Checking Up On You

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, she wasn't in authority. She did technically have student council, though she'd gladly let Erika take the top rung there. At the time she'd needed some distance, and she definitely felt like she needed to figure out who she really was. So much time had been spent on a name...

Elsa shook her head, effectively dismissing her own dreary thoughts and Franck's line of conversation. "It's behind us," she insisted, adding a hand wave. "We'll worry about it again when... if it comes to us," yes, that creeping sensation yet. It just felt as though there was so much more for them to get through. But then again, weren't they pulling through? Each time someone knocked them down, they just got up again, and when they got up, they were that much stronger for it.

Wasn't that success?

Elsa wore the smile at the thought, one that just turned rueful as Franck continued. His last comment had her letting out a laugh and shaking her head, ending up half-smiling and looking up at him. "Yes, I can see why that would be a problem. They do have a tendency to kill the French around here," she gestured. It had always bothered her that of all places they'd settled for Montana but, well, they did need to be away from people. Montana was as away as it got.

[François Laffont]

Franck nodded, determined to, indeed, put all this behind them. It was embarrassing to think what happened and, at the same time, he was ashamed of himself for thinking that. Because nothing really happened, in comparison of the rest she caused. Elsa had seen and dealt with more because of the woman and he shouldn’t be comparing what happened to him with what the rest. It made him feel like he wanted the attention by including his own piece to the lot and he certainly didn’t want that, or have anyone think he was like this. “At least we’re still together. With all that happened, I sometimes expected the school to empty or something, but we’re sticking together no matter what.” He read it was something common after tragedies. People felt the need to be reassured and supported afterwards and so the community grew in strength. Still, he’d wish they could get stronger without all the loss and pain they had to suffer from.

It was actually nice to hear Elsa laugh like this. He stared at her, smiling as well. “I’ll stay away from any frog hunt.” Franck might not be the best jokester around here but Elsa was not the best audience for a comedian either so he didn’t really care how bad his joke might sound. “You know, I came to realise something. I’m friends with you, Erika, Felix, Frank...pretty much all the rich and influential people in school. Then I’ve got some more physical ones like the Emory twins. If someone tries anything on me, I’m actually covered. That makes me sound bad said like this, isn’t it?” He had a light chuckle at the thought. He sure never intended it that way when he befriended all those people. It just turned out like this. But now that he was thinking about it, it did sound terribly opportunistic. It was a good thing they knew him enough to know he had no agenda here.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve heard you laugh like that before. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself a little more. It’s good to be serious but you need to have moments like this too.” Maybe he shouldn’t talk, since he was constantly going after one person or another to help them out. But he was also friend with Frank and spending time with her, so it compensated.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Still together... Elsa hadn't thought of that when she'd been wallowing in her own misery. Hadn't even really considered it when everyone had came to her and attempted to lift her out of her own misery. It was really only now, now that she'd worked to piece herself back together, that she could nod along with Franck's statement, finding herself agreeing with it. A nod was all she really needed: it said what needed to be said.

The dry response from Franck had Elsa smiling again, even letting out a very soft laugh. Soon enough she'd settled back into an amused expression as Franck figured out how covered he just so happened to be. "You're also indirectly linked to more through that batch," she pointed out. "Seeing as Frank's other best friend happens to be the daughter of a fairly powerful lawyer, and there's others as well. I'd almost suppose you to be only one or two people away from everyone at this school, when it comes down to it."

Elsa had to study him for a moment, wondering about that. He took advantage to offer his observation. Elsa smiled at that. "Well, I went through a rather intense learning experience," she replied. "And when we pieced me back together, some pieces got shifted, others left out. It's still the same general picture, but there's new bits mixed in there."

[François Laffont]

He noticed the slight surprise that came through Elsa as he pointed out they were still together. It was a fact. No matter how hard they tried, they were not divided. Sure, some tensions arose and friendships broke over the past year but Franck still believed they remained together in this. Elsa and Erika might have been forced to resign but Franck, and he knew others too, never abandoned them because of it.

“You’re right, though I doubt Ellen would ever help me. She doesn’t really like me,” he pointed out. All of this because he could read her without her being able to do anything about it. Then again, Franck knew he wouldn’t have liked her too much despite that, because of the way she treated people. It made him wonder how Frank could be her friend. The answer probably was that it was Frank. “Too bad I’m not a criminal mastermind, I’d be untouchable,” he let out with an amused smile. The thought of his doing anything criminal was laughable. Elsa could not believe he did it on purpose, right? Certainly not. Because Franck was not one to have an agenda. He simply liked to be liked, and that by everyone.

He nodded at the metaphor she used to explain the change within her. “Sometimes it’s good to leave some pieces behind. We don’t need to carry all this dead weight on our shoulders,” he agreed. Maybe he should listen to his own advice there but they were not talking of him. “What are your plans for the future? Are you wishing to become headmistress again someday or you ruled that out?” Franck still believed she could make it. And he was still holding on her glass decoration thingy for her.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Would Ellen help Franck? Perhaps if Frank got to her, or there was something in it for the Banks girl. As Elsa had pointed out, Franck was a key link in a lot of chains. Pulling on him could result in shifting all throughout the Academy, and Elsa doubted that Ellen wasn't as aware of that as she. They certainly thought the same often enough.

The bit about criminal mastermind had Elsa laughing and shaking her head. "if you were, then you wouldn't have that many connections," she pointed out, adding a slight raise of the brows. That was always the bit that people forgot: that their circumstances were what led them to where they were now. Elsa never forgot it, hence why it haunted her even now. That specter may not have much in the way of power, but it was still noticeable.

Still, Elsa had to nod: they were carrying too much. She'd lightened her load and she could almost feel people around her doing much the same, though she supposed she could be projecting slightly there. "I don't have any," she admitted a little tartly as Franck asked, smiling. "Or, I suppose the plan is to try and be a college student and a teenage girl for a while," she flicked at a knee for a moment as if brushing aside bugs or grass. "I don't know about being headmistress. I'm almost of the opinion that maybe the job should pass to someone who doesn't have a last name that matches up so perfectly."

[François Laffont]

“I guess so, or I’m very good at hiding my game,” he admitted, not offended in the slightest that she found the idea of him being a criminal mastermind ludicrous. It was, really. No one knowing him could think that, right? What kind of evil can he do, other than perhaps accidentally spread a rumour or two? Franck was trying so hard to be on everyone’s good side that he didn’t have time to be evil. If others might be trying too hard, it seemed normal out of the boy.

If he was slightly surprised she had no plan for the future, he thought it was a good thing she chose to be a teenager for a change and smiled at this. “Well, it’s important to relax and enjoy life too. You didn’t seem to be doing that a lot before, you were always working or focused on something. Who knows, you might actually like it.” And having a college degree would help her should she want to try and get her job back at some point, or run another school or do something else.

It was true that giving the reins of the academy to someone only because of her name was ridiculous. It was not a monarchy, you were not born into it, although so many parents seemed to forget it at times. “It’s true that I wouldn’t see you as headmistress only because you are a Bellefonte but if you liked it, I’m totally backing you on this one,” he assured her. He so often told her sister to do what she wanted, an advice she didn’t need him to follow, he might as well give it to the one twin who needed it the most. “Though it might be good trying new things and determine what you really want to do. That’s kind of what colleges are for, no?”

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Despite Franck's words, some part of Elsa still wondered. He was in a brilliant position, and that was something that needed to be taken notice of. She was willing to bet that other people were likely to see it as well and make comment, but she honestly couldn't see Franck reacting in any other way than he did right now.

She'd essentially laid out that she had no plans and he seemed to just be taking that in stride. Elsa couldn't tell if he was just saying what he thought she wanted or needed to hear or if he meant it. She supposed she could pull the truth out of his mind, but she'd rather just take the words as said, let them be what they were.

He kept going too, insisting that she could do the job. She laughed. "I suppose i could," she admitted. "Though everyone seems to think I did a poor job, hence the demotion," which still left her adrift. "Who knows," she shrugged, "maybe I'll take up dance. I've some talent for it, and Erika's already heading to art," Elsa had to smile at that, just thinking about her parents' reaction to hearing that both their daughters had gone from being co-Headmistresses to the school to Bohemian artists.

"Oh, it would be worth it just to give our parents a heart attack," Elsa admitted aloud, allowing herself a sigh of near longing.

[François Laffont]

Elsa felt something, it was subtle, that had Franck flinch just a little at it. Some sort of doubt. It vanished or perhaps got swallowed by emotions she felt more than this one. She did not seriously doubt him, was she? She could check in his head all she wanted, Franck genuinely wanted to be help people and be there for them. He could see the devious plan it could be, to be actually cruel, hurting his friend without them knowing and then being all friendly so they would hold onto to him even more, making him essential to their lives. He was not like that though. And if he ever did something that could make him like this, it was not on purpose and would feel terrible at the mention of it.

“You had no real experience of it. We knew you were a planner but it did look like it was mostly to put a Bellefonte in place. Should you come back, you’d have studies and life experience. It wouldn’t be the same. Of course, it’s if you want to come back,” he told her. He thought she had been crushed when she lost that job, having him assume it was her goal in life. Sure, goals can change and quite a few things happened since that could have her alter her life plans so he tried not to push her in that direction. He didn’t think he could push her anyway.

