Sail Away (Elsa)

[Bell Connelly]

Well, she enjoyed her summer break like any person. But as always when she hit mid august she found herself counting the moments till term restarted. There was a lot Bell enjoyed about the month of September. A new year was in front of her, a herd of new students that she could teach, new faces she could meet. Bell must confess it was all very exciting.

She was so busy with setting up lesson plans and teaching her first few classes, that she had neglected unpacking her effects into her new office. Which she was in the middle of doing now, just putting a few touches to make the room more homy. She knew that throughout the year several students will be passing through here so she wanted to make this room as friendly as she could towards them. It was a scary experience, so Bell wanted to make her room a little more welcoming.

Of course the very last thing she needed to unpack was by far the most valuable...

In it's own special packaging -To prevent any scratches- lay a frame photo of a summer's day a million years ago, Bell was in the background her head just clipping the top of the frame her shoulders on the tiny figure of a young child with similarly red hair waving merrily to the camera.

Bell stared at this picture a lot these days
Eventually she drew her eyes away from the picture frame and placed it delicately at the corner of her desk. She sat down at her chair and ran a loving finger across the frame of it, hoping someway, somehow that girl in the picture could feel the love pouring though the contact "Welcome home Sarah. We have a big year ahead of us"

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Generally speaking, this didn't happen. Elsa already figured that she would begin with precisely that. Elsa Bellefonte did not, as a general rule, miss due dates on assignments. It was just that the incoming year had brought with it a bevy of various responsibilities that Elsa needed to get to, and that required prioritization. And Elsa had, admittedly on accident, prioritized a particularly assignment a little lower than some others. Still, that didn't explain why she'd gotten no credit for something she had most certainly done and turned in, if a little late.

So Elsa had dutifully checked office hours. she'd grabbed her various books and notes and so forth, and then headed directly for miss Connelly's office. She'd arrive promptly fifteen minutes into the office hour, to give Miss Connelly enough to time to get situated but not really enough to get started on any major projects. Then she'd knock politely on the door before sticking her head in.

"Miss Connelly?" she asked, her body following up. 'I was hoping to talk to you about this short paper assignment?" Elsa was already sliding out her tablet, getting ready to pull up her grades and the assignment in question.

[Bell Connelly]

Bell looked up once their was a knock upon her chamber door, quite happy to receive her first visitor of the new term and was quite willing to receive whoever it was that needed her with a warm smile....

Until, she saw who exactly needed her....

...and that smile was slowly put away

Bell, had issues with the Bellefonte family and time had done nothing to prevent that, even now seeing the familiar facial features of Elsa Bellefonte sent spikes of red heart anger through her body, like some kind of primal impulse. She tried to annoy the family as much as possible knowing full well what seeing any of their faces did to her..but it looked like she was cornered now.

Ok, Bell. you've been over this several times, take a few deep breaths, you are a teacher, she's a student. You need to be professional. She kept telling herself but putting that into practice was far more harder then she would like to admit

"Oh yes?" She repeated back in a uncharacteristic cold tone of voice looking staring at the space just over Elsa's shoulder as she did.

Looking her in the eyes was beyond Bell

[Elsa Bellefonte]

the temptation to read the instructor's mind did rise up within Elsa again. She did posses the ability to do so, after all, and there was something highly appealing in the idea, particularly when Bell Connelly was involved. Elsa swore that there was some sort of strange tension there, almost hovering between them, and as Elsa had been well behaved in class and a fairly good student, not to mention very involved in the school, she couldn't see what she'd done.

Even now, she could hear a bit of coldness slide into the teacher's voice that wasn't normally present. Elsa actually paused for a moment, looking up and over and, well, she couldn't help but notice that Bell appeared to be looking over her shoulder instead of meeting her directly in the eyes. That was especially curious, as most people believed that eye contact made them more susceptible to psychics. That was true overall, and in certain cases a certain way to make sure there wasn't any mental action, but that wasn't the case for Elsa, who could casually read the other woman's thoughts if she just thought about it a little.

"I was hoping to discuss the grade with you?" Elsa continued. She slid the tablet slightly before adjusting it so that Bell could look. "I received a zero on the assignment, when I most definitely turned it in. I even got the confirmation from it," she swiped to show said confirmation, before looking to Bell. "I do realize it was a bit late, but that generally results in a points deduction, not a failing grade."

