“So if she doesn’t show up, we can just leave, right?”

Brian scoffed. “This isn’t high school, Jenn. Prof. Matuszewich doesn’t even grade for attendance. You can leave whenever you want.”

A few snickers broke out from the nearby students not already engaged in their own unproductive conversations. Jenn made to say something but thought better of it, slumping into her seat with a huff. “Yeah, well . . . She should give us extra credit for making us wait. We paid for the course, after all.”

“Lord knows you need it,” Trish said, drawing a glare that caused her to laugh again. A moment later, her tone became more somber. “Though it is concerning. She’s never been late before. And to not notify us . . .”

“Whatever,” Jenn said. “She’s an adult, she can take care of herself. The important thing is, I’m b-o-r-e-d bored. What are we going to do about that.” She flicked the ball of paper that she had been playing with at Brian, who threw it back in retaliation.

Trish rummaged through her bag to pull out her notebook and favorite green pen. “Seems like a perfect opportunity to study. We do have that test coming up next week, after all.”

The answer drew a noise out of Jenn, causing Brian to say, “I’m with Jenn on this one, even though she could benefit the most from studying. Oh! Did you guys hear about what happened at Zero Grav last weekend? Michelle was there, and she said—”

“Wait, shut up. First of all, you’re too old for that place, but also I have an idea,” Jenn said, as Brian complained about being interrupted. “Hey Alecia. Alecia!”

Across the room, a girl with flowing black hair placed a bookmark right against the spine of her textbook. She closed the book and folded her hands on top of it before turning her head, her back perfectly straight. “Yes, Jenn?”

With a grin, Jenn nodded her head upwards once as she said, “Do your thing.”

Alecia cocked an eyebrow. “My . . . thing?”

“Come on, you know what I’m talking about. Entertain us while we wait.”

“You know how the professor feels about that, Jenn. You should listen to your friends and try to study.”

Trish perked up at the idea of Alecia’s performance. “If that’s on the table, studying can wait. If Prof. Mattie comes back, we can just tell her we pressured you into it. Please?” She gave Alecia her best hopeful expression.

By now the din of the room had died down. Everyone watched to see her response. Alecia floated out of her seat, her poised steps carrying her to the front of the room. She fixed her blue eyes on Jenn and said, “Very well.”

Excited whisperings broke out as people cleared their desks and gave Alecia their full attention. She leaned against the teacher’s desk as she waited for them to settle down. “And who shall be the subject?”

Hands shot up into the air. Some people shouted out the names of others, while those people argued against the nomination, offering different names in return. Alecia silenced them all with the palm of her hand. She looked towards the back corner of the room. “Nicole, why don’t you give it a try?”

Nicole kept her eyes on the pages of her textbook, her hands clenched around the edges. She lowered her head even farther and shrank down into her chair. “N-no thanks,” she whispered. Her cheeks flushed at the knowledge that every eye in the room was on her at that moment.

“Come on, Niccy, you can do it. It’ll be fun!” Trish said. Others in the room voiced their approval, doing their best to encourage her.

Nicole’s stomach was in knots. She chanced to look up at the door, hoping beyond anything that Prof. Matuszewich would walk through at that very moment. Then they could go about the day learning, and Nicole wouldn’t be the focus of attention.

Luck was not on her side. The door remained closed, and now she could see everyone turned in their seats towards her. “I’d rather not.”

“Niccy, you know I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you,” Trish said. “If I get so much as a hint that you’re about to do something embarrassing, I’ll wake you up myself.” She gave her best reassuring smile, but Nicole was quick to return her gaze to her desk.

Nicole jumped when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked over to see Alecia looming over her with her calm smile. Nicole never saw her leave the front of the room, never noticed her approach.

“It’s okay, Nicole,” Alecia said. “Your friend will be watching over you the entire time. Nothing embarrassing. I promise.”

Her voice was soft and soothing. Nicole found that just listening to it allowed her to tune out the excited murmuring of the classroom, her entire focus now on Alecia. Nicole couldn’t help but notice how alluring her eyes were.

“That’s it, Nicole. We’re all friends here. You can trust me. Here, take my hand.”

Nicole looked down to see Alecia’s palm, held right in front of her. Her skin looked soft, and Nicole wanted to feel it against her own. She reached hers, slowly, only a few nervous trembles before she let it fall into Alecia’s warm embrace.

“Good, Nicole. There you go.”

Alecia guided Nicole out of her seat and began walking her towards the front of the room. All the while she was giving Nicole words of encouragement. As they rounded the last desk, Nicole realized where she was. Panic crept back in, and she stumbled a bit before they reached the front.

When Alecia let go of Nicole, the class erupted in applause. Nicole tensed up, wrapping her arms around her stomach. She gave a furtive glance towards her now empty seat, wondering why she let everyone pressure her into this.

With a stern look and a gesture, Alecia silenced the room once more before returning to Nicole. “Don’t worry, Nicole. I’m here with you. Don’t worry about anyone else. In fact . . .”

Alecia walked off, leaving Nicole alone for the class to stare at. She hated this feeling, and longed for the days where she wasn’t so skittish. They seemed so long ago, and now the only thought on her mind was if she should just make a break for it. She could run out the door and wait outside for Prof. Matuszewich to arrive. Her classmates would mock her for it, but she was sure they did already.

Just as Nicole was about to make up her mind, Alecia returned, rolling the teacher’s chair over to her. She grabbed Nicole by the shoulders and turned her to face away from the class, dashing any hopes Nicole had of escape.

“Here you go. Could you please have a seat for me?”

Alecia put some pressure on her shoulders, and Nicole let herself be guided into the leather chair. All anyone else in the room could see was the back of her head and her feet that dangled towards the floor.

Alecia leaned forward, using the chair’s armrests for support and bringing her to Nicole’s eye level, their faces inches apart. “I want you to ignore them for me, Nicole. You can’t see them. You can’t hear them. Just keep your focus on me. Can you do that?”

Nicole gave the subtlest nod. She tried her best to ignore the anxiety of being in front of everyone. With Alecia there to guide her, it didn’t feel so bad.

Alecia reached up to caress Nicole’s cheek with one curled finger. “That’s it, Nicole. It’s just me and you up here right now. Nothing else matters. Now, there’s something I want you to do for me. Take a deep breath, in through your nose, and hold it.” Alecia led by example, raising her hand, palm up, from her stomach to her chest for emphasis.

