The Principal's Office

[tailor_made]

The door to the principal’s office is open at all hours, although you will only find Hester at the receptionist’s desk from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is primarily where you can have private conversations with her. Though there’s an actual office in the back, it is always closed and locked.

Comments

[tailor_made]

[Hester is quiet for a long minute, twisting the hem of her wet skirt in her hands while she mulls over what she wants to say, if she wants to.]

...I don't know.. I've already talked to Peregrine about it but after the sleepover, I started having problems sleeping. Then the dreams started. I started losing time and today I- [She stops herself and squeezes a little water from the hem of her blouse.] I got stuck in the rain, out by the football field. And I don't remember how I got there.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cassandra leans back against Hester's desk while she listens, the same one she combed through weeks prior... If she looks out of the corner of her eye, can she find the same laptop that was there before?]

You don't remember? [She frowns, returning her full attention to Hester. Actually leaning in just a bit.] What kind of dreams are you having?

[tailor_made]

[She can! It's currently open and looks like it's paused on a movie.

Hester shakes her head.] You know those dreams that are just memories but something is wrong but you don't realize until you wake up? They're like that.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Huh. Good to know that schmaltz exists in every world.]

Like... memories? [HUH] More than you know. But what's so wrong about them? Sounds like a pretty ordinary dream if things don't make sense.

[tailor_made]

[Sometimes a girl just needs her schmaltz.]

You'd think that but they feel so real. I'll be back at my old school or I'll be at a dance class and out of nowhere someone will be there who wasn't there before having a whole conversation with someone I can't see or I'll suddenly be somewhere else. [She shivers a little and not just from the chill of the air conditioning.] One time I went from a school dance to this horrible car accident.

But the worst part is that I just...can't sleep after. And then it's like two days before my body will even let me try.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Sounds like some really bad dreams.

[She rubs the back of her neck. Oof. There's... so much she could say, but what would really help?]

...Wait. Are you telling me that you haven't slept in two days?

[tailor_made]

They're...not great, let's say. [Hester suddenly looks sheepish, like she's still embarrassed to admit all the problems that have been cropping up left and right.]

...I think it might be three now? Two and three quarters if you count the hour nap I took yesterday. [THAT'S NOT BETTER, HESTER.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[THAT'S..... NOT GOOD. NOT AT ALL.]

Hester, that's... horrible! [No need to fake her concern here. It's all genuine. She knows the dangers of burning the candle at both ends.] You have got to get some rest.

[tailor_made]

I know! I know, Peregrine and Monsieur Salieri and the Wizard have all been telling me the same thing. It's just...not that easy.