now isn't that something | Glowfic Constellation

self_composed

[Will do. You'll miss me triumphantly kicking ass at badminton, though.]

edgeofyourseat

[Yep,] says Alice.

Which will be a pity! But right now he really wants to do something intensely sensual, and since he doesn't feel like getting someone to beat him up and probably couldn't find anyone to have sex with him, his lair is the best place to go for that.

self_composed

[Have fun. I'm going to Bio,] Bella says. She does pat him once on the head, when she stands up, like he's a support.

edgeofyourseat

[See ya,] he says, and off he goes, abandoning his box of cookies.

self_composed

Bella sighs and puts the tupperware in her backpack, and proceeds to class.

Bio goes by and she heads for gym. Time to learn to play badminton and then play it like she was born for it. "Hi, Ms. Finch."

edgeofyourseat

"Hi, Bella."

She doesn't even ask about their mutual friend.

"Still feeling cured, I hope?"

self_composed

"Yup," Bella says brightly. "So how does badminton work? It involve rackets, right?"

edgeofyourseat

"Yes it does," says Ms. Finch. "Congratulations." She hands Bella a racket. "Now let's see if we can add to that store of knowledge."

She provides a thorough and concise explanation of the rules, punctuated with occasional humour of that dry sarcastic kind she seems to like so much.

self_composed

Bella giggles where appropriate. "Sounds simple enough," she says. "Do we get assigned partners or do we pick them?"

edgeofyourseat

"You pick them," says Ms. Finch, "unless that takes too long or involves too much adolescent politics. So far this class hasn't been too bad about teams, though."

self_composed

"Okay. I just haven't met many people in this class besides Alice - oh, he asked me to call him Alice awhile ago, it's kind of weird - and he's not showing up today, so I'm not sure who to go with," Bella shrugs.

edgeofyourseat

"Alice," she repeats. "Funny. Well, if you can't find a partner once class starts, make pitiful faces at me and I'll get you straightened out."

self_composed

"Will do," Bella agrees. She experimentally swings her racket a few times. She spends a pentagon on general athleticism so she won't be terribly exhausted by suddenly adding cardio to her day, and one on skill at racket-based sports in general after discovering that "all sports" is too general. She gets a birdie from the pile and starts tapping it up into the air, over and over. "Hee."

edgeofyourseat

Well, some people are naturally talented. Ms. Finch doesn't find Bella too suspicious, and she is shortly distracted by the arrival of the rest of the class, anyway.

self_composed

Bella partners with someone who she vaguely thinks might also be in Government with her and who doesn't seem to like badminton much.

Her partner doesn't have much to do.

Bella grins so hard her face hurts.

edgeofyourseat

It's always nice to see the kiddies having fun.

self_composed

After class, Bella has no reason to stick around; she puts her equipment away and runs off to call her dad to come get her. (Her car should be fixed soon. If only she'd thought to magic it fixed when it first broke - sure, magic was scarcer then, but it might have taken only a square -)

edgeofyourseat

About half an hour later, Alice brainphones her from his lair.

[Hey, you home yet?]

self_composed

[Yeah, Charlie just left,] Bella says. [What are you up to?]

edgeofyourseat

Napping on the floor of his sewing room, or he was a minute ago.

It hasn't been a great afternoon. Parts of it were, but on the whole, no.

[Shit-all, pretty much. How much ass did you kick in gym?]

self_composed

[Lots. Finch didn't even seem suspicious. You recovering okay? Mike was pretty awful to you at lunch.]

edgeofyourseat

[I'll be fine,] he says, tucking his hands behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling. [Still kinda feel like shit, but whatever. You wanna hang out?]

self_composed

[Sure. Be over in a few.] Bella walks out, and once she's deep in the woods turns invisible and takes flight. [If Mike sits at my table again I'm just going to get up and leave, I'm done with him.]

edgeofyourseat

[Good plan,] says Alice.

self_composed