[b]Introducing:[/b] [color=00e414]Counselor Katherina Gale[/color] & [url=https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/t5HYa4kV7xqnB3kbNtCyLDxH3Ij.jpg][color=00aeef]Lisette Keene-Tatsuyama[/color][/url]
[b]Time:[/b] 11:55 AM
[b]Location:[/b] Counselor Gale's office, Department of Counseling, third floor of the Leonardi Building

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[color=00e414]"We're due to wrap up our meeting soon. Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"[/color] Counselor Gale - or Katherina, as she [i]insisted[/i] Lisette call her - leaned back in her chair. She was spinning her pen in her fingers as she smiled across the room at her new charge. Lisette couldn't help but wonder what she had written down in the past hour that they had spent together. Doubtless it was all in aid of Katherina getting to know her.

She fidgeted with her hands as she spoke. [color=00aeef]"Uh, well... like I said, Alia expects me to be at the Students' Fair since I don't have class this afternoon... and there's the party Vivian told me about."[/color] Her voice faltered.

[color=00e414]"Who's Vivian?"[/color] Katherina had her pen to page in a flash.

Lisette blinked. How had she not mentioned that before? She'd spoken at length about her first meeting with Alia. [color=00aeef]"Oh, um, one of my coworkers at the café. She forwarded me the details on Wednesday... sorry, ma'am, give me a moment to check what she said."[/color] At Katherina's nod, she pulled her phone from a pocket in [url=https://img1.eshakti.com/clothimages/CL0070406ML1.jpg]her shirt-dress[/url], quickly navigating to the texts Vivian had sent. [color=00aeef]"It's apparently going to be a low-key meet-and-greet type deal? Doesn't sound too crazy."[/color]

[color=00e414]"Hmm. What makes you say that, Lisette?"[/color] Another note quickly found its way into Katherina's book.

[color=00aeef]"Um, well, it's just that I've heard stories about college parties from my parents... they said things can get out of hand fast if there's enough people willing to do crazy things."[/color] Lisette blushed a little as she remembered a video call with her mama, and how to-the-point she had been about the subject. [color=00aeef]"Mama said I didn't have to go if I don't want to, and that I can leave at any time if I'm not feeling okay."[/color]

Katherina tapped her pen to her lips soon after she finished another note. Lisette noticed a few scratches and scrapes along the casing; was it an old favourite? [color=00e414]"Your mom sounds like a wise person. And she's right. Nobody will force you to go, and there's nothing keeping you there. If Vivian's a good friend, she'll understand if you have to bow out early."[/color] She smiled her knowing smile.

[color=00aeef]"I hope so... I mean, we've only known each other a few days, but she seems nice. And we've at least exchanged numbers. That's something."[/color] Lisette unconsciously resumed her fidgeting, having shut her phone off after looking up the texts. It wasn't the done thing to have a distraction in the room during a counseling session - something Lisette knew from well before coming to Crystal Peak.

Katherina maintained her smile as she sat up properly in her chair. [color=00e414]"Indeed. Unfortunately, Lisette, that's all the time we have for now. Before you go, is there anything else you'd like to say?"[/color]

Lisette pondered the question, staring sightlessly at the carpeted floor as she did so. [color=00aeef]"Um... I don't think so, Ms Gale?"[/color]

[color=00e414]"Please, Lisette, just Katherina will do."[/color] Ever patient. Not a single raised tone in her voice. [color=00e414]"You should know that I will always ask you that at the end of our sessions, just in case there's something you might be thinking about but aren't sure about bringing up. I'll make a note of it, and we'll begin there at our next meeting. All right?"[/color]

Lisette wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that, so she simply got to her feet and stood there awkwardly for a few seconds. [color=00aeef]"Um, okay. Thank you again."[/color]

Katherina stood moments after Lisette did. [color=00e414]"You're most welcome. But you'd best be heading to the Fair soon, if Alia's expecting you."[/color]

[color=00aeef]"Right, yes... okay. Bye for now."[/color] Lisette gave her counselor a short wave as she made for the door, quickly and quietly slipping through it and out into the hall. Once outside, she smoothed down her dress - not for the first time in the past hour - and checked everything was secure about her person. Pockets zipped, bag attached to the sash of her dress... yes, everything was in place. [color=00aeef][i]Wait, where's the Fair again? Darn it...[/i][/color] Mildly annoyed with herself, she unzipped a pocket and took out her phone again, double-checking the details before she secured it away. The location fixed in her mind now, Lisette proceeded to a balcony at the end of the hall, overlooking a part of the campus...

... and promptly jumped from it.

Even before she began to fall, her cream and white feathered wings snapped open wide, far wider than she was tall. The reflexive motion caught her well before she could start to tumble. As Lisette banked upwards to reclaim some lost height, she reveled in the open sky; it felt like real freedom to her, away from the crowds and the confined rooms and the questions. But she couldn't stay airborne forever. She had a place to be, and so she glided away from the Leonardi Building to her destination.