Ziggy Redleaf (gimme__shelter) wrote in light_of_may, @ 2011-04-29 16:44:00 |
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Entry tags: | 2009-08-15, zaviar, ziggy |
It seems this boy bathed in ridicule
Who: Zaviar and Ziggy
Where: SOHS
When: Afternoon
Last night at Jillian’s birthday party was an absolute blast. Ziggy needed to get out of the house and socialize, meet some new faces, and just have an overall good time. Even if it meant being dragged away by his sister in the end. The only thing that sucked about those type of parties was having to deal with the afterparty hangover the next morning. Ziggy was all sorts grumbly that morning, just wanting to stay in his blanket cocoon and die or something. Seriously, it sucked. Though just because he was miserable didn’t mean he was excused from all responsibilities. He did remember he had to hit up the high school and get some paperwork out of the way. Because, you know, he was teaching there in a week or so.
Ziggy arrived at the high school via his skateboard while plugged into his iPod that was blasting some indie rock band that hailed from SoCal. With the way he was dressed - jeans, tshirt, sneakers, and a beanie - he probably could have been confused as some random student. He was young, true, but he liked to think that would be an advantage when it came to working with the students. Even the secretary had to do a double take when he told her that he was a new teacher there. She finally believed him and went to go grab the items he would need, mostly files and keys to his room. While he waited, he just leaned against the counter, tapping his fingers against the top, and looked around the area. Didn’t seem to be all that lively in comparison to the LA public schools, but there were a few people here and there obviously preparing for the new semester coming up. Ziggy kept a smile on his face; he just wanted to make a good impression on his new colleagues.
Despite being a teacher now, Zaviar had never looked forward to the start of the school year. True, it was only going to be his second year as something other than a student teacher but the point still stood that teaching was not something he had some sort of an undying love for. It was a job that allowed him to influence others while continuing to learn. Being a professor would have been better for his own learning, but on the opposite side it would have also required more time. In the end it seemed to balance out so far and unless that changed he would continue. There was also a very tiny voice in the back of his head reminding him that he needed this job because Madeleine - is fully capable of supporting herself and has never needed, nor will ever need, my help. Manly pride was not something that Zaviar ever allowed to get out of hand and if he even started thinking about how little his income mattered it might sting. Good thing he actually did not care. But he still needed the job. Influence, new young minds to touch...
The school was not his favorite building, though, partially because it just made his skin crawl. He knew that the principal came in here, her scent was at the office. Thank everything that she had not been enough of an idiot to go and try blessing the school. If rules ever did get established regarding what could and could not be done with magic then something needed to be tossed in about how the angelic could not just go around blessing whatever the hell they wanted. It could be damaging to those who had demonic blood. Having already retrieved his keys several days ago, Zaviar was walking the halls and learning their layouts before making his way to his own. There were a few things he wanted to set up, and make sure that he had in surplus, and - oh why was she here? There was that irritating little buzz as he rounded the next corner and fully expected to find himself facing Amelia Ridgeway. Instead it was a boy. Or a man who happened to look remarkably like a boy wearing a ridiculous outfit and a smile to match. What. "You're a little early for class." He could not be a teacher.
Ziggy was lost in his own world for the time being, almost not realizing that someone was talking to him. Though he did realize some gut instinct coming in, as if he suddenly had a bad feeling about... something. Or someone. He didn’t know, seeing this didn’t exactly happen to him on a daily basis. His eyes looked to the side to realize that someone was looking at and talking to him. That was enough to get him to take the ear buds out. The guy’s words didn’t put a dent in Ziggy’s happy-go-lucky personality. Shit, his parents would have to suddenly walk through the door before his mood changed. “Well, you know, figured it was either that or kissing ass all the time for hall passes due to being late.” True story, actually. A story that could be saved for another time, seeing he was too caught up with joking around. After chuckling to himself, Ziggy shook his head. “Nah, I’m done with classes man. Onto the next phase in life.” He extended a hand out to him. “Name’s Ziggy. Just flew in from Cali. Going to be teaching the kiddos art here.”
