#debukefarmhold

"How come you're here?"

"THey said there were a lot of trolls here and said they wanted to use me as a test dummy to check it out. Nockers right?"

Adam finishes his food. "Sorry about that. Yeah. Alanza, later?"

"Later" She says

Adam grins at her, nods to the rest, and takes some time for himself before.... more school.

The next course is Math. He gets there Early "How goes, Adam?" Sally Mae asks

Adam look to see if he has privacy, and a few minutes.

"Uh, Ms. DeBuke?"

"When class isn't underway you can call me Sally Mae" She assures with a smile

A beat. "Thank you but the Chief said I was to use your last name. Do you have a minute?"

"The Chief said that?" A surprised look "mmm and sure"

"Ok, so...." a breath "Look... you've always been decent to me. More than that. I'm sorry if anything I've done had made your job harder. I'm doing things different now. And....I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Adam," She says "I admit, I thought you were angry with me for seeing another guy and becoming a teacher. Mostly I was worried you were harming yourself. I know about your parents. Sorry, that's got to be tense"

"Yeah, that's stupid... but no. You're into that guy, and not me. That's ok, I'm not tied up about that. You want to be a teacher? Cool. I... just don't have that choice. I have to be here. I don't want to be but..... I am. So."

"Adam, what is it you hate about this place? I don't mean to be rude, but I've seen your old school. It wasn't all that"

He steps away, shrugs. "My interests are going in a different direction."

"That answer is emptier as pie crust. Might be true, but it's got no filling"

"Sorry about that too, please. But a real.... an other answer isn't about us. Or you."

"I just want to get through this."

"Well, as a teacher, anything that hurts your education is my business" She says "And as a friend, I worry anyway, but I can't bully you into it. Counter productive. Your apology is accepted and feel free to visit me at Rivervale anytime if you want to talk to a friend"

"Thank you, Ms. DeBuke."

Adam takes his seat.

"Here's some work to catch up, you've got my email if you need tutoring"

He takes it, looks it over, and even starts working on it.

"Bell's about to ring" She says

Not disapprovingly.

As others filter in

So they do, and they find Adam working.... ok.

And that's the last class of the day.

So he goes to his pick up point.

Sir Earl awaits for them , "Minerva, Alanza, tylar, Velvet.. okay lot of you, this may take more than one trip. Oh, Hello, Mrs . Thomas, Adam"

"Can... No, I can wait. Sir."

"Okay. I'll split the group up." He gestures, and makes a motion. leaving Adam behind with his mom

"Not what you hoped for I bet" his mother says dryly

"No difference."

"I'm proud of you trying harder" She says

"Okay."

She raises a brow "Adam, you're making empty responses again"

"As you say"

She takes a breath "I was told the baroness had giving you your own guidelines in conversation."

"Yes."

"And.. you think you're passing those guidelines now?"

"Sorry!" he says "Excuse me?""

Adam moves away.

"Adam, wer'e traveling back together. Do you remember the guidelines?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I remember. "

He comes back. "I hope you had a pleasant Samhain."

"I mostly locked myself away or tried to" She says, and looks a bit appeased by his attempt "Do you remember anything from it? They t ell me it's normal not to emember but it's.. vexing?"

"No."