(This story takes place during the 3rd season of the television series Community and includes the characters of Britta Perry and Annie Edison.)
*
Annie Edison fled the psychology classroom, stepping through its doorway and out into Greendale's halls. The pretty brunette scurried along an empty corridor, carelessly gathered papers cascading loose from between her arms. The student had left in a hurry, for once her work completely forgotten. During classes the school was surprisingly quiet and open, and Annie was glad; she never liked to be seen this mad.
As ever the brunette had attempted to help a beleaguered friend and, as ever, the plan had backfired. Could she really even blame the faux therapist for being so clueless? Annie huffed angrily; she felt like a fool, of course she should have known. The young woman brushed past the typically vacant form of Garret, snorting derisively as she went; sometimes she wondered whether she was the only sane adult in this place.
"Annie come back!" Britta yelled anxiously, bounding after the moody teenager, sensing she had crossed some arbitrary line. When the blonde had asked her friend to take part in an experiment with her Psych class she had been desperate, Abed having dropped out. Britta knew the honour student would be thrilled, the incentive of additional credits too much to pass up. In hindsight the trainee therapist realized she might have made a mistake asking her friend; She had not factored into her equations Annie's delicate nature.
Running down the hallway, Britta pushed past Garret haphazardly, almost tripping in her haste. Wobbling the 30-year-old student straightened up, brushing long wavy blonde hair from her face before continuing on determinedly. How did this awkward stuff just keep happening!? Wasn't there a time when she used to be cool??
Turning a corner hurriedly the blonde ran straight into another person, her roommate, whom had apparently decided that confrontation was now the best course of action. Stepping back quickly, Britta attempted to study the young brunette, scanning the girl's pretty young face for any emotional cues; a nifty trick she had been learning in psych 101.
Annie's lips twitched, her mouth a tight straight line, her brow creased with annoyance. The brunette's big blue orbs were round and angry, shimmering with insistent neurosis. Britta gulped; genuine hurt; not a good sign. This conversation was going to suck. Hoping to win their confrontation, the blonde elected to speak up first:
"Annie what's wrong?! Why did your run out of the differential just now??"
Annie glared back at her foolish friend, amazed the blonde even had to ask, squeezing her books against her pert chest and attempting to breath steadily. Even when there was no one to witness them she refused to make a scene. But her calming technique was ineffective:
"What's wrong?! WHATS WRONG?!" Annie squeaked shrilly, "You totally embarrassed me in there Britta!"
The blonde balked, responding anxiously: "Noooo! It wasn't like that; we were just practicing psychoanalysis on you! You know, discussing our theories, making a personality profile and writing it up! Just another learning exercise, nothing weird!"
Annie blinked furiously, biting back a yell and replying instead in a terse whisper:
"You told those people that I'm a repressed goody two shoes! That- that, 'due to my mother's controlling nature and overall dominance', I have no choice other than to compulsively please women, because: 'I'll never be able to please HER!'"
Britta nodded enthusiastically, proud of her diagnosis, again misreading the situation:
"I know right!? Miss Applegate said I was spot on!"
"BRITTA!!" Annie shrieked, nostrils flaring.
Britta shrunk backwards, recognizing her error. While she had to admit it was cute when Annie was angry, Even the dyed blonde knew she had crossed into the danger zone, having apparently embarrassed her friend, and so she backtracked hurriedly:
"I-I mean, my analysis doesn't matter! Since your now independent of your mother and her negative reinforcement you can grow up!" Britta explained frantically, continuing only when it was apparent Annie remained unimpressed: "That's a good thing!! I could even help you!!!"
The shorter brunette scowled upon hearing this, spinning on the spot and strutting towards the women's bathroom, still fuming. Britta, realizing she couldn't let their argument lie, strode after her.
Pushing head first through the double doors, Annie headed for the nearest cubicle. However before she could reach the nearby stall a firm hand grabbed her shoulder, turning the brunette back around once more.
Britta tried to smile warmly, hoping to calm the neurotic teen down:
"Come on Annie, let's not do this. We've both been doing so much better since, you know, our little drunken accident..."
Annie gasped, amazed that the blonde would refer to that night as their 'accident', especially when the blonde initiated it. Suddenly Britta's analysis meant a lot more sense to the student:
"Wait a minute! That's why you've been implying I'm a mommy's girl? Cos of our messed up relationship? You think your some kind of feminist Freud or something?! That I wanted to sleep with my mother, but couldn't, so I slept with you?!!"
Britta blanched, a little hurt:
"Noooooo!!! I just think you're a little inhibited and that can sometimes, you know... boil over..." The blonde petered out guiltily, avoiding the brunette's eyes.
Annie scoffed, amazed by her best friend's implication:
"Typical therapist crap, acting like you're not flawed like the rest of us. And so what? You, the adult, blame me, the kid, for your drunken mistake?! You're such a hypocrite! And I suppose you don't think its more than a little conflict of interest for a therapist to make love to her patient before diagnosing her!?"
Britta turned red, hurt by this cutting response. Annie however, was not done yet:
"Well... well I think you're a snooty know it all! Whose hippy parents were waaaaayyy too soft on her and whom at this point in her life should probably have chosen a discipline she was actually good at!"
Annie flicked the fake therapist's hand from her shoulder and retreated into a stall, slamming the door shut behind her.
Britta stood by the flimsy door, mouth hung open in indignation: Things had gotten real fast. Of course the stubborn blonde elected to continue the fight, incapable of resolving conflict. Another fantastic trait for a therapist; Instead she would force Annie to understand: