BWI Airport Lounge, Saturday Morning

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy should have been tired as she made her way to the lounge with the bright and glittery Fandom High banner. Even for someone who considered herself a morning person, the time she'd had to get up to catch her flight out of LAX had been obscene. Excitement had kept her awake on the plane. Excitement and energy drinks were keeping her jittering

Comments

On the way to Fandom

[spin_kick_snap]

Which will likely be a tame and boring ride. Really.

Re: On the way to Fandom

[bitten_notshy]

"If you're going to Fandom, your ride is this way," Jack announced loudly at the appointed hour, when it seemed like everyone who needed to be on the van was there. If he was privately amused that he'd ended up driving the shuttle instead of any of the modern teachers -- well, it didn't show. Much.

"I promise not to lose any of you before we get to the island."

Re: On the way to Fandom

[spin_kick_snap]

"Is it far?" Kathy asked, hoisting her suitcase behind her. "I tried finding Fandom Island on Google maps back home, but it wouldn't pull up."

Not that she'd mentioned that to her parents. Her mother had already been dubious about the whole venture.

[bitten_notshy]

"it can be funny that way," Jack commiserated. "But no, it's not so far. An hour or so, depending on traffic."

He gave the girl a brief, curious look. He always wondered whether new students had the first clue what they were in for. "I'm Jack," he added. "2010 graduate, teacher -- and today I drive a van."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy paused at that, trying not to wince. "I, uhh, heard that the job market around here can be pretty tough," she said politely.

While worrying about going to a school where their graduates drove vans for a living. Her father would be furious if he heard something like that.

"I'm Kathy. Kathy Li. Technically Katherine, but only my parents call me that."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack laughed at that, loud and sudden. "The job I actually earn money doing is managing a nightclub," he explained, managing not to sound too patronizing. "Teaching's a sideline. The van-driving is entirely voluntary. And it's lovely to meet you, Kathy-not-Katherine. How was your trip in?"

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh!" She hadn't realized she was so transparent. Nervously tucking her hair behind her ear, she added, "Fine, just fine. Maybe one too many energy drinks to stay awake, though. I'm from LA. The flight and the time shift had me leaving way before sunrise."

[bitten_notshy]

Jack wrinkled his nose in sympathy. "I could never stand the taste of energy drinks," he observed. "So to me that sounds -- fairly awful, actually. Here's hoping your day gets better from here."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Even if it is, it's going to be a long one," Kathy said, finally dragging her suitcase up and choosing a seat near Jack. The back seats were for the cool kids. Everyone knew that. And Kathy was many things, but definitely not cool. "I'm hoping I might be able to sneak in a nap sometime this afternoon, after I find out my dorm and stuff."

Someone was unprepared for any picnic, never mind a picnic the size of the ones Fandom threw.

[bitten_notshy]

"Maybe, if you don't spend too much time at the picnic," Jack told her. "It's not required, but it seems to take up most of the day anyhow. We're a chatty bunch when you get us going."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Picnic?" There's a way to get a teen's attention, Jack. "That's a nice way to welcome us to the school."

Huh. The school. Maybe Jack would be willing to tell her a little more about it, since he'd gone there, too.

"So, you must have really liked Fandom to keep working here, huh?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Not at first," Jack said honestly. "It wasn't home, and I wanted home. But it -- grew on me. Things changed, and it felt more like home than home did. If that makes any sense."

[spin_kick_snap]

"It does," Kathy replied. "I mean, I love my family and we've always been super-close, but sometimes things can get stifling."

Like when your parents had planned out almost your whole life before you were even born. Or something.

"Sometimes you like having a place where you can, like, stretch out and be yourself, right?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Absolutely," Jack told her. "And Fandom's definitely a place where you end up being independent."

[spin_kick_snap]

"Awesome," Kathy said. "That sounds so cool."

As opposed to, say, the way she sounded now. Which was probably less-than-cool.

...Which was normal, if disheartening.

"Uhhh, anything I should know from a veteran?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Lots," Jack said frankly. "But I might let your sibling have the honors. Just ... settle in, enjoy it, and remember people aren't trying to pull your leg. Usually."