DAYBREAK ᵇⁿʰᵃ

² TEMPORARY

───CHAPTER 02───

"Did you start having recollections of that night?" he asks her, the cushion underneath starting to feel uncomfortable. "Or any weird dreams the past few weeks?"

Rai's eyes are locked on the chandelier hanging above, eucalyptus incense burning her nose. Words dwell inside the girl's mouth, her response stuck between her teeth unknown to the counsellor sitting on the other side of the desk.

He twirls his pen between his fingers easily, a habit Rai's noticed him perform almost every session for the last five months. It was probably the most interesting thing to watch during the hours they spent together.

"Fine. We'll start with something easier perhaps." He rests his notepad on the leather cover over his desk, his hair shaggy and frayed at his neck. "Is there something you're looking forward to today, Rai?"

She smirks. "The end of this session."

"I should've seen that one coming," he groans to himself, a smile on his lips, however.

"You really should have, Dr.P."

His laugh was dry. "You're too sharp for me. But. . . I do need an answer from you."

The corner of her mouth falls, Rai's legs coming up to her chest. Since the summer, she's been coming to Dr.P's office for in-school counselling, another mandatory requisite applied by the Headmaster. Rai usually visits every end of the week, but the student had been more restless these past few days, things slipping her mind when they shouldn't. Despite her reasons for attending being justified, the fact that the Headmaster was forcing Dr.P to check in on her was vexing. It was a total waste of their time.

"Why don't we just cut to the chase—" Rai shoots up from her seat—"You and I have better things to do. And we both know that the only reason I'm here is that I pissed off the Headmaster."

Dr.P doesn't hold back his response. "That is true. But I think you needed to come in today."

Her brow raises. "And how did you come up with that assumption," she snorted.

A glint passes his glasses, his wired frames thin like his spindly fingers. People always describe the counsellor as mad for his mangled appearance, his outlandish ideas obscure to most here at Rosemont. His bushy hair and unorganized outfits made him look sloppier compared to the well-kept professors and heroes, but it wasn't his exterior that made people walk away swiftly, eyes drawn to the floor.

"Take a seat, Rai—" He taps his pen on his table— "We still have an hour until you can leave."

Rai's bottom hits the seat once again, a scowl appearing on her lips. "Ugh! This sucks!"

"And why is that?" He asks the girl, leaning over his desk with a knowing smile.

Her face pans. "You're the one with an IQ of 180. You figure it out."