Nicole followed along. Her chest rose until she could suck in no more air. Alecia smiled in response, and Nicole could see it reflected in her deep eyes. “Out through your mouth,” Alecia said, her hand now pushing down towards the ground. Nicole sank into the chair as the air escaped her lungs, her legs and arms a bit more loose.

Alecia led Nicole through the motions a few more times. “Just like that. Now, every time you exhale, I want you to count down by one number, starting at ten. You don’t have to say it loudly, you may whisper if you want, but I do want you to say it.”

Nicole could do that. Breathe in, hold the breath, breathe out. “Ten.” In, hold, out. “Nine.”

“And with every breath, with every number, you are feeling more and more relaxed.”

“Eight. Seven. Six.”

“And pretty soon, you’ll notice you just don’t have the strength to keep your eyes open, or your head up.”

Try as she might, Nicole found that Alecia was right. She wanted to keep staring into Alecia’s beautiful eyes, but her own kept fluttering. Her head was dipped down, forcing her to struggle to keep eye contact, her eyes straining in the process. “Five. Four. Three.”

“Until you find it just isn’t worth the hassle, and you finally let yourself drift down and . . .”

“Two.”

“Sleep.”

“One.” The snap of Alecia’s finger was the last thing Nicole’s conscious mind heard.

Alecia took a moment to regard her subject before straightening back up. She was met with a crowd of faces, all still waiting in anticipation. She spun the chair around, allowing them all to glimpse Nicole’s sleeping form.

Nicole’s hands had fallen off the armrests and were now limp beside her thighs. Her head had lolled to the side, her puffy lips open and beginning to glisten with drool.

A voice from the back broke the silence. “Have her show us her tits!” A mix of glares and hushed cheers followed.

Alecia smirked. “Have some class, I’m not doing that to her.”

Jenn laughed. “I have no issues stooping to such lows, let us see them!” Her eyes bulged when, in a sudden motion, Alecia lifted up her own shirt to expose herself to the rest of the class. Jenn’s mouth hung open, speechless.

“Satisfied?” Alecia asked as she lowered her shirt, fussing over it until it looked neat once more.

Jenn could only nod in response, a devilish grin forming on her face.

“Good. Because that’s not why I agreed to come up here today. If I’m going to entertain you, you may as well learn something from it.” Alecia walked behind Nicole and placed both hands on Nicole’s shoulders. She leaned forward and began to whisper into Nicole’s ears. “So deep already for me, Nicole. It feels so good to be in this state, to be so relaxed, but you can always go deeper. For now, I want you to start counting down from one hundred. With every number, feel yourself falling deeper and deeper into trance. And as you are counting, you don’t have to worry about anything you hear. Completely lost in trance until I speak to you again.”

Alecia returned her attention to the class. “The mind is a wonderful thing, but it’s not without its flaws. Everything that makes us us is all up here,” she said, pointing to her own head. “All our memories, everything we have experienced, has shaped us into who we are, and will continue to do so for as long as we live.

“So if those memories were to be changed, what would happen to us? Would we be the same person we were before? Could we be? There’s one way to find out.”

A few murmurings broke out, with everyone either too stunned or intrigued to say much out loud.

Alecia turned Nicole’s chair to the side before kneeling down next to it. “What number have you gotten to, Nicole?”

“Eighty six.”

That’s very good, Nicole. That means you’re so deep, so very deep for me.”

“So deep . . .”

“That’s right. So very deep. It feels so good to be this deep. So good, and you know it’s me that allowed you to feel this way. I’d like you to do something for me, Nicole, and because I made you feel so good, you’d be happy to do what I say, right?”

Alecia was right. Nicole was feeling so comfortable right now. She was no longer stressed by anything, or feeling anxious. And since Alecia was the one to help her feel so wonderful, it was only fair that she do what Alecia wanted. It all made perfect sense. “Anything . . .” she said.

“Tell me, Nicole, do you have a boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me about him, Nicole.”

The faintest smile played at the corners of Nicole’s lips as she thought about her boyfriend. “His name is Daniel, and he’s so good to me. He’s sweet, caring, and romantic. I feel safe when I’m with him, and he’s always there for me.”

“That’ll do for now, Nicole. I’m so proud of you.” Nicole let out a soft sigh before Alecia continued on. “Going even deeper now, Nicole. Already so deep, but you know you can always go deeper. In fact, you find it so easy to drop deeper with every word I say. Every word relaxes you even more, letting you feel even better.”

Alecia gave Nicole a moment, making sure she was as deep as possible for the next stage. “Now, you said Daniel was romantic. I want you to visualize in your head a time in which you felt he was the most romantic. Hold the memory in your mind, so clear to you. Tell me about that moment, Nicole.”

The comforting darkness gave way as the images took hold in Nicole’s mind. “The day started off so terribly. They had me stay for a double shift at work. I had called to tell him I wasn’t going to be home to see him off. He was going . . . somewhere with his friends for the next few days. Something they had been planning for months. He must have heard the stress in my voice, because when I got home, so very exhausted, he was waiting there for me. He looked so handsome standing in the hallway, lit only by those candles. The smell of sugar blossom was in the air, my favorite fragrance. The dinner he made must have taken hours, but it was ready right on time. He even let me have his portion of the french silk pie, though he didn’t tell me there was more in the fridge until the next day. Stuffed with food, he then wrapped me up in blankets and we cuddled on the couch and talked until I fell asleep. He never once left my side.”

“That sounds absolutely lovely, Nicole,” Alecia said. Nicole purred in response. “Go ahead and let that memory fade from your mind, but just for a moment. Remember, with every word I say you find yourself falling deeper into trance for me. I’m going to ask you to do something that may seem a bit difficult, but I need you to trust me on this Nicole. You’re going to do what I ask because I know what’s best for you, and you can trust me, right?”

“Trust you . . . Yes.”

“Good, Nicole. So good. So trusting of me.” Nicole stood up and scanned around the room. Her eyes settled on Trish, and she beckoned her over. “Just play along,” she said with a wink when Trish joined up front.

Alecia then returned to Nicole’s side. “Now, Nicole, I want you to bring that memory back. Only, there’s something wrong with what you were telling us. Picture in your mind the moment that you arrived at home. You were so exhausted then, just like you are now. All you want to do is lie down and sleep. So you open the door, only it’s not Daniel that you see in your home. No, that memory was wrong, Nicole. Your friend Trish was the one that was waiting for you when you got home. Sweet, caring, romantic Trish. Every emotion you had that night came from Trish.”

