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"Remember what our guidance counsellor told us about managing stress?"
Ess pauses. "Not really," she says sheepishly.
"It's okay. Just spend some time doing whatever you love to do. You love writing and editing videos, right?" A nod. "Well, maybe find something to write about, or Pinterest your ideas. Take a walk and film your neighbourhood, and then edit it at home. Write about your day in a journal. Make something. It's been a while since you've baked, right?"
"It has," she whispers.
"When you do this, you're putting your mind at ease, and it's putting you in the right mindset to tackle studying."
Ess almost winces at the word. "You shouldn't be scared of studying," I say. "It's not hard, once you find the right way to do it."
"I don't know how to."
I think that's the problem. Ess has - I have - a mindset, where it's either 'Ican' or 'Ican't'. It's also not having any motivation to study, or any rewards afterwards. Why do anything when you won't get anything back? That's the mindset of someone destined to fail.
It takes us an hour, or a day, or a year - I don't know how long. It feels like forever. But when I've calmed her down and introduced her to flashcards and online notes and study timer apps, she looks better. She still looks the same, physically, but she's smiling with such fierce determination.
"Thank you," she grins, her dark eyes shining.
I blink, and I'm about to speak, but when I open my eyes she's gone, with Annie in her place.
