stay in school

“That’s alright,” Constance said slowly, “we all get lost in our heads from time to time.” Unabashed by Frankie’s disappearance from the present, Constance returned to what her conversation had entailed originally. “I was only asking if you wanted to go and get that coffee, but if you’re pre-occupied we can rearrange.” 

Frankie smiled, glad that Constance was being understanding and not pushing to know what was up. The witch was willing to share xir visions with the Coven, but was always a bit thrown right after them. “Yes, of course.” Frankie hated changing plans, always feeling responsible for them even if they were only social. Xe started back along their path to the coffee shop. “What have you been up to recently?”

Frankie returned to the present with the sound of evil laughter echoing in xir ears. Who had been that witch in the vision?  Xe realized that xe had been staring blankly at someone as xir mind had been elsewhere. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude,” the witch said distantly as xe regained xir bearings. Xir hands hurt. Frankie looked down to notice xe had a death grip on the back of a bench. Xe intentionally uncurled each hand and flexed her fingers a few times. “I was just lost in thought.”

Maggie saw the look on Frankie’s face when she brought up Trevor instilling manners in her. And she understood it, it was a look that she saw often. Xe saw a different side of Trevor than she did, xe didn’t know what it was like at their house, with their mom in and out, until she was just plain out. “They’re doing good. Jax is as big a pain as he always is. Trevor’s busy with work at the garage, but he indulges me on movie nights. They’re both reluctant taste testers for my baking experiments.” Maggie ended her statement with a shrug. It was always weird giving out updates on her brothers, especially when she wasn’t sure when the other party had last seen them.

“Well I guess we can only keep our fingers crossed, then.” Maggie said. She noticed the smile that spread across xir face and couldn’t help but mirror it. Maggie saw the effect that Frankie had on the students. She might no longer be a student, but with how much time she spent on the school with her position as coach she saw a lot of the student body. And the staff, for that matter, which is why it wasn’t all that strange for her to be standing around and chatting with Frankie.

Frankie nodded politely and said, “That’s good to hear. Jax is doing well at school.” He still got into trouble, but it was a bit down lately. Frankie had started to notice that his behavioral patterns seemed to line up with the months, so xe was planning on looking into whether there was something supernatural troubling him. Xe looked back towards the cars. “We might need Trevor’s help quite soon.” Xe smiled conspiratorially at the mention of baking. Frankie watched what xe ate but had a sweet tooth. “Well, we down in the office of Ashwood would never turn down some experimental treats.” 

“Yeah, for sure.” Monica extended her arm between them in offering. “It’s got a non-wool inner lining, if that makes a difference.” She couldn’t imagine trying to wear something with the potential to be itchy like that all day, so the coat’s inner lining had been a big plus. “California, actually, but the weather’s still not cool enough for serious winter-wear,” she answered, amused. “But everyone in my family runs hot, so it’s also just good genetics. And the occasional coat theft, if my roommate leaves one unattended.”

“Thanks,” she chirped. Green wasn’t officially her favorite color—because that would mean picking just one—but it was definitely up there. “You know,” Monica mused, glancing down to the coat, “I think it is.” It was a nice coat.

Frankie found the material to be much less bulky than xe initially had guessed. “A non-wool liner is helpful, though you rarely would wear a wool coat touching your skin. This coat is actually quite nice to be in this store. You’re getting a pretty good deal.” Xe stepped back from the woman’s personal space. “You are just lucky that this is a mild winter, but it’s not too late. Last April we had a freak snowstorm with a foot of snow.” 

“That’s good to hear. And I hope that this purchase can help you rehabilitate from your coat-stealing ways. Do you have any other missions for today’s shopping?” 

Frankie Holloway knows how to keep a secret. For as long as xe can remember, xe has been tasked with keeping xir witch status and the supernatural side of Edgewood a secret. While keeping the supernatural secret is a heavy weight, Frankie understands the bigger picture. As a descendant of a founding family, Frankie is in the thick of the supernatural community. It still seems like there’s some things xir family is still keeping from xim though...

“Ha, yeah.” Monty rubbed at the back of his neck in embarrassment. It wasn’t like it hadn’t occurred to him that he’d dropped off the map after leaving Edgewood, and it wouldn’t be very hard to imagine that people had forgotten where he’d gone. But it was… uncomfortable, to hear first hand that some people hadn’t even realized he’d left town. Not unexpected—it wasn’t like they’d really known each other, and it wasn’t like he’d thought his family would bring it up—just not pleasant.  

“Uh,” he cleared his throat a little, trying to dispell the feeling. “Not currently. I’m not back for good, but it felt like time for a change.” Among other things. But that wasn’t something to get into, especially with someone he didn’t personally know all that well.

“Some of the stuff downtown. That nightclub? Underworld? There’s some candy store uptown that looks new? And another one back in town.” It was a bit of an eyesore, visible from blocks away at the right angle, but without knowing who owned it, if anyone he knew, he wasn’t going to say that. “Some new apartment projects and things like that. And that abandoned housing development out in the outskirts?” It was a list. It felt strange, refamiliarizing himself with a place he used to know like the back of his hand.

