The Guidance Counselor

Missed Meetings

Lauren spent her entire weekend pouring over Camila's school file and memorizing every detail it laid out, which unfortunately was not a lot, but Lauren was still intrigued. Camila was in all AP classes and last year she even took a math class at the the same University Lauren currently attended because the girl was extremely gifted with numbers. However Lauren frowned looking at Camila's latest report card, the one students had been given just before Christmas break to let them know where they stood in their courses going into the exams that would be taking place at the end off the current month. The comparisons between Camila's 9th, 10th, and 11th grade report cards were almost black and white compared to the current. With strong 90's and higher all through the last three years, Lauren was surprised to see that all of Camila's grades had fallen in a range of 50-60% regardless of the class.

Trauma.

Lauren knew that something happened, the falling grades were a tell tale sign and if that weren't enough the visual of Camila's arm had been etched into Lauren's mind since Friday.

There was a light knock on the door as it crept open, Lauren looking up from her desk with a warm smile, "Camila, come in, please take a seat," she standing up a little and gesturing to the chairs across from her.

"Good morning Miss. Jauregui, um did I do something wrong?" Camila asked, settling into one of the leather tub chairs.

"No, not exactly," Lauren told her as she sat back down and pulled open Camila's file once more. "I just wanted to talk too you, how are you doing? How is school?"

Camila looked up curiously refusing to make eye contact, "It's fine, I'm fine." She was lying and Lauren knew it, but she was trying to be coy about what she had seen so instead Lauren picked up Camila's report card off the desk and passed it to her.

"Can we talk about this? From what I can see your grades have slipped quite a lot from last year and with exams coming up I'm worried you aren't prepared," Lauren watched as Camila took the paper, scanned it, and then tossed it back onto the desk and when she did Lauren could see Camila's sleeve ride just enough to show the edge of what looked like a very fresh cut.

"No we can't, it's not a big deal-"

"I think it is," Lauren said cutting Camila off. "Grades are important and from the look of years previous, you're a smart girl and I know you can do better."

"Look I need to get back to class," Camila said attempting to stand up before Lauren stopped her.

"Camila sit down," Lauren was getting impatient, frustrated with Camila's lack of care for her own education. "The other day I when I was leaving, I saw you and Dinah Hansen talking in the hall and I am very worried about what I witnessed." Camila fidgeted with her sleeve and Lauren could see the girl getting uncomfortable with the direction their conversation was going, but she continued. "Self harm is a very serious matter and is not the answer to whatever it is that you are having trouble dealing with and between that and your grades, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I think we are going to need to have a sit down with your paren-"

"Don't you dare!" Camila screamed, flying out of the chair. "You don't know me, you don't know anything and you don't just get to come into this school and start making decisions for me!"

"Camila, I don't want to see you take things too far," Lauren told her, which just caused Camila to become more frantic.

"No offense Miss Jauregui, but you don't have any idea what is an isn't too far when it comes to my life," Camila spat and Lauren could see that the student was fighting off tears.

"I am worried about you Camila, I care what happ-"

"Oh please, you don't care, like I said, you don't even know me," Camila shouted, walking towards the door. "You're just trying to get a paycheck, but do me a favour, waste your time on someone else and stay the hell out of my personal business."