High Notes (open)

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

Looking around the school, I saw no one. It was a Sunday and I needed to take my things to my new classroom. I didn't want to do it on a school day. I was new to this school and most kids were mean. Most high school kids were especially mean. I was warned constantly on how bad it was here, but i didn't listen. I needed to see for myself. I mean, if things were really THAT bad, wouldn't the kids be in jail or something?



I opened to door to the hallway leading to my classroom and walked inside. I hoped the room was close. This box was heavy and slipping... Choir stuff needed to get lighter. Maybe i'd add a few high notes. I smiled to myself as i walked down the hall.

["Wren"]

School sucked. This was an unspoken (and often loudly, aggressively, spoken) rule about any and all institutions of learning by those who attended them. Six to eight hours a day, five days a week to repeat and perform and do as the system says, and not even getting paid for it. When you add the fact that the school in question was none other than the notorious two five nine, you got a lot more vehement about the opinions of the alleged suckage; the fighting added a unique element of fear to the school.

Given that, Wren felt a little odd even walking past the school, duffel bag slung across her shoulder, a book under her arm. She'd stepped off the bus by a force of habit a little ways further up the block before she had realized her mistake. The goth exhaled slowly through her nose and checked her phone for the time. Well, she was going to be early anyway. Walking wasn't exactly a chore.

With Metallica thrumming in her ears, she proceeded down the sidewalk... only to stop a few feet ahead when she noticed someone coming in and out of the building. Older, dark hair. Not a student, them. Carrying stuff inside? On a Sunday?

Suspicious.

Checking her phone again for the time –still lots of time to kill, even for a quick stop-- Wren followed her curiosity and made her way, dressed of course, in black from head to toe with inky lips and charcoal eyes to the figure into the school, following silently behind the curvaceous older woman like a slight little shadow.

After a minute or two of silently following, it became clear that the place the woman was headed to was the music room. Well. One mystery solved. Time to solve another.

“It's Sunday.” the waifish girl spoke up suddenly after watching the woman for a moment. If the woman turned around, she would find a short girl of sixteen staring at her with a bored, deadpan expression. She did not elaborate further on her statement.

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

I jumped as i heard the voice behind me. Spinning around i dropped the box and it, and the contents, spilled across the floor. I looked at her before dropping to the floor to pick it up. First, the empty music pages.

"I know it's sunday, but i wanted to be able to move into my office without having to deal with students. Don't get me wrong, I love being a teacher, but... Hi. I'm Katsuko Hinata. I'm the Choir Director."

["Wren"]

The start from the tall woman was deeply satisfying. It hadn't even been on purpose, but it was no less amusing. A small twitch of the left corner of her black mouth, content to observe the woman rather than help.

"Wren," She offered her moniker with a nod. "I didn't even know this school had a music room."

OR wanted one, given the school'system reputation.

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

After picking up the rest of the box's contents, I stood, hefting the box and shoving the music room door open.

"Nice to meet you, Wren. Yeah, I know it doesn't really have one, but I do know that everyone likes to sing. Believe it or not. They do. And, not everyone sings the same way. Some scream while others hum."

I offered a smile as I walked through the open door. Turning to her and gesturing with a nod of my head, I'd continue to the desk in the middle.

I looked around and sighed. It was a larger room, but still not a music room. I could fix that though.

"So, Wren, what can I help you with today?"

["Wren"]

An eyebrow quireked upward skeptically. Screaming? Really? Someone just shrieking at the top of their voice in the middle of Ave Maria? Because of that was allowed, Wren would definietly join. As far as singing went, screaming and hummig were the only two things the goth could do. Or was willing at the very least. Trying was too much effort.

Silently, Wren followed Ms. Hinata into the music room, gazing around with an appraising eye. Bigger than she thought... considering the original thought had been 'I'm pretty sure this doesn't exist' anyway.

The question served as a reminder of why she was even in the area to begin with. She cast her eyes around for a clock, noted the time, and noddes to herself. "Nothing. Just killing time. Happened by." She abbreviated, lookign back at the teacher with something of a puzzled look.

"Why here? Not exactly a fine arts school," She gestured at their surroundings with a flick of her wrist.

