First Day (01)

You enter AP Statistics to find several familiar faces and a few new ones:

Looking around the classroom, I have to know...

Who is the new kid? What's the one thing you know about them?

Which girl had the abortion?
Who did she say was the father?
Who's really the father?

Who does the teacher seem to pay the most attention to, and why?

When I walk through the door and see Victoria there, I have a moment where I fantisize about telling her that she owes me her very existence and she should be grateful. Then I move on, walking past Preethi's desk and touching the corner, giving her a smile in greeting before I move back to sit between Vincent and Zeke.

The new kid, Ryley I think, is in this class. I don't know much about him, really, but I did see him get dropped off by a big muscley guy in a suit and sunglasses. Like security or something? It was weird.

Taylor Hawke had an abortion and told everyone that it was Shane's, but I think that's just because he was graduating so it was easier than to admit that the real father was Hank. I assume Hank was just seeking comfort after losing Eos, but I haven't said anything to him.

Mrs. Goodrick seems to pay the most attention to Theodore Brown. I wonder if she made him sit up front. It seems like she's super suspicious that he's up to something - cheating or drugs or gods know what.

I chuckle softly at Zeke's question. "Guess no good deed goes unpunished, right? As soon as you succeed too much at something, they raise the bar."

Jules, who is supposed to be in this class, but isn't here (yet)?

I glance up toward where Booker is sitting, front row by choice I'm sure, then back at Vincent. "He's probably right. He doesn't mess around with stuff like that."

I thought I saw Steph's name on the list for this class, because I remember thinking about how many Chosens were going to be together here, but I don't see her yet. I was kind of surprised to see her name here. Maybe it was a mistake.

I look at Vincent with interest. "Has everything been going okay in, ah, that realm?"

The door opens and Steph quickly enters. She heads to Mrs. Goodrick's desk and hands her a small note which the teacher reads, then nods. Steph gives her a ghost of a smile in thanks, then turns to look at the class. She heads down the aisle between you and Vincent and sits in the back beside Skylar.

I turn around and touch the top corner of Steph's desk after she sits down. "Late on the first day?" I whisper, sort of teasing. "Off to an exciting start. Everything okay?"

I raise an eyebrow. "He's sending you after them now? What happened to Iao?"

My brows pull together. "What kind of deal?" I ask, fully bought in now as I turn further around to face her. "You hunt for him and he....?" I trail off waiting for her to fill in the rest.

Mrs. Goodrick turns to her whiteboard and seems engrossed in the formulae she's putting up there. Booker is taking notes and smiling like this is the most interesting thing ever, while Vincent is blinking and writing as if he's teetering at the edge of a cliff.

I watch Steph closely, trying to figure out if "this dren" is referring to hunting for Hades or if it's referring to whatever Mrs. Goodrick is writing on the board. I notice Vincent looking like he's drowning already and make a mental note to make sure Booker is helping him out.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I whisper to Steph. "I'll just ask Iao."

My jaw tightens at the last bit. "Hey, what the hell does that mean? I've only ever tried to help you."