Had he just laughed at his own... was that supposed to be a joke? Zaviar far preferred Antonin's sense of humor, though even then he was not prone to actually laughing. But with a name like that he's got to need a sense of humor. Ziggy. He was probably going to be one of those teachers who tried to be cool and hip with the kids, getting them to use his first name. Exactly the type of teacher that always succeeded in annoying Zaviar to the point of no return. Add on that edge that was grinding along and Zaviar could just not believe the luck that had stuck him here. With an angelic-blooded principal and a kid-teacher who gave off pretty much the exact same vibe. The were eyed the hand for a split second before taking it. He may not like anyone but he did know how to pretend. "Zaviar. I'm the science teacher this year." Art teacher from California with a hippie name. Looked like avoiding the teacher's lounge was going to become something akin to a priority.
Ok, this guy either had no sense of humor or he needed to smoke ten blunts. Just saying. He was used to that at art school. A lot of people were either chill and on the same wave length or were so uptight that they made hipsters look relaxed. Ziggy tended to stay away from that pretentious type, but if he was going to be in the school as he was, also teaching, then he’d have to figure out a way. So far, not exactly off to a brilliant start; art and science were kind of on the opposite ends to the spectrum of everything. “Oh cool! That should be a lot of fun.” To be honest, Ziggy barely passed his science classes, usually too busy flirting with his lab partner or lighting his papers ‘accidentally’ on fire. “So... science teacher this year? I take it you’re new, too?” It would have been nice to know he wasn’t the only newbie here. He kind of reeked of it.
A lot of people had claimed that Zaviar was lacking a sense of humor and they were not exactly wrong... just in a way. Or maybe entirely because the things that he did consider humorous were usually viewed rather negatively by everyone else. But right, a lot of fun. If you took the students and their inability to grasp usually simple concepts out of the equation then yes, Zaviar would have more than enough fun with his job. If you did not then there would be the typical problems gone through by every teacher. Except perhaps the art teachers because really, could someone fail one of those classes? Slap something together and add on a few excuses about how it represented this or that or even better, it was abstract and you were good to go. Yes, Zaviar lacked respect for the arts. The only one he actually managed any level of respect for was classical music and that was likely Madeleine's fault. "Yes, it's my first year teaching here, but not my first year teaching." He was sure that he had to be at least a few years older than this Ziggy was. Seriously, was Ziggy his name or just something that he had made up for himself? Zaviar was not even sure if he wanted to ask because he did not know if he wanted to know what the answer was. "Would I be correct in guessing that it's your first year as something other than a student-teacher?"
For the record, if any kid tried throwing something together and try to pass it as abstract art, they were doing it to the wrong teacher. Ziggy didn’t consider himself a hardass by any means, but he was always an artist. Bullshit it’s abstract art. Any true artist knew that the abstract artists focused more on process and meaning, and if the kids couldn’t do that, then they’d either need to redo it or accept the D, because that wouldn’t fly. Sorry, his art classes were not going to be easy As. Then again, had he been taking a chemistry class, he would have made up all sorts of bullshit hypothesis just so he could light things on fire. Let’s just say his priorities weren’t exactly straight. “Would be a pretty accurate one, yeah.” Look at that! The science teacher making a hypothesis. Oh, that was rich. Ziggy would have made a joke about it, but he doubted the guy would laugh, so he just kept that one it for the time being. He would have to tell Fable later. “I just graduated this May, but my bootcamp classes out in the LA public schools were pretty-” Rough? Dangerous? Getting a knife pulled on you wasn’t exactly a fun day for anyone. “-vigorous.” Pat on the back for using the big kid words. “This place is probably half the size I’m used to, but nothing to be nervous about. I take it you’re from around here...? Maybe?” Guessing games were not for art majors, this was evident.
Look at that, he was correct about this guy being a first year teacher. He practically smelled raw. In addition to simply feeling like he was going to be annoying. As for the part where he kept on talking, Zaviar had a problem even pretending to show interest. Because he was not interested in any way. The man was going to be sharing the school with him, but art and science rarely ever had to mix so hopefully he would not have to see him all that often. “No, I’ve heard that the students are not all that much trouble.” Zaviar never had trouble with them anyhow. Anytime a student attempt to be trouble he put them down and he never even needed to raise his voice or send them to the Principal's office. Intimidation was extremely useful. “The state, not the city.” Zaviar did not talk about where he was from, it was unimportant, but he supposed that there was nothing wrong with admitting to being from Michigan. Was he supposed to attempt carrying on some sort of a conversation with this art teacher from California who might very well be some sort of a hippy? Let him see how long that even pretended to work. “Why would you come here?”
