[center][h1][u][color=ed145b]Irina Ivanov [/color][/u][/h1]
Auditorium to Testing Room [/center]

After the question phase of the presentation had turned for the worst (with a young woman being take out in a frenzy), Irina had merely sat back in her chair and folded her arms on her torso. The teenager wanted to smirk at the lady named Elisa. She wanted to show her that not every body here was going to be as compliant. 

Her satisfaction lasted very little though, as Elisa once again began speaking and focused the majority of her passive aggressiveness towards Irina. The anger in Irina once again began to rise incredibly as the woman walked over to her and got within arms reach. The teenager could feel the blood boiling under her skin, making her cheeks hot and red, and bringing up a strong urge to stand up and spit in the woman’s face. Elisa had a point, but Irina was by far too proud to admit it. At the moment, Irina just wanted to grab the lady and smash her head onto one of the many flat surfaces that surrounded them. Why didn’t she though?

[i]’It will only take a few seconds. Just a few and she’ll be taken care of.. but what if the same thing happens to me like that one girl. It probably will’[/i]

Irina had been so lost in thought, that by the time she snapped back to reality, there were people already moving about. Abel was walking out of the door with a man that looked like he could eat the teenaged boy. Another boy had already been taken away. Irina looked around until her eyes found the screen that showed a picture of her with a number next to it. She acknowledged her room number but her eyes lingered on her picture. Her eyes. In the picture, her eyes were a vibrant green and full of life. It was when she had cut her hair into a shorter A-line cut and it had been straightened. [i]’My passport picture’[/i] she thought as she remembered her mom pressuring her to look pretty. She had worn a bit of eyeliner and mascara, and pinched her cheeks prior to taking the picture so they could take on a natural blush. Her freckles splayed out for the world to see, and her mouth had been transformed into a grin which she hardly ever saw on a day to day basis. 

[b]”Irina Ivanov?”[/b] A warm and gentle voice reached out to Irina to bring her back to the present. The girl turned quickly and looked up to see a tall woman standing in front of her. She was of a good build, which surprised Irina. Not many women were taller than five foot eight inches, but this woman seemed to be nearly six feet. She wasn’t thin either, nor was she fat. She was thick and seemed to have features that if Irina had bumped into her on the street, they would have made her apologize immediately. Even her dark hair that she had in an intricate braided bun was intimidating. [b]”I will be your coach, dear.”[/b] Her voice did not match her appearance. The lady seemed to be in her late thirties, early forties yet her voice was much older, wiser in a way. Irina’s mouth fell slightly agape. No way had she just heard that oxymoron. Yet she had, and there were clues on the woman’s face that showed that she could be kind and gentle like her voice. At the edges of her bright blue eyes there were tiny wrinkles and she had laugh lines. Small things that made her face seem approachable. 

“[color=ed145b]Who… Who are you? I mean. What’s your name?[/color]” The teenager finally answered after taking in every single little detail. [b]"I am Esmeralda, but you may call me Esme. Will you come, please? This shouldn’t take too long.”[/b] The smile that quickly formed on Esmeralda’s face nearly knocked Irina off of her seat. How could someone look so [i]nice[/i]. It was almost inviting. Irina had no other choice but to agree. 

As Irina got up, she turned to look at Nikolai. Not with frightened eyes but with worry. What would happen to her? What would happen to him?

“[color=ed145b]Take care.[/color]” Her voice was low and fervent as she tried to somewhat assure him and give him a reminder to remain alert. She turned back to face Esmeralda and gave her a nod, which prompted the lady to smile once again and walk out of the room. Irina followed suit, slightly hesitant at first, and alert the entire way to the empty room.  Irina had noted each twist and turn that they had walked through to get to the room, just in case.

[b]”Go ahead and take a seat. I have a few questions on my clipboard over there,”[/b] Esmeralda explained as she placed her hand on Irina’s back and prompted her to move forward. Irina complied and sat down, an eyebrow arching as she became slightly suspicious (more than she already was) of what was going on. [b]”I was placed with you for three reasons. I am from Spain. I speak Spanish along with many other languages. I am a well renowned psychologist in several states on the west coast in the United States, and I have also taught Psychology in Universities. I can help you understand and even decipher those thoughts, feelings, and memories that you see and hear in your mind. Sometimes things like these can get very overwhelming, overpowering even. It will be easy to get lost in them and feel as if that is what [i]you[/i] are feeling. The third reason is that I requested you. Every one else here is young and honestly some what rude. I saw how you reacted and how you stood up to Elisa. You do not need someone with a bad attitude with you. You need someone who will understand and listen with an open mind.”[/b]

Irina stared. That’s it. She just stared at Esmeralda with amazement and shock. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that she finally reacted. The girl sat up in her seat and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she cleared her throat. “[color=ed145b]Um, okay? I understand.[/color]” 

Esmeralda simply smiled at Irina and nodded before looking back down at her clipboard, [b]”Let’s get started then, shall we?”[/b]