The Treatment Continues PV Atlas Closed

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING - this thread will contain some detail of existential crises and mild depression; if this is a sensitive subject for you I suggest not to read this thread, thank you

4th May, 2021

There was no doubt in Gabriella's mind that the Easter holiday she had just endured was the worst school break she had ever had to experience. It was just a two-week holiday, that meant three therapy sessions, but already the poor Ravenclaw felt that someone had drilled deep, deep down into her and uprooted all her secrets, although she had barely told Julie anything. But then, Gabriella didn't need to tell Julie anything for her to know. She just - knew. Gabriella could sense probes like tendrils shooting out of Julie's eyes and into her own, those tendrils reaching out and searching those dusty places in her soul which no eyes had ever seen before, and which Gabriella would rather like them never to see again. Ever. She wanted to fold away, withdraw, conceal herself, to prevent the probing from ever happening again. Since returning back to Hogwarts she had begun to fear eyes, because of what Julie's had seen in her soul. And though the voices had surely begun to dwindle, and Julie's help had fixed the original problem, she did rather feel that her therapist was planting a new problem, right where the old one had been.

Oh well.

Today Gabriella was going to meet Atlas for the first time since their original meeting in the Owlery, and Atlas was a better therapist than Gabby could really wish for. The Ravenclaw checked her watch; her friend (friend? it felt strange to call Atlas a friend, although that was what they undoubtedly were, friends, but did a meeting like that really constitute a friendship?) was due to arrive any moment. Gabriella collapsed on the bottom of a staircase and pulled out a book, absent-mindedly turning the pages without really reading the words.

Hopefully, she thought to herself, I'll be able to talk to Atlas with a little more composure this time. It will be more like a chat between friends than a crisis. Although she hated to admit it, even to herself, she felt that their last meeting had been somewhat awkward - although totally, rawly, essentially genuine, and something inside her hoped that Atlas just wouldn't bring it up at all, although Gabriella really, really needed her to.

Stop worrying, said her conscience, you'll just have to see.
I-
I don't want to hear it. You're getting the idea that I'm a foe, but can't you see I'm trying to help you?
Well can you try harder then? Gabriella spat, out loud. She bit her lip; she hadn't expected to say anything out loud. Quickly she swivelled her head around to check that there was nobody behind her, praying that this wasn't the moment Atlas chose to show up. I promise you, Atlas, I have got better, she thought to herself. I really have, honest. She paused and frowned a moment.

It's my duty to get better, thought Gabriella. There was nobody really there, but the conversation was playing out before in her head, the outline of Atlas' hazy ghost standing, nearly real, before her. It's my duty to get better. For you.

Word count: 555
Waiting to interact with: @Atlas Rey