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~Psych 101~

Shuffling some papers around, Allen cleared his throat as he prepared to start another session with a group of girls that he thought were ready to be in a group rather than having individual meetings. Allen actually preferred the groups to the individual appointments. There wasn't a real reason for that, but Allen was just more comfortable this way. "Is everyone settled? Let's get started. Since today is our first time meeting then you're free to talk with each other about anything you'd like. I won't filter the conversation. Once we've met a few more times, I'll limit the topics."

The room was silent at first until a girl finally broke it with a soft comment. "I gave my virginity to Kanda."

There was a bit more of silence for a few seconds as every processed what the girl had said before comments went flying about the bastard. Several girls got to comfort the other while others still just let out complaints.

Having said that he wasn't going to filter the conversation, Allen just sat back and listened as the girls vented. It was actually part of the healing process for this to happen. He knew that in order to let go of their hurt and their bad feelings for Kanda that they were going to have to express them somehow. This was a safe environment for them to do so. Almost everyone in the room had gone through what the girl had. Allen was actually the only one that hadn't.

The group talked about everything from the way Kanda obsessed over his stupid hair to how much of a jerk he really was. Allen listened to all of it, though he couldn't help but compare what they were saying to what he already knew about Kanda. None of their comments made as much sense anymore. He'd spent several days with the Japanese student and hadn't once seen him be arrogant or, as the girls said, a douche.

Pushing his own thoughts aside, Allen focused back on the conversation at hand. After waiting for a small break in the conversation, Allen interjected the question that he'd been waiting to ask. "So if you all knew the rumors about him, why did you pursue him?"

More silence was met with that answer. The same girl that had spoken up first in the beginning let out a quiet sigh. "Because we saw it as a challenge. Kanda is a player. It is said that no girl can tame him. But what if I was special? What if I was that girl that everyone else wanted to be?"

That left Allen thinking. None of the girls had approached Kanda because they actually liked him. The male had told Allen that he hadn't stayed with anyone that he didn't love. If there weren't any feelings in the first place then how could any of the relationships work out.

Moving those thoughts of out his mind once again, Allen smiled at all the silent girls in the room. "We'll have to stop here for today. We all have a lot to think about. I'll see you in a few days for our next session."

A girl that hadn't spoken much during the session called attention back to Allen. "Allen, is it true that this week, Kanda is actually dating you?"

Freezing with what he was doing, Allen looked up from his bag. It was only Tuesday. He and Kanda had only been seeing each other for a couple of days. How could this girl know about that? "Actually, yes. Kanda isn't dating a girl this week. As part of this process, I want to make certain that more beautiful girls don't get hurt by him in the future. So he and I are sort of seeing each other as a way for me to figure out why he is the way he is. I'm trying to solve the problem at the source."

"So you don't have any feelings for him?"

The question caught Allen off guard. Could he actually say that he doesn't have feelings for Kanda? They were friends, right? Kanda had helped him with his homework, listening to his speech and encouraging Allen when he was worried he wouldn't be able to do a good job giving it. "I don't have any romantic feelings for him."

The answer was good enough for the girls waiting to hear it. No one said anything more as bags were packed and they left. Allen stayed in his chair for a few minutes thinking about what they'd talked about before getting up and leaving the room himself. There was one person he knew he could rely on in this moment to listen to him.

XXX

Miranda was so startled by the door to her office opening so suddenly that she accidently threw her polishing cloth at Allen's face. "Don't do that to me! You know I don't like being scared like that, Allen!"

Laughing because Miranda looked so scandalized, Allen moved further into the room. He even returned the rag that had been draped across his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Still breathing harder than she'd like, Miranda moved to sit down at her desk. Her clock looked rather beautiful at the moment. Luckily, Allen's scare hadn't done any real damage to her baby. "So what are you here for?"

Sighing, Allen sunk into a chair in front of Miranda's desk. He really didn't know how to go about saying what was on his mind.

Miranda had raised Allen. She knew when the boy needed a prompt and when he could say things for himself. At this moment, however, she felt that he wouldn't speak unless she asked the right questions. Part of her was worried that all those therapy sessions that the student had agreed to take on was too much stress. Allen loved helping people, but even he had his limits. "Is this about the therapy sessions?"

Pulled out of his thoughts, Allen glanced up to see concern in Miranda's face. "Sort of. They're going really well. I'm collecting a lot of data and have already been putting together a rough draft for some of my papers, but I'm a bit confused about something."

The worry that Allen was about to tell her that he was no longer going to do it vanished. Even though she was worried about the boy that she'd raised, Miranda wasn't entirely certain she could handle all those girls again. Allen was actually doing a fantastic job of helping them. "Then what is it?"

That was the question that Allen didn't actually have an answer for. "I don't know. It just… Today during our session, I couldn't help but think about how everything the girls were saying about Kanda was really biased. Like, they all dated him, not because they liked him, but because they wanted to be the one that others were jealous of. I'm fairly certain that the true issue doesn't lie with Kanda, but with self-esteem issues."

