Halliday University - Sub Professor O'Neal's Classroom

[Hollywood Heidi]

Substitute Professor Brian O'Neal's Classroom

Classroom at Halliday University, located in Columbus, Ohio, for the subject of math, taught by substitute Professor Brian O'Neal.  The usual teacher, Mrs. Evans, is on maternity leave.



Credit: www.artstation.com/artwork/1JvEq

[Hollywood Heidi]

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The weekend passes.

It is now the morning of Monday, September 29th, 2070.

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[Hollywood Heidi]

Journey liked getting to classes early, especially at the start of the day. It gave her a chance to mingle and catch up with people. It was a great way to unwind before getting down to the serious side of school. It was a brand new school and fairly early into her first semester of it, but, as was her nature, she'd already gotten to know a lot of people whom she already considered to be friends.

The math teacher, Mrs. Evans, hadn't arrived yet. Kind of odd, as she always seemed to be here early, but Journey didn't think much of it. She might have simply popped out to grab a coffee. Or more like tea, actually, or to settle some food craving as she was very pregnant and due to go on maternity leave sometime soon.

Journey had placed her backpack on her desk seat and was standing in the aisleway with some fellow female students, giggling and whispering about crushes, romantic encounters, and potentials on the horizon for said encounters. She'd already recounted her date on Friday night with Lenon, or 'that cute rec center desk guy', as the envious girls had referred to him, and had listened to a couple of the other girls share how their weekend had gone, along with questions which were so often directed toward Journey.

Journey was used to people seeking her out for advice and she loved to be able to help people. Her ability to be seemingly open and unafraid in expressing her feelings and watching as people naturally gravitated toward her, many of the male variety, is what mostly drove them to seeking her out in the first place. Usually, it was a mild curiosity and awe that first steered someone over, but after hearing how she freely spoke and gave sound advice, they would find themselves opening up and continuing to seek her out again for future talks.

Nothing made her happier than seeing people happy and there was no compliment or expression of thanks that better warmed her heart than the ones where she was told that she'd helped someone get through something.


Having known her bestie so well and for so long, Journey could almost always sense when he'd entered the room. Something just seemed to pull at her subconscious. That pull right now had her glancing over her shoulder to see Emmett entering the classroom.

"Oh! There's my bestie," she said excitedly to her newer friends, excusing herself from the group convo as Emmett approached the desk next to hers.

"Morning, Bestie!" she said with an enthusiastically bright smile, wrapping her arms around him in a quick hug. There was no way to go back and calculate the amount of time they've collectively been around each other but she was never any less excited to see him again. "How was your weekend?"

[Ariel]

Emmett was particularly a good sleeper, but lately he'd find himself wide awake laying in the bed of his dorm. Jewel and her father had started to make an impact on his life, one that he couldn't possibly shake. The more he visited with them in the hospital, the more he felt apart of their situation. Even though he wasn't family, he was starting to consider Brian like a friend. Someone he could talk to and confide in on the real gritty life stuff. He felt for the man with concern, in hopes that the next day he'd receive some sort of message or notification that Jewel had woken up. Yet, day after day and visit after visit, she still remained fast asleep in her coma state. Rubbing his eyes, Emmett made his way into the classroom full of students. He peered up at the front of the class looking for the teacher, yet it looked as if she hadn't arrived yet. The next thing he knew, he was hearing himself being quickly beckoned by his best friend Journey with a big hug.

"Morning, Bestie!" "How was your weekend?"

Emmett hugged her back with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, "Morning! It was awh-," Emmett grew interrupted by a slight yawn that began to escape from his chest. He covered his mouth until it subsided, "-awesome! Sorry about that, the sleep last night wasn't the greatest but I'm here!" He grinned at Journey, "How about yours? And where's Mrs. Evans? She's usually here by now." Emmett asked Journey with a concerned glance. He hoped she was okay, but if class happened to get cancelled he definitely wouldn't object, especially if it meant a power nap before the next class commenced.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Journey hopped up to sit on the corner of her desk, subtly studying her bestie. Having been best friends for most of their lives, they had a sense about each other's emotions almost like twins did, at least when they weren't overburdened by their own thoughts and emotions. Journey had been caught up in her giddy cloud that her weekend and first real date had brought about that she didn't immediately catch it when setting eyes upon him.

