Professor Arc

Chapter 27

Turned out... he had no idea what he was supposed to do.

"What about your family?" Glynda asked, "Have you had much chance to talk to them since becoming a teacher?"

"Yeah, I guess. I spoke with them about the job, my mother helped me pick out my coat – but I've not seen them since term started. I've been too busy, really."

"Ah..." The blonde looked away, taking a small sip of her punch as she did so. Once more, Jaune was struck with the niggling sensation that he'd said or done something wrong. Made all the worse by the familiar silence that was building up between them.

He'd always dreamed of attending an event like this... of going out with someone too, him and his wonderful girlfriend enjoying the night together. None of that had come true, neither that he was here as a guest or that he had a girlfriend. But even if he had, even if the stars had aligned differently... then he'd only just realised he would have been in the same situation. What am I actually supposed to do on a date?

Not that this was a date, he hastened to remind himself. Purely professional, him going with a colleague he trusted and respected – and who no doubt trusted him to respect her in return. And he did, of course he did... but he also couldn't pretend that he didn't take surreptitious glances at her. How could he not, when she was dressed like that?

He'd always known Glynda was a beautiful woman. That had crossed his mind (and his libido) the very first moment he'd seen her. Though at the time he could recall having been put off by her demeanour, what had seemed like a person too serious and scary to consider being around. How was he to have known that in the nuthouse situation he found himself in, such personality traits would be not only a welcome relief, but practically required?

She wasn't scary, either. Not if you had the least shred of intelligence and did your best with whatever tasks you were given. In fact, she was helpful, conscientious and hard working.

But that still left her more than a little unapproachable, not to mention utterly off-limits. Like just about every other woman here, he sighed. But still, here he was – not a date – but sort of on a date with her.

And still completely lost in regards to it.

"Can you tell me a little about your family?" Glynda asked, turning back to him with a small smile. Even to him it looked a little forced, awkward perhaps, in a way that left him wanting to scream in confusion... and – as a true sign of his insanity – go find Peter for some advice.

Peter!

"Well I've got seven sisters, then there's me, my mother and father," he shrugged, thinking back on his family. "What about you?"

"I grew up with just my parents," Glynda said, "My father was a Hunter and my mother a tailor. They're both still around, though certainly he's not in the Hunter trade anymore. I've never had any siblings before, what is that like?"

"Er... annoying at times, I guess?" He took a sip of his punch while he tried to think of an answer, wishing it had some alcohol in it for confidence – but then quickly dashing that as he imaged what dealing with a horde of intoxicated students might be like. "We all sort of get on, but there were always arguments. Sometimes I think I would have preferred being an only child, but maybe that's just me being silly."

"I'm sure we all think like that. Certainly I've wondered once or twice what siblings might feel like."

"Yeah..."

Silence again. It wasn't even that comfortable silence he'd read about once or twice in romance novels or children's books. It was that awkward kind instead, where it felt like he wasn't sure where to put his eyes, or what to say. Should he say anything, should he wait for her? Why wasn't there an instruction manual for this kind of thing?