TR part 4
Authors: Marina and Casey
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 14 (your call is very important…), Milk Chocolate 11 (unease) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 3 (a secret), French Vanilla 8 (en garde) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Smoothie
Word Count: 667
Rating: G
Summary: Chase discovers something that worries him.
Notes: Yes, we are still doing this, and it is plot point time! (First three parts can be found at the index, sorry it's been a while. We had to figure out our plot direction before we could continue.)
"You should draw a line where you're going to glue this piece before you do it, Taylor." Chase reached for a nearby ruler and a pencil. "A lot of the time, it's sloppy if you don't, and you can't really undo glue once it's dried, so you need to be careful."
Mr. D shot Chase a thumbs-up over Taylor’s shoulder. "Nice job," he mouthed with a wide smile before moving on to the next student that needed help. Chase beamed and returned his attention to the younger boy.
"So I draw a line two inches from the end?" Taylor asked.
"That's right. Make a little mark with your pencil like this, so you know where it's supposed to go, and then use the ruler to draw a straight line across."
He nodded and accepted the ruler back. "Thanks."
"No problem, just let me know if you need anything else." Chase straightened and initiated a cursory scan of the room. Most of the students seemed engrossed in their projects. A couple of them goofed off at the back of the room, and Chase lifted his chin a bit as he turned away.
A minute or two later, a simple, businesslike ringtone cut through the peaceful atmosphere of the room. Mr. D looked up with a frown, crossing over to his desk to pick up his cell phone. His frown deepened at seeing the caller ID, but quickly disappeared as he glanced up in search of his assistant. "Can you keep an eye on this rabble for a minute while I take this, Chase?" he asked, smiling briefly.
"We're not rabble, Mr. D!" one of the girls said, and the rest of the kids at her table laughed. He winked at her.
"Sure," Chase said, amused.
Mr. D nodded and sat down at his desk to answer the phone, expression solemn again. Chase frowned a little, but said nothing. Instead, he returned his attention to the students, keeping half an ear out without really meaning to.
"Hello? Oh, hi, Officer Mitchell, thank you for returning my call," Mr. D said.
"Officer Mitchell?" Chase mouthed, brow immediately crinkling in surprise. “Is that Dad?” He shot a glance at his teacher. Mr. D missed it, deep lines in his forehead as he listened, nodding absently.
"Is this right, Chase?" Taylor asked, gesturing to the delicate jumble of planks on the table in front of him.
Chase hurriedly redirected his focus. "Yeah, that looks good. Keep going like that."
"Okay, that's about what I thought," Mr. D said, sounding a little discouraged. "Is there anything we can do?" Chase missed the next couple of sentences, his teacher lowering his voice even further. Then, "I guess that's something to be happy about."
"Yes, exactly like that," Chase said to another boy. "Hold on a second." He glanced up again just as Mr. D hung up. The man stared at his phone without moving for a moment. Chase crossed over to him, curiosity overpowering any sense of tact he possessed. "What’s wrong?" he asked softly.
Mr. D blinked and looked up. "Oh. Nothing really. Just checking on something with...oh." He paused, focusing on Chase as if he had just registered his presence. "Did you hear your last name?"
"Yeah, were you talking to my dad?"
"Yes, I was. I had a question for the police and I've been communicating with your dad about it."
"Oh. Okay." Chase did not like it, but he had the feeling that that was as specific as Mr. D was willing to get. "I'll, um, go help people some more."
"Thank you, Chase, I'll be there in just a minute."
He nodded and went back to the benches, dropping his arms hastily once he realized he had been hugging himself.
Mr. D kept silent vigil at his desk for a few minutes. When he finally rejoined them, Chase could see a shadow on his face behind his normal pleasantness. It remained there for the rest of the day.
Story: Taking Root
Challenge: Coconut 14 (your call is very important…), Milk Chocolate 11 (unease) [Marina]; Blueberry Yogurt 3 (a secret), French Vanilla 8 (en garde) [Casey]
Toppings/Extras: Caramel, Chopped Nuts, Smoothie
Word Count: 667
Rating: G
Summary: Chase discovers something that worries him.
Notes: Yes, we are still doing this, and it is plot point time! (First three parts can be found at the index, sorry it's been a while. We had to figure out our plot direction before we could continue.)
"You should draw a line where you're going to glue this piece before you do it, Taylor." Chase reached for a nearby ruler and a pencil. "A lot of the time, it's sloppy if you don't, and you can't really undo glue once it's dried, so you need to be careful."
Mr. D shot Chase a thumbs-up over Taylor’s shoulder. "Nice job," he mouthed with a wide smile before moving on to the next student that needed help. Chase beamed and returned his attention to the younger boy.
"So I draw a line two inches from the end?" Taylor asked.
"That's right. Make a little mark with your pencil like this, so you know where it's supposed to go, and then use the ruler to draw a straight line across."
He nodded and accepted the ruler back. "Thanks."
"No problem, just let me know if you need anything else." Chase straightened and initiated a cursory scan of the room. Most of the students seemed engrossed in their projects. A couple of them goofed off at the back of the room, and Chase lifted his chin a bit as he turned away.
A minute or two later, a simple, businesslike ringtone cut through the peaceful atmosphere of the room. Mr. D looked up with a frown, crossing over to his desk to pick up his cell phone. His frown deepened at seeing the caller ID, but quickly disappeared as he glanced up in search of his assistant. "Can you keep an eye on this rabble for a minute while I take this, Chase?" he asked, smiling briefly.
"We're not rabble, Mr. D!" one of the girls said, and the rest of the kids at her table laughed. He winked at her.
"Sure," Chase said, amused.
Mr. D nodded and sat down at his desk to answer the phone, expression solemn again. Chase frowned a little, but said nothing. Instead, he returned his attention to the students, keeping half an ear out without really meaning to.
"Hello? Oh, hi, Officer Mitchell, thank you for returning my call," Mr. D said.
"Officer Mitchell?" Chase mouthed, brow immediately crinkling in surprise. “Is that Dad?” He shot a glance at his teacher. Mr. D missed it, deep lines in his forehead as he listened, nodding absently.
"Is this right, Chase?" Taylor asked, gesturing to the delicate jumble of planks on the table in front of him.
Chase hurriedly redirected his focus. "Yeah, that looks good. Keep going like that."
"Okay, that's about what I thought," Mr. D said, sounding a little discouraged. "Is there anything we can do?" Chase missed the next couple of sentences, his teacher lowering his voice even further. Then, "I guess that's something to be happy about."
"Yes, exactly like that," Chase said to another boy. "Hold on a second." He glanced up again just as Mr. D hung up. The man stared at his phone without moving for a moment. Chase crossed over to him, curiosity overpowering any sense of tact he possessed. "What’s wrong?" he asked softly.
Mr. D blinked and looked up. "Oh. Nothing really. Just checking on something with...oh." He paused, focusing on Chase as if he had just registered his presence. "Did you hear your last name?"
"Yeah, were you talking to my dad?"
"Yes, I was. I had a question for the police and I've been communicating with your dad about it."
"Oh. Okay." Chase did not like it, but he had the feeling that that was as specific as Mr. D was willing to get. "I'll, um, go help people some more."
"Thank you, Chase, I'll be there in just a minute."
He nodded and went back to the benches, dropping his arms hastily once he realized he had been hugging himself.
Mr. D kept silent vigil at his desk for a few minutes. When he finally rejoined them, Chase could see a shadow on his face behind his normal pleasantness. It remained there for the rest of the day.