Miranda closed her eyes for only a second before opening them to look at Allen. She'd warned him when he came up with the idea just a few days ago. Clearly, the boy hadn't been listening well enough. "You have to keep your opinion of Kanda to yourself. These therapy sessions are about these girls. Not about you or how you feel. You are definitely able to have your own opinion on this Kanda guy. If you like him then like him. If you don't like him then don't like him, but you will remain indifferent during therapy. That's how it works. Psychologists have to remain indifferent about a lot of disturbing secrets that are told to us. Only if harm might come to someone or someone might harm themselves do we break our composure and do something about what is being said. If you want to be a great psychologist then you'll have to learn how to do that. This will be a great learning opportunity for you. Add to you research papers."

He wasn't being scolded. Allen knew that. Miranda was simply giving him advice in the only way she knew how. It was advice that he needed, though. She was right. His opinion of Kanda would only change if he wanted it to. The only way that would happen would be if Kanda did something himself to change it. "Keep my feelings locked away. Got it."

Smiling now, Miranda leaned over her desk with her elbows resting on the surface so that she could stare at the young college student before her. "So now that that is out of the way, tell me about Kanda! What do you think of him? Do you like him? Are you going to keep dating him? When do I get to meet him, or is that putting too much pressure on your young relationship?"

Blushing, Allen stood up quickly before making his way towards the door. No way was he going to answer any of those questions. Miranda was a leech when there was something she wanted to know and the only way to avoid it was to escape. "He's great! He's fine! I'm never letting him meet you! Bye!"

Laughing to herself, Miranda moved to push the rag that she'd thrown at Allen's face into her trash bin. Just like no rag that touched the floor would ever touch her clock, no rag that ever touched Allen would touch her clock. Hell, she'd relocated it to her office after she caught the young boy trying to help with chores by 'polishing' it. Luckily, no damage had been done. But never again!

XXX

Feeling rather lucky that he'd ran into Lavi in the cafeteria, Allen dropped down into an empty seat across from his partner. "You're going to want to read over today's session notes before you have your session tomorrow. The things that the girls talked about today were rather interesting."

As much as he'd like to ask the other to elaborate on that, they couldn't talk about private matters where anyone could hear. Confidentially was key. Nodding, Lavi continue to eat his meal. "Okay, I can do that."

Sighing, Allen fiddled with his fingers. He wasn't actually eating. Not yet. He was going to get dinner with Kanda when the other got out of class. Allen was just waiting for him. The reason for him to be in the cafeteria was so that he could see Lavi. He needed a bit of advice. "Hey, Lavi, you have friends, right?"

A bit shocked by the question but not taking any offense to the way that Allen had asked it, Lavi put down his spoon to give the other student more of his attention. Now that he took a closer look he could see that something was worrying Allen. "Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"

Losing his interest in his fingers, Allen looked up. "The girls in today's session asked me if I like Kanda since I'm dating him this week. Do you think it would be okay for me to call us friends? I told them that I'm not interested in him romantically. I don't even know how they found out."

Holding back his laughter because the situation was serious to Allen even if it seemed a bit silly to Lavi, the taller of the two took a moment to think about his answer. His words were going to have a big impact on Allen. "We're friends."

Shocked, Allen looked up at the other. "We are?"

"Of course. We spend time together. We enjoy being with each other and we ask each other for advice. That means we're friends."

Having been alone for the majority of his life-Miranda doesn't count as a friend-Allen didn't quite know what to do with that information. He was usually just a friendly person, but he didn't actually have any friends. Lavi was his first. "Oh."

Again, not taking offense to Allen's words, Lavi couldn't help but smile as he leaned on the table. "But I don't think you and Kanda are friends."

"You don't?"

Shaking his head, Lavi couldn't help himself. As much as he wanted to protect Allen from Kanda, he also wanted to fuck with Kanda's brain. His roommate was too happy about everything lately. Lavi saw no reason not to cause a little chaos. "No, I don't."

Once again twisting his fingers together, Allen didn't know what to say to that. If he and Kanda weren't friends then what were they? Allen decided that he didn't know the answer so he'd just ask the question out loud. "Then what are we?"

"Ah, that's where things get complicated. I'm your friend, Allen. You can come to me for advice and we can eat together and laugh. We can even do homework together and hang out, but I can't tell you what your relationship is with other people. That would make me more like a parent than a friend. What I can tell you is that you should talk to Kanda about your relationship. The only person that can help you figure out your relationship with him is him."

If all he had to do was ask Kanda then he'd know soon enough what their relationship was. They were meeting soon, after all. Allen simply had to let go of his worries and ask the question on his mind. "Okay! Thanks, Lavi! You're a great friend!"

Feeling only a tiny bit bad for the conversation that he'd just set up for his roommate, Lavi nodded as Allen ran away. His smile stayed in place as Lenalee sat down in the chair that Allen had left empty.

"Why are you smiling like a creep?"

Shaking his head, Lavi focused his attention on the girl that was joining him to eat. "Nothing. Just told Allen that we're friends and I've never seen him more excited."

Snorting, Lenalee dug into her food. "Kanda's going to be so jealous."

Lavi decided that he would fill the girl in on what he'd done while they ate. He quite liked Lenalee. She was quickly becoming someone he liked spending time with.

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Morg: The things I have planned for this story!