Nicole began to struggle in her chair. “Wh-what? No . . . Daniel was . . .”

Alecia reached up to stroke Nicole’s cheek. “Shh, it’s okay, Nicole. Don’t worry, you have to trust me on this. Sometimes memories can be wrong, it happens to everyone. I wouldn’t lie to you about this, because you trust me more than anything.”

“Trust you . . . but, Daniel . . . I . . .”

“That’s right, you trust me. Daniel wasn’t there that evening. You said yourself, he had been planning a trip with his friends for so long. You knew he wasn’t going to be there when you got home. But you were so tired, you needed someone to care for you that day. So you called Trish. That’s why Trish was there, not Daniel.”

“Daniel was . . . not there . . . Yes.” Nicole relaxed back into her chair now that she realized the mistake she had made. Of course Daniel wouldn’t have been there, he was out with his friends, just like he had been planning.

“Good, Nicole. So much better now that you realize the truth. You opened the door, and Trish was there waiting for you, ready to pamper you after your exhausting day. Can you see her when you walk through the door, Nicole?”

“I see her . . .”

“So vivid, that memory. You can smell the sweet sugar blossom from the candles, your favorite. Trish looks so elegant in that evening dress of hers, so beautiful in the glow from the candles as she stands there to greet you.”

“So beautiful . . .”

“Such a difficult day, but Trish had spent hers cooking, just for you. All so that you could relax. That delicious food that filled you up so well. So caring as she shared her own portion of french silk pie, because you wanted it. Trish would do anything for you, Nicole.”

“Anything . . .”

“And now, as you sit in the chair, satisfied from such a perfect meal, you can feel the blankets that Trish wrapped around you. You sit there for just a moment as you relish the warmth and comfort.”

Alecia stood up and reached out for Trish’s hand. Trish took it, and Alecia guided her towards Nicole, gesturing towards the chair.

“Still so warm and comfortable, Nicole. But now Trish is here to cuddle with you. You’d love to cuddle with her, but you need to make room. Just scooch to the side a bit, there you go. Good girl.”

Taking the hint, Trish slid into the chair with Alecia’s assistance. As soon as she sat down, Nicole snuggled up next to her, still in trance. Trish took a moment to find a comfortable position, could barely fit both of them. Satisfied, she put her arm around Nicole’s shoulder.

“So happy, so content with Trish there to hold you in your memory.”

Nicole let her head rest on Trish’s chest. She loved listening to Trish’s heartbeat, especially after a stressful day. The encouragement she received from Alecia added to her comfort. At that moment, there was no place she would rather be.

“I want you to do something for me now, Nicole. In a moment, you are going to open your eyes. You will remain in this trance, because you do so love being here. You’re going to be reliving your memory of your romantic night with Trish from this moment. When you open your eyes, it’s just going to be you and her, alone and content in your home, just like your memory. Can you do that for me, Nicole?”

Nicole smiled. “Of course. Anything for you, Alecia . . .”

“Open your eyes now, Nicole, and let your memory play out for you.”

Nicole’s eyes blinked open. She was a bit dazed, and she glanced around the room to catch her bearings. She saw her normal living room, bathed in candle light. Someone stirred next to her, and Nicole looked up to see Trish’s beautiful face. Nicole smiled, and her heart fluttered at the sight. She let her head fall back to Trish’s chest and inhaled a bit of her scent. “Sorry, must have dozed off. Probably shouldn’t have eaten so much.”

Trish cast a furtive glance over at Alecia, who only gestured for her to follow through. “Uh, that’s okay, Nicole. You deserve it after working so hard today.” She rubbed Nicole’s arm. Nicole relaxed further under the delicate touch.

Nicole couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes with how comfortable she was while cuddling with Trish. “Thank you so much for everything you did for me today. This whole evening was just . . . magical. I don’t even know what else to say. I never would have expected you to . . . You’ve never actually done anything like this before.”

Confusion crept in from the corners of Nicole’s mind. She had no doubt that Trish had been there that evening, and Nicole was beyond thankful that she was, but there was something off about it that she couldn’t put her finger on. She began to push against Trish in an effort to sit up.

Alecia was about to step in when Trish took the initiative. She reached out and guided Nicole’s head back to her chest before running her hands through her hair. “Shh, it’s okay, Nicole. All that matters is that I’m here now, right? There’s no need to ruin this night by thinking of anything else. Just relax and enjoy the moment, okay?”

That made sense to Nicole. She was happy. She didn’t want to do anything that might change that. “Thank you, Trish.” Keeping her eyes closed, Nicole leaned up and gave Trish a peck on the cheek. “I hope we can do this more often. And I want to make it up to you tomorrow. Right now, I’m just . . . So tired . . .”

The room was silent for a moment aside from the gentle breathing from Nicole. Alecia stepped closer to the chair as she began talking to Nicole once more. “With the memory now over, Nicole, you can feel yourself slipping right back into that comforting trance, just as deep as before. Nothing can disturb you in this state right now, feeling your mind drift further downward until I speak to you again.”

At Alecia’s prompting, Trish slid out of the chair from under Nicole, careful not to disturb her any more than she had to. Soon she was staring down on Nicole as the tranced girl adjusted her position.

Turning to the class, Alecia said, “As you can see, even just one memory can change a person. But we have more time, let’s see what other memories of hers we can alter?” With that, Alecia leaned back towards Nicole and began whispering into her ear once more.

* * *

Three . . . Two . . . One!

Nicole raised her head up and enjoyed a silent yet mighty yawn, stretching her arms as much as she could from her desk in the back corner of the classroom. However, any remnant grogginess evaporated once she realized she had fallen asleep during class. She hoped the teacher hadn’t noticed, but a glance to the front of the room revealed that the teacher wasn’t even there. Nicole glanced around at the other students and found that half of them were gone as well.

“Well, there goes one class wasted,” Jenn said. “Pretty irresponsible for a tenured professor.” She shoved the remainder of her supplies in her purse before storming out of the class, grumbling to herself.

The few that remained in the class followed suit. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she didn’t miss any of the class, but couldn’t help but worry over the whereabouts of her teacher. She made a mental note to check in on Prof. Matuszewich later, but with class over, she was off to the rest of her plans for the day.