It was the way he'd hugged her that first alerted her. There was a distraction about him, as if he was making himself act and appear normal when something was bothering him that he didn't want to bother someone else about. He did tend to internalize and no matter how many times Journey chastised him about talking things out with her, he still did it a lot. It was simply engrained in him, a part of his personality that she accepted despite trying to encourage him to unburden himself. So she'd long ago learned to read the signs and help guide him to unloading what was weighing on him.

Journey ignored the first part of his question, not wanting to direct any of the attention toward herself or diminish what he was feeling with the opposite type of feelings she'd been experiencing. "Probably just running late. She doesn't get around as fast these days," she replied in slight distraction. "Emmett," she began, taking one of his hands in both of hers, lightly squeezing it to convey her support. The use of his actual name was also a flag that she'd put her usual carefree nature aside and fully replaced it with heart, ready to do some heavy lifting. "Something's bothering you. In fact," she said, keen realization making her eyes narrow slightly in study, "something's been bothering you. I thought it was just the overwhelmingness of the whole new college life thing but nah, it's something more. What's wrong?"

[Ariel]

"Probably just running late. She doesn't get around as fast these days,"  "Emmett,"  "Something's bothering you. In fact,", "something's been bothering you. I thought it was just the overwhelmingness of the whole new college life thing but nah, it's something more. What's wrong?"

Emmett sighed, shaking his head. He knew that Journey could read him like an open book, and he never had the heart to keep anything from her. "Well, you know how I've been doing volunteer at the hospital for one of my classes?" Emmett started, slight frustration was noticed in his tone as his hands grew expressive, "Well, I've been spending my time with a dad and his daughter, Jewel. She's in a coma, and she just doesn't seem to be waking up. Her dad is super nice, I guess the nicest an Irishman can be," Emmett let out an amused nasally chuckle as his encounters with Brian surfaced in his memory, "I just feel so bad for him, and there's nothing I can say or do to make anything better." Emmett frowned slightly. He felt better talking about it with Journey no doubt, but he still couldn't shake them from his mind.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Well, you know how I've been doing volunteer at the hospital for one of my classes?"

Journey nodded, releasing his hands and rested them on the desk on either side of herself now that she’d cracked open the shell he’d been hiding his concerns in. She knew he tended to get animated when he was overly excited or spilling something that’s been bothering him and didn’t want to distract him from fully unloading his burdens.


"Well, I've been spending my time with a dad and his daughter, Jewel. She's in a coma, and she just doesn't seem to be waking up. Her dad is super nice, I guess the nicest an Irishman can be," "I just feel so bad for him, and there's nothing I can say or do to make anything better."

Journey frowned, his sadness and frustration empathetically mirrored on her own. “I’m so sorry, Emmett,” she said, one of her hands reaching out to hold onto one of his. “Being helpless in a situation that you don’t have any power over is just the worst. But you’re already going above and beyond just by being there. It’s more help than you could realize and I’m sure her dad is too distracted to realize it now, but one day, when he can look back beyond the distraction, he’ll appreciate what the simple thing of having your company did for him.”

Something about all this brought to mind the last time Journey had felt helpless regarding something troubling another. The intern, so quiet and sweet and yet with something buried that Journey could never manage to unearth popped into her mind, as she did every now and again. Usually, though, when her mind was quiet and not distracted as it was now. The girl’s sudden disappearance still weighed on her with an air of guilt, wondering if it was her attempts to be helpful that had pushed her into completely ghosting the internship.

Journey suddenly realized what had triggered the thought. It was the name. What were the odds that both their feelings of helplessness linked to the same first name? Looking off to the side distractedly, she pulled at her memories. Emmett’s comment about the Irishman father niggled at her mind. The thought that there was no last name more Irish than one that started with ‘O’’ had her sitting up straight and looking at Emmett with wide eyes as her hand holding his squeezed.

“Jewel,” she repeated. “Okay, maybe I’m just having some, like, kooky Twilight Zone moment here, but, is her last name O’Neal?”

[Ariel]

“Jewel,”  “Okay, maybe I’m just having some, like, kooky Twilight Zone moment here, but, is her last name O’Neal?”

