Scarves and Scars

The First Day Back

Samantha returned home from the coffee shop and changed out of her nightgown and into a dress due to her cast. She could have worn something else but it wouldn't be as appealing like a humongous, visible cast under a dress. So, she opted for a long, cream sundress made from a sheer material over a soft under layer. A brown, decorative belt hung around the middle. Sam chose one boot to wear and a blue jean jacket over the bare shoulders to abide by the school's dress code rules.

Sam had applied her foundation as heavily as she could without looking tacky and she came from the red light district. She wanted to cover the bruising as much as possible. She finished her makeup and made her way downstairs to get ready to leave. Sam gave Sasha, one last scratch and tried to pet at a elusive Remus. She stepped out of her home and locked the door, heading over to where she parked M and off to U.A. she went.

Sam sighed after she entered her classroom after the ever long trek up to her classroom on the second floor. Her leg protested the whole way up, the whole journey in general. A dull throbbing ache seem to pulsate through her entire leg, a painful spasm jolted through Sam. Nearly made her topple down the flight of stairs if she didn't have an iron grip on the guide rails.

It was surprising how she actually missed this room, even as it has only been her's for a short while. Sam didn't bother in trying to figure out it if was more relief that her treacherous trek was finally over or if she really did miss the classroom. Sam smiled as she sat on her comfy rolling chair and got to grading, she was behind on the grades. A knock on her door startled Samantha out of her train of thought. Her gaze flickered to where Rin and Momo stood in the doorway. "How may I help you, ladies?"

"Actually, it's how can we help you?" Rin asked, Momo nodded behind her.

Sam smiled, tightly. "I don't need any help, Rin." She shook her head.

"Oh? Recovery Girl said you should still stay off that leg and surely after being on medical leave, you have papers to run?" Rin challenges, a determined spark flashed in her electric blue eyes. "I will tell Jo and Ben that you aren't following the doctor's orders. Or better yet, I'll tell James."

Sam pursed her lips at her niece, glowering but Rin wasn't backing down. "Please, Sensei?" Momo asked from behind Rin.

Sam sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall, an hour until the first bell. "I might have some papers to be copied and I might have some papers from my older classes that need to be graded." She relented, shuffling through the piles until she reached a stack with a pink sticky note that read 'needs to be copied.' Sam grabbed a second stack from a metal bin of papers that needed to be graded as well as grading keys to the paper. Momo took the papers that needed to be copied and Rin took the papers that needed to be graded, a red pen and the keys. Momo smiled and took off for the copy room in the teacher's lounge. Rin settled herself at the closet desk to Sam and started grading. "I'm fine." Sam spoke after several silent minutes dragged by without a word. Rin was usually more chatty than this, Sam frowned at her papers. Her demeanor completely changed since Momo left the room. Sam recognized that as the facade Rin wore for most of her younger school years.

"Sure." Rin huffed back without looking up from her papers.

"I've been through far worse than this. I can handle far more than you think." Sam stressed, watching Rin paused from the furious scribbling of the scarlet pen. At least, she was getting some kind of response from her niece.

"And I cannot loose another aunt." Rin snapped back, bright blue eyes glared at Sam with such an intensity that made Sam lean back in her chair in surprise. The glare vanished and hurt took it's place. "I can't." Rin repeated, weakly. Sam cursed herself for not realizing that this was Rin's first time in this situation. Villains weren't new to her, same song but a different tune. Conflict that Rin could participate in was very new to Rin. Unlike Sam who was a seasoned professional heroine, this was the beginning of Rin's journey as a heroine. The young Shimizu felt guilt hanging over her for not aiding Sam in time to prevent Sam's injuries.