Small Steps

Posted on Wed Nov 1st, 2023 @ 22:40 by Phoebe Hunter & Rebecca McMillen
Edited on on Thu Nov 2nd, 2023 @ 8:22

Chapter: All Hallow's Eve
Location: Lounge
Timeline: November 6th
1716 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Rebecca decided that the easiest way to settle her nerves, and her stomach, was with a bite to eat. Sneaking down to the kitchen really wasn't that hard, but the lounge was really all she needed to get to. Nothing fancy or complicated, just some crackers and tea. And of course, cheese.

Content with her bounty, Rebecca started to head to her room to nibble in relative peace, though on the way there, she paused. Did she really want to just, be a recluse? Right now? After everything... Resigning to rather be social than silent, she turned on a heel to head to the lounge instead. Soft chairs, big windows, lots of light and space. She poked her head in, and saw a familiar face.

"Hey." she called over to Phoebe. She hadn't had the chance to really get to know the other member of the faculty, and the last time she really spent any time around them was the Halloween party. Rather not think about that at the moment. "Mind if I join?" and she regretted it the moment she asked. Public function space, PLENTY of room...

Phoebe looked up from where she was lesson planning surrounded by chaos and papers with the radio. She looked up at the woman that seem to have a pile of food on her plate in the teachers lounge of all places. She nodded and indicated the seat in front of her on the table, moving aside, some of the books she had been using to clean a space for her. “Of course not please join. .”

Rebecca sat as offered, careful not to take up too much of the table space. She placed the cheese and crackers in a place easy for both to get to, "In case you want some too. I know I know, I have a weak spot for cheese." she admitted. "I, I want to say thank you. That whole everything was a bit, okay it was a lot, frightening. It really helped to have a clear idea as to what was needed and, well, you gave me that." a pause, "And, I realize I'm probably interrupting something, sorry."

"I am trying to make sure the children who have exams this year at the very least learn what they need to and get their O levels," Pheobe said and shook her head and closed the books closest to the woman to give her more space. "No thank you and you do not need to thank me that is my role in the bigger picture." It was okay to discuss all of this now as it was pretty obvious that she was more than meets the eye.

Rebecca had it easy in that regard, no final exams on electives nevermind an art class. What would they grade you on when everything is personal interpretation? Color use? Well maybe if that's the point of the lecture but there wasn't really a scale. You either used Red, or you didn't.

"Bigger picture. Good joke there. Ha." Rebecca commented dryly. "I get it. I'm the new arrival. Nothing fancy, nothing special. My ta.. power is getting into places that don't want to get gotten into. It's how I ..." she paused, and shook her head, "You're busy. I'm sorry. We'll catch up later." the mousey blonde collected her dish and tea and stood. She was already considering a few other places where she wouldn't be in the way, and worst case she knew some clean spots in the vents.

Phoebe looked at her unsure and raised an eyebrow. She had not meant to tell a joke or anything. "All of us our new arrivals. I only arrived a week before term." The woman said confused as to why she kept trying to leave her. "Why are you trying to leave before you settle?" She finally decided to just be blunt and ask.

"Oh, I.. I thought you were all... I.." Rebecca paused, then turned to return to the seat. "I'm sorry, I just felt like I was imposing, and you sounded busy. I.. I don't like being a nuisance and it.." she shook her head, gathering her thoughts.

"Running from problems has been how I survive. It felt, to me, that i was being a problem so, first instinct, stop being the problem." She admitted. "It's taking a bit to settle that I'm not a problem. Not undesired."

"So, I'm sorry about that."

Phoebe took a slow breath and shook her head. The woman knew some people could run from a situation but there had to be a line. "You are not a problem but you cannot keep running here." She said in a kinder voice thinking back to the conversation with Claire.

