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I’ll take what I can get.

Our little spat is interrupted by the sound of my phone alarm, reminding me of my call with Marguerite.

Ugh. The last thing I want to do right now is hop on a call with this eccentric woman and talk about my feelings.

I rush into my bedroom to grab my laptop. “Dammit, Tilly, how’d you let me forget?”

Matilda lifts her head at the mention of her name but lies back down when she sees me return, like she’s too tired to argue with me anymore.

I scramble to tidy the background and make myself a cup of tea. I want to at least look like I have my shit together.

Tea in hand, I take the laptop and make a nest on the couch. If I have to sit here and do this, I may as well make myself comfortable.

A moment later, Marguerite’s animated face fills the screen, genuinely startling me, and I nearly spill the hot cup of tea I just made myself.

She gives me an enthusiastic wave. “Hello, Darling! I feel like it’s been ages since I’ve seen your pretty face.”

Play nice, Kira. You just need to get through this session. You can do this.

I flash her a forced smile. “I know, right?” I was going for fun and friendly, but it comes out way more awkward than I intended.

To her credit, Marguerite doesn’t seem to notice. Good. Maybe it’s all in my head. I just need to act natural and stop trying to be good at this.

That’s easier said than done. My whole life hinges on winning Marguerite’s approval. She needs to believe that her program is working.

“What’s in the mug?” she asks, shimmying her shoulders like she’s hoping for something exciting. “I’m always curious what my patients are sipping on during our sessions.”

Sure. She’s probably testing me, trying to see if I’ll confess to spiking my drink to get through this session. Well, too bad, I’m not falling for it.

I hold up my tea. “Oh, just some herbal tea,” I say, but she just looks at me like she wants me to elaborate. “It’s a relaxation blend.” I make a show of taking a sip, as if proving how relaxed I am.

She smiles wide, like she’s satisfied with my response. “Sounds delicious.”

See? I’ve got this in the bag.

“So tell me. How’s it been going since we last talked? What have you been up to?”

“I’m doing well. I got a summer job, which has been so rewarding.” I place a hand over my heart for emphasis.

“Is that so?” She says, sliding her glasses down her nose and peering over the top. “What inspired you to look for work?”

“Well…I was getting bored just sitting around, and I wanted something to keep me busy. I saw a job posting that looked like an exciting challenge… Not to mention a way to give back…and figured, why not.”

She glances down at her paper and scribbles a note. “Sounds like you’re already making progress on your homework. Well done.”

“Thank you,” I say, feeling myself relax a little. I tell her all about how I found the job posting and jumped at the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, making sure to emphasize how it all fits perfectly with the rules we talked about last time.

“...It’s been so busy. But rewarding, you know?” I say, bringing my story to an end.

Marguerite nods, but her smile fades. She studies me for a moment, then clicks her pen before scribbling something in her notes.

Dammit. How was any of that wrong?

Is this another test? Is she just fucking with me right now to see how I’ll react? Hoping I’ll get angry and prove why I’m in the right place?

Well, she’s going to have to try harder than that.

I sit up a little straighter, keeping my face void of emotion.