“He’s just so romantic,” she tried again.

She wanted my approval. My validation that he was a good guy, and she wasn’t making a mistake.

Because she knew she was. Deep down, she knew.

“Romantic is good. Speaking of, did you look at that list I emailed you?”

“The peer tutors?” At my nod, her brows lowered. “Why’d you say ‘speaking of’? Tutoring is not romantic.”

It is if you get Marcus to tutor you in the English class you’re failing…

“If you love to learn, it is,” I said instead.

She mimed gagging.

“Knowledge is power. It’s not homework if you love what you do. Having fun isn’t hard if you’ve got a library card. Yeet bad grades into the abyss. STEM is a bop. Get your college transcript snatched.”

“Enough! Oh my God, Mac, I’m gonna die of cringe.” Her words may have held more power if she weren’t laughing so hard, she had tears in her eyes. “No one says any of that anymore.”

That was one of the reasons I’d had success with high schoolers. I was young enough to be at least a little cool but old enough that they felt superior. I was cringe, so she didn’t have to try. She could let her guard down.

“Don’t be salty,” I added.

“We don’t say that, either.”

“Bet? Big yikes. Now I’ll never be the most lit mental health staff member.”

“You’re the only mental health staff member,” she pointed out.

“It’s still a flex.”

“Oh God.” The camera changed as she flopped onto the couch.

Everly treated our sessions like old-school phone calls. She walked around. Sprawled out with oversized stuffed animals. Sat, lounged, rotated upside down, and did the comfort hokeypokey.

Especially when she had something on her mind.

“How’s your mom?” I asked, taking a swing in the dark that she was the root of Everly’s unease.

“Good, actually.” Her face fell. “But it won’t last. She doesn’t know Aaron and I are back together. Once she finds out, it’s back to riding her broom while she rides my as… butt about every little thing I do and say and wear.”

Her mom wasn’t wrong, but her approach needed some work.

A lot of work.

Maybe I can set up a meeting with Everly’s mom. I’ll ask Alice if she thinks she’ll be receptive.

Before I could remind Everly that her mom just worried about her, she moved back to the subject I wanted to avoid.

“Aaron’s history class ends soon, so I’ve got to go. He wants me waiting in the hallway when he gets out.”

For a second, I felt hypocritical for being so hard on Everly’s relationship. For one, they were teenagers. Puppy love and teenage hormones were not a stable mix.

For another, I had my own… thing with Ward.