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

I set the box down on the desk and turned to smiled at the student.

"Every school needs a few teachers that actually care about the students. Most teachers here seem like they are only here to keep students in line. I double as a choir teacher and as a counselor. I like to think that students can come to me if they have any problems."

I smiled at her again. She seemed nice enough. I liked that she was loud with her clothing style. I had always admired the style, though i wasn't sure i could pull it off myself.

["Wren"]

Oh, she was one of those. A bleeding heart. A do-gooder. Well, she supposed there were worse things; teachers just as bad as the kids they taught, here to exert their power and authority over others. Ms. Katsuko was.. refreshing. Perhaps a bit too idealistic for the rather pessimistic Wren, maybe even a little naive. It was almost sickeningly optimistic.

And, Wren had to admit, a good goal if there was one to be had.

"I'm not sure you'll like it here." she said after a moments pause, followed by a slow, cat-like blink. "Most would rather fight than talk. Lots of problems. Lots of people who don't want to be fixed."

These were just her casual observations over the last few weeks. Like most of the other kids in the school, she was a delinquent too. Just not of the physical sort.

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

I nodded slowly and pursed my lips before speaking again. She seemed like she needed help, but didn't want to ask. Perhaps she figured she was far beyond help? I wasn't so sure about that part. All I knew was that everyone needed help at some point. I was just there to make sure they could receive it when needed.

"I suppose you are right about not all the students wanting help. Occasionally, someone will surprise me. I guess I am just overly optimistic. Besides, there is always a silver lining, even if you have to search forever to find it. Good can always be found. Most times, it's right under your nose."

Yes, I was being more chipper than usual, but I always believed there was good in everything.

["Wren"]

Her thin eyebrow lifted at the older woman's words. So full of hope and optimism. How would that sunny-outlook hold up when someone took a swing at her? There were strong kids at this school, and most that she'd see had no problems standing up to teachers.

"We're here for a reason. Most of of them bad ones." Wren checked the time again. Nearly time to go, or else risk being late. Still, a few minutes to go. "Violent ones." She added pointedly.

She left the implied quiestion unspoken. Was she ready for what the school had in store?

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

My smile remained as I looked back at her.

"I went to a school similar to this one. There was quite a bit of violence there as well. I hope I don't have to resort to violence, but I will not hesitate to defend myself."

It was not a pointed statement. I was not a warning. It was just a friendly 'i can handle myself.'

"I thank you for the warning, though. You seem to have somewhere to be?"

["Wren"]

That earned an appraising raise of a brow from the sullen goth girl. There were other schools out there like 259? Odd. The fact that Ms. Katsuko was confident that she could handle herself was enough to convince Wren she knew what she was doing. Probably. It wasn't her business if she couldn't.

The question at the end of her assurances piqued Wren's attention back towards the teacher. Her lips pressed a thin line and she nodded, once, looking down at her duffel bag.

"...Dance class."

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

Stunned silence. I didn't think she'd... I looked away, around the room and finally, my eyes rested on my desk. I moved the box a bit to the side so it would match the sides of the desk. Once it was perfectly positioned, i turned back around to face Wren.

"I suppose that will be... Fun for you."

I wasn't sure what else to say.

["Wren"]

Huh. That was an interesting response. Did she say something Ms. Katsuko didn't like? Was dancing... offensive somehow? Or had she not expected Wren to reply honestly? Or admit that she, given her appearance and demeanour, could dance in the first place, maybe? Wren kept her dark eyes fixed on the Japanese woman as she glanced about the room and fiddled with her desk.

Whatever the reason, Wren had made the teacher uneasy. A hint of a smile --the very smallest tug of the left corner of her mouth, barely there at all-- flickered on her ashen face before vanishing again.

"Is something the matter?"

[Sugimoto Kuromori]

I looked back to the student. Well, damn., Now I have to be honest. I couldn't lie even if my life depended on it.

"I just didn't expect someone..." I paused not wanting to offend her. "It didn't seem like something you would enjoy. Please forgive me for assuming too much about you."

I slightly bowed. Respect. It was ingrained in me by my late father. He would have been displeased had I not shown the proper amounts of respect.