Elizabeth Walker flipped through the stacks of paper sitting in front of her. As the high school guidance counselor at Sweetwater High, it was her job to help the soon to be freshmen decide which program they wished to study for the next four years, based on the three available diploma options.
In her twelve years working at Sweetwater High, she had never met a students whose program of study she couldn't pick on within minutes of speaking to them. She knew which students would choose the Standards diploma, your everyday high school diploma. She could tell those who would choose the harder Honor's Program from those who would take the Career Technical option.
There wasn't much that Elizabeth hadn't seen, well other than a love interest of her own, but that wasn't important, at least not to her. No, what was important was Elizabeth's ability to understand each of the children that she got to know, and truly many of them where like children of her own. She was the one they came to about bullying, problems at home, classroom struggles, and everything in between.
Elizabeth looked down at the name of the next student on her list, Rebecca Hawes. Fingers flying across the keyboard, she quickly pulled up the young girl's file, noting that she was in study hall at the time. She picked up the phone next to her computer, dialing the extension that would reach the library and asked for Rebecca to be sent to her office.
Less than two minutes later, the young eighth grader walked in, a shy smile on her face. Wanting to ease the girl's unrest, Elizabeth offered her warmest smile to her.
"Hello, Rebecca, as you know, it is time for the eighth graders to pick out which pathway of education they would like to continue on next year. Now, we have available three different options, but before we get to that, tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Rebecca shrugged, looking down at her hands. She peeked up at Elizabeth through her bangs, after a moment of silence.
"I don't know ma'am."
"Well, what do you like?" Elizabeth asked gently; she could already tell that the young girl in front of her would not open up without a bit of coaxing. However,the only answer she received from young Rebecca was a shrug. While this seemed a bit odd, Elizabeth wasn't about to press the girl for information she wasn't ready to give. Instead, she lay out a few papers in front of Rebecca, using a highlighter to point out and underline key details to the girl.
Rebecca half-listened to the councilor's voice, her mind lost in thought.
"Rebecca, are you listening?"
"Yes, Ms. Walker," Rebecca replied quickly, a slight blush coming to her pale checks.
"Well, as I was saying, your grades are high enough so that if you are interested the Honor Program would gladly accept you. Of course, the other two options are available as well, depending on what pathway you wish to..." 958Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfW1ExGvmh
958Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyygwctKqz
Rebecca drowned out the rest of her councilors words, her mind once again lost in thought. She unconsciously pulled at the sleeve of her long-sleeved shirt, pulling it down over the top of her hands, before placing her hands in her lap. Elizabeth had stopped talking, watching the girl in front of her, not that Rebecca seemed to notice. The youngster was lost in whatever thoughts ran through her head.
Elizabeth cleared her throat, but got no reaction from Rebecca. She tried a different approach. "So, Rebecca, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
The question pulled Rebecca Hawes out of her daydream, as she looked up at the woman in front of her. It was a question she had been asked too many times, and too many times she had lied, saying what the person who was asking the question would want to hear, but this time was different. After a few seconds pause, Rebecca gave her answer.
"Ok," Rebecca whispered, looking up into the eyes of her councilor, praying she would see the pain written in her eyes, even if no one had seen it before. "I just want to be ok."
It was that answer that would haunt Elizabeth for years to come. In all her years, no child had answered her question that honestly, and with that much truth and pain mixed into the few words she had spoken.
"Well, lets see if we can make that happen," Elizabeth said, offering Rebecca a soft smile, one that the girl returned, although it didn't quite reach her eyes. Perhaps, Rebecca knew it was already too late.
958Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDxmAa9wMv