“Yeah, it is.” He at least hadn’t really gotten used to anywhere else to the same depth that he’d known Edgewood, so it wasn’t quite as jarring as it might have been if he’d left home for somewhere that hadn’t been home in a long time. “Town feels a little like a time capsule, though. But I don’t think most of those neighborhoods have changed since before we were born.”

Frankie couldn’t pretend that xe understood what it was like to move for a change. Xe liked having a structured life and a community around xir. The military would probably provide a form of those though, xe mused. “Well, I hope you’re settling in well. Let me know if you need help with anything around town.”

“Have you been to The Underworld? It’s ran by some of my friends and they do a great job.” While Frankie didn’t go clubbing much, xe would stop by the Underworld sometimes to support xir old friends. Xe didn’t just talk it up to be nice though; Dominic, Maxine, and Spencer made a formidable team. 

“The historical society fights hard to preserve the old parts of town. We should just be thankful they allowed electricity and insulation to be added to the houses,” xe joked. While the charm of Old Edgewood was nice, Frankie did appreciate the option to go to the city and see some more modern things. Xe appreciated history greatly--and had even got a degree in it--but was not afraid of progress. 

Edgewood Challenge: Secrets 

Frankie doesn’t intend to keep it a secret, but no one really knows that xe has a dog. Pepper is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel that xe has had for almost 7 years. Frankie adopted him from a friend whose dog had puppies, and Pepper settled in quickly to xir home. Pepper provides the educator comfort when xe comes home from a long day at work, and he will lie by xir feet as she settles on the couch to read. 

“You think so?” She liked it, but she wasn’t going to say no to hearing that someone else liked it too. Monica hummed in agreement about the material, turning to look at herself from the side. “Yeah. I don’t have a lot of proper winter clothes, though, and I like the coat my roommate has that’s like this.” And if she was going to spend money on a coat of her own, it might as well be a coat similar to one she already knew she liked.

She laughed, offering xem a wide smile. “Yeah, it could be worse.” Less distracted by the coat, she said, “Thanks for the second opinion. Seriously. You have no idea how long I’ve spent today on this coat hunt.”

“May I?” Frankie asked, pointing at the coat and intending to feel how bulky the material was. It looked comfortable at least. Xe shook xir head is disbelief. “How have you survived this long in Wisconsin? You must either be from Florida because you don’t have enough coats or from Alaska and able to bear it.” It was always funny when people moving up from the south were so shocked and unprepared for the weather. 

Frankie returned the smile. “Glad I could be of help. I think green works well with your skin tone.” Xe could definitely relate to spending too long trying to find something. It was nice when one could go to the store and wander around for what caught their eye, but when going for a specific item it was much more stressful. “So, is the hunt finally over now?”

“Trevor did his best to make sure that I had some manners.” Maggie joked. Trevor had done a lot for her, and raising her to have manners was the least of it, but it felt good to be recognized for it. “Oh, well that’s good. It might not escalate to insurance, then.” She followed xir motions, peering at both of the vehicles.

“That’s very fortunate.” Maggie agreed. “Look at you, setting a good example for all your students, as always.”

Frankie couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Manners was not something xe ever associated with Trevor Wells. “That’s good to hear,” xe replied anyways, not going to talk bad of someone not there xe barely knew.  They had run in very different circles in high school, but Frankie remembered who he was, mainly because he was the guardian for Jax. However, Frankie could relate to having to grow up too quickly, though luckily xe was never responsible for anyone else. “How are your brothers doing, by the way?” xe asked. “That would be the best for everyone, but it is up to the owner to decide.” Xe was hoping that handling this well would encourage the other car owner to do so as well.

Frankie smiled, feeling a swelling of pride. It was nice to hear that xir efforts were not unnoticed . Xe was not, of course, one to only act good when people were watching, but xir position of power over teenagers did make xir extra aware of the messages xir actions sent. 

Edgewood Challenge: Home Sweet Home

223A North Gate, Crestwood Condos, Uptown Edgewood

Frankie had the option of staying on Raven’s Way essentially forever, having no siblings or cousins to fight for the right of the Holloway House and only Aunt Ophelia to share it with--until xir mother moved back in recently. Nevertheless, after completing xir undergrad degree, xe decided to move out on xir own. Crestwood Condos are farther from both schools that Frankie teaches at, but xe appreciates having somewhere to retreat to away from the drama of the Founders Row--and xir mother. 

The curiosity was there. A part of Simon longed to break from the topic (which they themself had brought up) and ask about the paper. That, of course, would come at the cost of possibly working out what they had been asking.

A tutor?

The question left Simon more baffled than the inscrutable answer to what a logarithm was. That, at least, seemed like a matter of terminology more than anything. But the matter of tutoring? That was something else. An idea. Not a bad one.