[Bell Connelly]

Yes, she was well aware of Elsa's ability. There was very little that was a mystery about The Bellefonte's now were they? Always at the centre of some kind of drama, always at the eye of the storm. Bell thought they just enjoyed the attention. When they were co headmistresses for a short period. Bell simply didn't believe there wasn't a small part of the teachers that didn't enjoy the attention that got them.

If anything that raised Bell's ire eve more. How dare she come to Bell of all people, knowing exactly what she thought of her, How dare she come strolling in knowing every single thought that ran through Bell's mind after the shooting. The pain, the sheer turmoil she put her through..and she just didn't care.

But not caring was their trademark now wasn't it?

Bell's eyes crossed from the wall to the tablet and she didn't take her eyes off it while Elsa was talking, yes she might have known Elsa might have an issue with this, if Bell was thinking clearly she would admit that there might have been a mistake on her fault and she would clear this up as soon as possible

but then her eyes flickered to the picture of Sarah on her desk

Sarah who would never see her thirteenth birthday...

Sarah who was so excited when she put on her uniform for the first time...

Sarah who couldn't sleep without the night light for the first eight years of her life...

"There's not much too discuss Miss Bellefonte" Bell announced sliding the tablet back to Elsa her eyes now focused on rearranging some papers on her desk. I have no tolerance  for papers turned in late at this early stage of the year, there's not really an excuse when we just started term. You either turn the work in on time or you don't." Bell gestured lightly towards the door "You know the way out, I would suggest you start studying, considering you're now behind the entire class. Thank you"

Later Bell would feel a small twinge of regret for these actions, but for now it was like she was scratching an itch that had so long pestered her and oh, did it feel wonderful to scratch

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Not too much to...? Elsa couldn't help but quirk a brow as the teacher continue, taking a brusque tone that definitely did match her in-class persona at all. True, Elsa had always noticed a sort of... coldness directed her way from the other woman, but she'd never thought that it was really anything personal. To be completely honest, Elsa simply hadn't given Miss Connelly that much thought: she was simply one teacher among many.

Now said teacher was literally punishing her for something that struck Elsa as rather on the slight side. "I had several other duties that ate into my time. As you know I've been coordinating activities and helping to run student council on top of other various tasks. Move-In Week was successful, and that took a lot of my time and energy. Yet I still managed to turn this in just a little past the due date," She held up the tablet again. "Which means I am most definitely not behind the rest of the class. It also means that I should be getting credit for what I've done."

Which was so often at the heart of things for Elsa, not that she was going to say as much, or at least, not to Bell's face.

[Bell Connelly]

No, Elsa didn't give Bell much thought . After the shooting Bell might have been more sympathetic to the sisters Bellefonte. If at anytime they expressed their condolences for what happened, to acknowledge not only what happened to Sarah but also every single family effected. If Bell was in charge of the school she would have taken the time and effort to learn the names of every single person shot and contact each family and personally beg them for forgiven for their actions that has torn their family apart, that broke parents hearts. but no. In the aftermath of the shooting they barely looked Bell in the eye and in a few months they carried on, life as usual with their spoiled rich girl lives of luxury.

They might as well have just slapped the grieving Connelly family in the face....

Bell made no effort to show emotion from Elsa's list of things she had done "It's no concern of mine if you've failed to manage your time, if you over work yourself that's your problem not mine. I suggest you try and learn something from this"

Bell of course knew this would happen. She would have put money on it. After all she wasn't used to being told no now was she? Bell at this point had taken out her pen and had begun scribbling notes on the papers while still keeping a disrespectful attitude for Elsa. "Life isn't fair some times, Miss. Bellefonte. I suggest you move on.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

At one point, Elsa had memorized lists, she'd poured over them, retraced her steps, realized that she'd cost people lives, that something should've been done, that there had been consequences. Those consequences had built up on her, weighed her down, driven her to a point where a bottle had looked like a good friend. Had it not been for people around her, the girl probably wouldn't have pulled herself up, definitely wouldn't be standing there arguing a grade with a teacher.

Strangely enough, Bell's hard line take on this actually surprised the teenager who had been headmistress. The sheer callousness of the comment, the sort of backhanded statement, it actually struck Elsa by surprise, as did that last comment. "I clearly haven't overworked myself if I'm still able to turn in quality work like this," she again held the tablet up, nearly ready to shove it into Bell's face at this point. "It's not as if I were out partying like most of your students: I've been working to improve this school and help the students. In point of fact, I'm willing to wager that I could get dispensation from the board about an extension, which would mean that you'd be catching their attention to. Which hardly seems fair to me, but, well, as you pointed out; life isn't really fair, is it?"

