[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/xelwN0K.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/gcrzetR.png[/img]
[sub][color=98817b]Location | Guidance Office
Feat. NPC | Dr. Grace Ann Morris[/color][/sub][/center]
[indent][color=FDF5E6]Dr. Morris took the few moments that she had between appointments to organize her notes. Being the sole student-facing psychologist of the San Agustin experiment could be exhausting at times, especially given the size of her heart. Grace had chosen psychological counseling as a profession purely because of this trait, and her too-big heart was the very reason that she was selected to act as the ‘school guidance counselor’ for the subjects of Project Untamed. Dr. Morris acts as a safety net for the teenage subjects, caring deeply for their wellbeing and monitoring them to ensure that they are never pushed too far for the scientific advances that the other doctors hoped to achieve in this experiment. Simply put, this study relied on Grace’s educational background and sound morality as an insurance policy to keep the students safe. If there was a big red button that could put a stop to this whole thing, it was Dr. Morris’ hand that hovered over it.

Filing away the previous student’s records, Dr. Morris took a seat in the chair sitting across from the sofa in her office. She was awaiting the arrival of Subject #2, Wesley Slater. He was assigned this number as he was one of the first subjects selected for the study — volunteered by his own father, a close work associate of Drs. Wayman and Hagerty. For this reason, Grace felt deeply for Wesley, even if he no longer had any idea of the real reason why he was here. As a mother of two, Grace could never imagine sending away one of her babies simply because they were different from what she expected them to be. Thankfully, she could be here for Wesley and root for him when no one else might. 

Wesley was one of the students that Dr. Morris had weekly therapy sessions with. Their appointments were disguised as guidance office visits to discuss his plans for the future, as he expressed interest in going to college to study law, but also to check in on his diagnosed ‘narcolepsy’. In reality, these sessions were mandatory because of Wesley’s psychological condition and tendencies towards self-harm [b][i]prior[/i][/b] to the experiment. It was Dr. Morris’ job to ensure that he remained healthy and on course for the study and did not have any harmful relapses. In the event that he does have such a relapse, he would be brought in for the proper care and treatment, but so far, so good.

Subject #2 arrived in his usual manner, looking like he had just outrun the highway patrol. Huffing and disheveled, he took a seat on the sofa across from her. The left side. It was always interesting to note when students would choose right, left, or center. They almost always picked a preference and stuck with it. [color=98817b][b]“Sorry I’m late, Grace.”[/b][/color] He apologized, using her first name as Dr. Morris had offered for him to do once she realized that referring to anyone as “Doctor” made Wesley visibly uncomfortable — a trauma from his past that the scientists were unfortunately unable to overwrite.

[color=BurlyWood][b]“Actually,”[/b][/color] Dr. Morris raised her hand up to glance at her rose gold wristwatch. [color=BurlyWood][b]“According to my watch, you’re one minute early. That’s a record, Wesley.”[/b][/color] Grace offered him a warm smile as she reached for her notebook and pen off of the end table beside her. [color=BurlyWood][b]“How are things going? I heard your team won first place in the scavenger hunt, congratulations.”[/b][/color]

[color=98817b][b]“Hell yeah, we did!”[/b][/color] Subject #2 replied excitedly, but his expression quickly changed to one of concern. [color=98817b][b]“Err— sorry about cursing, Ms. Morris.”[/b][/color] Wesley apologized, ever the polite and charming kid. Although Grace disagreed with his parenting on many levels, Dr. Slater did raise a wonderful son that would hopefully grow to be a much better man than his father.

[color=BurlyWood][b]“That’s quite alright, you sound excited, I get it.”[/b][/color] Grace assured him. It wasn’t her job or place to police the language of the students, her office was a safe space for them to speak freely. [color=BurlyWood][b]“How were your teammates? Anyone in particular that lead the way to your victory?”[/b][/color] Dr. Morris asked, her pen poised to begin taking notes.

[color=98817b][b]“Uh…”[/b][/color] Wesley looked towards the ceiling as he appeared to be in deep thought. [color=98817b][b]“I guess if there was a leader, it was me. But like, we [i]all[/i] helped. Couldn’t have done it without them. Talya and Sav seem pretty cool, it was good to get to know them. I might not’ve otherwise.”[/b][/color]

[color=BurlyWood][b]“That’s good to hear, most students wished they could have picked their teams—”[/b][/color] Dr. Morris began to state but was soon cut off.

[color=98817b][b]“Well yeah, I thought that too at first. But I guess I can see why it was random, that way it wasn’t a popularity contest or whatever that could make people feel bad.”[/b][/color] Wesley said and began to fidget in his seat. He never was good at sitting still for very long, unless of course he fell asleep, which had happened during one of their previous sessions.

[color=BurlyWood][b]“Exactly, you’re sharp, Wesley.”[/b][/color] Grace complimented his astute observation. She made a note of his continued awareness and empathy in her notebook. [color=BurlyWood][b]“Just for the fun of it, who would you have picked for your team?”[/b][/color] She asked, pen poised to take notes once again.

[color=98817b][b]“Bradley and Griff, no doubt.”[/b][/color]

[color=BurlyWood][b]“Bradley Barron and Griffin Pierce? Are they your friends?”[/b][/color]

[color=98817b][b]“Yup!”[/b][/color] Wesley confirmed without much thought.

In a sudden surge of curiosity to test how deep the psychological overwrite of the study ran, Dr. Morris pressed dangerously further. [color=BurlyWood][b]“[i]Just[/i] friends?”[/b][/color] She asked, letting the not-so-subtle implication linger for a few tense moments.

Wesley’s fidgeting increased and his discomfort became readily apparent. He stopped toying with a loose string on the arm of the sofa and looked at her as if she had grown a second head. She realized that his change in demeanor wasn’t denial, he looked genuinely confused at her question. [color=98817b][b]“... yeah?”[/b][/color] Wes once again hyper focused on the loose string and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. [color=98817b][b]“I mean I guess we’re like best friends. Well, as best as you can get only having known each other for a few weeks.”[/b][/color]

[color=BurlyWood][b]“That’s great, I’m glad to hear that you have found some close friends already.”[/b][/color] Her once warm and genuine smile seemed a little forced as she responded, despite the honesty of her words. She [i]was[/i] happy that Wesley found people that he could call best friends. It was the fact that she was jotting notes for his file that the experiment seemed to have completely overwritten his sexuality that had her feeling… corrupt. Sometimes this job just broke her heart, but she had to stick through it, for the students’ sake. She was their only true advocate here.[/color][/indent]