[The room is steadily clearing of students, a few stragglers taking their sweet time. Veronica just asked about the dubious ambitions of the Vikings. Or something like that.] * Luke grins at Veronica. "Well, Denmark and Norway, the countries, went to war." Yeah, but it says a he...isn't that a person? * Luke nods. "You could refer to the rules of countries by the names of their countries." So... it's talking about the king of Norway or something? "Exactly." But... the rest of it doesn't make any sense... Who was the other he? "All the he-s are the same person. They're all the dead king." "The first thing they talk about is the armour he was wearing, which he wore when he fought with Norway." "The second thing they talk about is his frown." "He frowned the same way when he killed a bunch of Polacks- people from Poland." Really? ... huh. * Luke nods. "Really." Okay... but... so why's this dead king so important? Why's this Marcellus guy gotta talk with him? "They keep seeing his ghost. I bet I'd gab nonstop about someone haunting me." Actually, if you ask me, I'd have these two guys locked up if I thought they were seeing things... Especially if they're supposed to be like guards or something. "That would probably be a good plan." [The room's empty of everyone but Luke and Veronica, now.] * Veronica looks at her book. "Yeaaaah... well..." She lifts her head suddenly and waves, slinging her backpack over one shoulder. "Thanks teach!" She runs out the door! [Veronica runs LIKE THE WIND. And probably smack into the main channel.] * Luke calls after her, "Veronica." But maybe she doesn't hear him. * Veronica skids to a stop just outside the door and peeks her head back in. "Yeah?" "I'm glad you did the reading." Luke gives her a grin, then goes back to the all important paper shuffling. * Veronica smirks. "Don't tell anyone I actually do my assignments. I got a reputation to uphold." She adjusts her pack up more on her shoulder and rushes out the door. [The room is empty! For a little bit. Then other students start entering, but they're not Luke's.] * Luke exits, heading back for his office. * Luke carries the bundle of papers in his right hand, his attache case in his left. [Luke heads to his office. As he does so, the tardy bell rings, and the halls mysteriously clear of students. It's mysterious!] * Luke, well used to such puzzlements, does not bother wondering at the mystery. He continues back to his office. [Luke walks for his office (as the GM corrects the fact that she hit the caps key). And he needs a perception + notice roll in the other channel for my twisted amusement.] [Luke gets the feeling someone's rounding the corner juuuust about now and may very well walk into him. He steps out of the way in time to avoid having the same woman who sat at the end of his table run into him. Her hair's still in a ponytail, she still has glasses, she's dressed similarly, and she now sports a scowl that looks like it was born on her face. She's also holding a book, though the title's obscured at the moment.] * Luke dodges around this mysterious woman, nodding at her as he passes. [She scowls in return, and keeps walking, then stops and looks at him. "I haven't seen you around before," she says. British accent? Yes.] * Luke also stops, turning. "I'm new. The English department needed a new sucker. I'm Luke Mendel." He gives a grin. "I'd offer to shake, but I seem to have run out of hands." He holds up both his full hands. [She nods, taking note of the items. Her gaze lingers on the briefcase for a moment, but then it's back on Luke. "I see. Gail Balen. I teach Latin."] (New and improved Luke 2! Now with improved Shakespeare quotes!) * Veronica heads down the hallway. She's not storming, but her face is rather dark as she heads down. "Pleased to meet you." Luke nods, then adds, "Latin, you say? I speak a bit. " [Gail smiles a little. "" She turns, then blinks at Veronica. "Do you have a hall pass?" she asks just as Veronica is about to walk by.] (Luke got Gail to *smile*. Within a minute. Whoa.) (It'll never last.) "Hello, Veronica." * Veronica stops and turns slowly to Gail. "I'm on my lunch." (This can only end in tears.) * Veronica responds idly without looking much. "Hello Mr. Mendel. ["Is that so," Ms. Balen says, maybe entertaining the idea, but probably not. "You wouldn't happen to have your ID on you, would you?"] "I know this girl. She's in my fourth period class. Veronica... Winters." * Veronica shrugs and presents her ID. It's got the off-campus sticker and everything. [Ms. Balen nods at Luke's comment, taking the pass and looking at it. "Well, Ms. Winters," she says, "It seems your lunch period is right about now." She flips it to see the sticker, then hands it back. "Given that, perhaps you should make sure you're doing something other than roaming the halls by this point."] * Veronica shrugs her shoulders slightly and turns her head to the side. "Not that hungry. Actually I lost my appetite quite a while ago." [Ms. Balen raises an eyebrow and glances at Luke.] " Would you like me to take care of this, Ms. Balen? You seemed on your way somewhere, and I'd hate to keep you. I've got this period free." [Ms. Balen hesitates for a moment, then nods. "Thank you." She eyes Veronica, then turns and keeps going in the direction she was, well, originally going.] (It seems that, of all