No One Mentioned the Paperwork

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

When Zoe had agreed to take a TA position, no one had mentioned the paperwork she'd have to fill out. The girl had a few handfuls of paper which she couldn't make heads nor tails off. She'd attempted to send in a few emails, but they were apparently busy getting everything together for the new semester. A new semester meant new paperwork to deal with, and that meant that Zoe needed to get all this together if she was going to actually earn some money for the position.

But all Zoe's previous work, photography jobs for the most part, had been paid from checks straight from whomever was in charge of money to herself. Which meant that she hadn't heard of I-9s or W-2s or any of the various forms she had in hand.

Hence why she was fairly desperately roaming the teacher's offices, looking for an open door. Experience taught Zoe to seek out teachers for advice, and this seemed like a good place to find one. Sure enough: she located an open door, and she seemed to recognize the name attached. She stood in the doorway, shifted her feet, then knocked.

"Um, Ms. Connelly? Um, I'm new and I was hoping you could help?" she said, smiling and trying not to look like she was in a near panic about putting the right number in form 5 B.

Bell Connelly

[Bell Connelly]

Ok, Bell would admit it, when grading papers her mind did have a tendency to wander during the process of grading papers, it wasn't a particularly interesting task to take on, checking the same answer. Ten. Twenty. times over, so Bell had taken it upon herself to have a little booklet purely used to doodle little drawings that took her interest, just to have some kind creative outlet of some kind. She got bored quite easily or so it seemed.

Bell looked up once a timid voice spook up from her door way causing her to calmly close her notebook hiding the quite detailed sketch of a flower she was working on and fully give the person at the door her full attention. She has always enjoyed Miss Wallerstein-Smythe as a student. She was friendly. Enthusiastic about her work, had a clear passion for the subject and really that's all Bell truly needed to enjoy a student's company, So naturally Bell was pleased that she's taken a step towards teaching herself “Let me guess? Forms?” Bell smiled tilting her head in understanding getting to her feet “Yes, they can be monstrous can't they? Don't worry you'll get used to them...eventually”

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

The smile on Miss Connelly's face already reassured Zoe. She knew she should stop putting so much of her emotional state into the hands of other people like that, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel relieved whenever someone she knew and respected did that to her. In many ways, Bell was the sort of person Zoe hoped to be when she grew up. Except, well, Zoe hoped to be a good deal... gayer and probably more mobile. But otherwise...

"They are terribly monstrous," Zoe said. She moved a bit closer, tucking some hair behind an ear as she did. "It's all just horribly confusing, like one of those dreadful standardized tests except then I wasn't quite so worried about the government finding me down and attempting to steal my unborn children," she let out another nervous sigh and looked over the form. "I don't know if I want to get used to it."

But she also knew that she probably didn't have much choice. If nothing else, she'd be filling these forms out for the next few years, so long as she kept this job. "So, um, can you... help? I don't even know, well, actually, I do know where to start," and with a shy smile, Zoe tilted the paper and pointed so Bell could see her name printed in careful handwriting in just the right spot.

[Bell Connelly]

Zoe, was a wonderful student and she had no doubt she would make a great teacher if that's trulywhat she wanted to do, she just needed to learn not to put so much stress on herself at times and just relax, in some way it was something of a concern for Bell, if she was this shy in the middle of a class room then students would eat her alive, but she supposed that was something she had to learn by herself and Bell had no doubt that's exactly what she would do. She had totally confidence in the girl.

She had nothing to be afraid of when it came to Bell, she enjoyed being relied on, even though she didn't see it as such everyone needed a little help once in awhile, and Bell was honestly flattered that the girl felt comfortable enough to approach her in the way that she did

She smiled a little at that joke and made sure to wave Zoe into the room happy to help out "Not as bad as that, but they are pretty bad. Just one of the many joys of this job" Bell sighed "Don't worry though, give it a few weeks and this will all seem like clockwork to you" She nodded reassuringly.

"It shall be the highlight of my day Miss: Wallerstein- Smythm." Bell smiled brightly peering over Zoe's shoulder looking over the form. "Well that's just one less thing to worry about-Oh, hold on" Bell quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out a large silver tipped pen "Lucky Pen, the weapon of choice for any educator worth their salt

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe let out the sigh of relief, then took Bell up on the offered wave, ducking her head a little as she entered, already starting the thanks before she even really got a foot into the door. The thought of the paperwork being part of the deal nearly petrified Zoe further, but she was fairly certain she could manage it nonetheless.

"Well, um, I doubt it will be that exciting," Zoe said, flushing slightly. Zoe nearly jumped as Bell pulled out the pen, then managed a little laugh. "I can see that, but I'm almost terrified to use it in case I make a mistake. What if I put the wrong number down?" she pointed at the various fields, chewing her cheek. "I just... it's all quite confusing..."