Nicole entered her apartment, tossing her bag onto the counter on her way towards her bedroom. She waved to her goldfish along the way, backtracking as she remembered to feed him. With that task complete, she was off to get ready for her shower.

Date nights were always so stressful for Nicole. The moments preceding them were just the worst. She agonized over her appearance, never quite certain which look she should go for, or if it would be enough for Daniel. Should she wear her hair up in a ponytail, or let it flow over her shoulders? She recalled Trish once saying she looked cute with her hair up, so perhaps Daniel would as well.

Inspiration seemed to smile on her today. Every choice she had to make, she tried to imagine what Trish would do, and then it seemed so obvious. Before long, she was ready, and Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. A final glance in the mirror had her feeling both satisfied and confident. “Wish me luck, Otis,” she said with a wave, and she was soon out the door.

Waiting was always the hardest part. She already knocked on the door, but the time between then and when it opened gave her mind an opportunity to worry about the coming events. Any number of things could go wrong. She might say the wrong thing, or her expectations might not match up with Daniel’s, and the night could be ruined.

It didn’t help that she always tried to be early. In her mind, it was more favorable than keeping Daniel waiting. But this just meant more chances that she would arrive when he was still getting ready, too busy to let her in.

Nicole shook away the doubts in her head. The night was going to go fine. With one last deep breath to settle her nerves, she knocked on the door again. This time it didn’t take long to hear shuffling from inside, and then the door opened before her. “Oh! Um . . . Trish?”

It wasn’t just the fact that Trish was standing in front of her that gave Nicole pause. Nicole also couldn’t believe how amazing Trish looked right now. Her silky red dress that flowed down to mid thigh but hugged everywhere above the hips so well that it had to have been a custom fit. Her long black hair that framed her face and spilled down her back that must have taken an hour to style. Her dark, seductive lips, smirking in a way that made Nicole just want to press her own against them. Her smokey eyes that demanded Nicole’s attention. Nicole had never seen her friend look so beautiful, so captivating, so . . . arousing.

“Well you certainly look like a deer lost in the headlights right now, don’t you, Niccy?”

Nicole shook her head, unsure why she had been staring at her friend for so long. “Trish, why are you . . .?” She grabbed the patio bannister and leaned back, looking at the front of the house. It seemed . . . off, yet correct at the same time. Her instincts were telling her she was at the right place, but she had been expecting . . . someone else?

“Well don’t just stand there, come on in. You’re right on time!”

Nicole let Trish guide her into the house, looking up at her the whole time. It was clear that Trish was expecting her, or at least wasn’t as surprised to see Nicole by the front door. So why was Nicole so confused? “Trish, what am I doing here?”

Trish smiled, that warm smile that always—always?—put Nicole’s mind at ease. “What do you mean? You’re here for our scheduled date, of course! Every Friday night, remember?”

Nicole laughed. Trish always played the best pranks. Nicole chided herself for falling for it and for getting so worked up over some dumb joke. Trish must have planned this with Daniel. He was probably waiting just around the corner, maybe with a camera in hand to jump out and get a picture of her goofy reaction.

The smile fell from Nicole’s face as she looked around the room. That didn’t explain why she found herself at Trish’s place. And how did Trish know about their scheduled date nights? Perhaps Daniel had told her. That made some sense.

Yet Trish didn’t look like she was playing a prank. There was a look in her eyes that Nicole couldn’t place, but it certainly wasn’t one she would make if she were joking. Trish must actually believe they were on a date right now, that they had regularly gone on dates.

Well that was easy to resolve. Nicole just had to think about her last date with Daniel, and that would prove Trish wrong.

She thought back to last Friday. Nicole remembered it being colder than usual, as she had decided to forego the sensual outfit she had planned in favor of something warmer. She spent extra time on her hair and makeup to compensate, and hoped it would be appreciated. It seemed Trish had come to a similar decision, as Nicole noted when the two met up at the river walk.

Even with a few extra layers, Trish still looked so beautiful under the moonlight. As they sat next to the water, Nicole would feel content just letting Trish hold her for hours on end. It seemed Trish had other ideas, as their conversation soon drifted towards discussions that Nicole didn’t feel quite comfortable having in such a public place.

Yet Trish still managed to put Nicole on edge. As much as Nicole was enjoying the romantic atmosphere, it became more and more difficult to not just push Trish over and climb on top. By the end, Nicole was begging for Trish to take her home so she could tear her clothes off and stick her tongue between Trish’s legs.

It was a good thing they both decided against heels that day, as the sprint to Trish’s car, hand in hand, would have been too difficult otherwise. Nicole didn’t mind that taking Trish’s car meant they’d have to pick hers up the next day. She was more interested in keeping herself worked up during the ride and, better yet, teasing Trish with her free hand. Driving on her own would not have been feasible.

Luck did not favor them that day, however. Just as they were about to take off, Trish had been called into work. There was nothing she could do about it, she had told Nicole. The two parted ways, but Nicole made sure to see to herself the moment she got home. Trish was the only one on her mind when she came all over her hand.

The important thing was, Trish had promised to make it up to her next week. Just the thought of what that meant was enough to bring Nicole back to plunging her fingers into herself. And after the second satisfying orgasm of the night, she fell right asleep.

“So are you going to say something, or would you rather stare at the wall all night?”

Of course. How did Nicole forget? She was here for her next date night with Trish. The one that was promised to her. The one that they were going to . . . God, Trish looked so beautiful right now, somehow even more so than before. “Sorry, I . . . I don’t know why I was so confused just now.” She looked around the room and realized she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

* * *

“I heard some troubling things from one of your classmates.” Prof. Matuszewich was normally a cheerful woman. Not many had seen her show any sort of stern behavior. It was a fact she was proud of, as she did not like to be strict. Positivity breeds success, as she would say. Yet some matters required a serious approach.

“Who told you? Brian?”

Prof. Matuszewich sighed. “It’s not important.” Not quite true, as some students were a bit more reliable than others, but she’d prefer to leave them anonymous and avoid any retaliation, if possible. “What is important is the allegation that was brought up. This is not a trivial thing, Alecia. What you did could have some drastic ramifications. I thought you knew better than this, and quite frankly I’m disappointed.”

Alecia let out a casual chuckle. “You’re exaggerating a bit, don’t you think? I’m just having some fun. No one is getting hurt.”

