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 Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:02 pm
There were lots of things that Joanne felt uncomfortable with, but few that she actually hated. Third on the list was getting grease on a garment she was working on, inspiring her to carry moist towelettes at all times. First, easily, was forced interpersonal contact.
Sitting neatly between those two was gym class. It was tiring and sweaty and very unfeminine. In middle school she would usually find an excuse to get out of it. Not so at Barren Pines. So Joanne was reluctantly tying the laces of her sneakers, which she only ever wore for gym class. She wore a short skirt over her leggings more for modesty than fashion, and her long hair was braided. All in all, she probably looked better in her gym clothes than her normal clothes.
All through first period, she had prayed for it to rain. It hadn't. The blue skies taunted her as she walked outside, as ready as she would ever be. The teacher had them working track and field, but the only tracks Joanne dealt with were on CDs, and the only fields, full of flowers in her embroidery. This would not be anywhere near as pretty.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:11 pm
Azzo had his nose stuck in a Puppetry book, or so it seemed. Not in the least bit interested in doing things in Gym class. He however was peering over the magazine watching the teachers and those around.
He was now rather paranoid of about all most all teachers but that new teacher, Mrs Johnson. He had to like her in order to get to use the stage anyways, and she didn't seem to bad so he didn't mind in the least.
However his eyes traveled over students too, he word long track pants and an almost all white shirt save for words written on the shirt. He'd found it in a store and it was 'to awesome to pass up'. The words read, "I'm open to suggestions as long as they're mine." Which he hoped hinted at the teachers enough he'd walk, but like hell if he was running anywhere. He didn't run unless it was for one of two things. One was to keep someone from fighting someone else. Two was to get the hell out of dodge when there was danger present.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:39 pm
It didn't escape Joanne's notice that she wasn't the only unenthusiastic student. If she had dared, she would have loved to be sitting aside, either embroidering or looking through a craft magazine. But she didn't quite dare. The gym teacher rather intimidated her. All teachers intimidated her. It was remarkably easy to intimidate Joanne, and hence, generally easy to get her to do things as long as she didn't have to do them face to face.
As if demonstrating this, without a word to any of the other students, Joanne began to reluctantly jog around the track.
Before she got a quarter of the way around, she tripped over her shoes and fell flat on her face.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:48 pm
Azzo saw her trip, okay so there was maybe a third thing he ran for, that was to help someone. He'd tucked the magazine away and hurried up to help her.
"Hey, you okay?" He'd offer his hand to help her up and check to make sure there wasn't anything bleeding. He'd made some of the other girls mad at him, hopefully though she wasn't one of those. He paused, ... what was her name? I know she's kinda new here... but.... dang it.
He watched her slightly concerned.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:11 pm
If Joanne had been on her feet, she probably would have run, since being confronted by people was her only reason to do so. Since she was face down on the track, she rolled over onto her back slowly, trying to make sure that nothing was broken.
Which was how she saw the sky- still blue, still taunting her- and a slightly familiar face. Joanne couldn't help it. She let out a tiny shriek.
When she saw he was trying to help, she turned red (well, redder) and lightly grasped Azzo's hand. A light touch was not enough to get her off the ground, however, so she had to squeeze it tightly as she lurched to her feet. "I'm sorry," she said softly, brushing herself off. The top of her nose was skinned and red, which she had yet to notice aside from the pain. Her knee was skinned and starting to bleed, which she did notice and blanched.
"Thanks for your help," she added, wondering what she was supposed to do now.
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:29 pm
Azzo blinked, "I didn't mean to startle you and no need to be sorry." He bit the inside of his lip where it wasn't really noticeable. Looking her over before pulling out of his back pocket a bandanna, "It might not be the best thing in the world, but it'll help keep your knee from getting infected and bleeding all over the place before you can treat it."
He offered her the red material, it was large enough to go around someone's knee at least twice. As they always made those things way too big for whatever they were needed for. "Looks like you got your nose a bit too."
He glanced over at the teacher who seemed not to care s**t about what just happened. He shook his head and motioned, "Think you need to go to the nurse or do you have stuff to tend to the wounds in your room?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:23 pm
"It's not you," Joanne said quickly. She hated that her behavior made people feel like they did something wrong. It wasn't their fault that she couldn't take the pressure. And to make matters worse, he was actually offering to patch her up! Face burning, she shook her head. "Thank you, but I couldn't take it."
Biting her lip nervously, Joanne looked herself over. Her clothes were still dusty, but that was to be expected. Her knee was sluggishly bleeding. At Azzo's comment she touched her nose self-consciously, and winced in pain. There was also, she noticed, a small tear in her sleeve. While she could certainly fix it, the shirt would never be the same.
She couldn't just leave though. Surely, the teacher would object. But she really didn't want to keep running with an injury. Or ever. "I... I don't know," she said hesitantly. Usually people told her what to do, and in situations like these, she never trusted her own judgement.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:29 am
Azzo looked at her, head slightly tilted. He grinned, "Well if you don't have anything lets go get the nurse to look at that. It'd be better cleaned."