She looked through it again, then saw mentions of dependents and other things that she felt like she really should understand. "Why don't they cover this in class?" Zoe mumbled as she looked the sheet over again, trying to make heads or tails. "My respect for you educators is growing with each second I spend looking at this..."

[Bell Connelly]

Well it's just lucky for you that I happen to live a desperately dull life" Bell managed to smile back at the girl, which was the truth considering how much of a bookworm she happened to be but she really did get quite a lot of enjoyment out of helping those that were in need. She was something of a people person after all and she did get a small thrill out of knowing that she made someone's life just a little more simple. It was her drug of choice and she was something of an addict. She guessed that made her selfish in a way. Was she doing what she doing because she honestly wanted to help them or because she was looking for a sense of self gratification, or even trying to clear her conscious brick by brick after what happened to Sarah.

These were questions she often wrestled with but for now Zoe and her issues should be the forefront of her thoughts at the moment. She deserved that much.

Bell sat back and listened to Zoe's worries nodding every once in awhile keeping rapped attention "I felt the exact same way towards these things when I first started. In fact I'm pretty sure every teacher felt the same way when they started out. It's acutely confusing at first but as you get used to filling down out they'll just frightfully dull. No one fills them out perfect at the start. It's just a matter of practice" She thrilled as she took out the pen and began to calmly explain what each field meant and what should be put in it. "Well, I don't think students would have the attention span to sit through classes on the subject." Bell paused jabbing her pen against each field to push a stray lock of hair out of her face "Educating is a wonderful profession, Zoe. It's quite fulfilling when you have the passion to help young people find themselves. Honestly sometimes it doesn't feel like a job" She trailed off in thought for a moment "Is this a career you have you heart set on Zoe?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe was already starting to shake her head, to protest that certainly Bell had to have a better, more exciting life than she let on. She fully believed that. Even were Bell "Just" a teacher at this school, well, that alone would have more than its share of excitements. Bellefonte was hardly your average institution with your average student body, after all.

Apparently it did still have some of the standard issues, such as this paperwork fun. Bell recognized it and insisted that it was perfectly fine, just dull. Zoe nodded, watching carefully as Bell took the pen and started working through it. Zoe followed carefully, proving as quick a study on this as she was in Bell's classes. "Well, they might," Zoe hazarded, though at the same time she couldn't help but find herself agreeing slightly with Bell's assessment.

Except for the latter part. "What? Oh, um, no, I'm just, well, I need a bit more money and I figured I could help with this. I, ah, I actually want to, um, keep doing art shows and the like?" Zoe flushed at that, looking down at the application. "Not that I don't think teaching's important!" she nearly blurted. "I just... it's not, well, it's not... for me."

[Bell Connelly]

No, it wasn't your average every day school, not in the least but after awhile of dealing with those kinds of delightful little problems this school managed to throw up. You get used to it after awhile. Bell had it somewhat easy, considering that if any child got too rowdy for her there always the added boon of her power to keep students in line. Not that she would ever use her powers on students of course, that was unethical and out and out abuse of her power, but then again she didn't need to, her powers were not exactly a mystery, her whole class knew what she was capable of. So no one felt the need to try and test their luck. least Miss. Connelly decides that they needed to take a quick impromptu nap.

Bell was impressed with how fast she was picking up the task at hand, far quicker then Bell did when she was starting off but then again she always found Zoe to be quite a bright student so she supposed she shouldn't really be surprised. Bell simply shot Zoe a look when she argued the fact that some students might be interested in the study as if to say 'we both know that's not the case' "I admire your optimism..."

Bell couldn't help but to think it was a shame Zoe didn't see herself in the role, with a bit of training she couldn't see why she couldn't be a fine teacher. "Good for you, a lot of people your age don't have the slightest clue what they want to do with their lives...in fact most people my age don't have that" Bell admitted with a shrug of her shoulders "But you have vision and more then that you have a passion. That's wonderful Zoe, never lose that, I'm sure you're a wonderful artist"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe did see that look, but it didn't change her thoughts on things. She saw no reason not to keep a bright, optimistic outlook on a situation until it turned. Plus, the more you expected of people, the more they wanted to live up to those expectations. Or, well, at least that's how it usually went for Zoe. Maybe it wasn't like that for other people?

Zoe could almost feel Bell thinking that she should teach, maybe use that aforementioned power on it or something. It did seem as though Bell was going to support her one way or the other. Not that Zoe could be all that surprised: She'd dealt with Ms. Connelly before. Still, hearing such encouraging words made her flush. "Thank you. You should come out to my next show. I'm actually putting something together for fall: it's all about comparing the devastation from the fire with the relief efforts, and how we faced something truly awful but pulled together and found hope with it. I'm hoping to use any proceeds for, um, disaster relief funds."