“Look, Alecia. You have a gift. Many, in fact. You don’t need me to tell you that you have a bright future ahead of yourself. But this interest in hypnosis . . . Maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I didn’t make it clear enough when you first asked me about it. Hypnosis is a tool, and a powerful one at that. You have to show it the proper respect. You have to be responsible with how you use it. It’s something that should only be used to help others. It’s not some game or parlor trick for your own amusement. Am I making myself clear to you?”

Alecia paused, but before long the confident smile left her face as she deflated in her chair. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

Prof. Matuszewich moved her glasses up to rub the bridge of her nose. “I’ll just cut to the chase. I’ll be looking into the validity of what I was told. I hate to resort to this, but this is not something I can just turn my back on. I hope you understand.” She took a moment to regard Alecia, but the girl had her eyes downcast, avoiding her gaze. She had such regard for the young woman, it was a shame for that image to be tarnished even the slightest.

Prof. Matuszewich began arranging the papers on her desk. “I’ll be speaking to Ms. Orloff next. I need to make sure that she’s okay, and that there are no lasting complications as a result of your ‘fun.’ Once my assessment is done, I’ll contact you with my decision on any possible disciplinary action. Know that I’ll also be suggesting that she maintain her distance from you, going forward. I think you should do the same. That is all.”

The teacher had Alecia’s file put away before she realized that Alecia had not moved from her seat. “We are done here, Alecia. I’m sure you have somewhere to be.”

Alecia cocked her head to the side. “You know, speaking of hypnosis, I always found the concept of trigger words to be of particular interest. Don’t get me wrong, there’s so much about the subject that is fascinating, but there’s something . . . satisfying about the simpleness of a trigger. Just one word—though really anything could be used—can bring about a specific response in someone. I think those experiments were some of the most enjoyable.”

Alecia had a look of longing as she stared towards the ceiling reminiscing. It unsettled Prof. Matuszewich, surprised at the way Alecia spoke about the topic with such reverence. She was too stunned by Alecia’s change in attitude to respond. Alecia snapped back to attention to continue before Prof. Matuszewich had a chance to process what she heard. “I’ve moved on to more complicated experiments now. It’d be a real shame for all my work to be undone. I’m rather proud of how my little projects are turning out. I’m sure if you could see things from my perspective, you’d understand.”

Prof. Matuszewich rose from her chair and rounded her desk to open her office door. She kept her eyes on Alecia the entire time. “You need to leave, Alecia. Now.”

Alecia stood up but made no motion to leave. “Why, Susan, you look so concerned! Are you by any chance afraid of a few simple words?”

“Don’t be preposterous. You’ve been watching too many movies. The sorts of things you’ve mentioned . . . Let’s just say you’re not helping your cause. I’m afraid I’ll have to keep this in mind when considering your writeup.”

Alecia slinked towards Prof. Matuszewich. The teacher stood her ground, but the predatory look on Alecia made her feel very much like prey. “Preposterous? Maybe. If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about if I said something like . . . Clear Cascades, should you?”

“Clear . . . I . . .” Prof. Matuszewich knew she should say something. She was the teacher, she should be the one in charge of the situation, not the student. Yet suddenly she was filled with the desire to remain silent. Even as a colleague of hers walked by her office, unable to see her as he passed, she couldn’t muster the will to call out for help. No, it was important for her to listen, so that was all she would do.

“That’s it, Susan.” Alecia reached up to hold Prof. Matuszewich’s face in her hands. “Just listen to my voice. You’ve been living with your false memories for long enough. You’ve done well for me, but it’s time for your true memories to come out.”

“Nnn . . .” Prof. Matuszewich surprised herself with her own struggles.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just let those false memories fade away. Remember who you truly are, Susan. Remember.” Alecia drew closer, wrapping one arm around the teacher’s waist and letting the other run through her hair, moving her head in slow, gentle circles.

Prof. Matuszewich’s eyes began to droop. It felt like Alecia was speaking to her through a wall. To her relief, she could still understand the words. She tried to remember who she was. She could feel the memories in her head shifting around, slotting into place. She was still a teacher, yes. But she was also so much more than that.

Alecia’s face came back into focus, and Susan looked at her for the first time that day. Except something was wrong. It took a moment for her to figure it out, but when she did, she was sure to correct it. She dropped to her knees as fast as she could and stared up at Alecia. Yes, that was it. That was the perspective from which to look upon her mistress’s face.

Alecia smiled down on her. “There you are. Do you feel better now, my pet?”

Susan nuzzled Alecia’s hand and purred. “Yes, Mistress.”

“You had me worried for a moment. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I saw some resistance in you just now. Please tell me I’m not mistaken.”

Susan shook her head vigorously. “No, Mistress! I would nev—” She paused. That would mean that Mistress was mistaken. Mistress was never wrong, but Susan couldn’t even fathom the idea of resisting her. Her heart sank as she agonized over how to answer, looking up at Alecia with eyes that began to water.

“Don’t worry, slave. I’m not upset.”

Susan beamed in response and began to kiss at Mistress’s hand as it stroked her cheek. Her heart settled, knowing that she didn’t upset her mistress. Now she could focus her thoughts on how to best serve her.

“I must say, though. Your other self was certainly causing me some issues again.”

At a previous time, Susan knew she would have been fraught in response to what Mistress said. She was glad that Mistress was benevolent enough to make sure she didn’t worry about what her false self did ever since the first time it became an issue.

Susan didn’t know why Mistress allowed that horrible personality to come out, but there were many things she didn’t know about Mistress. Far be it from her to question it. If it was important, Mistress would tell her.

“But that’s okay. I just need some information from you.”

“Anything, Mistress!” Susan straightened up even more, desperate to be of help.

Alecia did so love to see her slave just like she was. As she regarded her, she couldn’t help but indulge a bit before she got around to business. “Why don’t you go ahead and get out of those clothes first, it’s such a shame to see your beautiful body all hidden from my view.

Voicing her willingness, Susan set to work on her task, pulling her disgusting coverings off as quickly as she could. She was half done when Alecia moved to close the door, chuckling. “As much as I’m sure you’d do this with an audience, I can’t go having you fired just yet.”

