#anywhere

And, Piper answers the door, "Adam! ...Mr. Gardner?" A quick glance behind her, and she steps out, closing the door with a soft click. "Is something wrong? Uh, did one of you have to post bail for the other? And I can't begin to guess which one..."

Vali says "Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about..." He holds up another folder "SOme school trouble?" BROW

She relaxes a bit but then tenses up at the sight of the folder. "I passed my last French test." Si is for Spanish, and C is for French. But C is passing... Eyes narrowing a little. "Did the Sub say something?"

"And.... why are you here with Adam?" Looking confused, though she slides over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Not that I mind him visiting..." A dubious look at the Adult

"You are so much smarter than a C," Vali says "But it's also about skipping a class here, there...adds up, showing up ten minutes later, slipping out ten minutes early. Do you have some thing against your math teacher?"

"Oh, and Adam's transport service is how I got here. He's probably going to think that if he offers to show you how it works you might have a way to escape and He'll be your hero" Wryly

Adam gravitated closer to Piper.

"Happy to!"

She sighs, trying hard not to roll her eyes. "The only 'C' that concerns me is a thousand miles away. I get why they want me to go, I do, but... it's hard to see the point. It's not like I'm going to college or anything, and I never saw a GPA requirement on a musician advert."

She's wearing her PJs - cute things that don't cover a lot from the tank top to the boy shorts. Luckily her legs come with their own warmers.

"Because Math and music are closely related- Science fact. Get good at math, you might get better at music." He says

Adam is happily distracted.

"I get that, but I can learn on my own the relevant pieces, and not waste time on quadratic equations and circumpherence of a cube or stupid pop quizes and homework. Honestly - it's a waste of time, and if I didn't have..." She cuts off, and revises, "If it wasn't important to my Uncle, I wouldn't bother."

"One day you might be glad to have more options, and the college scene might even have a bit of fun for you" Vali says "Or.. I could put it this way. Stop sneaking out when you don't have to, give a bit more effort, or I will squeel like a pig to your Uncle and Aunt or even write your moms"

She looks started and worried for a moment, but then her temper flares, and the goat in her bucks back. "Just because you're a teacher doesn't mean you're my boss. And I had already dropped out back home and was doing FINE, so your threat ain't all that. You think they'll kick me out or something? Maybe, maybe not. But I'm practically 18, and then I can do what I want."

Now he looks smug, admiring Piper.

"Yes, you can," he says "But you can also do right by yourself. And I'm not your boss, but then, this education isn't a job- it's what lets you do what you want later on for real instead of flipping burgers or some other minimum wage job where the mortal side of you is stuck "

"I'm GOING to school, okay? And following your rules, and abiding by your Troll codes, and I'm even SEELIE at the wrong time of the year! I'm trying, okay?!" A stamp of a hoof, and she gulps a breath to hold back a sob.

He sees her get upset, "Okay. Okay. I'm not trying to bust you... I'm trying to help. IF you need a tutor, see me, Okay?"

"Hey, hey... " softly, offering to hold her.

"You say you're not tryna bust me, but you come here threatening to spill my business to everyone?" She leans against Adam slightly, working to wrench her emotion back into control. "Y...you coulda STARTED with that, rather than pull out the big guns first."

Adam looks at Mr Gardner with disguised hostility.

Vali raises a brow "Uh huh. Yeah. I am telling you what is coming if you don't take charge of your own academic betterment, like I would with any other student I see with a SHITLoad of potential and they don't use it. That's not a threat, that's a duty, and I'm a troll teacher. I'm not here to upset you, but if you make me choose between doing right by you and taking the tears and the angry looks from you and your boyfriend- OR watch you be less than you can be and that potential shot while you end up stuck in banality central later because you cut off your avenues but I don't face that drama now? I'll face the drama and the duty 99 times out of a hundred. " Calmly "You've got more in you than you know. Music is a wonderful thing. It's your passion, and I get it, that's the satyr call. But it's not ALL that you are, and learning more? Gives you more to make music about. Don't limit yourself as a person, or a musician. We can get you tutors if you want to touch up a grade or two and maybe ensure you get more freedom in the long run."

"Now, I'm gonna go before your Aunt or Uncle show up wondering what's going on and force the issue before either of us wanting them to," He nods "Believe it or not? On your side... maybe more than you are." He nods to Adam "Nice business you've got going, Adam."

and he walks off.

She watches him go, and seems to be wavering on a coin's edge between anger and sadness - when she does turn away, she's rubbing at her teary eyes angrily. "He's just a grump, what does he know? He can't remember what it was like to actually live his life..."

"Probably jealous of you." He kisses her tears.

"I just... being pushed like this is making me hate that dumb school. It all seems so pointless, and I'm not some egghead who could just breeze by with A's and B's and not trying. If I stop playing and study all night and work my ass off? Then I get B's, but I hate my life. I don't like trying to fit into that... that perfect student mold. I'm not STUPID, but I'm no genius and I just don't want to be there." A shaky breath. "I'm sorry. I'm ranting."

"You're singing to the choir, that's what." Adam says supportively. "I like b-ball, but... I'm thinking now school is just.... stupid. What can it teach about Fae? Nada!"

She leans against him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. "I... miss my tragos. I didn't think I would, we had a.. a falling out, but I miss them still. It was just the three of us and the music, and the road, and we traveled, and ate when we were hungry, slept when we were tired, and played..."

Adam frowns. "Maybe.... in the summer? You could visit?"

A sigh, and she shakes her head. Her arms wrap around him, pulling him close. "Those days are gone. ..maybe I just miss the freedom, really."

"So, road trip." Easily "This weekend if you want." He holds her close as well.

Giving him a squeeze. "Don't you need to study?" Attempting a joke.

"Ppfft." He grins at the attempt. "Told him I would to get him off my ass."

"What about the team? I can play music anywhere and make a living... don't you want to keep playing? It's harder, for mortals." She frowns, her brow wrinkling up a bit. "They expect you to hold things down on the mundane side and do the things that us flightly creatures can't. Like, I dunno, accounting." A frown. "Not that I want you to go study numbers.

His face says it all. "If I have to choose between Fae stuff and b-ball, no question. Fae wins. I mean, I'm smart too but I don't like to grind for grades. There's so much more to life!"

"It might be easier for you to make your way as part of Fae life by doing things they can't." She sniffles, rubbing her face. "But that's the stuff that sucks." A sigh and she turns to rest her head against his chest, listening to the heartbeat there. "How is Heart of Knight going?"

"Made dross and $300 In a couple hours." A grin. "Suck it, Gardner."

A laugh! "I guess I should get back inside..." It's unseasonably warm, but still on the outskirts of winter. "Unless..." She looks at him, a question in her eyes.

A cocky grin. "Happy to." He repeats.

She slips her arm around his waist and accompanies him back to his car. Tomorrow morning has school, Mr. Gardner, and facing the trials of a teenage Fae and Fae-adjacent mortal... but it's still Tonight, and that time belongs to them.

Adam is as happy to talk as to steam up the windows, and if they drift off in the backseat together.... at least they are together.