Journey's question took Emmet aback as he grew perplexed by the instance. Did Journey know her? Had they been friends? Emmett was weirded out slightly as this school appeared to be a lot smaller than he thought. He felt bad for breaking the news to Journey this way in case her and Jewel were friends. Though, Emmett figured she would have found out sooner than later, especially with Jewel's disappearance. In fact, Emmett had no idea Jewel was a student at the school at all until now, "Yeah! Do you know her?" Emmett questioned Journey, his mind swirling with a bunch of questions.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Journey was just as perplexed, taking a moment to answer just as Emmett had. "Yah, kinda. What a crazy, random happenstance," she said wide-eyed, shaking her head as she took another moment to shake off the randomness of it. "She was an intern at GSS. I mentioned her a couple times. We got along pretty well, despite our personalities being complete opposites. Total introvert. Really sweet, really quiet and withdrawn. And really pretty, too."

She glanced off as memories flitted through her mind. Even more random was the fact that she couldn't help thinking that she and Emmett would totally have hit it off, but building Jewel up to the point of being comfortable enough to hang with her outside her work so she'd have the opportunity to introduce them was a long and slow process that she never got to complete.

She looked back at Emmett, frowning sadly. "She just stopped showing up one day. I thought it was 'cause of me. You know how I can be a bit overwhelming sometimes," she said, rolling her eyes at herself and brushing that away on a rare self-conscious chuckle before the concern over Jewel had her turning serious again. "What happened to her?"

[Anduin]

Ray always had been one of these students who enter classes in the nick of time. Especially on mondays.
And today especially because he felt somehow awkward when he thought about Journey and that dude from the Recreation Centre. They haven't seen each other since she was on a date with him.
He'd love nothing better than to come face to face with her and tell her: 'Forget that guy! I'm the better choice. I'd do anything for you, walk with you to wherever you want us to go and pull an all-nighter to watch old TV series and movies just to see you smile and hear you laugh...'
But, of course, he wouldn't do so.
First of all he never was good in talking about his emotions and always prefered dealing with his problems on his own. And second he never had given Journey a real sign that he had been fallen for her.
So if he really would went to her and confess her all of a sudden his feelings she probably would be totally overwhelmed. Maybe she also would laugh out loud because she might think it would be a joke...


But all these thoughts 'what if' or 'what if not' didn't keep him away from University - although he was a bit later than usually this morning. He hoped Mrs. Evans will turn a blind eye to his delay.
He entered the class room, a cup of coffee in his hand and the last half of his donut in his mouth, and took an acute glance through the class. "Mmmornighm", he mumbled with his mouth full, "I'm sorry, I..." He stopped for a moment, slugged down the bite and took an astonished look at the students in the front row.
"Where's Mrs. Evans?"
One of the girls giggled. "Probably at home preparing for her baby. Or do you think she wants to deliver her child on her desk?" Now some of the other students had to laugh, too. And even Ray himself giggled and had to admit: "Well, this is the most logically comment. Silly me!"

Finally he glanced over at Journey and Emmett. They seemed to have a serious and emotional conversation. He wondered what it might be about. Journey's date? Possibly not because it looked like she had to hearten him.
Since there was no substitute teacher already here at the moment Ray decided to head over to his friends.
"Hey, guys. What's up?"
He inwardly declared himself a fool. He really should have used some more emphatic words! This might not be the right time to be the cool cat.

[Ariel]

"She was an intern at GSS. I mentioned her a couple times. We got along pretty well, despite our personalities being complete opposites. Total introvert. Really sweet, really quiet and withdrawn. And really pretty, too."



Wow. Of course Jewel was a real person, but Journey's testimony made Jewel sound so lively. Her description of Jewel reminded Emmett a lot of someone that he used to know. But there were many people out there who were quiet, sweet introverts so he didn't jump the gun on any sort of conclusions. It made Emmett a bit sad, thinking he could have known her as well. He knew there was still a chance that she would wake up, but the hopes looked very dim as of late.

"She just stopped showing up one day. I thought it was 'cause of me. You know how I can be a bit overwhelming sometimes," "What happened to her?"

