#debukefarmhold

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"Mom?" Adam seeks Brenda out after school and before he leaves. "Got a minute?"

She's not hard to find "Hey honey," She looks at him "I'm told you took to coming back to school in a building like a root canal."

"YEah. Well, you know it's never been, like, a high point for me. The school part. Imiss sports and teams and people and stuff."

"Mom, I can't go to school here. No offense. I'll go to public in Jefferson City."

"Really?" Amusement at something

"Yeah. Promise."

"Adam. I love you, but you need to learn to ask the right questions before you try to make life choices. Follow me, please" She motions him to do so

He does.

And they come to the basketball court that has..10 young men and 3 young women playing basket ball , in Autumn wear and doing layups.

"Pardon me, Coach DeBuke?" She asks

"Yeah?" the guy turns

Adam sighs quietly.

"Are there sports and teams and stuff here?" She asks "You know, that play against other teams?"

And waits patiently, politely.

"A matter of fact we'll be playing against high schools," The Coach says

"I see" his mom says "Can Adam sign up?"

"Well, sure, we have a lot of kids wanting to do some. There's regular testing for Covid and suh. Mandatory" He answers

"Thank you" She says and motions Adam to follow her

He does.

"Adam you didn't even ask if they had sports and teams here. " She says "And I've checked the acreditions, they're solid. There's less banality here, and you have more time to quest if you're caught up. "

"It's not about the sports teams, or the acredidations, or the banality, Mom, I promise." he says sincerely.

He glances around to see if they have privacy.

They do

"Idon't wanna take math from a woman I'm into, who's not into me. I don't wanna do it while my ex-lover sings next door. And I'm sorry.... I don't want to take English from you, mom. It's too close." not ungently.

"Adam, I have helped you with your homework before. " She says "And you're going to have to learn you can't always run from your exes. And Sally Mae may not be into you, but she's a FRIEND.. unless you think her friendship ends because she's not into you? "

"Teaching math is not a friendly gesture. And helping me with homework is different from teaching me."

"It is also NOT an attack" She says "And did you think how she's going to feel if you pull out of her class just like that?"

"She's not into me anyway. Probably glad. I've been here before, mom, this farm? They don't want me here, and I don't want to be here."

"it's not a matter of her being into you. It's a matter of what it says about her ability to teach. Women don't exist in categories you assign them, Adam. They have their own measuring sticks. And i know you don't mean anything cruel by it, but it's a disservice to her to blow her off as a teacher." A pause "Now, about the others not wanting you to be here. I have noticed the other students are a bit cold to the sidhe. "

"Yeah. And Sidhe-blooded, at least the leaders here."

"The 'Leaders' of the farm , with the exception of the Chieftain who doesn't have that bias, not teaching here." She reminds

"But as for the students? Well, since when do you shrink from a challenge? Win them over. You're a charming young man. " She says proudly

"How many students from Rivervale are here? Zane, Connor....?"

"Almost all of them" She says "The kids are in the younger section the older ones in the middle high levels"

A sigh. "Mom, except for Zane and maybe Connor, none of those guys like me. I want to go to school in Missouri. "

"In the middle of the semester?" A brow

"I'm doing distance learning, right? If I need to I could go in person next semester."

"I didn't want to do this" She sighs "But clearly I'm going to have to." A breath "I'm going to talk to your mentors"

"And , if need be, the Baroness"

He just stares at her; a myriad of emotions.

"The idea that you are going to run from every situation in life where only a few people like you, alarms me. It's.. quiting. But maybe I'm being unfair. So I'm going to talk to them about it. "

"Then..... No, I'll go back to Rivervale instead. I'll go to school there. Pascack."

"Adam, is there some reason WHY you think you're in charge of these choices?"

"you were just complaining about Rivervale kids being here"

"now, because I'm going to talk to your mentors you're having a tiff and backtracking?"

"So they won't be -there.- " fairly reasonably.

"And you don't find that.. cowardly?"

"No."he takes a deep breath trying not to bristle "-IF- I have to go to school, Iwant to go some where I can focus, and get the work done, and not be miserable."

"The last I understand.. but Adam. You haven't even TRIED. One day, is not trying"

"You came here, determined you hated it before you went, stuck to that thought, met a gryphon, and went back to hating it"