Fifteen Layers of Steele

Chapter 10

Way too nervous again, I stood outside of the door to the clinic ten minutes early. Alright get it together Anastasia! You can do this! You have your lucky charm with you after all! That means nothing can go wrong. It was a quiet afternoon. Light sunbreaks peaked through the clouds. It was the first bit of sun I had seen in a while. The rays helped to lift my spirits a bit as I paced back and forth.

"Early as usual I see," Christian's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Oh, Christian! Good afternoon," I greeted him as he walked up, pulling his keys out of his pocket. "You know me! If I'm not early then I'm late."

"That's a really great motto," he smiles as he unlocks the door to let us inside.

All of the lights were off. The clinic was so quiet. It made it seem like an entirely different place than before. Now I felt that it really is more like an apartment than anything. With a flash, the entire vicinity lit up at once.

"Nifty light switch," I told him not quite knowing what else to say in this awkward situation.

"Yes it really is quite handy. With one flick I can turn on nearly all the lights in the building."

The conversation was so casual despite how riveting our talks usually were. I guess the feeling of being alone together was starting to get to the both of us. We walked over to the room we had previously been having our session in yesterday. Letting me inside, he dropped all of his things off. Today he wasn't wearing his glasses. He must have contacts that he alternates between. The sleek black button up that formed so nicely over his shoulders made me blush. I had no idea why I was always so fascinated by what he was wearing. Ever since the day he came all spruced up to class, I couldn't stop taking note of how different he looked each day.

Another thing I couldn't stop doing since that time is improving my attire everyday as well. Today I bumped it up by wearing a mid-length, tan, button down skirt and black tights. Usually my normal dress isn't very feminine, but this morning I woke up feeling in the cutesy mood. My very light pink makeup matching that mood. Thankfully there were still pockets in the sides of the skirt where I could move my lucky charm to. There was no way I was going to this session without it.

"Have a seat on the couch again and we will get started," he commanded while gesturing over to said piece of furniture as he prepared his things.

"Oh y-yes. I'll get on it right away!" I darted over to the couch, hoping that moving and speaking quickly would hide my uneasiness. Sitting straight up with my right leg on top of my left, I delicately place my hands down over them, trying to look as proper as I can. Christian joins by sitting in the chair directly in front of me again.

"So how did things go last night? Feel any different after yesterday?"

"Quite actually. For some reason I feel like a changed woman. My soul is freer. I even managed to let Kate poke the end of my finger! Well, after some...practice that is."

His head pulls back from hearing the news. "Oh my goodness! ...That's great!" He sincerely seemed really excited. "I never expected you to try it before the session. You really are a changed woman! I feel proud that my single session was able to do so much!" Raising his hand up to flick his hair back in a cocky manner, he was obviously trying to joke that all of this was his doing because of his amazing skills as a therapist.

"Hey now! You can't take all the credit! It's not like it wasn't mainly due to my strong personality and amazing learning ability as well! Humph," I cross my arms and make a little pouty face at him. At that he laughs at me.