He was actually surprised she was thinking about dancing. He was not seeing her as a dancer. That she could dance, sure, why not, but he thought she was too much of an intellectual to try an artistic career and see more than a hobby in this. “You dance? Had I known. Maybe I should dance with you some time. Corner you during prom this year,” he said with a teasing smile on his lips. That did put her on the list he was slowly making up in his head. He didn’t want to plan prom already, it was too soon, but he preferred to think he would go there unaccompanied so he had to figure out what he would do. Dancing was a good idea, even if touching could be troublesome for him sometimes. If they were all having a good time, it would go well. He’ll just have a stupid grin on his face and he could live with that.

He raised an eyebrow as she mentioned her parents. He didn’t expect her to hold that kind of feeling for her parents. “It might still be better to do something you love than something they’d hate,” he pointed out, hesitating to say the words as she might reply she was kidding or something. He hoped so.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

No real experience? That did sound reasonable enough, and Elsa could at least hear and understand what Franck was saying. More than that, she picked up on the undercurrents, what he meant when he actually said it. Elsa couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was the only one who actually wanted her to come back though, that everyone was much happier with the way things were set up now, that it would just be better for all parties involved if she remained something else.

Like a dancer.

Elsa nodded. "I've been doing it on the side for some time now. Both Erika and I took lessons, well, were made to take them, as children. I decided to pick up and learn a bit more later on. Turned into a regular hobby," Elsa found herself smiling yet again. She also found herself nodding as Franck suggested taking a dance. "Look me up," she replied, "though I may actually have a date."

She had to smile at that ,before getting ready to go, making sure she was up and dusting herself off. "Right now, i'm not going to be doing anything but going through four years of college," she assured Franck, looking over at him. "I'll make my decision somewhere in there. But for now," she raised her brows, "I really have business to attend to, unless you've something else to discuss?"

Though when didn't Elsa have something to attend to?

[François Laffont]

Franck was certain he was not the only one who’d welcome Elsa back with open arms should she later try to become the headmistress again. He didn’t want to push her to take that job though. She wanted it so badly back then but she had also been raised with this job in mind for her future. Now, she had the chance to see what she really wanted to do, discover other options.

He was not really surprised to hear both Elsa and Erika took dance lessons as kids. It was a rather common activity to have children take, since it was both good physically and artistically. He didn’t think she would keep at it though or learn more and make it a hobby of hers. She was always so serious that even Franck was surprised when she showed another side of her. “I love dancing too. My mother... she used to dance a lot and I often happened to be her partner when I was a kid. I think I still remember some of the steps, but it’s been a while.” It had been hard for him to keep dancing as he knew mostly some ballrooms dances, the ones that usually required a partner. And Elsa knew how he was about touching...

He smiled when she gave him the right to come after her during prom and have her dance with him. He laughed as she mentioned a date. “I doubt Felix would mind. It’s not like he could think I’m stealing you from him,” he pointed out with amusement in his voice. “In fact, I’m sure he’s able to dance with me too. That is, if you don’t get jealous of this.” He chuckled. Obviously, she wouldn’t be jealous. Right? Sure, she was aware that Franck had once kissed him but it was not like they both didn’t know the boy was straight. Franck didn’t stand a chance to steal anything. Plus he had Jasper.

He nodded, a bit more serious as she talked of her plans. “It’s kind of also what college is for no? Discovering yourself?” When she mentioned business to attend, Franck raised his hands to stop her. “Oh sure, you go ahead. I think we said all there needed to be said.” And he smiled to her again. He was so glad she was feeling so much better now.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Did Elsa even want to be headmistress any more? The answer that had so long been such an easy one to respond to, so quick, just the one word, had become something much more complicated. She was the child who'd always wanted to be an adult. Then she'd become one for just long enough to realize how difficult it was and had failed in so many ways.

The answer lay in the distance: Elsa had growing, discovering, to do, one way or the other. She pushed it aside, focused on the moment, on listening to Franck talk about dancing, smiling at it. "Maybe we'll dance sometime," she suggested casually, the thought of prom once more occurring.

The mention of Felix did almost have her laughing again: Elsa could vaguely recall a few people wishing for Franck and Felix to get together. Some would look over paltry details like personal sexuality. It didn't bother Elsa: she waved off Franck's comment with a slight smile. As Franck thought: they both knew the truth.

"It was meant to be training for me," she commented, referring to college, looking toward the school again. Just a training course. Now it had opened up again. She nodded once more, looking back to Franck. "I think we have, at least for now. Thank you yet again, Mr. Laffont," Elsa bobbed her head, readied her things, and headed out on her business.