"I'm not too sure exactly. I never had the heart to ask her dad, and I've never seen her file. Patient confidentiality and stuff like that. I've just been trying my best to show my support. I just hope it's all worthwhile for her dad in the end at least." Emmett responded, talking to Journey about it definitely helped heaps more than she knew. And although he felt the way he did about the dim circumstance, Emmett wasn't about to give up on Brian and Jewel anytime soon, not if he could help it.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"


Ray suddenly interjected himself into the conversation, giving Emmett a little bit of a surprise jolt. Catching his breath, he gave Ray a half hearted grin, "We're throwing a pity party, did you bring the cake?" Emmett joked, trying to bring some sort of light to the situation as the three friends were now gathered waiting for the teacher to arrive.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"I'm not too sure exactly. I never had the heart to ask her dad, and I've never seen her file. Patient confidentiality and stuff like that. I've just been trying my best to show my support. I just hope it's all worthwhile for her dad in the end at least."

"I'm sure it is," she said, nodding confidently. They were interrupted before she had the chance to elaborate on it.


"Hey, guys. What's up?"

"We're throwing a pity party, did you bring the cake?"

Journey chuckled as she turned a welcoming smile to the person she felt she was finally winning over after so many years. Ray was standing near enough for her to lean over and wrap an arm around his middle to pull him into a side hug without having to give up her perch on the desk. "I'm a hugger, so it's best you just give in and get used to it," she teased before giving her attention back over to Emmett.

Journey was a physical creature, always hugging, many times looping her arm through another's or, like now, remaining loosely and casually around a person's waist after a hug almost as if forgotten until they or she stepped out of range for whatever variety of reasons.

"You have this big, amazing heart, Emmett. You have no idea how comforting it is to have you around, especially in tough times." It was a truth, not a compliment, so she expected no thanks or comments in return and continued on without pausing. "You think I can go with you next time? I'd love to visit her."

[Anduin]

"We're throwing a pity party, did you bring the cake?"
Well, Emmett could turn an uncomfortable morning into a shiny day. Although Ray still had that strange gut feeling he couldn't help laughing about his friends words. Of course, Journey also had to laugh.
"What about Strawberry cake - unless it's the only sort you're allergic to...", he answered smirking and hoping the others would notice that he was referring to a Marvel-scene with Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.

Suddenly he found himself being hugged by Journey. It was the first time that they got this close.
"I'm a hugger, so it's best you just give in and get used to it,"
He felt his heart starting to beat faster. 'Gosh, you couldn't even imagine how much I wished to get used to it', he thought inwardly and hoped that he didn't make a derpy face or got red cheeks. But he wasn't able to say something loud at this very moment.
This was one of the situations he always had tried to avoid. Getting too close to Journey might feel a bit like he wanted to crucify himself.
But he had to admit that it felt good to finally be a victim of one of her hugging-attacks. Of course, he had known that she loves to hug people because he had studied her for a long time.

Ray wasn't able to follow his friend's conversation at the first moment. He still had butterflies in his tummy.
But that didn't mean much. Journey, like she had said, was a hugger. She still could be closer to her date and hug other people regardless.

"You think I can go with you next time? I'd love to visit her."
Finally Ray tried to find his way back to here and now. "Um,... visit her? You're not talking about Mrs. Evans, aren't you?!"

[Ariel]

"You think I can go with you next time? I'd love to visit her."

"Um,... visit her? You're not talking about Mrs. Evans, aren't you?!"

Emmett's grim complexion finally broke out into a light smile as he chuckled at Ray's question, "No no, not Mrs. Evans," Emmett shook his head as he turned his attention onto Ray for a moment to explain the context of Journey's question, "Jewel, a girl I have been volunteering to visit in the hospital for one of my classes. She's in a coma. Journey happens to know her," Emmett told Ray before turning back to Journey, "I definitely don't see her dad having much of an issue with that, he's a pretty chill guy - once you get to know him. Perhaps if you're not busy with a class or homework the next time I go in to visit, you can come with me!" Emmett suggested, and actually pretty stoked about the idea as it would shake the visit up a bit - in a good way of course. 

[DarkSideCookie]

*** Brian enters ***

Brian was late. Of course, he was. And he also was aware of the lecture he'd be getting for that once this day was over and his sister asked for a word with him. However, priority number one was surviving this first class with a bunch of teenagers that, most probably, had still no structure in their lives, dithering between paying attention to get their degree so that they wouldn't end up slipping from job to job, just like himself, and swinging balls.

