#bergen_county

"Oh, poor Mr. Gardner then" Lucia teases. "How sharper than a serpent's tooth"

A small frown, and she starts to respond to Lucia, but then just nods. “Came by threatening to call my moms if I didn’t shape up and fly right or whatever.”

"Used -me- to get there, and gave me the same speech on the way over."

"Fuck that."

“And I’m not even flunking his class.”

"I'm not even IN his class!"

"oh no..he gives a shit" the boggan rolls her eyes "The bastard"

Zane squirms a bit

A small blush, considering that she IS close to failure in at least two others, and only hanging onto English by a thread.

“What does he think he is, a Redcap to try to strong arm me like that?”

“He was being a bully.”

"Look, I wasn't there, you guys were, but he's one of the better teachers here and he cares, so maybe don't assume the worst?" Lucia says, then looks at Zane, "Especially considering the help he's given some folks."

Zane winces

“If you think I need to do something, tell me. If you think MY parents need to know something, tell them. Don’t... hold it over my head like a sword waiting to drop if I don’t step right.”

A glance at Zane. “You’re kinda twitchy there.” A little suspicious. “How DID he find out about my stupid Stem classes anyways ?”

Adam looks at Zane with surprise.

Zane mumbles "he's..actually okay 90% of the time. Sorry he wasn't with you guys." then "Hey, whoa, he's a teacher.. he's got access to stuff. Doesn't mean I'm a narc" A bit offended himself

She immediately backs down. “Sorry, I’m just on edge. I know you’re straight, Z. No joke intended.”

“Why are you looking like you sat on a tack though?”

"He saved my ass from flunking history" Zane says "Gave up an extra hour of his day to tutor me... for like.. every day for 2 weeks. Prepped me for make up work. Do you know what dad would have done if I flunked that?"

The satyr looks embarrassed "I mean... okay. .I don't know what he was trying with you guys, but he put an extra hour on his day for two weeks and I sure as hell wasn't paying him. And yeah, it wasn't even his class"

Lucia gets that 'and what have we learned?' look boggans sometimes get.

Adam stays close to Piper.

Which is why Redcaps sometimes want to eat them.

She looks surprised... and maybe a little embarrassed.

"Sally Mae is better."

"At math she's amazing I hear," Lucia admits

A giggle.

And she leans against Adam.

"I'm missing something?" Lucia says at the giggle

"Let's just say, while I"m grateful to Mr. Gardner, " Zane coughs "From what I hear, Sally Mae has MANY advantages at teaching figures"

A big grin. "She's -amazing- at math.... yeah, like Zane said."

"So, uh, so.... ok, Piper, you want a ride home?"

“Well, we’re still on the clock as in school,for a few more hours... want to go study our math?”

"-YES.-" Firmly, a scholar.

Lucia says "Come on, Zane. Three's a crowd"

Zane says "Sure.. later guys"

“Only when one of them is your cousin.” A grin to Lucia, and apologetically, “I’ll think about what you said...”

"All anyone can ask" Lucia nods

Adam has his arms around Piper and a smile on his face.

And Symon approaches, zeroing in on Zane. A small nod to the others, and he murmurs something inaudible - a question? Unheard through his black face mask.

Zane blinks and looks at Symon "Dude?"

Adam draws Piper away, walking with her (or waddling, not moving his arms from holding her and keeping her against his front) away to ........ study.

Zane gets closer to Symon "wht's with the ninja gear?"

He unhooks the corner of his mask and leans in. “It was this or Anne Marie wouldn’t let me out of the house at all. I’m one of those lucky fucks who are ‘at risk’ due to my shitty lungs. You seen my cat?”

Piper meanwhile is busy leaning up against Adam as they decide where to go “study”... Symon ignores the blatant PDA as beneath his dignity, or something.

"Can't say I.. wait, something did startle Piper earlier. She thought it was a rat"

Adam murmurs in her ear making suggestions. Unfortunately for him, Symon can hear it.

the other students are flooding out.

Clearly thinking that this plague is awesome!