Unlike Zaviar, Ziggy wasn’t exactly a pro in the intimidation department. Most people had trouble taking him seriously, let alone be intimidated by him. He got frustrated and could out-argue a lot of people, but he very rarely raised his voice and snapped at someone. Zaviar seemed like a serious business kind of guy and bonus points for him actually being around the area. Ziggy was all sorts excited about meeting knew people who knew the area better than him. So far, most of the people he had met were... girls... but he swore he had his priorities straight. “Come here? Oh right! I guess when kids want to fly the so-called nest that’s home, they like to get as far away from the parents as possible. That and my sister lives in town, so figured it was best to come out here and start up something new.” He wasn’t going to mention how horrible it was living with his parents or how much he missed his more or less outcasted sister. That got the basics down, so hopefully it answered Zaviar’s question. “How about you? Your family in the area?”
Run away from the parents and come to the sister. How was that really getting away from family? Plus it was an obvious fact that family was all too capable of following you no matter where you went whether you wanted them to or not. Well, Zaviar’s was not because more than a handful of them were dead and he had been the one responsible, but he had witnessed it firsthand thanks to Madeleine’s mother and her insistence. Well-timed, he supposed, because it was likely that Madeleine could use the support of a member of her family when she was going through this. Was it something rather serious? Part of him wondered if she would tell him whether or not she appreciated the presence of Lila in any way if he were to ask. As for the question that he had been asked. No, none of his family was in the area and if they were then he was unaware of it. And intended to stay that way. He did not want to see them and he doubted that the ones that were left wanted to see him either. But not a single thing in the world said that he had to share that fact with this Ziggy, so he did not. “Yes,” he said instead, the lie coming as easily as the truth ever could. “Right in Ann Arbor. Enjoy sleeping on your sister’s couch?”
Oh, Ziggy could have written a book on why his move was 100% logical in his brain, but one would have to remember that talking logic with a fire elemental wasn’t going to be a happy conversation. And this was why he wasn’t the science teacher and Zaviar was. Speaking of which, the guy kept giving Ziggy the creeps. Goosebumps ran all over his body along with the gut wrenching feeling to overall not trust him. That rarely happened with Ziggy, but he could stomach it. For now, anyways. Oh well, he tried to play along nicely. Not playing by the rules was saved for people like his family... mostly. Zaviar didn’t exactly seem like a family guy with the lack of information on that part, which made Ziggy raise an eyebrow. He had to remind himself that not everyone had a huge ass, close-knit family like his. And thank god the new question sidetracked Ziggy altogether. “Oh yeah! She’s got this huge, squishy couch in the living room that’s all mine. Doesn’t bother me. It’s not worth worrying over what exactly you’re sleeping on, in my mind. Just as long as you have something, you know?” He had a feeling Zaviar wouldn’t know, but that didn’t stop Ziggy from asking.
A huge squishy couch, oh did that not just make everything so wonderful? Zaviar only did not roll his eyes because it was not something that he did. Otherwise he would have. And made a few more remarks about how lovely it was to be a house-guest instead of finding a place of his own. Please. Pitiful. “Right,” he drawled, lifting his arm so that he could eye his watch. “I’m sure that it’s good to meet fellow members of the staff but there are things I need to attend to. I’m sure you do as well.” Please let him have something else to do because Zaviar wouldn’t be able to keep an even close-to-pleasant face up for longer with this Ziggy. He was just the sort who put every last nerve on edge. Like the principal. Not worth his time, much less his energy, and he would stay more entertained if he went and played with matches. Which actually made sense when one considered who it was that he actually enjoyed being around. “I imagine I’ll see you around school.”
Well, at least the guy was somewhat civil with his disinterest. Ziggy for one didn’t take it personally, even if it was. “Oh yeah! Definitely.” He gave Zaviar a smile along with a wave. “I’m here for the long haul, so I’ll see you around. Was great meeting you, Zaviar!” It was, even if his gut reaction was screaming at this whole thing being a bad idea. Thankfully, the secretary had came over and plopped a huge file onto the counter. Two of them, actually. When he peered over to read the titles on them, one was filed as ‘general students’ and the other was filed as ‘Bunny Digby.’ Looked like he had his summer reading cut out for him. Along with the keys, it looked like Ziggy was set. He grabbed everything as best as he could, only to turn his head and notice that Zaviar was already gone. Quick guy. He thought nothing of it for now and focused on finding his classroom to set up in.