“Sweets?” Kalinda questioned, but if the blush along her cheeks and the smile on her face was anything to go by, she didn’t mind the nickname. Cute. The blush transformed into something else, something deep in her stomach, especially when Modesty moved closer and Kal scolded herself. Mother, not lover. Here especially.

“I care way too much about what the students think. I want them to like my class, get something out of it.” Kal cared too much about what everyone thought. This woman now on that list. “Really? I think it would be. Or it’d be one of those classes that makes them think. About morality, right and wrong. Some of them may need that. My class, they mostly just care about Zeus’ sex life.” A giggle escaped Kalinda’s lips, high and sweet.

        “ well, you’re the ONE giving them the grades ;; not the other WAY around, ” she hums quietly, tapping on her arms that she has folded over her chest. “ but you know, kids will be kids. can’t make them... not think about ZEUS’ sex life, ” she says with a small laugh. “ your class isn’t giving you too many problems, are they? ” ---she can, take care of them so to SAY.

“Daebak!” He grinned, punctuating his exclamation with a clap.  “Min Jae, ma’am.”

      “ min jae? i love your NAME ;; my name is ms. choi, but you can call me MODESTY. ” a pause. “ what do your grades LOOK like, min jae? “

A blush formed across Kal’s cheeks, heating up her face and making it uncomfortably warm. The blush was there for two reasons; the fact that Kal had presumed that it was a student in her classroom and the presence of the woman herself. Letting out an awkward giggle, she spoke. “I uh, I can be a bit clumsy. Sorry. I knocked all these papers down while trying to save them from my spilling coffee. It worked! I just lost an answer sheet in the mess.”

“I’m Kalinda. Or just Kal, if you want? I teach mythology, but you probably knew that! Since you came here to meet me. Our subjects, they can be similar. At least, we sometimes talk about similar people. Plato? Aristotle? The kids like it?” Kal was still on her knees, looking up at the Modesty.

      modesty SMILES at her ;; enjoying the pink on the other’s cheeks. “ no, don’t apologize, sweets, ” she says sweetly ;; saccharine dripping from her voice. “ kal is a CUTE name, ” modesty says softly, approaching the other to help. “ ah, it doesn’t really matter if the KIDS like it, ” she mumbles, perhaps a bit offhandedly, “ but if it did, i do think they enjoy the class. it’s not particularly hard, after all. ”

cre hurried in, grabbing his bag from beside where he had sat. “yeah, my bag. sort of IMPORTANT since it’s got all my shit in it.” including his WEED.

        “ i hope everything in there IS accounted for. i have several classes ;; i don’t know if anyone actually looked through the BAG. but if something’s missing, then feel free to let me know, and i’ll see what i can DO to find it, okay honey? “

“i think it’s less about character or work ethic and more about like, physical capabilities, man.” he let out a slow sigh, trying to even out his tone and make himself seem less TENSE. “thanks. i’m trying my best, really.” talking about what was WRONG with him wasn’t something he enjoyed, but sometimes he had to. “i’m fine, don’t worry. just TIRED with finals and shit. er, i mean, stuff.”

      “ again, my APOLOGIES. ” something snarky lays on her TONGUE but she does not say it, for the sake of saving face. instead, she keeps her expression apathetic and stays quiet for a few more MOMENTS, before a small smile stretches onto her lips. “ don’t feel like you have to CORRECT YOURSELF, mister caverly. teachers swear too. but do feel free to come to me if you need help in anything at all, alright?? “

“If you say so,” he shrugged, “I’m gonna need that.  You better stand on your promise.”  He was willing to give the benefit of the doubt; after all, he’s NEVER  been wrong about trusting beautiful women.

         “SAY?? no, i know so, ” she says teasingly ;; the worlds rolling off her TONGUE like a melodious hum. “ i always keep my PROMISES. i would be a horrible ( chosen one ) teacher if i didn’t, ” modesty says with a smile. “ what’s your name? “

“Pardon me,” Kalinda began, peeking out from beneath her desk. Nearly all of her papers had fallen and she was now unable to find the answer sheet for a recent quiz. “My - uh, my office hours are over. I’m sorry. You can come back tomorrow?”

Pushing up her glasses, she came to her full height on her knees in order to get a good look at whoever was in her classroom.

     modesty raises a SINGLE eyebrow at the scattered papers, one hand on her hip, the other resting by her side. “ i understand ;; although i’m just HERE to offer you some help. there are papers all around your desk. ” a pause. “ i’m MODESTY, the philosophy teacher here at plath. ”

“Alien?”, he asks with narrowed eyes. A soft sarcastic chuckle is released immediately afterwards. “OF COURSE. People call me stuff related to aliens because I come from Area 51”

        “ alien? “ she smiles QUIETLY. of course she doesn’t believe it, but the notion is cute. laughable, but still cute. “ area 51? people actually LIVE there? “

“Oh, but I’d hate to b– bother you. It’s not that bad. I mean… sounds kind of… nice, I guess?”

      “ you’re NEVER a bother, i promise. kryptokid?? the only thing i can really think of is superman and KRYPTONITE. but that doesn’t even make sense. superman is a fictional ALIEN superhero guy. ”

clementine waits patiently for the teacher to finish her THREATS, less than genuine smile plastered onto her face. “you’re CUTE,” she hums, grabbing a pack of gum from her bag and popping a piece into her mouth. “i wonder what it’s like to think you have any power over me in a school CORRUPT as this. you can’t TOUCH me and if you try, i’ll ruin your career and your life. so will i see you in class or in court for HARASSMENT charges??”

        “ you’re NOT. dirty child, ” she SPITS ;; her tone grand and clear, as she narrows her eyes towards her. (( it’s the look. the look she GAVE when she looked upon her disciples haven’t you heard to obey the chosen one, little girl?? )) “ and who do you think they’re going to BELIEVE?? the girl who belongs in a looney bin, or the teacher who was just trying to give you a good grade? “ she smiles sweetly at her. “ let’s get this STRAIGHT, miss sterling. you have no power here. i am the TEACHER ;; you are the student. ---if you so do very believe that you’re ABOVE such consequences, i do encourage you to throw a hissy fit like a toddler next time i try and be kind to you. turn in another ASSIGNMENT just a second late, and you will fail the assignment. but by all means, do what you’d like. ”

This voice he didn’t recognize, but he understood their words and it didn’t sound like they wanted to hurt him, but they never did. “It h-h-h-h-hurts,” he whimpered, looking down at his opens palms, there was nothing wrong with them, although they were violently quaking. 

    “ what hurts? “ the honey that drips from her VOICE is all natural (( that whole foods shit )), as her eyebrows furrow together. she takes his hands in hers, and gently presses her thumbs against his PALMS. “ there’s nothing here, honey. you’re FINE. you’re safe, ” modesty insists quietly. “ i promise. you are safe with me. ”

A smirk spread on the boy’s lips at the offer. “You sure you’re up for that? I can be quite the CHALLENGE.”

       modesty looks at him skeptically ;; laughing incredulously. “ a challenge? oh, sweetheart, don’t give yourself that much credit. ---i can help anyone. ” (( the dangerous tone has been removed from her voice ;; but anyone who has known her since before THIS PLACE know that when she speaks this phrase, you must be wary. ))