A similar talk was had with Rebecca and Claire. Home. Safe. Wanted. With Phoebe reminding and relaying, Rebecca reclaimed her seat with a nod. "I'll have to work a little on the tests for my kids." she offered after a long silence, and gave a nod in thanks. She claimed a cracker and some cheese, and took a nibble or two, a sign that she was calming down. Settling in. A long exhale, not a sigh but just a relax. A de-stress.

Phoebe watched the woman destress and decided to not carry on with that line of questioning. She was not a counsellor but she would be adding it to her discussion list to talk to Claire about. Some people needed mental health support for past issues or the current strain of the Rangers and government being on their cases. "I highly recommend getting ahead of the test with the older kids. It starts to ramp up after Christmas for them." Phoebe was not a first-year afterall teacher and teaching had been her cover when M13 had recruited her and she had kept herself in that world as best she could via agency.

Rebecca gave a nod, "I kinda want to cut them a break, given what's happened, go easy on them... but I also don't want to cheap them out of something so important. Cut a corner here and it'll cause trouble down the line." another nibble, "I know, I'll ask some of the local rats to write the test." she teased.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. They're horrible at writing." she said, a touch of humor returning to her. "But you're right, Christmas is coming so, better get ready for that. You said you were just a week before term, so how they do Christmas around here is as big a mystery to you as it is to me, I guess."

"I'm... not the biggest fan of Christmas." she admitted. "I hope that'll change here."

"The best person to ask is Claire or William around that." Phoebe was not sure she had ever had a good Christmas. She could vividly remember chasing an ice mutant through Bristol last Christmas and the mutant making a hill an ice rink and she and the mutant ended in a heap at the bottom.

"I'll put that on the To Do list." the blonde said with a nod. "Not that it's going to be some big secret, but when I find out I'll let you know."

"I am sure there is something about house competitions but don't quote me on it." Phoebe had over heard Catriona and several other girls on her dorm checks talking about there plans for this year to get back at the other houses for last year.

That seemed to lift Rebecca's mood a bit. "Oh that would be something fun." she remarked with a soft smile, and another nibble of her snack. She was taking great care to make sure that any crumbs remained on the plate, rather than make a mess of the table. Mind you, out of everyone in the school, she was uniquely qualified to deal with any crumbs personally.

“But best to check with Claire or ask something who was here over the last 2 years. They have way more insight than me who overheard some girls.” Phoebe was one to hold a lot of insight from gossip of teenage girls. She got a lot of answers from them sometimes.

Rebecca gave a nod, "Oh no no, I got'cha. I was chatting with Claire earlier, should have asked her then." she shook her head gently, then relaxed, "Next time. But when I find out for sure, I'll let you know." she figured pass on the answer. Her class didn't have too much in the way of gossip, but she had heard enough to know that she need to hear it from the source.

Phoebe nodded and glanced back at her books again before looking at the woman. “So what are you planning to teach between now and Christmas to year 7?” She wondered thinking that they were the youngest in the school without exams or commitment of much.

"Famous artists and how they dealt with personal grief and trauma, then some free sketching to give them the whole 'many ways to deal with an issue' kind of experience. Have everyone sketch or draw the same thing in a room, but from different points of view. Maybe." she offered, "I want to instill on them that there's often times a lot of ways to reach a conclusion. The whole 'No one way' line of thought. Problem solving comes a little easier when you have that mentality." she paused, "And you?"

“Local history we have just finished a huge part of learning around the Normandy conquest so something a little lighter is needed. William is invaluable in helping there.” Phoebe said thoughtfully before she nodded at the ideas arts classes were going to be going. “Reaching a conclusion is a very big part of life and it’s okay to be different. Great choice.” She praised before looking at the clock. “Shoot I have training. Excuse me.” Phoebe started gathering her stuff to shove in her cubby hole.

Rebecca gave a smile at the praise. It was such a simple thing but it meant a lot to her. Though at the notion of time running up for their time together, she gave a nod, "Oh of course, good luck out there." Training. Made the blonde think of things to put on her own to-do list.

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