Mistress was right. Susan didn’t care who walked past. If Mistress wanted her to strip, she would. She’d burn the offensive garments right then and there just for displeasing Mistress. As the door clicked shut, Susan pulled off the last item and threw it to the ground in disdain, thankful that it no longer disgraced her skin.

After pulling her own pants down, Alecia hopped up on Prof. Matuszewich’s desk and scooched right to the edge. She then beckoned Susan over, enjoying her slave’s swaying rear as she crawled on the floor. Alecia dragged one finger slowly over her slit and said, “Tell me, slave. Would you like for permission to put your mouth here?”

Susan had been hoping that’s what Mistress was going to say, but to hear it confirmed left her feeling overjoyed. Her eyes wide, she nodded her head with enough force to send her hair flying every which way, too excited to say anything.

“Very well. Do pleasure yourself while you’re at it, and try to cum at the same time as me. I’m sure that will be a nice little challenge for you.” Susan made to put her head between Alecia’s legs, but Alecia stopped her with one finger. “And don’t forget, not a sound. Can’t have anyone poking their head in, now can we?”

Susan gave a short nod, waiting for the signal from her mistress to begin. With the subtlest nod in return, Susan went to work.

Not that Susan ever had any reason to doubt her, but right away she knew that Mistress was right. The moment she slipped her fingers into her wet cunt, she felt like she could have cum on the spot. And to be allowed to taste Mistress at the same time . . . How she was going to last long enough was beyond her.

Susan wondered if it would be considered cheating to not move her fingers at all. Pulling them out entirely was clearly too far, but what about keeping them inserted but unmoving? That seemed to go against the spirit of the command, which was also unacceptable. The only logical answer was to maintain as slow a pace as possible to maintain the sanctity of her duties, while also delaying the inevitable. Through sheer force of will, perhaps she could do it.

Of course, even at a snail’s pace, the task seemed insurmountable. Just being in Mistress’s presence had Susan brimming with arousal, a fact that she was sure Mistress was counting on. There was only one other thing to do to help her cause. If she had any hope, she’d have to make sure to get Mistress off as soon as possible.

Susan set her tongue to work with increased fervor. The results were drastic, much to Susan’s relief. Through experience, she could tell when Mistress was getting close. The way she moaned, even when stifled, or the pressure on Susan’s head from Mistress’ thighs, they all pointed to one absolute fact. Mistress was about to cum.

Indeed, Alecia could feel herself getting close. Susan had always been apt with her duties, something that Alecia had intended to inquire about. Of course, the following orgasm would often send that thought flying out the window with the rest of her blissed out mind, never thought of again until the next time Susan was between her legs. But there was more to her rapidly approaching release than Susan’s increased efforts alone explained. All the while, she was thinking of how best to deal with the trouble student that brought Prof. Matuszewich’s attention back to her.

Not that Alecia was complaining. It was always fun to toy with the teacher when she had the opportunity. And these regular sessions together were a welcome way to unwind. Still, Alecia was not one to let loose threads go free, and her mind was alight with a myriad of ways of subjugating another person. Each devious thought was a spike of deliciousness through her body, an accoutrement to Susan’s delicious ministrations. And when she settled on the perfect plan, it was almost enough to push her over the edge.

But not yet. She still needed a name for this person, a face for her fantasy, a face to be made blank and mindless. Susan had what she needed, and now more than ever she’d be happy to provide it. In between gasps, Alecia said, “Who . . . Susan? Who tried to—ahh—to tell you about me?”

The pleasure was too much, and Alecia felt the orgasm roll over her. She clenched her thighs around Susan’s head, struggling to stay quiet. She figured her command for Susan to do the same probably wouldn’t have mattered at that moment, pressed as she was against Susan’s mouth. She could feel the vibrations of Susan’s stifled moans against her crotch, which dragged the orgasm on a few more wonderful seconds.

Alecia collapsed back onto the desk, a stray pen pressing against her shoulder blade. As she caught her breath, she relaxed her legs, letting Susan come up for air. As soon as Susan’s mouth was free, she spoke a name that brought a smile to Alecia’s face.

“Nicole.”

* * *

“Niccy?”

Nicole shook her head. With how often she was doing it today, she felt like a poor example of a head banger. She wondered for a moment if they ever got brain damage from too many concerts. Perhaps she should see her doctor to get it scanned. Maybe she could also ask him about what was going on with her memories, while she was at it. “Huh? Sorry . . .”

“I’m not saying you have to take your clothes off, but I was hoping to see all of you, dear.”

Nicole found Trish on the bed, fully naked. The dress that she was wearing, the one Nicole had grown to love, was hanging from the canopy. Trish said she didn’t want to get it wrinkled, or dirty. She had winked with the last line.

Nicole remembered Trish making a show of taking it off. She had been so slow about it, two steps forward, one step back, but sometimes three. All the while, Trish had been slithering around the room, running her hands over her body. Sometimes she walked around Nicole, running her hands around Nicole’s body as well. Her touch brought out goosebumps on her skin.

More than once Trish had slapped Nicole’s hands away as she reached out to touch her. Being nothing more than an onlooker was driving Nicole wild, and she didn’t think it would take much more before she wrestled the damn dress off of Trish herself, just to get on with the main course.

But even when Trish had finished, it still meant it was Nicole’s turn. Nicole would have happily readied herself during Trish’s dance, but Trish insisted she wait. “I want to savor you,” she had said.

Nicole worried about that. As enticing as Trish was during her performance, Nicole was a bit distracted thinking about her own. She knew Trish wanted a good show, but Nicole wasn’t sure if she could deliver. And when Trish sat on the bed, ready to enjoy Nicole’s routine, Nicole froze.

Only it was for a different reason. When Nicole saw Trish there on the bed, in all her glory, that nagging voice in her head came back.

She was growing to hate that voice. So many times it tried to tell her that something was wrong. It was tiring, especially because so often she realized it was wrong in the end. By this point, she was convinced that she should just ignore it completely. Any time the voice tried telling her something, she resolved to believe the opposite.

Trish had been the one that gave her that idea. Nicole was tired of interrupting their wonderful night with her issues. Eventually she had to tell Trish all about it. She always knew what to do, and for a while, Trish’s advice seemed to be working.

But then she saw Trish naked, and the voice was back in full force. Once again it screamed at her that something was off. She kept having this vision of some other person, but it was fleeting. When she tried to focus on it, she realized the other person was just Trish all along.

