❨04❩

                                    

                                          
♀︎
                          
Walking into the library, I search for Lucy and quickly spot her behind a shelf of old classics. Her red hair is easy to see in a crowd, one of the many things I love about it. Walking in her direction I scan the shelves along the way, books are my both my best friend and my worst enemy. It really depends on the content, I love fiction and to drown in another person's story, but as soon as I have to read anything related to my major, I zone out. It can be kind of frustrating. 
                          
"Hey, Lucy," I smile at her and she jumps slightly by the unexpectedness of my greeting. 
                          
"You do know that we aren't allowed to be in here together anymore, right?" She reminds me and makes sure her colleague is too far gone to realize I'm seeking her out. The main librarian hates it when I waste Lucy's shifts by talking to her, I get it, but today I'm here for a reason. 
                          
"I know, but the online meeting with the counsellor has to be on a computer owned by the school, apparently my old MacBook isn't good enough. Don't ask me why, because I truly don't know."
                          
She smiles at me, "That's today? Oh god, I will go get you a laptop immediately. Give me a second."
                          
Her frame hurries away from me before I can tell her that I've informed her of this meeting for days on end now, the memory of this girl is something she can't brag about. She comes back a second later and guides me to the back of the room, giving me a pair of headphones and the laptop. 
                          
"Thank you, Lucy," I say as my ass plants itself on the seat in the back. "Shouldn't I be nervous to do this?"
                          
"I mean, you should feel exactly what you're feeling. Although from my experience it tells me that you get nervous when it's something that's important to you, which in that case, your lack of nerves isn't necessarily the best sign. Allow yourself to be open to the counsellor's suggestions, Dakota."
                          
Nodding my head, I turn on the computer and log into my Skype for school, counsellor Rivera calls immediately after that and Lucy leaves me in a hurry. Taking a deep breath I accept the call, "Hello, Mrs. Rivera."
                          
Her white teeth shine through the screen as she smiles at me, "Hello, Ms. Moore. Now, we're in a bit of a timely struggle since I have a call within the next five minutes again. I do apologize for my lack of preparation, but I think you'll enjoy my proposition to help you get a little spirit and motivation back into your studies."
                          
I wave her off, "Oh, don't worry! Although I'm very intrigued, what do you have in mind?"
                          
"I talked to the therapist at a psychologist clinic five minutes away from campus, usually he has sessions with students at Barnsley College, but these last months he has opened up to the public as well. He wants some interns from our psychology major to try out for a couple of months and have some assigned clients. The only catch is that you can't quit the experiment, he will waste a lot of money if you end your time before he tells you to. But your grades are great and you need a little motivation to keep it up, this is an amazing opportunity, Dakota. And I trust you to stay in the trial and give him little to no stress about you being there."
                          
My mind tries to process her words, it's an amazing opportunity for me and it will allow me to test my skills in the field. Being a psychotherapist is the ultimate dream of this major, hence why a trial like this will give me experience and if the job isn't what I had imagined, I can finish the trial and then I have my answer. Nothing about this is negative to my future, there are only positives swarming my mind. 
                          
"How often do I have to work there?" I ask after a small break. 
                          
"As a starting point, two days a week where you will have one session per day. Those sessions include an hour and a half of talking to your client and afterwards you have to write documents on what you found out that day and how it affected your knowledge on this course. He will be checking in on you frequently since he has a lot of work outside of the clinic, that also equals to you having a key to the front door and you will spend a lot of hours in there alone, are you okay with that?"
                          
Nodding my head at her she smiles brightly, "I appreciate this opportunity so much, Mrs. Rivera. This will help me do some soul searching and that's exactly what I need at the moment, thank you for leaving your trust in me."
                          
"Oh, of course, Dakota. You have shown nothing but loyalty during these years and I do owe you for your help with the new students on early admission last summer. What you have achieved during your college years already is incredible and I will do anything to help you find your way, even if that isn't psychology. Remember to talk to me, if you consider dropping out then talk to me and allow me to guide you into adulthood without college."
                          
Her support really means a lot to me, she has this way of accepting what I feel and she doesn't blame me for considering ending my major. A lot of people would kill to be in my position, but that also equals them being happy in it. I'm not happy in it right now, hopefully, the clinical trial will help clear some things up for me. 
                          
After saying our goodbyes and agreeing that I will start in two days, she hangs up on the call. I won't start with a client immediately, Mr. Franco is the owner of the clinic and he wants to show me around before I officially begin. This is an amazing opportunity. 
                          
Closing the laptop, I search out Lucy and spot her by the office in the back. She sees me coming and hurries out, taking the laptop from me and looking at me with expecting eyes. "What did she say?" Her eagerness to know is apparent.
                          
"I will work at a clinic two days a week, having an assigned client and having sessions with this person. It really is great and I hope it will help me make up my mind," I say to her and shrug my shoulders.
                          
A huge grin grows on her face, "Congratulations, Dakota! That is insane and so well-deserved."
                          
"Thank you," I smile and look around in the empty library. "When are you off?"
                          
She searches for her boss, "Technically now, I just clocked out."
                          
"Great! Then let's go eat some fries and burgers at the local."
                          
She seems excited, "Thought you'd never ask!"