And Elsa felt her ability trickling out, her desire and her frustration both leading her to start to want to browse at those surface thoughts, to see if there was something she could use to better achieve what she wanted out of the situation. After all, as Bell stated so clearly :life wasn't fair; you might as well use what you had.

[Bell Connelly]

Bell had exactly no pity for the internal struggle of Elsa, nor her plight. In fact the knowledge that Elsa had lost herself at the bottom of a bottle would have encouraged Bell, because then she would have known that she felt something. That Elsa reliezed what her family has done and that she had regreted it.Because nothing following the events of the shootings suggested that they cared about the victims. Erika in particular seemed to be enjoying herself, she heard the stories. How she went to every party she could, how she was more drunk then sober at times, just having the times of her life, and Elsa got a job as a dancer at the local bar

...Yes, these were the actions of people that were remorseful .

"Quality is a matter of perception" Bell said in a cold clear tone like they were discussing something of no real consequence, which in the grand scheme of things may well be the case considering that this was Elsa Bellefonte and even if Bell hated to give her any credit whatsoever, but she was a remarkable student and she'll pick up the slack in no time. Bell's eyes were eventually forced upwards as Elsa went on and on...

Improve the School and Help The Students.

That comment felt like a slap to the face but the hits would only continue as Elsa spoke more and more and more as Elsa got more threatening in her language, Bell felt her face grow colder and colder. She wanted to run at her, she wanted to tackle her to the ground and wipe that smug self satisfied look off her face she wanted to shake her and scream and try to make Elsa understand a fraction of the pain Bell and her family had been going through because of her.

"Half baked threats and sass, isn't how you change your grade, Miss Bellefonte. So don't think you can get me to change it."

Bell's hand have turned white and they were shaking so hard

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa snorted at the idea of quality being a matter of perception. They both had to know that was complete and utter nonsense: quality was an objective quality that most people agreed upon. There may have been some subjectivity in these things, but there was also a purely objective element. Which is why so many people agreed that Romeo and Juliet was better than 50 Shades of Grey.

But before Elsa could say anything on it, she almost felt Bell grow colder. Then there were some violent thoughts that were so wrapped in emotion and fluttering across Bell's mind so quickly that Elsa couldn't really figure them out. That often happened, especially when you added unfamiliarity into the pictures. One word did pop out to the forefront:

sister.

The word hovered with Elsa, making her crinkle her brow even as Bell continued, talking about half-baked threats or something. "It's not a threat: it's a reminder of the chain of consequence and accountability," Elsa replied almost instantly, clearly having thought of and prepared the statement in advance. "It strikes me as rather odd that you're getting so worked up over a grade though," Elsa gestured at the hand, raising her brows. This definitely struck her as abnormal behavior, and that would've been the same even if Bell had been some kind of battle-hardened tightass.

[Bell Connelly]

She didn't like this, she didn't like her body language how she seemed to look down at her. Her words were tinted were condensation, there seemed to be two different sections of her words. What was saying and the message behind them. What she was really saying "No one says no to me, I'm a part of a literal modern day mutant dynasty and I can do whatever I like. If I wanted to I can just click my fingers and you'd be banished from my kingdom forever more, replace you an hour later and won't feel a thing"

Bell likes to think the best of people, even those that are capable of terrible things but when it came to the Bellefonte's there was some kind of mental block that prevented Bell from seeing anything more to her.

All she could see was an entitled spoiled brat.

...She, She was talking to her about accountability and consequences...She who had never been held accountable any nor did she understand the full extent of consequence. She did, she had been living with the consequence s of her actions for a year and a half and she. felt. nothing.

It was almost too much for Bell to know how little she cared.

She needed to leave now before this went any further, because with the way Bell was feeling, she might just be tempted to say something that would truly land her in trouble. Emotions were at boiling points and Bell was using all the restraints not to explode with almost a year and a half of pent up emotions."I think it's best if you leave now Miss Bellefonte. I look forward to meeting the board and explaining myself whenever you contact them.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Bell's thoughts were incredibly difficult to parse through. Perhaps had Elsa not been doing this the first time to someone who had something against her for reasons that she couldn't understand, she might have been able to understand something, or at least know enough to start making some educated guesses. But Bell's thoughts almost felt like attacks.

