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𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘
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[indent]Karen Scaletti[/indent]

𝗔𝗚𝗘
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[INDENT]35[/INDENT]

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘
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[INDENT]In a crowd, Karen wouldn't stand out at all unless someone was looking for the most nondescript person at a glance. She'd be the first to list off her perceived physical shortcomings - starting at the top with her messy, moppy, shaggy brown hair that can only ever seem to stay straight when she cuts it shorter than it already is, and her puffy, squirrel-like cheeks which go in hand with her rounded, soft face. The most remarkable thing about her face are her eyes which are quite expressive and wide in that doe-eyed sort of way. Even though she's half way to forty, Karen still has the facial expressions of a woman half her age, which she hopes is effective in reaching towards the troubled students she sees on a regular basis. 

Physically she leans to the lanky side of things, standing at roughly 5'6" with a boyish build (naturally she was teased about this through her own educational history) and next to nothing in the way of curves. She's healthily slender thanks to her metabolism which is appropriate given that she makes frequent trips to the school vending machines; prawn cocktail crisps are kryptonite. Her day-to-day attire is a more dress down sort of affair. Sweaters and jeans on most days to really hammer home the 'school mom' sort of vibe. She's not trying to gussy herself up at work, though when she does go out at night with the hopes of maybe finding someone that can actually make her smile, she's been known to wear more formal, flirty attire.  [/INDENT]

𝗢𝗖𝗖𝗨𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
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[INDENT]Crowley High's own guidance counselor. It's her job to provide a safe, comforting, atmosphere for students who wish to confide and discuss their issues. Word around the school is she would have liked to be the principal but she's been at her position for almost ten years now. Love her or find her annoying, she does provide a means for the students to vent to someone who will listen. In addition to her being the school guidance counselor she also attends PTA meetings and school-sanctioned events.[/INDENT]

𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
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[INDENT]N/A[/INDENT]

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬
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[INDENT]It comes as little surprise that Karen is a somewhat selfless individual. She always makes time for students that make the effort to see her even if that means having to stay late; if she notices or hears about a student that is troubled she will make the effort to reach out and try to help. Some may find her overly friendly 'call me Karen' type of vibe to be off putting - like when adverts do tone deaf marketing to appeal to 'the kids' - but when she offers to use 'the puppets' or 'the guitar' to help with a session, it's not because she's quirky and weird (not EXCLUSIVELY) but because she's found that when students can't connect to people, they can find it easier to talk to a puppet or the like. Outside of school, Karen is quite the romantic. A fan of romance movies, dramas to romcoms, and of trashy (and classy) literature, Karen still believes that there's someone out there for her. Someone with that 'lipstick lesbian' look who is into quirky 'soft butch' types like herself. Granted as she approaches forty she's coming to terms with the fact that she'll probably be waiting for her Princess Charming forever but it's nice to be optimistic. 

Karen has suffered from depression and still feels some of the lingering effects. Optimism is all well and good, but when she returns home to an apartment with two cats it's kind of hard to feel anything but cliche. It used to be worse, to the point where she wears long sleeves for a very specific reason, and she believes herself to be better now, but at times its hard to keep on smiling, especially when it feels like her efforts go to waste and some of her students are just humoring her. While expressive, Karen isn't overtly emotional. She doesn't let her emotions take control in public - save for crying at sad movies or turning into a babbling mess when talking to someone she's attracted to. She is a fairly guarded person and for as much as she extols the virtues of opening up, she doesn't tend to let people in herself. She's far from a mess, but only just, and it's evident that the guidance counselor might need some guidance of her own.[/INDENT]

𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬
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[INDENT]Karen Scaletti refused to just be another victim of the foster care system. After her parents died in a rather unfortunate drunk driving accident, Karen bounced around between various foster homes. She never lived with any one family for long, however, as various acts of...well...god or life - take your pick - kept cropping up. Her first foster family could no longer afford to support a daughter after they both were laid of at their office job. Her second foster family were eventually deemed unfit when Karen discovered some...rather unfortunate and highly illegal images on her foster family computer. 

Karen Scaletti seemed to have bad luck when it came to foster homes, and after the fourth failure the orphanage just let her stay until she was old enough to be self sufficient. As such, she had to drop out of school and work two minimum wage part time jobs just to get by. She eventually finished her secondary education albeit later than her peers. While not technically meeting all the requirements - namely a degree - Karen landed the guidance counselor gig on an initially provisional basis because she did pass certification and on the condition that she attend night classes to work towards a counseling degree. It was the biggest break of her life and one she is eternally thankful for. Seven years on she got her degree and still kept the job.

It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for Karen. Given her rough upbringing and lack of true parental figures and stability in her developmental years, that Karen came out relatively unscathed is a small miracle. Of course, her bouts with depression led to physical scars to make up for the seeming lack of emotional ones. Seeking therapy, one suggested a pet which led to her getting two cats who are, to this day, her closest - and damn near only - friends and confidants. 

Karen isn't unhappy even though she clearly would like to be happier, but she still has the tendency to wear fake smiles because there's been little to make her genuinely smile in her life. But she's trying. Lord is she ever trying.  [/INDENT]

𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗦
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[INDENT][b]Crowley High[/b]: A given, given her occupation. She has her own office which has no fewer than four motivational posters (one for every corner/wall!) and maintains an open door policy as well as all-day office hours. If the door is closed it means she's with another student, but if school is in session then she's available. 

[b]Yelena[/b]: She's started going there less and less often, but Karen had been a frequent patron in her ever-long pursuit of that illusive thing known as a relationship. Nightclubs aren't typically the best places to find romance but at this point in her life she'd have just been fine not having an empty apartment to come home to.

[b]Grandville:[/b] As a fan of non fiction as well as classical literature, it's always a trip when it's Grandville. She found a copy of 'The Remains of the Day' there once and being her second favorite book she had no choice but to buy another copy. Her favorite book is The Poisonwood Bible

[b]Kitty Korner:[/b] She went there once or twice on a suggestion from a friend but it was a bit intense.[/INDENT]

𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦 & 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬
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[INDENT][b]Raggedy Anne & Haggardly Randi[/b]: Her children. Well. Her cats. Raggedy Anne is a British Shorthair while Haggardly Randi is Ragdoll.[/INDENT]
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