With one heavy swing, he opened the door leading to his classroom. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't also somewhat cool to have this attention on him once entering a room. Still a pair of sunglasses set on his nose, Brian placed himself in front of the students, looking at them with the features of his that were naturally harsh. Then, finally, he took his glasses off. "Good mornin'," Brian said without losing sight of the kids, each in his attention, even if some only from the corner of his eyes. "Take yer seats. Each- their- own," he added, glancing upon a certain trio. It was only then that he took notice of one familiar face among them. What a coincidence. There would appear just a slight smirk, no more than an almost unnoticeable rising of one corner of his mouth, before Brian decided to ignore it for the time being. He was here as their teacher, not their buddy. Without leaving time for any questions or remarks about his presence, he wordlessly turned aound toward the blackboard to write his last name on it.

[Hollywood Heidi]

"Um,... visit her? You're not talking about Mrs. Evans, aren't you?!"

Something was a bit off with Ray's vibe, making her assume it was a slight discomfort that might be related to the arm she'd forgotten she still had loosely around his waist.  Journey casually removed it and rested her hands in her lap, acting as if she hadn't noticed at all in order to avoid further discomfort for either of them.  She distractedly found herself hoping she hadn't inadvertently back-peddled the progress she'd made with him.

Emmett's voice interjected into her thoughts, pulling her back into the moment.


"No no, not Mrs. Evans,"  "Jewel, a girl I have been volunteering to visit in the hospital for one of my classes. She's in a coma. Journey happens to know her,"

"Yah, we worked together and she just disappeared one day," she added, animatedly drawing her hands outward like a magician who'd just made something disappear.


"I definitely don't see her dad having much of an issue with that, he's a pretty chill guy - once you get to know him. Perhaps if you're not busy with a class or homework the next time I go in to visit, you can come with me!"

"Psh, forget homework or other plans.  The next time you go, I'm going with.  I miss her adorable face."  She looked to Ray, then Emmett to sing Jewel's praises.  "She is such a sweetheart--" was all she managed to get out before the teacher walked in and started giving commands, ending in one that singled them out.


"Good mornin',"  "Take yer seats. Each- their- own,"

"Unlike him," she whispered playfully to Ray and Emmett as she pushed herself off the top of the desk and took her seat.

[Anduin]

"No no, not Mrs. Evans," Of course, Ray had been sure that they didn't mean their teacher. But being that close to the girl of his dreams made him a bit balled up.
Journey probably noticed that and withdrew her hand but without letting this scene started to be kinda weird. She always was smart and polite.

"Jewel, a girl I have been volunteering to visit in the hospital for one of my classes. She's in a coma. Journey happens to know her,"
"Yah, we worked together and she just disappeared one day,"

After telling him about their real subject the two turned back to their former conversation.
"I definitely don't see her dad having much of an issue with that, he's a pretty chill guy - once you get to know him. Perhaps if you're not busy with a class or homework the next time I go in to visit, you can come with me!"
"Psh, forget homework or other plans.  The next time you go, I'm going with.  I miss her adorable face."
Then Journey turned her adoreable face to Ray again.
"She is such a sweetheart--"

She obviously wanted to say more but finally the substitute Professor arrived at class.
"Good mornin',"  "Take yer seats. Each- their- own,"
"Unlike him,"
Ray grinned. He really loved her sense of humor..
"I think I like him – thanks to him I wasn't the last man entering the class," he admitted smirking to his friends before he turned around and head over to his own seat.

"Hope you don't mind that I just sup up, Mr. O'Neal," he adressed the new Professor.
But he didn't wait for an answer and just drained the rest of his coffee at one gulp.
Gosh, it still was hot!

[Ariel]

"Good mornin'," "Take yer seats. Each- their- own,"

"Unlike him,"
"I think I like him – thanks to him I wasn't the last man entering the class,"

No. Freaking. Way. Emmett's eyes widened in shock, unable to gasp or even comment. He just stood there as he watched Brian enter the classroom in an authoritarian fashion. He's a teacher?! Subbing his class of all the classes?! As Emmett realized that Journey and Ray were already finding their seats, he scrambled to find his. Fumbling his backpack off of his backside and sliding it beside his desk, he lowered himself into his seat before slightly leaning over to Journey to whisper, "That's him! Jewel's dad...," Emmett exclaimed, still feeling in utter shock as if he was dreaming.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Journey reached down to take her computer pad out of her backpack, doing a double take after straightening up when seeing Emmett still standing and gaping. "Emmett, sit," she whispered, leaning over to tug his sleeve and gain his attention before he got into trouble. He scrambled into his seat as she wondered what in the world had him all eyes widened and slack-jawed.