Trish laughed. “Niccy, while I’m flattered that you want to stare so much at my vagina, I can’t say the confused look on your face is doing much for my arousal, or my confidence.” The way Nicole blushed in response sure did, though. She loved how cute Nicole looked when she was embarrassed. “What’s it saying this time?”

“I . . . I can’t. It’s not a good one.”

Trish patted the bed next to her. Nicole took the seat, her eyes glued to the carpet. Trish put her arm around her. “It’s okay, just tell me. I can help, we’ll get through this.”

Nicole took a deep breath. “When I saw you on the bed there, it felt like something was missing. Something . . . down there.” When Trish laughed, Nicole’s anger flashed in defense. “It’s not funny! You’re trying to share this moment with me and I’m . . . I’m just ruining it. There’s something wrong, and I don’t know what it is. May . . . Maybe we should just reschedule.”

Trish stifled her laughter. “Nonsense, nonsense. You haven’t ruined anything, I promise.” She pulled Nicole in for a hug. “I know what the issue is.”

“You do?” Nicole glanced up at Trish, hope in her eyes. Trish motioned for her to wait as she left the bed, tapping Nicole’s nose as she went. Of course Trish would know. She’d been right about everything else so far. It still didn’t settle her concern over how often her problems came up, but at least she could depend on Trish to help her through them. As she waited, Nicole resolved to make it up to her as best she could.

Trish had gone into the closet, and Nicole could hear her rummaging through things. It didn’t take long before Trish exclaimed her success. A few seconds later, and after a strange grunt, she returned to the bedroom. “So I think what you were missing was this bad boy.” Trish slapped the strapon with her hand, causing it to sway back and forth.

Of course, how could Nicole forget? She loved it when Trish wore the strapon. She must have been so used to seeing it on her that it seemed wrong when it wasn’t there. Trish was definitely being rewarded tonight.

“So, about that strip tease?” Trish said. She approached Nicole, making sure to sway her hips a bit more for effect.

Nicole stood up and slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. A short moment to unzip the back, a tug at the hips, and the dress pooled around her feet. “Oops, looks like my dress fell off. Guess we’ll just have to fuck now.” She reached out to pull Trish in for a deep kiss.

Trish was the one to pull away. “I’ll get that tease from you one of these days, Niccy. Mark my words.” She then pushed the grinning Nicole to her knees and pressed the dildo to Nicole’s lips.

Nicole took the phallus into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it to get it wet. For once, the voice in her mind hadn’t been pestering her, and she welcomed the silence. When she decided she couldn’t wait any longer, she let Trish remove the dildo with a wet pop.

With two fingers under her chin, Trish pulled Nicole to her feet. She then turned her around by the shoulders and shoved her face down onto the mattress, Nicole letting out a delighted squeal in response.

Nicole closed her eyes. She didn’t have to wait long before she felt Trish push against her opening. As the dildo slid in, Nicole felt even more at peace. Trish was so good to her, so sweet, caring, and romantic. By the time she was cumming, Nicole knew just how to return the favor.

After she caught her breath, and Trish pulled out, Nicole rolled over on the bed and pulled Trish down on top of her. The dildo pressed against her stomach as they kissed, wettening her skin. Nicole then rolled on top of Trish and began to kiss her way down her body.

When she got to the dildo, she cleaned it off with her tongue before undoing the straps and tossing it aside. The pleading look in Trish’s eyes filled Nicole with confidence as she lowered her head between her legs.

And then Nicole paused.

Nicole stuck her tongue out before bringing it back in and closing her mouth. She knew she had gone down on Trish a dozen times, but the motions of it seemed foreign to her. She suppressed the frustrated groan as the voice came roaring back.

How had she forgotten, and why did the idea of sticking her tongue in there seem so weird? She didn’t have this issue when Trish had the dildo on, and that was usually how they started things.

Nicole sat back on her haunches, eyes still glued to Trish’s vagina. Try as she might, the more she thought about it the more unusual the act seemed. Had she ever actually done this with Trish before? If not, then why did she feel like she had?

She was forgetting something. Forgetting someone. It had been on her mind all day. She just needed a moment. Just a moment to think about this. It felt like her thoughts were starting to clear. There was someone else! Some guy, but who?

Nicole shut her eyes as tight as she could. She could almost see him now, in place of where Trish used to be. Just a bit more, she could almost remember his name. It was . . . He was . . .

“Niccy?”

Her eyes opened, and she saw Trish’s concerned face starting back at her. Nicole was breathing hard. She almost let the voice get to her, but Trish was still here. Her anchor. Her lover. To hell with that voice. She may not understand why licking pussy felt so wrong, she may not remember how to do it right now, but she had memories of doing it. After all Trish had done for her, she was going to do her fucking best to return the favor.

With renewed conviction, Nicole gave Trish a smile before closing her eyes and shoving her head between Trish’s legs. She focused on the memories. They would tell her what to do. They would tell her what Trish liked. And by the sounds Trish was making, Nicole could tell that she was liking it very much.

* * *

Nicole found herself laughing by the time she was done. When Trish enquired about what was so funny, she turned to her and said, “The voice. It’s gone now.” She licked her lips, making a show of it just for Trish.

Trish rolled over and gave Nicole a kiss. “I always knew my pussy could work miracles.”

“Dork. But here’s hoping for more illnesses. Always nice to have an excuse to take such delicious medicine.” The two held each other for a moment before Nicole said, “But really. I don’t know what came over me today. I hope I didn’t ruin the date for you.”

“Nonsense.”

Another kiss. “I love you, Trish Orloff.”

“I love you too, Nicole.”

The words warmed Nicole’s heart, she never knew such happiness. Closing her eyes, she let herself rest in Trish’s arms. She felt safe, but more importantly, she felt once again like she was where she belonged.

“But it’s time for you to wake up.”

Nicole lifted her head off of Trish’s chest to look at her, but her face was beginning to blur. “What?”

Wake up, Nicole. Wake up.

Trish smiled at her, but her mouth hadn’t moved to say those words. The lights began to dim, causing Nicole to glance around the room. When she looked back at Trish, she was gone, and with her everything else, as the darkness closed in around her.

* * *

Wake up!

The light blinded her, and Nicole had to squint to let her eyes adjust. She noticed a face in front of her that soon came into focus. She smiled at Alecia. “Hey there.”

