#baronyofthesilverwolf

A wave from one of the side tables.

"There's Thistle I think"

"It is." He nods, and heads that direction. "Th- Trina, may we join your study group?" The formalities required by a mortal facade!

"Yeah, sure." She scoots her books over to make room.

Art waves Gwen over as well, setting his books down. Trina might recognize - there's a bright red and yellow streaked flyer, or a corner of one sticking out. The Art Show adverts are papered all over the walls, after all.

Her mouth twists into a brief scowl.

Gwen joins them, unsure how to broach this

Soft conversation all around them, but all in small groups, making it easy to speak privately.

Art pulls out the flyer and sets it alongside the study guide.

"Trina, remember you said you would help me with a submission to the contest?"

A sheepish look

Art doesn't look sheepish, he looks expectant, and hopeful!

She frowns, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Yeah. Um. We could meet at the big house after school, maybe?"

"There's plenty of clay there."

He shakes his head a little. "Gwen had a really good idea, and I'm going to help her. But we can't do it without you."

"Ah well you see..." She says "Yeah.. I need your help"

She narrows her eyes, suspicious. "What kind of idea?"

A glance over at Gwen, opening the floor.

She makes sure anyone listening will have a hard time of it, then says i a low voice "I want to expose Blaine as the abusive asshole he is by turning quotes I've collected through other students he said to them... and turning tthem innto an exhibit"

"Clay, yes... but more. A group compilation... we're going to talk to the others and see if they will help."

Spirals shift to an ugly, dull mustard-yellow.

"I... I don't know if that's... that's probably not a great idea..."

"I don't have .. your gift for art which is why I needed your help. My idea is like a raised tent with mobiles with the quotes... but it'll look like shit"

Art reaches over and grips her hand firmly.

"I was thinking... it can be an anonymous submission. Or if it has to have a name, we'll use one of ours. Nothing that comes back to you, Trina. It's... no different than helping me with a submission of another sort, really? And to be honest... credit to Gwen where it's due... I think it's not just a good chance, but our best chance."

"No... no, I don't... Art, what about what you saw?"

"He was there."

"And I don't... ain't like this would do anything, except make him mad."

He nods! "That's why I think we need to use clay. And work together, you and me... and call him out. Why would I see it if we weren't supposed to do something?"

"Think about it. Yeah, he might get mad - and when he does, he'll be admitting that he said those things!"

"...Doesn't matter..."

"Why not?"

"I.. was going to go annoymous ... but I'm open to ideas"

"It's for awards and prizes, so I wasn't sure if we COULD submit anonymously." Art adds.

She rubs her thumb against the table, working against a pencil smudge.

"Doesn't matter. Won't change anything."

"He's a teacher.

"And Teachers, like our mentors, are responsible for teaching, inspiring, and encouraging. He is NOT a teacher. He is a fraud!"

"It won't do anything."

"Nobody cares what he's like, or what he does."

"-I- care. And I think others will care, too. They just don't know."

"He's hurt a lot of folks, we should MAKE people care"

Her jaw juts out as she studies the table.

"Thistle?" Art says, quietly. "You'll help, right?" He still has his hand on hers.

"I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Me either. I mean, I think it is. But maybe it's not? But that never stopped us before...."

He grins!

"well, I.. don't want to beg but I do need your help"

"You could get the dogs to beg. An entire line of them, the Glen of Imaal's in the front, then the hounds, then the Ovcharkas... all sitting up and begging. That would be a sight to see..."

"...What you should do is get some of the works he bashed. Like.. get those, and pair them with a framed quote."

"Not just a mobile of words."

"But like - make people see what he was talking about."