“Sucked,” he smiled.
“So, it was good?”
“Pretty much,” he started to tell me about the road trip they were headed on. They would be gone for four days, playing three games. He was super jacked. Apparently, it was a typical tournament that was the greatest thing of the season. Or at least this piece of the season.
“So, this is our opener,” he squeezed my hand, “Next game we are home.” He smiled that adorable smile. His dimples set on his cheeks, and I speculated how his mother ever said no to him as a child.
I hadn’t truly considered I was dating an athlete. That he played games and as his girlfriend, I would be expected to watch said games.
I smiled the best loving, exciting smile I could muster.
His laugh told me he didn’t buy it. “You will come to at least one game, right?”
“I’ll go to all of them. That’s my girlfriend duty,” I squeezed his hand tightly and ran my other up his arm. His long, toned arm that I would happily sit through sports to have wrapped around me.
He squeezed my hand. “Thank you. You don’t have to go to all of them if you don’t want to. I mean, I know you don’t really get baseball.” his face dropped to the ground.
I thought about his words, knowing full well it was a loaded statement. “I will learn, it can’t be that hard right?” I smiled at him my most innocent smile. I tried batting my lashes like I had seen in movies, tilting my head slightly to the side, to convince him I was all in.
He grinned wide this time, “So, in other news, how is your neighborhood hauntings going? Didn’t you have a meeting with that professor today? How’d that go?”
“Really well. She doesn’t think I’m crazy.”
“Did she meet you?” he laughed.
I rolled my eyes, “Yes, she did,” I shoved him with my shoulder. “She gave me some good feedback. We are going to meet like every other day for a while.”
“Wow, so she really did get to know you!” He goaded again, “Looks like you are certifiable.”
I nodded my head. “Definitely.” We chuckled and headed to meet up with friends for dinner.
Afterwards, I excused myself to head off for more homework. I grabbed my stuff and beelined to the library, choosing the table as close to the laundry girl sighting as I could get.
Writing my paper took longer than it should have, as I continued to be half focused on the surroundings, waiting for her to appear. Finally, after revising it at least a half a dozen times, I submitted the one assignment and started on the next. Another paper, this one not as detailed, and wouldn’t be as difficult.
Eventually, I had both completed and headed out.
No sightings since my work with Dr. Eyebright.
Interesting.
The next day, still nothing.
The following day felt like much of the same, and when I headed to her office, I feared we had closed the door too tightly.
“Ah, no it is just you haven’t quite figured out your balance yet.” Dr. Eyebright worked through some more relaxation techniques with me. More deposits into my emotional pond. I feared I was getting farther away from the magic that I had just started to embrace.
She continued, “Miss Mills, you must understand that you have so much inside you that these little exercises could never completely close you off from your gifts. Think of these as little vitamins for the soul. Little pieces of thread stitching up the small tears in the fabric of your story. Nothing will change your sight my dear, it is too powerful for even me to truly understand.”
It was our fourth visit when I finally heard her say something that set my teeth on edge. “I was discussing you with a colleague of mine.”
My face must have dropped or flooded with terror.
“Oh, Miss Mills, please know I hold our relationship in the utmost discretion. I wouldn’t dare risk breaking your trust. This colleague isn’t from here, she is far away, but has great perspectives on gifts of all types.”
I swallowed, trying hard to not feel completely betrayed.
I’d given her a look into my most private and vulnerable side, and she had talked to another teacher about me? I almost hyperventilated, I took a deep, slow breath, keeping everything in check.
Her hand on mine broke my spiral.
“Miss Mills, I promise as a professional and your confidant, I understand your concern, but this colleague I would trust with my life.” Her eyes bore into mine and I couldn’t help but believe what she was saying.
“Are you sure?” I verified, barely allowing the words to not crack with emotion.
“Savanah,” She never used my first name. “You are very special. I don’t always feel I am talented enough to help you on my own, so it made sense to ask the only other person I knew who could shed some light on the subject. She has been very helpful. For instance, she had some idea on how to help you see without them overtaking you.”
Now she had my attention, “Overtaking me?”
“When they won’t leave, they are too intense and won’t give you the space and distance you need. She had some additional exercises we should try.”
I pondered how useful it would be to block out more of the negative. How nice it would be to not hear him all the time. I looked back up at her and sighed, “What was that?”
Her eyes softened, as it became clear I was coming around to the idea of her reaching out for assistance. “As you do your chants, try opening up yourself a bit more. This is slightly different than what we have tried before. My friend thinks this will give you
