#baronyofthesilverwolf

********

I'm not the best at weapon's play, I'm good but not the best with dogs, I barely have any arts... Gwen ponders

She ponders her own worth quietly. To others it might seems she's locked into a distant stare

What did she learn? What did she learn? The words seem to echo inside her head.

"Gwen? Gwen. MISS LOCKLEAR." A voice interrupts her music, and giggles from around her in class.

"If you're going to 'space out', might I recommend the Astronomy club?" Ms. Giocoso, the music teacher, says, not unkindly.

"I'm so sorry" she apologizes

And blushes furiously

A smile, and she turns to the class. "One thing we learned, is that Beethoven, while a classic, can be boring. By the time we reach the Fall Ensemble I would like us to have at least a few songs we can play, so let's be sure to pick things that keep attention!"

The bell rings, and she claps, "Ah, the Campana, a perfect E. Remember to bring your notes tomorrow!" The students rise and start to file out, already chattering amongst themselves.

Gwen nods and rises. She moves along feeling still a bit out of it. She's glad to be learning music, it's nice, but a part of her wonders if school is ever going to end. Then again, she has made friends, annd that makes her cheer up.

There's only a week left before break - a truncated summer vacation, but such is what you get when there is all that catchup due to COVID. After nearly a year "off" and learning from home - mostly about FAE rather than FRESHMAN, she has some work to do to not fall behind.

She scans the hallway to see if a certain boyfriend is about.

It's surprising how much it helps just to learn to count in time and recognize basic notes. She may not be ready to try out for High School Musical on Broadway, but Gwen can hold a note and carry a tune.

Looking up and down the hallway, she spies a familiar figure... but not the one she's looking for. Kristen, the current Lacross team captain, strides towards her with a knowing smirk on her face.

"Oh, Gwen, I was so sorry to hear it." Fake sugar oozes from her tone. "But you're not going to let it affect your playing, now, are you? Or you can channel all those owchy-wowchy feelings into anger against the other team, and maybe we'll finally make State."

A brow This can't be good

"Fortunaely for most, I usually don't express my anger too loosely" she answers the not really a question, and declines tthe bait

"Well, -I- wouldn't be so calm if I knew my boyfriend was off making out in the kiln room with a grade-A art weirdo, but hey, I have my own priorities. Stay strong." She simpers, and walks on.

"Toodles." Calmly oh so calmly Wait, he's with anotherr girl? She SAW that? Who with? Why would he? how could he... but I donn't KNOW that he is ... she gathers her things and goes to the water fountainn to get a drink. Mind you, it's the fountain near the kiln room I've been seeing him reggularly, I thought?

She has been seeing him, at lunch, and walking him home after school some days. Then again, she chose not to take art class, which Chuck does take... not from any particular love of art, but more as an easy A that helps him keep up the GPA to stay on with sports.

And she .. peeks througgh the door

As she lingers by the water fountain, there's that hint of a coolness coming from the art room - a chill that has nothing to do with Air Conditioning. And yes, she hears voices inside. It's a big room, large enough to duck behind the large, round ovens - well insulated from the heat within, but bulky. It's a "fact" around CHS that this is where some couples will sneak off to for a moment of PDA - Private Display of Affection. It DOES sound like Chuck, but the other voice she's not familiar with. Maybe if she went a little closer, she could hear better. Or, she could just walk right in...

A breath. This .. this could be a trick. She tries something, and texts onn her phone to Chuck

TXT: Hey! Got a mo?

And listens to see if his phone makes a text sound in there? or it changes his pattern of speaking?

Doo dee doo doo! There it is, a snippet from a pop song that they'd listened to and laughed about, and he programmed as her ring tone. It's unmistakeable... as is the sudden lapse as the call is sent to voicemail.

"Sorry. It's okay. I'll call her back. Okay, Kat?"

Kat... Kat... she checks her memory. There it is. A punk-ish girl with a streak of color through her hair that changes shades monthly. She's not a part of the 'regular' crew that she and Chuck hang with at lunch.

A breath.. and in she goes as quietly as she can.. which isn't very.

There is a moment of silence, and Gwen might think she's been heard, but then she hears Chuck again. "No, there's no one coming. we have time. Okay?"

"Okay." That's the quieter female voice again, now more audible as Gwen creeps into the dimly lit room, and creeps to where she can see the two sitting together leaning against one of the kilns. His jacket is off, just wearing a t-shirt that fits nicely on his toned chest, and is tossed over a box near their feet. Gwen is just in time to see Chuck reach an arm around her shoulder as she peers around the corner.

She holds still. She won't judge. She won't she won't she won't..

The smaller girl leans over and puts her head on Chuck's shoulder, which he allows, and gives one of her hands a squeeze.. Though he is checking the time on his phone - and says quietly to her, "We'd better go, or we could get caught."

A breath "Caught doing what?" She steps out

They both look up with deer in headlights looks, and Kat immediately ducks to pick up an abandoned dustpan and broom. "Cleaning..."

Chuck is startled, and then breathes a sigh of relief. "Gwen, it's just you." JUST her?

"Yes, just me" she wants to tell him to answer the fucking question then she realizes Kat Kat did answer it, but it's an aswer she doesn't buy

A slow count down begins in her head

Chuck lifts the box that had his jacket tossed over it. "Class is going to be starting soon. Study hall is next, but we'll still get caught in the hallway. Gwen, could you give me a hand?" Kat has abandoned the sweeping pretense and is inching towards the door, looking a bit nervous.

She blocks the door.. "I think first all of us need to knnow what's going on.. I'll start." She explains, "Kristen came up to me and spread a sttory... she said 'my boyfriend was off making out in the kiln room with a grade-A art weirdo,' Her words, not mine. So.. whatever IS going, that's the story she's spreading. "

She watches to see their surprise , please let them be surprised

"What?!" They both say almost in unison.

Chuck shakes his head. "I can explain, but we need to get out of here. Can you just trust me?"

As this question is considered, Gwen notices a couple things...

One, Kat's eye makeup, rather heavy in a punk sort of way, is smeared in faint dark streaks that trail down her cheeks. Two, she also has on rather vivid purple lipstick, to match the color of her hair right now. That lipstick color is only on her lips... and doesn't appear anywhere on Chuck - face, neck, collar of his white shirt.

She moves out of the way even as she notices these things

"My locker is just down the hall..." Kat says, not making eye contact with Gwen. "If we can just get them into there, I can sneak them out later." The box that Chuck carries rattles slightly as it moves.

"Careful, please!" Kat whispers.

She moves to help them "I can trust you... for now, but I'll want the whole story and today. " She moves to help them

Kat inches forward and checks the hall. "No sign of him." She calls back, relief evident. The coast apparently clear, Chuck hands Gwen half of the box to help carry. It's not heavy, but wide rather than tall, and oddly weighted to make it hard to carry alone.

He meets her eyes over the box and mouths, "Thank you", as their fingers brush in carrying the box

"no sign of who.. " She whispers.. then her hand is brushed and she sees him mouth thank you. She gives him no 'you're welcome' that would be a lie, but a cautious nod. She's the tallest girl in school, she's able to run a marathon hat would kill most adults, and she has stone like skin- she's never felt so fragile

but she helps. She'll trust

for as long as she cann