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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 17, 2019 0:39:50 GMT -8
Rhona was glad the day was over finally, as it neared Halloween the kids were growing restless and seemed less able to stay focused. It was like that near any holiday lately it seemed, and it exhausted her. She looked around the empty staff room and sighed, thinking of better days as she poured herself a cup of tea and added some sugar. Instead of cream, she reached into her robes and pulled out a small bottle, cracked it open and poured about half of the contents into her cup. She stirred the contents of her cup before leaning back and carefully taking a small sip.
"Ahh," she said as the flavor of the rum enhanced the flavor of the tea. She was about to take a proper sip when the door to the teacher's lounge suddenly opened and she was greeted by the sight of one of her former students, Athena Graves. She looked over her large spectacles at the young woman, envying her youth for a moment before setting her cup on it's matching saucer. "You look as restless as the students, Athena," she said. "Come, sit. We'll have tea," she said as she reached into her robes and pulled out the bottle again.
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 17, 2019 16:42:59 GMT -8
"Oh, I'd love to have some 'tea', thank you, Professor," Athena said, crossing the room and settling into a chair near Rhona. She still hadn't grown accustomed to calling the other teachers by name, yet. It just felt so odd.
After Rhona poured a second cup and added a dash of rum, Athena scooped up the teacup and took a sip. She made a sour face for a split second, then smiled. "That really hits the spot," she said, feeling the warmth of liquor spreading through her body. A few more sips and she might actually be able to relax. "So, this is your secret to dealing with all of these kids day in and day out, huh?" she chuckled, taking another, larger sip.
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 17, 2019 16:49:39 GMT -8
The older woman chuckled as the young woman took a seat near her as she poured out another cup of tea and added the other half of the rum to it. She vanished the bottle with a quick tap of her wand which had been resting in her lap. She smiled knowingly and nodded, "Indeed it does on a long day like today," she said as she picked up her saucer and leaned back in her chair. She held up her teacup in a cheers fashion before taking a rather long sip of the hot beverage.
"Are your students as restless as mine? I could barely get through my lessons today without disruption," she said, though this was a common occurrence around holidays, she wondered how the newly minted teacher was holding up. Rhona gave a relaxed sigh before giving her tea another go.
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 17, 2019 19:15:37 GMT -8
"Restless, distracted, and disruptive," she sighed. That, coupled with how well everything was going with Bastian, was really putting her on edge. When was the other shoe going to drop? Nothing could be that good for that long. They had nearly made it to Halloween. Would things still be peachy keen come Thanksgiving?
"Things are certainly different from the other side of the desk," Athena commented, taking another soothing sip, feeling the tension just melting away. "I don't recall my peers being so... rambunctious. Maybe they were. Maybe I was. Just didn't seem like it back then. There's a lot going on this month. The academic olympics, the dance, clubs starting up..."
Not to mention the Masked Lords recruitment, trials, and initiation. While it wasn't forbidden for her to speak of it, now that she was grown and no longer in the society, she still felt like it was against the rules.
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 17, 2019 19:24:01 GMT -8
"Indeed," Rhona said before chuckling again. "You were a spitfire when you were a student, so I'm not surprised that you don't remember," she said as she took another sip. "How are you getting on with your class otherwise?" she asked as she studied the other woman. It always made Rhona proud when one of her students returned to teach, even stuffy St. Roix. She enjoyed it because it showed that her students had actually paid attention from time to time to their studies. Athena had been particularly headstrong, but Rhona had reveled in the challenge and had produced an efficient charms worker.
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 17, 2019 20:31:08 GMT -8
"Right," she chuckled, idly running her finger around the rim of the cup. "I've been told I haven't changed a bit since then. I wasn't aware anyone paid that much attention to me, to be honest."
Feeling as if she didn't get the attention and recognition she deserved was part of the reason she was the way she was. Having gone from youngest to middle child at such an important juncture in her development had done a number on her psyche. "Otherwise, classes are fine. The students are typically quick to learn and I hardly have any problems. Others have told me the students speak highly of me and my class," Athena smiled with pride. It was only recently that her students seemed to be getting antsy. They needed a break, she thought. They wouldn't really get one until Thanksgiving, unfortunately. The Halloween dance might help them let off some steam, though.
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 17, 2019 20:41:36 GMT -8
"Well it takes someone with grit and guts to teach dueling," she said before taking another sip of her spiked tea. "I couldn't imagine any of my former students more suited to the job." Rhona sighed, looking almost engulfed by the overstuffed chair she had chosen to sit in for the night.
"It's quite the achievement to be able to say that," she said with a nod. "Not all teachers are so well reviewed." She had had her own struggle over the years, being told that she was too hard on students, or too easy on them the next year. It was hard to find that delicate balance between the two. But it didn't stop Rhona from loving what she did. Charms were a cornerstone of wizardry, and she'd be damned if anyone else taught it other than her. She might be petite in every sense of the word but she demanded that charms be done taught correctly.
"So how are things with Mr. O'Brien?" she asked, with a knowing smile on her face. She had seen their feuding childhoods, and now they seemed to be the new it couple among the staff. "I trust he's treating you well?" Bastian had always been a model student and likewise a model young man. In her opinion, he needed a bit of shaking up from time to time, and Athena was the perfect choice for that.
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 17, 2019 22:19:59 GMT -8
"Thank you. I think," she laughed softly, relaxing back into the plush cushion of her chair and taking another drink. "I, for one, enjoyed your class, even if I didn't show it. it wasn't cool to like school, you know? Charms can be so mundane, but you always found a creative spin to put on them. I'm really sorry if I caused you any grief."
