"For what it's worth, Ellen - and to you, I wonder if it's worth anything at all - I find your inability to lie about who you are to be refreshing." Vesper continued to explain. Though she took in every anecdote given to her as she had to, there were a lot of points countered without the same venom she expected. "That honesty is far more impressive than everything else that's supposedly good in your life."
She kept a simple set of eye contact where it was allowed. Nothing in the notes and no special glances given for the change in her demeanour.
"Well, he does sound perfect. At least, perfect for what you list about yourself." The common enough tilt of her head, like she had a spark of curiosity somewhere amidst that stonewalled expression; "What's his name?"
At first, Ellen wasn’t sure she heard the woman correctly after weeks of constant robotic feedback neither approving or disapproving Ellen actually looked up in clear surprise her eyebrows raised evidently not expecting a kind word. “Huh. well, well. You do have eyes in your head. Congratulations” Despite her words it was hard not to notice that she was flattered by the compliment.
But soon that good will seemed to fade away as Vepeer asked yet another question that she didn’t appreciate “Kyle” Ellen said quickly avoiding eye contact and looking down to the ground “Not that it’s any business of yours”
To the congratulations, Vesper smiled. Well, she smiled in her own way. The corner of her mouth did so drag upwards at the sound that'd emulated from those words. There might have been a glimmer of something more than sarcastic burnt humour from the blonde. It was a spare moment, and then it was gone, because she was given a name that forced her to shift in her chair slightly. She raised her head a fraction when eyes left her.
"Does he have a last name?" Vesper asked her instead. She wondered if it was clear that Ellen wasn't the only person in this room showing uncomfortable traits. "I've not seen many Kyle's on the school's roster."
Emma inwardly groaned at Doctor Bae’s further comments on the situation, getting more annoyed and uncomfortable by the moment. Honest to god, was her love life that impressively interesting to her, didn’t she have like a million other things they could be talking about right now? Ok, true Ellen pretty much didn’t want to discuss a grand total of anything with this woman, but this? Yeah this was right on the bottom of the list.
“Of course he’s not in the school. He’s in Prague. In school in Prague." Emma snapped rather sharply “It’s a long distant relationship, we’ve trying to make it work over the phone and video calls” Emma started rather quickly as if wanting to move pass as soon as possible
Vesper had always calculated a simplest ways out of this conversation for Ellen. As it were, there stood a multitude of avenues to follow, and either way she was willing to step in the same time too. Putting pressure on in such a way was second nature to her when it came to this particular client.
Tilting her head to the side slightly, Vesper almost let herself look struck by the seemingly clever play. "Someone of your caliber? Trying something so destined for failure?" She asked, and her eyebrows rose with the new emotion; "I'm surprised."
Was Vesper mocking her? because if she was, Ellen certainly didn’t appreciate it. Not one bit, She was already on edge as a direct consequence of this quick frankly bizarre questioning. Was this all leading somewhere? Was there a point to trying to know who Ellen was dating? Or her relationships? Was it relevant in any way shape or form or did she just enjoy gossiping like a well-fed hen clucking in a hen house?
Good grief….
Ellen didn’t react as strongly as she did at the previous questions pursing her lips tilting her head in bemusement at the shrink her dark green eyes narrowed in derision “Is this what passes for modern day psychology?”
There was the inevitable switch. And there was always something behind it; Ellen was a challenge for a variety of reasons, and her ability to flick the momentum off herself had always served her well. Vesper didn't need notes to understand that.
"Whether or not I think you're smarter than your actions isn't the point, is it." She asked, but she didn't really. Rather, the words seemed perfectly rounded. She was making the point herself in that. The concept was completely overshadowing the comments Ellen made. At least, that was how it certainly felt.
"But do you think - just maybe - the distance makes it easier for you because of who you are? Or, how you are. Or how you think you are."
Ellen’s eyes narrowed just a little bit as she tried to follow Vesper’s logic, why did she always feel like this was less of a therapy session and more like something vaguely resembling a verbal jousting between the two. Is that’s why she was constantly brought back to these therapy sessions? Just for some kind of mental chess match?
She really didn't appreciate the idea of that, she wasn’t some kind of sparring punching box….
So she merely just sat there looking at Vesper like she was plain white wall blinking slowly trying to surprise quite a sizeable yawn
She couldn’t help but find some mild amusement in the fact she now had to rationalise her non-existing boyfriend “Actually, I don’t have to justify how I act or who I am at all...Isn’t that what a relationship is supposed to be? Unquestioning support and understanding?
Last Edit: Feb 26, 2017 19:17:06 GMT by Ellen Banks