SUBJECTBALLS (DISCONTINUED)

Are you There?

'...And then he said 'I'm going back to my classroom' and I was like 'What?! You can't just leave me here!'" Physics lamented, sitting in a comfortable burgundy armchair in the counsellor's office.

"What a shame." PSHE replied, her pen gliding across her clipboard. She clearly cared about her job.

"It's just... I'm starting to realise that these people who I've known my whole life might not be who I thought they were. I grew up with them... it's a troubling realisation, you know?"

"That must be so hard for you." came the instant reply from their colleague.

"Do you think I'll ever get them back?" They asked, trying not to let his voice crack. They mulled over the possibility in their head; it would be so unnatural... they'd been with him for as long as he could remember. Their earliest memories were with them.

At first, PSHE didn't make a sound, as if she expected him to say more. After a deafening silence, she finally lifted her head.

"It's best to let the universe untie these knots on its own. Leave both of them be, and let nature take its course; the world works in mysterious ways sometimes. Until then... relax. It's gonna be fine." she replied, looking sure of herself.

That's the most enthusiastic she's been for this whole session... They realised.

"How can you be sure?" Physics interjected.

PSHE sighed, and stared into space for a few seconds, her gaze fixed on something only she could see.

They thought about what it could be like to be PSHE. She didn't have anybody living with her, unless you counted her 26 cats. She only got occasional visits from her children and grandchildren.

He'd heard a few students gossiping back and forth on the stairs, about how the school was the only social life PSHE had. Though it was a horrible thing to say, (after all, how could anybody hate a sweet old grandma?) Physics had considered it, and realised that it could be true, as awful as it made him feel.

Did she ever feel happy? Physics thought despite himself. Does she feel fulfilled, being a counsellor in this dump of a school?

No. It's not a dump. That's just how it feels sometimes. They thought, feeling guilty.

They remembered asking Biology and Chemistry if it was normal to look at someone and consider what it would be like to be them; apparently it wasn't, which made Physics feel special.

"Ahem? Are you there?" PSHE broke their train of thought.

Oh dear. I didn't hear what she was saying... is she annoyed with me? They thought fretfully. PSHE sighed, and, for a second, Physics thought she could read their mind.

No. Don't be silly. That's not possible.

"What I said was... I know your situation well. You gain a lot of wisdom after 63 years, you know." She smiled at them, dissipating their worries. Well, not all of their worries.

"I can hear the students leaving their clubs now." Physics said, lifting himself out of the armchair. "It's time I should get going."

PSHE nodded.