When she asked about her relationship with Bastian, Athena wished the seat cushion would swallow her whole. Her face flushed and she stared down into the nearly empty cup as if trying to read the nonexistent leaves. "Things are good. Too good. Way too good to be true," she rambled quickly. "Won't be good when my father finds out, but I guess we'll burn that bridge when we get to it. He's treating me fine. A real gentleman, that O'Brien."
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 17, 2019 22:32:36 GMT -8
"I appreciate it. I work hard to make Charms interesting to the current age," she said, but she smiled with a twinge of sadness. "You must forgive me for being an old woman, but I'm always glad to see my students return as teachers, passing on information to the next generation so to speak." She sighed as she drained her cup and looked over at the younger woman. A smile rested on Rhona's face as Athena began to ramble, finding it quite endearing. Though she had never married, Rhona had had her share of relationships.
"Well make sure you don't make it too easy on him," she said with a gleam in her eyes behind the spectacles. "He's always been such a model young man, but he needs something to give him a shake from time to time. Just like I believe you need his sturdy stock sometimes. Be a firecracker around him."
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 17, 2019 22:58:10 GMT -8
Athena finished off the last of her tea, as well, nodding as she placed the cup on a saucer upon the nearby table. "It's a shame that competitive dueling isn't as popular as it used to be. I'm hoping to breathe some new life into the sport," she said, leaning onto one of the armrests.
"I think I drive him crazy half the time. But I have gotten him to let loose now and then," she grinned mischievously. "And he sets me off quite a bit, but he also settles me down. We balance each other out pretty well, I think."
Talking about her relationship was odd, but it felt nice to be able to discuss it with an adult that wasn't going to judge or punish her for it. "I didn't even know anyone except Ailee knew about it, really," she smiled sheepishly. "But I guess you'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to notice, huh?"
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 17, 2019 23:06:28 GMT -8
She smiled and nodded as Athena explained, "Someone should! I miss watching you young ones dueling. It's a practical use of charms after all because all hexes and jinxes are, are charms with a bad attitude." She chuckled softly as she too set her cup and saucer down. She leaned back in her chair, her feet not even touching the ground as she listened to the younger woman describing her relationship.
"Balance is what it is all about," she said with a kind smile. "And it's good that you have gotten him to loosen up. He needs it." She chuckled at the next bit and nodded. "It's all in the eyes dearie," she said. "The way you two look at each other, one can see the love behind the fire. And there is nothing wrong with that. This world of ours needs more of it if you ask me."
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 18, 2019 16:15:37 GMT -8
"Oh."
Athena flushed slightly and looked down at her hands. Now she would be more aware of how she looked at Bastian when other people could see them. It was probably too little too late. Julius, with his eyes and ears everywhere, probably already knew, anyway. Why hadn't he said anything, yet? What was he waiting for? Most likely, he was waiting for a time that it would make the biggest impact. Keeping an ace up his sleeve in the event he needed to persuade her.
"We're not.... breaking any rules or anything, are we? Do we need to sign something?" Athena looked up, chewing her lip. "I kinda skimmed over that part of the employment contract. I never in a million years thought it would ever apply to me."
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 18, 2019 16:29:54 GMT -8
"Pfft," Rhona scoffed. "As long as it doesn't affect your classes, you two are just fine." She reassured the younger woman, with a wave of her hand. She scooted herself to the edge of the chair and poured herself another cup of tea, this time sans alcohol. She held the delicate teapot over Athena's cup and poured her another drink as well. She then put two cubes of sugar into her cup before looking up at Athena questioningly, "How many sugars dear?" she asked. She would put the appropriate number into the cup and then with a brief wave of her finger, set a spoon to stir the sugar into the hot liquid. The utensil did a backflip out of Rhona's tea and into Athena's where it swirled around the cup before flipping out and back onto the tea tray. It was a delightful show of a wandless charm.
"Drink up, dearie," she said as she picked up her saucer. "It's been raining all day. Nothing dismisses the cold and dreary weather like a couple of bracing cups of tea with a colleague."
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Athena Graves
Teacher
Mindf***ed™
Posts: 746
Grade: Alumna
Age: 27
Relationship Status: Dating
Dating: Bastian O'Brien
Hover Image: http://i64.tinypic.com/515wd0.jpg
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Post by Athena Graves on Jan 18, 2019 17:48:27 GMT -8
"Oh. Just one," she smiled distractedly. That was a relief. The less bureaucracy involved, the better. Without a 'paper trail', she could possibly pass it off as hearsay. The only thing she needed to worry about was physical proof, like photos. Even those could be doctored, but who would go to the trouble? Athena hadn't noticed anyone lurking around, snapping photos, but she hadn't really been watching out for that, either. Still, every time she received a piece of mail, she worried it was from her father, striking her from his will or some such.
"Yes, ma'am," she said, taking a sip of the steaming liquid. Athena wondered how Lucco was getting along in Charms, but didn't ask. They had that agreement, after all. She wasn't allowed to talk about him with his teachers.
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Post by Rhona MacDuff on Jan 18, 2019 18:01:07 GMT -8
The Charms teacher watched as the younger woman seemed to get lost in her thoughts, and she left her to it for a while. She suspected that Athena hadn't realized just how often she looked at O'Brien with love in her eyes, or how he looked at her as well. She took a sip of the hot liquid and smiled to herself. It was nice to relax and catch up with a former student, especially one with such a fiery temperament. Rhona found joy in reminiscing about the good old days, but it also made her think about how old she, herself, was becoming. Hell, she had even taught Julius Graves and his future wife Adelena Penny. She wondered how those two were doing but stopped short of asking Athena, worried the younger woman would bolt from the room if she thought about her abrasive father too much.
"Your brother seems to be most restless these days," she said instead. "I fear he has too much on his plate, as he seems to lose concentration in my class. Granted, so have most of his classmates. He is quite gifted when he manages to try hard enough."
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