Entitled spoiled...

Leave now?

"You do realize that you're kicking up this much resistance over one grade," Elsa pointed out, taking a "let's be reasonable" tone despite her own mounting anger. How dare this woman accuse her of being a brat. As if Elsa hadn't worked herself nearly to the bone to get where she was. She wasn't her sister, wasn't her brother, wasn't the one who just rode the Bellefonte name to some sort of special roost at the top. No, she was the one who fought and clawed and defended their name and perch from outsiders and judging eyes just like this uppity English teacher.

"I've already turned this in," Elsa continued, her voice almost too calm. "Late, but in. I've been working for school functions. I've an exemplary record," that she'd earned. "Do you really want to make this a fight you won't win over something so trivial?"

[Bell Connelly]

She won't shut up, why won't she shut?! just shut up. Just stop. Just stop talking. Why can't she stop talking, Bell would be fine if she just stopped talking, it was like her mind was going tighter and tighter and hotter and hotter so it got hotter to thin-

Calm.

Breath.

Bell had anger issues stemming from the shooting that she kept bottled down, but this was too much for her to take. Elsa was nicely destroying any and all barrier she put up was being melted away like it was nothing and she knew that Elsa wasn't going to give up without some kind of a fight. but she needed as abruptly as possible. Before Bell did something she really shouldn't done.

She jumped up from her seat and made a movement as if to put in the direction of the door but as she did her elbow just hit again the picture frame that was perched on the side of the desk, to Bell what happened next seemed to be in slow motion, first the picture frame began to tip back and forward like it was trying to decide which direction it would fall before it fell off the desk. Bell tried to grasp helplessly at it but it was too late as it was sent tumbling off the desk and onto the floor where the glass and exploded and shattered on impact

Bell uttered a strangled squeak between a gasp of horror and a cry. Her face twisting as she did, Elsa all but forgotten, as Bell only focused on the destroyed picture frame a fresh stab of sorrow overcoming her "Oh, Oh Sarah" She muttered over and over again rushing to the floor inspecting the picture getting on her hands and knees her hands shaking
moving around the pieces frantically 

I'm so sorry Sarah, I didn't mean it. I didn't. I can make it better.I promise. I can fix you

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa did like to think that she could destroy barriers, particularly mental ones. She was doing less that, at least purposefully, than attempting to figure them out. It was more like studying a wall, trying to peer over it, than outright blowing it up. Yet she could feel the thoughts increasing, their speed and emotional content growing with each passing second. She watched as Bell rose. "I'm not--" she began, unable to quite stop herself. She heard the tumble, jumped out of the way.

Bell ducked down. Elsa stared, unable to understand, even as her mind reached for the thoughts. Sarah? Who was---Sarah, didn't mean it, fix it, fix...

"Your sister," Elsa said, realizing that she was almost finishing the thought. Bits were starting to piece together in her mind. "Is--is there something the matter with her? The school has the best connections: I'm certain that we could provide needed health care..." because Elsa was at her core very much a sister, very much understood that bond, the urge to protect. "We've always had those benefits put in place..." again Elsa trailed off. Surely someone would've told Bell? So was the sister... was she... gone?

[Bell Connelly]

As Bell scrambled around to collect the pieces of shattered glasses she almost forgot Elsa was even standing there, she didn't exist to her, nothing did. If the school was suddently hit by a hurricane she wouldn't be any the wiser all she cared about was the picture, that was the only thing that mattered in the world to her.

She managed to gather the pieces together when Elsa voice sounded off in her ears as if was a gente nudge remind her she was there......

Elsa's words echoed in her ear for what seemed like years as Bell tried to register Elsa's words...gradually her head began to turn in Elsa's direction "...You don't know do you?" Bell said in a deathly quiet voice, as if she was trying to keep it from shaking, She just looked at Elsa her cheeks becoming heated...no...no, that couldn't be the case....Bell refused to believe that.

Bell grabbed the picture frame off the ground and held it up at Elsa. "Tell me you know this face" This time, her voice did shake. She knew that Elsa didn't care but she didn't now it extended to not even knowing the names of the victims. Bell needed to know that Sarah's face mattered to her. She needed to know it haunted her, she needed to know she saw that face everywhere..judging her.

Maybe then they'ed have something in common