Journey curiosity had her daring to lean over and whisper as the teacher still settled in. "What's got you Floundering?" she asked, using a term they coined years ago for when they caught each other imitating the wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression of a fish, either out of surprise or in awe of something. The amusing fish imitation analogies had eventually led to landing on calling each other out on it with the name of a popular Disney fish.


"That's him! Jewel's dad...,"

"What? Stop, you're joking, right?" she whispered back, but Emmett didn't tend to do the pulling-your-leg kind of jokes so it was more a rhetorical question. Her eyes immediately shot back to the front as she took a turn to Flounder at their sub. "What a crazy, random happenstance," she whispered with a lean toward Emmett. She'd managed to return her features to normal but her eyes still studied the father of Jewel as if trying to look for familiar familial features or quirks.

[Anduin]

Ray couldn’t resist to look back to his friends and noticed that they were still talking.
Professor O’Neal didn't notice that. Or at least he ignored it and tried to do his own thing. He was a bit different compared with the rest of their teachers. But still Ray thought that he liked him and they might get on well together.

Suddenly he noticed Emmett’s astonished face and wondered what was going on in his friend’s mind. It also looked like Journey had decided to participate in whatever Emmett was trying to do because now she had that strange look on her face, too. They were both starring at their new substitute teacher.

Most of the other students were concentrating on the lesson. But Ray now was too curious what was up with his friends. So he grabbed his bagpack and fished his scratchpad and his pencil case out of it.
Unluckily the case fall down to the ground – and of course, due to Ray’s chaotic nature, it hadn’t been closed before and all the pencils rolled on the floor.
“Ah, sorry – It’s just not my day!”
Some students giggled, some looked at him with a sympathetic glimpse.
Professor O’Neal still ignored it but Ray started to wonder how long he would going on act like that.
Maybe he involuntarily worked on becoming the new teacher’s 'best friend' this morning – in a bad sense, of course...

Certainly he hurried to get everything back without disturbing the class too much.
He didn’t dare to look back to Emmett and Journey because he feared that he would blush or made a derpy face when their eyes would met.
But he finally started to write on an empty sheet of paper.


     Hey, guys!
     What’s up? Something wrong with that dude O’Neal?


Then he folded it and wrote ‘Emmett’ on one side so that the other students would knew for whom it was assigned for.
This remembered him on the good old days in his primary school...

[Ariel]

A crazy happenstance it truly was. Emmett stared at Brian, trying to wrap his head around the fact that Jewel's dad, whom he had shared many deep and thoughtful conversations with by now, was standing at the front of the class taking roll calls and about to begin a lesson. He felt as if this was some sort of weird dream, but he knew that this was real.

A piece of paper labelled with his name on it landed on Emmett's desk. Curious, Emmett allowed his palm to land flat onto the paper and slid it discreetly towards himself. He folded it open underneath his desk so no one could see, especially Brian.

Hey, guys!

What’s up? Something wrong with that dude O’Neal?

Emmett quickly folded up the note and stashed it away, throwing a glance over at Ray as he mouthed "Later," as in to insinuate that he would fill his friend in on the details after class. The last thing they all needed was some detention for causing a scene, after all.

[DarkSideCookie]

For quite a while, Brian had been ignoring the ongoing conversation and disturbance around the trio, but, when, out of the corner of his good eyes, he saw Emmett mouthing something toward his friend, he really had enough of this. Funny though that, of all students, it was this boy who would be getting a lecture from him first. However, there always was a moment of enough, and then one would have be to blame.

Instead of words, however, Brian just threw the chalk stick in his hand right at him. Not at his head, of course, but he had quite a good tossing arm. "What's so fuckin' important that it can't wait for after end of class?" Brian asked then, not at all different than he would towards any other student. This was work, and he would not even start with having preferences.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Journey jumped slightly as something went flying past the field of her vision toward Emmett, followed closely by being addressed by the sub. She glanced down to see the little piece of chalk that had bounced off Emmett's jacket, looking at the white spot that showed where it had hit its mark, then to the sub with wide eyes. Journey was hit with a mix of feeling horrified and amused. Did he actually throw something at a student, followed by dropping an f-bomb?

