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33. Scales

Paige's POV

"Hi, Cynthia," I heard Landon speak nervously from the front door.

I peeled myself from the wall I was leaning against and walked into the living room to pick up the letter I dropped on Landon.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had company," a woman's voice filled my ears from behind me and I instantly shot up and turned around.

"Yeah," Landon stammered as he walked in behind her, an exhausted look on his face.

"Hi," I smiled at the plump woman in a blue suit as I fold the letter up behind my back.

"Cynthia, this is Paige Moore, my girlfriend," Landon cleared his throat as he entered the room, his eyes bouncing between the two of us.

"Hello Paige, my name is Cynthia. I'm from The Department of Children and Families. I've heard a lot about you," the woman stepped forward and stretched a hand out in front of me.

I quickly shoved the letter into my back pocket and pulled my hand out from behind me to place it in her right hand.

"Nice to meet you," I nodded at her and she let go of my hand to pull a folder out of the brown messenger bag slung over her shoulder.

Cynthia has long, grey hair and it sloshed around as she spun to look at Landon, who was anxiously leaning against one of the bar stools in the kitchen.

"So what's up Cynthia?" Landon tried to make his voice cool and collected, but his widened eyes gave away his nervousness.

"I just came by for a visit. You're my favorite, sweets," Cynthia comfortably sat down on the leather couch I was standing beside and tossed her bag beside her.

"Paige, sit down, tell me some stuff," Cynthia motioned towards me and Landon quickly interjected himself into the conversation.

"Aren't you supposed to be my counselor?" Landon smiled a shy smile and sat down on the chair across the room.

I could see his eyes moving around the floor, probably searching for the letter I had already picked up.

"Do you guys want some drinks?" I grinned down at Cynthia and she nodded harshly.

"Strawberry water for me, probably Landon too," she undid the gold buttons down the front of her jacket and leaned over the arm of the couch.

"Alright, let's start," she pulled a Manila file out of a binder and clicked a pen as I walked out of the room.

As I removed cups from cabinets, I watched Landon as he relaxed into the chair and talked effortlessly with the older woman on the couch.

I picked up the cups from the counter and walked out into the living room to hand one to Cynthia and then to Landon. He smiled at me slightly as our fingers brushed against the glass.

"Now that Paige is in here, I want to talk about her," Cynthia shut the binder in her hands and set it down on the table in front of her.

"Paige, do you realize how much you have altered this boy's life?" Cynthia smirked at me and I glanced over at Landon and he sunk down into the seat.

"If it's as much as he's altered mine, yes," I nodded and grabbed the cup I had given Landon from the small table between our seats. I downed about half of it before setting it down on the cork coaster.

"I'm serious. I have been Landon's advisor the whole time, and when he talks about you, his entire demeanor changes," Cynthia looks at me with wonder and it's making me nervous.