Thread Roulette: Yearbook

Considering that Sean had given the annual Sexual Education Seminar for over two decades during his tenure at Hammel (so long that many of the younger faculty had sat through the same lecture when they had been students), and considering the fact that he went out of his way to provide prophylactics to the student body (because he would rather everyone who was sexually active engaged in safer sex, rather than turn a blind eye), it wasn’t surprising that some students viewed him as an advice expert. He did encourage all students to come talk to him whenever they had problems; that was his job.

And he did think he was better situated to answer questions about sex than some of the other faculty was. Since he considered himself sex-positive, he wouldn’t shame students. Since he considered himself cautious and practical, he would discourage reckless behavior. And since he had life experience and a medical degree, he could distinguish between healthy behavior and reckless behavior.

So when Robbie entered his office, the boy’s thoughts practically radiating the underlying reason he had come to the office, if not the details, Sean prepared himself for that discussion. After closing the door to make sure they had the utmost privacy, he gave Robbie his full attention. “The same as always. I’m far more concerned about how you are.”

“Admittedly, I had heard murmurs to that effect.” Since Sean wasn’t an attorney, he had no role in the emancipation process; he had been party to a few of those over the years in a mental health capacity, but he hadn’t been called in on Robbie’s behalf, and thus he was only peripherally aware of the situation. The psychiatrist was available should Robbie ask his advice, but he appeared to have everything under control.

While Sean typically found it was difficult for teenagers to try to survive on their own and wanted to minimize that given those difficulties, Robbie’s family situation presented a special case. Given how they had treated him, emancipation was a reasonable course of action.

The topic then shifted from his school and legal standing to the purpose for his visit, a purpose with which the psychiatrist was quite familiar. More than one student had come to him with a similar problem during his time at Hammel, and he was glad to provide advice. Better it come from him than from someone who would provide misinformation or shame the students, and far better than them trying to learn about appropriate social behavior from the Internet.

He listened as Robbie outlined the problem, and only when the boy was finished did he ask, “Have you considered telling her that? A good way to negate the idea that you’re pressuring someone or using them is to explain your feelings, and of course to assure her that she doesn’t have to have sex if she isn’t comfortable, and then to abide by her answer.”

Sean nodded his understanding; he was also sure that was an understatement, but it was a testament to the young man’s perseverance that he was getting through this difficult time as well as he was. The news about inheriting, or gaining access, to money would help him in the case of emancipation, since that would sever all other financial obligations from his family. As long as Robbie was cared for, one way or another. “When is the hearing? And have you spoken with your teachers about this? I can understand wanting to keep it to yourself, but I’m sure that they would work out an alternative finals schedule for you, given the situation.”

Personal matters like this had to supersede academics.

The psychiatrist watched as the young weather manipulator went to his shelf and began to touch his books. “Those are yearbooks, and a couple of literary publications from years past. Most of those are from Hammel, if you’d like to take a look.”

He kept them there to make them accessible to students.

At the return to the conversation at hand, Sean shook his head. “You can’t look at asking permission and sharing your thoughts as inviting rejection. We’re always vulnerable to people we care about, and while, yes, she might say ‘no’ and she has every right to do so, she might also say ‘yes.’ You won’t know until you talk to her about it, and being honest with her is the best way to explain your feelings and your desires so she knows that you aren’t treating her like a sexual conquest.”

Sean nodded his comprehension of the timing. While he did understand Robbie’s desire to get through this without any sort of accommodation, he also didn’t believe there was any shame in requiring accommodations. Those existed for people with special needs or for extraordinary cases, and Robbie was an extraordinary case, even if he didn’t wish to be one. However, as the boy had made his decision, the psychiatrist wouldn’t undermine it. “Admittedly, I don’t have any great experience with this, but I would think visiting your siblings would come up at the hearing. Your parents should be warned to let you see them.” At least, that was what Sean assumed would happen. Any information that Robbie received to the contrary from a lawyer was more accurate.

Sean did know about Robbie’s past history, and he nodded again. Listening to the young man’s description, he added, “You don’t need words to ‘seal the deal.’ I know that this is a new way of thinking about this, but you aren’t trying to convince her. You’re sharing with her and allowing her to make her own decision. Be open and honest with her; tell her what you’ve told me: that she matters to you, that you want to be intimate with her because she matters to you, and be sure to tell her that you’ll respect her no matter what. She might say ‘no,’ but that’s her choice, and she might have reasons for that which have nothing to do with her feelings about you.”

After all, he had been raised Catholic; the telepath was very familiar with some of those reasons.

“And I know it can be hard to be refused, but a ‘no’ isn’t always a rejection. It might be an ‘I’m not ready yet.’ There is no foolproof method, unfortunately for all people everywhere.”

“And yes that’s a year-” The psychiatrist’s comment was cut off by Robbie’s explorations; apparently, he’d found of one of Chase’s student photos, which were less than flattering. Hair styles in the late 80s and early 90s often left something to be desired. “Some of them are quite absurd. But it’s interesting to look at how everyone was as a student.”