Zoe flushed again, looking down at the documents that were supposed to allow her to draw money for another job. "This, ah, well, I need money to live... too," she flushed again, tucking a bit of hair down before she looked at few more lines. "Did I get this one right?" she asked, brow furrowing, tilting it toward Bell's direction.

[Bell Connelly]

She took heart in Zoe's attitude. Comfort in her optimism. People her age were known for their cynicism and in recent months Bell could feel herself become more cynical herself so it was refreshing for someone like Zoe to take the opposite approach and it warmed her heart to see that come from someone so young.

Bell wouldn't lie and say there wasn't a small part of her that wanted to encourage her to teach because she knew that she would excel at it, but at the end of the day that isn't wear her passion lay, and as an educator Bell's job was to help students find their passion and follow it and that's just what happened to Zoe and she couldn't be more happy for her.

Bell looked up as Zoe described exactly what the art show she was putting on was about. It was a message that certainly struck a chord with Bell of all people who had been trying to believe that message for quite some time, even though she supposed that Bell really didn't have any clue what exactly the recent disasters meant to her "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Zoe, I would love to go, and I'm certainly bring my wallet seeing as it for such a good cause and I'm sure the art is just wonderful" She smiled encouragingly .

Bell leaned down to check Zoe's work nodding with approval "See? It's easy once you know how." Bell cooed happy that Zoe was starting to pick it up "How long have you known you wanted to be an artist?"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe could almost see the bit in Bell that wanted her as a colleague; she could almost feel the other woman's confidence in her abilities and her belief that Zoe could really make a difference doing it. Just seeing it, hearing it, feeling it, made Zoe smile. She couldn't help but feel just so lucky for encountering so many people that wanted to support her and lift her up. There was definitely no way that she'd have made it this far without so many people like Bell looking out for her.

"Well, maybe I can go back and teach later," she offered, actually finding herself meaning it. At some point she may want to settle down some, especially if she found someone to settle down with. her mind jump instantly to Riley but, well, it would've jumped to Alice or Devyn some time ago. Zoe was at least realistic about that much. She could be hopeful about the rest.

"Most of the money goes back into the shows anyway," Zoe insisted. She offered Bell another grateful smile as she moved down, following through and figuring more of the sheet out as they went. "Oh, well, actually," she flushed, "it would be easier to say when I didn't want to be an artist," Zoe had to let out a slight laugh. "I think I was borrowing the family camera about the time I could walk, and I apparently wrote my first poem at about four or five. I didn't put them together for quite a while though."

Zoe ticked off a few more boxes, surprised that the conversation was actually making this somehow easier. Maybe it was just that she wasn't getting flustered and nervous? That certainly made sense, right?

[Bell Connelly]

Every child, could do anything they put their mind yo, all they needed was someone to believe in them. That's what Bell believed wholeheartedly and in the case of young Zoe Wallerstein-Smyth that was certainly through, if the girl wanted to be a teacher she'd make an amazing one. If she wanted to paint. Bell was confident that she would make tremendous art. Anything she wanted to do she'd excel at. The world was hers to do with as she pleased.

"If you find the time from being a world famous artist" Bell smirked stretching out her body feline like as she watched her work ready to step in if she thought she needed to, but she preferred to remain passive and watch her figure it out for herself "I think you'd have a flair for reaching. Call it a feeling.."

Bell had to smile at Zoe's words, the mental image of a toddler trotting around with a camera happily was quite adorable "I wasn't aware I was dealing with a child prodigy"

[Zoe Wallerstein-Smythe]

Zoe flushed slightly at the mention of her being a world famous artist. "I don't think I'm that good," she mumbled, looking away for a moment. Of course it was the sort of thing that most people dreamed of, particularly if those people also happened to be artists. Zoe had just never really wanted that kind of attention. Her work seen? Yes, certainly, but not the attention on the site.

"I'll, um, take your word for it?" she managed as Bell spoke to her "talents." Zoe wasn't entirely sure. She soon was flushing even more as Bell continued, trying to draw her attention entirely on the paperwork, as if it were the most important thing in the room and not the girl attempting to muddle her way through it. "I wasn't," Zoe insisted, fidgeting again. "I just, well, you know how children can be. And I was just one who picked up a camera."

Zoe shrugged, not certain that she could really add anything else to it. She flipped through the pages, wondering if she'd gotten everything. She wanted to check herself before she asked Miss Connelly to look it over again, that much was certain.