“I- I’m not,” Simon confessed, “I was just asked, but. I think maybe I could be.” Unless she was confused, she thought she remembered foreign language was something American students had to study- how many were taking Spanish? “For another subject, that is. I do not think math is.. for me.” Simon’s statement dissolved into a confused laugh. “That did not make any sense to me at all. I might have to send my customer to you for help!”

Frankie frowned at their confusion. A tutor was the most likely person to help someone with schoolwork, yet it seemed to not have occurred to them. But, Simon seemed to be working through it, so Frankie waited patiently. “What other subject are you thinking about?” 

“Your customer? Oh, so that’s how you ended up in this situation,” xe realized in amusement. “Most people ask for help with a potion or spell at Rosie’s, not math.” Frankie didn’t know the whole story about how Simon had ended up at Rosie’s, but it was very unlikely that they would be someone with no knowledge of the supernatural considering that situation. 

“There is no shame in admitting that you don’t understand something,” Frankie said kindly. “And in a situation like this, it might be best to refer the customer to someone else. It is very admirable that you are taking this effort, but if you understand it less than the student, you might not be able to help.” It hurt xir heart to discourage someone from being helpful, but it seemed that the young non-tutor was in over their head. And it was true that if they were trying to teach someone something they didn’t understand, there was a chance of doing more harm than good. “Sorry, but it can’t be me that helps them. I am the Vice Principal at Ashwood, and it is not in my job to help with homework.” It was unfair if xe helped some students with school work in xir position. 

1. 

The surface of the pond rippled and swirled, though the night air was stiff and the trees still. There’s something there, at the bottom. They lean over to get a closer look, standing dangerously close to the edge of the water. A light! A purple glow emanates from something at the bottom of the pond, and it is soon joined by many others. They swirl around, coordinated in a beautiful yet simple dance. The first one starts to rise, then its companions join it. As they ascend, the purple light grows stronger. The entire surface of the pond is now violet. They reach out towards the water, but hesitate to breach the surface. The lights are so close now. They are going to break the surface. It’s going to break. It’s coming. 

Something’s coming. 

“Oops,” said Simon with a sympathetic wince, “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you, sorry!” Simon would have sworn, a few moments ago, that Frankie had seen her standing there. Apparently, that moment when Simon thought that Frankie had seen her, xe had still been wrapped up in… an old newspaper? Simon glanced sidelong at it. What a curious thing to be reading.

To the subject at hand, however-

“I guess so! I’m stumped and I was the one asked. I probably should have said I don’t know math very well, but I wanted to help.” Quite the conundrum. Simon drummed their fingers on the book. “I think it’s probably easier than I am making it.”

“It’s no problem,” Frankie assured them, though xe still felt a phantom chill from the perceived bug. “You’ve clearly been here the entire time, I was just very busy with my reading.” Xe stacked the newspapers and pushed them to the side, not necessarily hiding them, but moving them out of the space of discussion. It would be good to get a break, as xe was getting nowhere. 

“Oh, are you a tutor?” It seemed odd to tutor math if one struggled with it, but it was admirable that they were going as far as to come figure it out themselves in the library. “Well, to understand logarithms, you must first understand exponential functions. They are inverse functions, like addition and subtraction or multiplication and division. Then, it’s working backwards.” Frankie wished that the problem of xir visions was as straightforward as mathematics. Sure, math was complex, but there was a simple answer once you got there. Holloway, however, had taught history and understood how complex situations could be. But was that enough for the war xe was going to be fighting? 

A part of Sorcha cringed when she heard Holloway’s voice. As much time as had passed since High School, there was still the reminder of the event. Reprimands and looks of shock and horror. And all the feelings after. 

“Napkins… right you got it.” Sorcha spun, spotting some napkins close by and walking over. While at the table, she also grabbed a new lid for her beverage and wiped off her hand, a victim to the spill as well. She took a deep breath and reminded herself to breathe. Holloway was just a reminder of the past, xe wasn’t the past brought back to life. Sorcha looked down at her hands, forced them to stay still as much as she could, grabbed another handful of napkins and brought them over to xir. 

“Holloway, it is fantastic to see you. Sometimes I forget school staff could exist outside the confines of the halls.” Sorcha smiled. “How have things been with you? You know, adult to adult now.”

“Thank you, Saintcrow,” Frankie said, taking the napkins and wiping at xir shirt. Xe didn’t have time to run back home, so the magic of a Tide pen would have to do for now. A little spell to clean this up would be personal gain, as well as a bad example for the younger warlock. 

“It’s nice to see you too. Yes, as crazy as it sounds, we do have real lives,” xe said in good humor. School definitely was its own world, but it was an important one. It was always funny to get those reactions though outside of school, yet it didn’t bother Frankie since for students, especially the younger ones, the faculty’s only importance was their role within school. “Well, I’m still at Ashwood, though the Vice Principal now. What is your adult self doing?” Xe left the other questions unsaid. Are you still abusing your powers? Have you changed from the person you were. Teachers weren’t as blind as students thought: Frankie knew well that Sorcha had been at the top of the cliche high school food chain and had had the attitude to match. But it wasn’t fair to hold that against her now.