He'd taken up on her unsure bit about it, so far being here it was about the only good thing when being a hypnotist. "I'll take care of the teacher if he says anything. They're not all cold hearted bastards." He added with a nod.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:42 pm
Joanne flinched, half from her proximity to another human being, half from his language. b*****d was not a word in Joanne's vocabulary, and she didn't like hearing it. And what she didn't like, she tried to fix. "It's n-not a good idea to say that," she said, voice wavering. "They might hear."
A lame attempt at getting him to stop, but it wasn't like Joanne could be direct. It wasn't her style.
"If... if you're sure I should, I'll see the nurse. But you needn't accompany me, sir." As an upperclassman- Joanne had no idea how old Azzo was, but he was clearly older than her- he was referred to as sir. While she might seem terse, she was actually speaking more now than she had all day, her words all carefully chosen. Polite. Distant. A weak shield, but the only one Joanne Bard knew how to create.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:16 am
Azzo stopped to look to see if he had, "Eh sorry, my opinion of most of the teachers have changed since... well a few days ago." He seemed a bit bitter towards them.
At the mention of sir he looked down at her. "Don't call me that." He made a half silly face sorta reminisce of an old man in which his demeanor for that second followed. "Makes me sound..... ooollldddd" He grinned trying to get her to lighten up.
He wasn't normally a jokester less it was on stage and he was using puppets, however he did, in his opinion do a pretty good old man impression. "And if you're sure. Though with all these deaths lately might be a better idea if you at least find one of your girl friends to tag along. Better in numbers I always say."
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:56 pm
As long as Azzo's language was clean, Joanne didn't really mind what he said. Her opinion of the teachers was pretty neutral, and she wondered what event had made him think otherwise. But she was not curious enough to actually ask.
Was her language improper now? Joanne looked at the ground. "I apologize if I offended you, Mr. Crowley," she said softly. Surely that would be better. He was older and someone she barely knew, so she had to be polite with him. Not to mention that if she wasn't, what little courage she had would shatter.
At the mention of the deaths, all of the redness drained from Joanne's face. While she wasn't the sort of girl to be close to people, these were her classmates. Abeline Froust had been Joanne's neighbor, and they had exchanged words a few times. That was the closest Joanne got to people, and having them die had frightened her, friendly relationship or not.
For a moment she looked like she was going to say something. But when Azzo went on to suggest she find a girl to go with her, Joanne's face tightened and she burst into tears.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:19 pm
Azzo blinked, "heh... you don't have to call me Mr either... um...." He shook his head, "Just because I might be older doesn't mean I want to be superior... I'd rather be a fri--"
He stopped and ... Oh damnit. She was crying... What the hell did he say wrong this time. Maybe he shouldn't've mentioned deaths.... "Oh come on.... it'll be okay." He said trying to sooth her, this was bad... really bad... "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Damnit where's Mel when you need her.
He was thinking.... trying to think fast, "Um..." However he was kind of failing. "How about... we walk and you talk?" He nodded questioning his own actions, "I mean if it'd make you feel better..." However he really didn't want to be called a bully just because he said a few wrong wrong words.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:49 pm
It was just too much for her to deal with. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, Joanne was in pain. She had nobody to talk to, nobody to help her. Usually when she was upset, she pulled out her old sewing machine and worked on a needlessly complicated project. Since the first memorial, she'd been working every night. The fact that no one complained about the noise only served to remind her that the room next door was now empty.
Joanne buried her face in her hands. "It's not you, really. I just..." She what? Was upset over the deaths of people she barely knew? Was convinced that somehow those deaths- deaths from illness- were her fault? Joanne wasn't even sure, and she knew that she couldn't describe what she was feeling to someone she didn't know. A man, even.
But she also knew that she couldn't not say anything now that she'd started. Something had to give, and she could only pray that he'd be able to give a little as well.
"I... think that would be best," Joanne said slowly, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a tiny square handkerchief, heavily embroidered with tiny white flowers, and dabbed her eyes with it. "If it's okay with you..." she trailed off, unsure what to call him now.
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 12:25 pm
Azzo tilted his head, see seemed to clam a little when he asked if she needed to talk about it. He let her speak without saying anything until she trailed off. "Azzo" He added, "Just plain ol' Azzo. No Sir or Mr. I want to be a friend." He grinned.
"Also if it wouldn't've been okay I would'n't've suggested..." He paused looking at her for a second, "And what should I call you?" He asked his head tilted.
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:35 am
"Thank you... Mr. Azzo." And that was the best he would get out of her.
Joanne sniffled and wiped her eyes once more before pocketing the handkerchief again. "I've seen death before," she said slowly. Her grandmother- Nana, not Grandmama - had passed away when she was nine. She could still remember the funeral, the open casket, the arguments between Father and Grandfather. Her pet guinea pig, Squeak, had died two years ago. Joanne had been so upset that she stayed home from school for three days, before burying him in the garden with some help from her father.
... her mother. But Joanne couldn't bring herself to think about Mother, not now.
"But I didn't think anything would happen here," she went on. This was school. It was supposed to be safe. "All those girls in the Science Club... Mr. Araya... Miss Abeline." Five students dead. The closest thing she had to a friend in that school, gone. It was natural to be upset, so why was Joanne so angry with herself?
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