people, Luke's finding by far the most interaction with Veronica. I would not have expected that.) [She quickly makes her way down the empty hall, no doubt intent on ruining some other students' lives.] "We seem to be making a habit of this, Veronica." Yeah...you'd think I was a teacher's pet or somethin' * Veronica keeps looking away from Luke. "Where were you heading, anyway?" Nowhere in particular. "It's the journey and not the destination. I see." Luke shifts the papers around to keep them from falling. * Veronica chuckles. "Actually..." She glances at Luke for a second then loses the grin into a more dark expression. "You're just a teacher. You wouldn't understand." "Probably not, no. But you can tell me anyway, just so my befuddled and clueless expression can amuse you." Yeah right. I don't give a damn what expression you get. "That's too bad." "Well, if you don't want to tell me, I can't make you." * Veronica shrugs, then sighs, looking slightly at Luke again. "The gym's not open to students during lunch time, is it?" "I don't think so. I think the music practice rooms might be." * Veronica tsshes. "I don't feel in the mood to play anything." Besides, I've probably wasted enough time. At least PE's 7th period... "Do you have a pass to go outside? You could get some exercise out there." * Veronica snorts. "Yeah... exercise..." How much time I got left? * Luke tilts his head slightly to the side. "Wasn't exercise why you wanted to go to the gym?" * Veronica sighs and cracks her knuckles a bit. "Not particularly. Do you play third degree 20 questions with all your students or am I just the lucky one?" "Actually, I pull names from a hat." Musta dogeared mine. * Veronica glances coldly up at Luke. "I'm serious, teach. Don't push your luck." "I'll consider myself warned. But you might want to avoid roaming the halls, then." * Veronica eyes Luke. "You're telling me how I should spend my free lunch period?" "That wasn't what I was referring to. Did you ever find him, by the way?" * Veronica softens her look a little to one of perplexity. "Who?" "Jeremy." * Veronica 's face suddenly takes a colder expression and her voice goes flat. "Yeah. I found 'im." * Veronica suddenly looks Luke strongly in the eye. "Teacher?" "No, but I fake it well." * Veronica frowns slightly, but doesn't balk at his joke, continuing to be serious. "What's in that note Ivy's passing around school?" * Luke hesitates, but he answers. "It just said I wasn't supposed to call on her in class or expect her to speak. I don't know why either." * Veronica mutters half to herself but loud enough. "Yeah. Why should she get special treatment?" "If you find out, let me know." Luke shrugs. Jeremy knows something. And he's not telling. * Veronica then raises her head and smirks slightly. "And why should I let *you* know?' (Jeremy should share all of his deepest, darkest secrets with Veronica!) (He should!) (Every sordid detail of his and Ivy's love life!) "Hey, it was worth a shot." * Veronica grins. "Extra credit?" "That depends on how good a secret it is." Luke grins back. * Veronica blinks. "You're not like the other teachers, are you? What the heck possessed you to come *here* of all places?" * Veronica rubs her forehead. "And what the hell is wrong with me? I've never talked with teachers before... not like this..." (You have a crush on him, Rica.) (Shut up. Just because you're the GM doesn't mean I won't try to beat you up too.) (You'll die.) (It's worth the effort.) (*snerks*) "I was in town and needed a job. This place was hiring, and it beats flipping burgers. Marginally." Yeah. Then you get the people who give flak to new teachers. * Veronica grins. "Like me." But you know what, teach? "What?" That's a total bullshit answer. And you know it. * Luke grins. "Oddly enough, that part's totally true. *Why* I was in town and in need of a job is the part you wouldn't believe." Try me. "Do you play third degree twenty questions with all your teachers or am I just the lucky one?" Luke grins. Only the ones that seem to make it a habit to go out of their way to save my butt. That's twice you've tried to get me out of going to the principal's office. You *must* be new. "You did the assigned reading. Keep doing it, and I'll keep saving your butt." That's not enough. You did it yesterday too. You didn't know me then. In fact, all you knew about me really was that I talk a lot in class. "You seemed to be helping Ivy. I figured you shouldn't get in trouble for that." Yeah... well... * Veronica turns her head to the side. "Not many teachers care about students like that." "Well, give me three months on the job, and maybe I'll have burned out. I am, as you keep reminding me, new at this." * Veronica snorts. "Yeah, yeah..." So did you honestly call on me just to see if I did the reading? "Yes." Why? "If I'm going to be a teacher here, I might as well try to get you to learn. It'll help kill the time." You know... you're avoiding the question. "Yes. I was hoping you wouldn't notice." * Veronica sighs. "Look. I may not be very academic, but I'm not stupid. So don't treat me as if I am." "Okay. Then I will tell you that we all have secrets, Veronica." "You have yours, and I have mine." "Yeah..." * Veronica shakes her head. "Whatever. Thanks for the chat, teach." "Any time." * Veronica heads off! * Luke heads off too. [Session End!]