter, if she wants to talk to me, I'm right here."

"Will do," I force a smile and quickly leave.

Yeesh, these sessions always make me feel so drained afterward. Talking about your feelings is hard.