She swallowed the laugh that almost escaped, schooled her features, and decided to pull the attention toward herself. Raising her hand slightly, she spoke before waiting to be called on... in case he'd had it in mind to not call on her. "Um, sorry, sir. We were just wondering if Mrs. Evans had her baby?" Not really what they were talking about at the moment, but as it was something they were wondering about earlier, it made the white lie easy to tell and completely believable. Mrs. Evans was nice and a great teacher, so the care in her voice was also genuine.

[Anduin]

Ray had kept sight of his piece of paper on ist way to Emmett and Journey. He had noticed that Emmett read it and also that his friend gave him a mute later when suddenly something flew past nearby. It was a piece of chalk which hit Emmett on his jacket.
The Sub-teachers voice – and especially his choice of words – made Ray looking back ahead.
"What's so fuckin' important that it can't wait for after end of class?"
Wow, that was out of the blue.
He leant to his seatmate. "Did he really use the F-word?!"

After a few seconds it was Journey who tried to give an apologetically answer. Probably because Emmett still was too blindsided about the chalk-attack.
"Um, sorry, sir. We were just wondering if Mrs. Evans had her baby?"
Ray again looked back at his friends. It was so typical for Journey that she tried to hog the limelight to herself willing to preserve others from harm. To be honest it was also typical for himself to act like that. First of all when it came to his buddy Emmett. Somehow he felt like his friend was the little brother he have never had in real life...

While Mr O’Neals attention still was focused on Journey and Emmett Ray seized the moment to stretch himself. He still felt a bit bleary because he didn’t slept well this whole weekend. At the very last moment he noticed that he was just starting to throw his coffe cup down to the ground. He had totally forgotten that it was still standing on the edge of his desk. Luckily it was empty but Ray didn’t want to overstrain their sub’s thread of patience. He managed to catch the cup and threw it to the garbage can instead – well, at least he tried to.
That shitty little thing rebounded on the brink of the garbage can and fell to the ground.
This still might not have been that bad because it didn’t make a loud sound. But Ray was angry with himself and shouted out a loud "F@ck!" of frustration.

[Ariel]

"What's so fuckin' important that it can't wait for after end of class?"
"Um, sorry, sir. We were just wondering if Mrs. Evans had her baby?"

Every hair on Emmett's body shot upwards as he grew immensely startled by Brian catching them whispering. He couldn't come up with any words or excuses, so he was glad Journey was quick to cover their behinds. His palms grew clammy as he waited to see what Brian was going to reply with. And then, as if the situation couldn't escalate any more, Ray threw his coffee cup and missed the garbage can resulting in him throwing an audible fit. Oh boy, we're in trouble now, Emmett thought to himself as he gulped. They were never a mischievous trio, so today was quite an unlucky day for the three of them.

[DarkSideCookie]

Brian's attention was still focused on Emmett, although he didn't really expect an honest answer to his question, when his female friend suddenly spoke up for him, without being asked, at that. He turned his eyes in her direction after all, listening. And just when he wanted to react to that, another disturbance followed right after. What was it with this trio? Well, what he could tell was that they were making good and loyal friends at least. That was very precious nowadays, but still, no apology for speaking up without being called on or turning his focus around by throwing garbage through the classroom or whatever else that poor attempt had been supposed to be.

Brian let out a quiet sigh of annoyance before turning back towards the girl among them, actually answering her question, despite the fact that he thought to know this wasn't what they had been talking about. "So far as I know, Mrs. Evans and the baby are fine. So, now no more whispering, letters, or- other disturbances," he added, with the last, in Ray's direction.

And then he just continued with the lesson as if nothing would have happened. Brian might be an impulsively person but not so unfair, or resentful even, to make anyone go into detention for usual teenage shenanigans.

[Hollywood Heidi]

***AN HOUR LATER***


There were no school bells in college, so the end of class was indicated by either an alarm the teacher set, if they so choose to use one that was, or by the sound of shuffling books and papers as the clock-watchers started packing up. The latter started up either way a few minutes before any alarm that might have been set.

It was the sound of packing up that pulled Journey from her distracted thoughts. She'd been so antsy pants for class to end, dying to talk to Jewel's dad. As soon as class was officially over, Journey stood up and immediately took advantage of no longer having to sit still and be quiet to playfully swat Ray's arm before wagging her finger at both Ray and Emmett. "I smoothly covered your butts for the note passing," she turned now to aim her gaze at Ray, hands on hips, "then you had to go and throw that cup and shout the f-word." She tisked and sighed. "I swear, we're gonna be the first people in the history of ever to get detention in college."

