Family Above All

70. Werewolf Varsity Blues

Pairing: Stefan-Ric/Tyler (mM/m) school paddle

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Mystic Falls High School

Aaron stifled another yawn, but couldn't hide the dark circles under his eyes today.

Nessie tried to talk to him in class during silent reading.

"Vanessa, turn around please," the teacher said.

Nessie's fair cheeks burned at the mild reprimand. She didn't want to get in trouble, who knows what her dad would do if she got a detention.

"Sorry," Nessie uttered and turned around. She already had read the entire chapter, but apparently no one else did. Or even tried to.

As the teacher was yelling at some big, dumb jock named Luffy or Lumpy, she wasn't sure which, she turned to Aaron again.

"What's with you today? You look like shit," Nessie hissed.

Aaron did yawn this time.

"I couldn't sleep," Aaron whispered. "I think there is something wrong at the house."

Nessie's multicolored eyes widened, "What? Do you need to get my dad involved. He's been real busy at work, but I think he's mostly fawning after Sheriff Forbes. But I can talk to him if you want?"

Aaron considered this. "Maybe. Could he do a background check on someone?"

"Who?" Nessie demanded, but then the teacher was talking.

"That new horse lady. Hayley," Aaron replied. "Something is going on. She's up at all hours lurking around and always getting calls. I told them, but no one believes me."

"Ah, my dad probably wouldn't look into it without cause, but I might have hacked his computer...," Nessie grinned. George Singerman knew his daughter was smart, but didn't realize how easily she could override parental controls on her devices. She told him he needed to get more tech savvy, but he said he was too busy.

"Since y'all can't read quietly, maybe we oughta have a pop quiz?" the woman announced.

Most of the class groaned, but Nessie was excited. She loved tests. She winked at Aaron with her green eye and got her pencil ready.

Aaron cursed, he hadn't read a word, he had too much on his mind. But if Nessie could help, that would be something.

Aaron fought to ignore the pit of worry in his stomach and focus. But Sage was acting more as a real mom to him everyday. And Finn was acting like a real dad, asking him to help him do things and checking to see how he was doing in his classes. If you failed a quiz in this class, you had to get it signed at home. Shit, this wasn't good.

Aaron realized that Nessie was tilting her paper so he could see her answers. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the day was looking up.

Mikaelson Mansion

Lunch

"There, gently. You got it. He likes that," Hayley complimented. She was letting the kids help her groom Azul. Damon had just ridden him.

"Did you have a horse when you were little, Miss Hayley?" Julian asked.

Hayley frowned, flipping her brown ponytail.

"Um, no. Not unless I went to school when I was older," Hayley answered, patting the small boy on the shoulder. She didn't want to say that her memories were disjointed, fragmented. She remembered almost nothing. "That's right, Julian. You are doing a great job."