Alecia crouched down beside Nicole and held her hand. “Hello yourself. How are you feeling?” Alecia kept her eyes on Nicole, studying her every reaction.

Nicole let out a breathy yawn. “Tired, but good. How long was I asleep?” When she opened her eyes again, she noticed the redness on Alecia’s jaw. It looked puffy and painful, just like Nicole’s hand. “Hey, what happened to your face?”

“Oh, this?” Alecia nursed the bruise with her fingers. “I tripped earlier, banged myself a bit on the table over there. Nothing to worry about, though. More importantly, do you remember why you’re here, Nicole?”

Nicole shut her eyes to think. She remembered being upset, and she went to confront . . . no, to ask Alecia about it. Alecia was always so helpful, Nicole could trust her to help with anything. “You were helping me.”

“That’s right!”

Nicole beamed. It always felt so nice to make Alecia happy.

“You said you were having problems with some of your memories, and you asked me to hypnotize you to help sort them out. Remember?”

Nicole nodded. Alecia was such a great hypnotist. Everyone in class knew that. If she was having troubling thoughts, there was no one better to go to. Alecia would make things right.

“I’m going to ask you some questions. I know it might be hard. You might have to recall some awful thoughts, but it’s important that we do this so that we can make you better. Does that sound okay to you?”

“If you think it will help . . .” Nicole didn’t want to think about it. The memories frightened her. But if Alecia said it was important, she’d do it for her. She always needed to do what Alecia said.

“Now, I want you to think about the first false memory that we discussed. You said that you had talked to Prof. Matuszewich about me, that you were telling her that I was doing bad things to Trish. Do you remember saying that?”

As much as it pained Nicole to admit, she did recall telling Alecia about that awful memory. She nodded, too ashamed to acknowledge it with words.

“And you know now that that never happened, correct?”

Of course not! Alecia would never do something awful to Trish! “No, you were helping her. Just like you’re helping me. I know that now. That never happened, because you didn’t do anything wrong for me to tell on you about. I would never tell on you.” Alecia seemed relieved with that answer, and Nicole shared in that feeling.

Alecia squeezed Nicole’s good hand and massaged it with her thumb. “That’s right. I know you wouldn’t. We’ve already made such great progress with your problem, see? Now, next question. Do you remember attacking me earlier, punching me in the face when I was trying to help you?”

No no no. That never happened. Nicole had already gone over this. Her fist felt bruised because a door slammed shut on it the other day. They both just had accidents. It happens to people all the time. God, how could Nicole have ever thought she would do such a thing before? Only in her false memories was she aggressive and confident like that. Nicole’s true self had always been quiet and reserved. She could never harm another person, Alecia least of all.

Nicole didn’t realize how worked up she got until she felt Alecia try to soothe her. She took a deep breath and tried to relax.

“It’s okay, Nicole. I know it sounds preposterous, but it’s important to address all these details if you want to get better.”

Nicole nodded. “It’s as you said. A preposterous memory. You were just trying to help. I’m so glad you’re here to help.” She shared Alecia’s smile.

“Good. Now, does the name Daniel mean anything to you?”

Nicole thought hard about that one. It felt like she might have known someone by that name, but she wondered if maybe she was mistaking it for someone else. She didn’t even recall bringing up a false memory like that to Alecia. “No, nothing.”

“We’re almost there, Nicole. You’re doing so well. I just have one more question to go over with you. Are you ready?”

They were almost done! Nicole was so happy. She couldn’t wait to return to her normal life. “Ask away!”

“Who is Trish?”

What an easy question. Nicole didn’t even have to think about it. “She’s my girlfriend, of course!” It felt so nice to be done with this. Alecia was such a great help. She couldn’t wait to go home, as just thinking about Trish had her feeling excited. She wondered if she would end up relieving herself at the thought of Trish before she saw her later that day, or if she could hold out until they were together to share the experience.

“That’s true, yes. But is she anything more than that?”

That was unexpected. Anything more than her lover? “What do you mean?” Did she get something wrong? She must have, based on the disappointed look Alecia gave her. What was she supposed to say? She hated that look so much, she needed to know who Trish was!

“I was afraid of this, but it seems we have one more false memory to work out, Nicole. You see, Trish is my slave.”

Nicole shook her head. “What?” That didn’t make sense. No, Trish was Nicole’s girlfriend.

“That’s what I was helping her with. She had asked to be my slave. It wasn’t until later that I found out that she was in love with you as well. She was doing such a wonderful job at being my slave, though, that I decided to let her have you. In your false memory, you thought I was doing something wrong, that I was taking your friend from you, and you tried to stop me. We already proved those parts of the memory wrong, this is just the final piece of the puzzle. Any thought of yours that says otherwise can’t be trusted, Nicole. You have to believe me, you know I’m only trying to help fix you.”

“I . . . No, that’s . . .” Nicole inched away from Alecia. There was no way that was true. Her Trish would never want to be someone else’s slave. Why would Alecia say this? Especially now that Nicole finally remembered what their relationship was. It wasn’t fair. Alecia couldn’t take that away from her! “No, she’s mine!”

Alecia reached out to comfort her, but Nicole slapped her hand away. “Nicole, remember. I have never lied to you. It’s me, Nicole. Remember.”

Nicole brought her knees up to her chest and pressed her forehead into her wrists. There’s no way Alecia was telling the truth. Except . . . Except Alecia was right, she had never lied to her before. Nicole knew that. She had only ever been helpful.

But the claim that Trish was her slave, that didn’t make any sense!

Then again . . . Nicole felt like she thought that about all the other false memories at one point. They all seemed so real, and any evidence to the contrary just sounded outlandish. But she knew better about those now. Perhaps Trish really was Alecia’s slave, and any memory of hers that countered that fact was just another false one.

Nicole shocked herself with how loud her groan was. Her mind was spinning, tired of trying to understand what was real and what was not. The only person that had been able to make her feel better had been . . . had been Alecia. “Please, Alecia . . . Help me.”

“Nicole, I am helping you. Just take my hand.”

Nicole looked over to see Alecia’s palm right next to her. Nicole longed to feel the soft skin against her own once more. Her own hand shook as she reached out. When it fell into Alecia’s warm embrace, she felt comforted.

“That’s it Nicole. Just one more memory to fix. Are you ready?”

Nicole needed this more than anything. “Yes . . . please fix me.”

“Don’t worry, Nicole. I will fix you. I promise.”