#bergen_county

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WINTER BREAK IS OVER

Gerd has down played some of her gothiness, but is still in enough she gets some eye rolls from more stick in the mud teachers.

And, of course, plastics are universal

Weird being in highschool, and she's at tthe low end.

"Gerd Gardener?" A teacher calls as she checks for absente.

here we go Gerd thinks. Looks like the teachers got shuffled again. This one is new. Some students snicker even though the joke of her name is played out

"sounds like a reflux problem" one girl snickers

"seriously, such a nasty name" Anotther declares

"Here," Gerd holds up a finger. A tall girl. heck, her troll form is getting as ttall as Siv's. Which might nnot be much, by RV standards, but her mortal forrm is taller than most mortals, natch

"Excellent," She looks about "Hansel? Mike Hansel?"

that name seems new, Gerd looks over

Mike has a kind of heavy metal effect, though the Wolf Cut is more key pop.. of course, Uncle Vali says itt's just a shaggy mullet and this seems to tickle him

Gerd likes the black, she must admit. She wonders how her boyfriend is doing? She saw him over winter holiday not so long ago. But she worries the distance is going to end them.

Mike catches her drifting off while looking at him, and arches a brow

gerd fights a blush, she hadn't meant to stare, annd she was thinkinng of Wudlig, not him.

Mike looks forward again, raises a finger, and the role goes on

*******

For Dagmar, it's still weird being a senior...

I mean, when did THAT happen?

The jocks all know her "Hey, Sam" they say or 'sup Sam' or just a headbob

"Hey." Then again, isn't she a jock now? Upnod to Jesse. Fist-bump for Jose.

And she is, though even non jocks tend to think she's okay. Heck, Jake in the Chess Club is heard saying "who sam? Nah, she's cool" not that anyone outside of the chess club believes Jake gets to define cool.

Jose returns the fist bump "Gonnna own track ... romana says you been practicing the discus!"

Boggan gossip... they'll even blab to mortals, with escheat safe translationns

Shrug, little smile. "Yeah. Gonna hurl all the things, right?"

"Show those rich kids at that private school UP" Jose agrees

Snort-grin. "Like you on that pole vault? Hell yes."

Jose grins. Pole vault is his best thing, "Hey, pole vault is just side ways Limbo... play the music, and I'm gold"

The private school has been gainining students from the well off of the area. The Covid surge was part of it, but even with that dying down, a lot of well off sttudents aren't returning to public school. Apparently some richy riches are actinng like the poor or middle class carry the diesase because of their income bracket, which is bullshit.

She rolls her eyes, but it's with amusement.

"Hey, you hear that scouts are headhunting extra hard this year?" he asks "Trying to make up for last year's lull"

Blink.

"Oh... I guess that makes sense."

"Man, if I get 10 minutes of show time in front of one of them, we're talking scholarship. "

"Oh, totally. You.. where you wanna go? To the city? Somewhere far?"

"Oh shit, right now? All that comes to mind is some college some place WARM" Jose laughs

A laugh! "Yeah, I knew it. You wanna go to Cali. Do homework on the beach."

"That's the dream" He grins "Hey, full scholarship even covers dorm room, and it's the rent that kills you in cali. How about you? "

"Oh. I.. I dunno. I was thinking maybe BCC. They have track and basketball..."

"Yeah, you'd own BCC" he says "But heck you're ggood enough for Cali too if you wanted..." The first bell goes off

"Uh. Hey, catch you later!" She retreats to class!

A friendly departing nod and off he goes

She slips into class, and sees May there who waves. Saved a seat for her

A nod, and she slides into the saved seat. "Hey."

"Hey. You were busy this break. Everything okay with your fam?"

"Some drama, but mostly okay."

"You?"

"Ever get the feeling you're being followed even whenn you can't be followed?" Sheepish

"...what's up?" She prickles with concern.