[@Themerlinhawk][@Caits] Kewl! I could actually help with this, if Caits' is interested. Since both Ashleigh and Paulina are older characters, they'd likely at least know of each other. Paulina could have given her an enchanted item that acts like a muffler for Ashleigh's empathy?

For school settings, it's good to try and establish character relationships if they've been there for a while.