Picking up her backpack, she slung it over one shoulder. "I wanna to talk to Mr. O'Neal. You're welcome to wait for me outside, or I'll text you when I'm out to find out where you guys are." She made a shooing gesture, the determination leaving no room for questioning or invitation for either of them to join her. It was obvious she wanted to talk to him alone.


Waiting for them to head out the door along with the rest of the class, Journey took her time adjusting her backpack. Spying the piece of chalk that had rolled under Emmett's desk, she leaned down and picked it up, making her way to the front of the class as the last few students exited.

"Sorry about them," she said like an exasperated mother as she held the chalk out like a peace offering. "No video games for them tonight," she joked, trying to lighten the mood for the heavier and more personal topic she wanted to bring up.

[Anduin]

Brian – Mr. O’Neal - appeared to be a really cool guy. Or he just was one of those people who are really good in getting ahold of themselves. He even answered Journeys question although he surely knew that it was a sort of emergency lie. But then he get back to business and continued (or better said started) his lesson.


Finally, one houe later, it was over.
Without any more disturbances.
And none of them got an extra exercise.
So all in all it was a good and interesting first lesson with their new Sub Professor.

Suddenly he felt a poke at his arm. It was Journey. She started to act like a big sister or a mother who felt responsible for her children in care.
"I smoothly covered your butts for the note passing," "then you had to go and throw that cup and shout the f-word."
"Hey, I’m sorry. Normally I hit," he answered.
Maybe he sounded a little bit like a stubborn child.
"I swear, we're gonna be the first people in the history of ever to get detention in college."
This time Ray prefered to be quiet. One hour ago – the moment he had shouted out the f-word – he had thought the same.

So he also started to pack his bag.
"I wanna to talk to Mr. O'Neal. You're welcome to wait for me outside, or I'll text you when I'm out to find out where you guys are."
It was obvious that Journey didn’t want one of them or both to join her. Ray wondered what she might have on her mind. Was it because of their misdemeanor? Or maybe because of whatever she and Emmett had talked about before when they had got to know their new teacher?
"Well," he started and put one arm comradely around Emmett, "we’ll wait outside. But don’t forget time. We shouldn’t be too late for the next lesson, right?"
He smirked and gave her a wink. This time it was him who acted a little playfully.
"Com’on, Doc, let’s go! We’ll be at the ladies service whenever she might be ready to head for next classes."


***Ray and Emmett exit to Halliday University - Hallways and Lounge Outside Classrooms***

[DarkSideCookie]

As long as Brian was performing as a teacher, he saw no need to reach out to Emmett, not here at that. No sending him any kind of special attention. After classes, or maybe rather after today, however, he should talk to the boy. Or maybe they will even see again in Jewel's room at the hospital later.

Brian didn't take notice of someone taking their time with packing, especially since that was a rather unusual thing for students who reached the end of a class, so it took him rather by suprise when a female student talked to him.

"Sorry about them,""No video games for them tonight,"

He turned his head around, his features showing a slight smirk now. Unlike some people might think due to his rigid expressions, Brian had a good sense of humor and also appreciated when someone else had. "Bleedin' melters, aren't they? Not the easiest to get under control at that age," Brian joked back while continuing packing his things together though, soon turning his head back to that task completely, not expecting her to exchange more words with him.

[Hollywood Heidi]

Journey grinned, immediately liking his fun personality. That wasn't an attribute you found that often in teachers. She pretended to be serious again, rolling her eyes.

"Ugh, impossible. I don't even know why I try," she said with a dismissive wave, mimicking the air of defeated exhaustion portrayed by parents on screen.

He was continuing to pack up his things and Journey was glad he was distracted with that whilst she figured the best way to approach a sensitive, most likely emotional and personal topic. "So um...I heard about your daughter. I'm so sorry." 'Oof, jumping right in so personally?' Journey mentally cringed at herself and quickly explained. "We were friends. Well, sort of..." She was not tackling this as smoothly as hse'd planned. Journey self-consciously tucked her hair behind her ear. "We were coworkers, on our way to becoming friends..." she elaborated, shifting her hands from one side to the other, gesturing the path from one thing to the other.