Touching Down

[angrydurf]

Mike slouched down in his chair as he took a long pull on his drink. "Its still a school I figure they have a standard curriculum like any other right?" He posited. He glanced around at the table and picked at the crumbs on his tray. "Ya know dreary old clasics, math you'll never actually need again, all that stuff." He complained. "But it is the cross to bare for every highschool student don't see why we would be any different."

[Electra]

"Well this is summer session, right?" Erin asked, abandoning her sandwich for a moment. "They're probably not going to have standard curriculum till the school year starts, maybe special summer stuff. Hope so, anyway." She shrugged again. "I mean, I know I've got some work to do before the school year starts. If they make me retake everything I missed with no shortcuts, I won't graduate till I'm twenty." Looking up at both of them, she asked, "What grade are you in?"

[alderwitch]

"I'll help you study, if you like," Alex offered Erin quickly, words tumbling out over each other, "I've helped out in study groups and stuff before. Not that you should feel pressured or anything, because, I mean, we've just met today but I'd be happy to, and, uhm. Yeah."

She blushed furiously and took a sip of her soda, leaving Mike to answer the more difficult question of what grade the pair were in.

[angrydurf]

Mike remained slouched in his chair for a few moments kinda staring off after the question. "Well uh, we didn't really do a traditional school thing. It was more directed self study and tutoring and ... stuff." he answered lamely.

He examined Erins face for a moment and noticed the vague confusion, "We're not like homeschool shut in's or anything they just didn't really do grade levels there really weren't enough of us." He said quickly trying to not come off too odd. "Anyway I'm 16 and Alex's almost there so I guess we're like juniors or something." he further explained then looked to Alex, "Alex could probably be in like collage or something if..." He kinda went quiet for a moment then continued quickly "If I didn't hold her back. She's wasted a ton of time trying to get my grades up." He smiled weakly but less comfortably his earlier joking smile about dorm life.

[Electra]

"I'm sixteen too," Erin said, giving Mike a smile. "Maybe if Alex helps us both out, we'll both make passing grades. And I'd really appreciate any help," she told Alex. "I just don't want to make a fool of myself trying to keep up in class. It feels kind of like starting over from scratch with all the biology and geometry and stuff like that. I mean, the only thing I remember from geometry is SOCATOA, and I don't even remember what it was, except that it was about triangles." She chuckled a little. "You'd have to be patient, though."

[alderwitch]

Alex gave a dismissive shrug at Mike and explained to Erin, "I'm not like a super-genius or anything. I don't build ray-guns in the backyard or anything but I'm on the gifted spectrum. I'm super patient though. Maybe too patient 'cause I know Mike would rather I just do the work for him sometimes. I'm sure they'll test all our aptitudes and then we can come up with a plan of attack from there. Simple!"

She thumped Mike on the shoulder at his self-depricating humor and chided gently, "You do fine. I keep telling you not compare us. People have different strengths, and even learning methods. Which you would know if you ever paid half-attention to my ramblings."

[Electra]

"It's true," Erin agreed as she neatly polished off her sandwich. "Maybe at a school like Claremont, they have classes for people with different ways of learning. Maybe you're a genius and don't even know it yet." She folded her garbage up together into a little packet and put it on the tray. "I guess we won't know till we get there, though, about any of it." Grinning a bit ruefully, she drained her drink. "Can't put it off forever!"

[angrydurf]

Mike quietly and efficiantly gathered up the detritus of the meal and made his way to the garbage can to dispose of it.

Returning to the table he inquired "Shall we then. No time like the present." He waited for his companions to stand and followed them out to the car. The tall boy settled into the car with a nervous sigh as they headed once more underway to the school, his thoughts and worries whirring silently in his head though somewhat plain on his face and in his posture.

[alderwitch]

Alex took the backseat, not quite pressing her nose to the glass of the window as they headed towards Bayview and Claremont, but not far from it as she fidgeted in place occasionally. Every now and again, she touched Mike's thoughts as they were far too old for her to grab at his hand anymore but she found the mental contact steadying.

"I'm sure there isn't anything to worry about," Alex injected confidence in her voice, "I mean, its only high school. Right?"

[Electra]

"I don't think there's really anything to get worked up about," Erin said with simple confidence, looking out the window at the busy cityscape around them. "Even if we get bad roommates and are behind in our classes or the other students aren't friendly or we eventually wind up owing for our tuition, what's that in the big picture? Claremont's got to be one of the safest places in the city, and we'll have room and board there, training, everything we need. It sounds pretty good, all things considered." With those not entirely reassuring words, she lapsed into thoughtfulness as the minivan wended its gradual way through the south side of the city and towards the school.