SHE'S ALL THAT ➭ SIRIUS BLACK ❨2❩ ✔︎

ACT FOUR, SCENE SIX

IRELAND

Sage's leg bounced up and down with nerves as she sat in the waiting room of Atlantic Psychology, the therapy office that Caroline Silvers worked in. She'd almost called to cancel, and even five minutes into waiting to be called back, she'd considered leaving and going home and ignoring her appointment.

But she owed it to Rowan—and herself, and Harry—to follow through.

So when the receptionist called her name, she stood, shaking off the anxiety she felt, and followed the woman back into Mrs. Silvers's office.

"Sage, darling, it's nice to see you." Mrs. Silvers greeted her, standing from her desk and gesturing to a comfortable-looking sofa across from it. "Please, sit. Get comfortable."

Sage did as she was told and took a seat on the end of the couch that was closest to the door, just in case she became overwhelmed and needed to bolt.

"You look like someone is about to jump out and attack you. Relax, dear. You're safe." Mrs. Silvers said reassuringly.

Sage laughed, almost bitterly. "You'd be surprised how often I've been attacked in a space that was supposed to be safe for me."

Raising her eyebrows, Mrs. Silvers nodded and grabbed a notebook from her desk. "Alright, let's talk about that. Do you regularly feel unsafe in places that are your so-called 'safe spaces?' Such as your home, workplace, or when you were at school?" She asked.

"That's...complicated." Sage's voice was flat. "Safe isn't something I've felt a lot lately." She paused, about to say more, but she shut her mouth almost immediately.

Mrs. Silvers pursed her lips. "Sage, how am I supposed to help you if you won't talk to me?"

"In my entire life, there have been exactly eight people that I felt comfortable enough with to actually tell them about myself. Four are dead. One is in prison for the rest of his life. And the other three have gone through hell. I don't open up to people. I can try—no promises that we'll actually get anywhere, but I promised Rowan I'd try."

With a smile, Mrs. Silvers said, "Alright, Sage. We can work with that."