the casket kid

Holly Fields Rae Hunter Virtue Seventeen High school student and waitress at the Waffle House Leader of The Movement I see a lot more than just your pretty smile, especially when you're trying so hard to hide all that pain. I see the colours that wind themselves from your chest down to your toes. I see you for you, not for the decisions you make or the mistakes that blindside you.

[oath-of-omerta]

Setting a Snare || Helena & Holly RH

[oath-of-omerta]

Helena stared at the person standing before her, her mouth open. And to think this whole time she suspected the other Holly. It was true Holly Rae Hunter wasn’t the best student— she was absent quite a bit— but Helena never expected her to behind something like this. At any rate, she still had a hard time believing there was malicious intent behind it.

She walked over and briskly snatched the pamphlets out of Holly’s hand, a cross look on her face. Helena put her hands on her hips and raised her voice. “What the hell, Holly?” So maybe that was a little unprofessional, but the circumstances called for it. She pointed to one of the desks and glared. “Take a seat. I think we need to have a little talk, don’t you?” The discomfort in the room— coming from both of them— was tangible. More than anything, she wanted to understand the motive behind Holly’s actions— if there even was one to begin with. Sometimes people were just cruel. She didn’t want to group Holly with them— she genuinely seemed like a good kid— but the possibility was there nonetheless.

"Is this supposed to be some sort of a joke? Because I have news for you, Holly… it isn’t remotely funny. I don’t know what you think you were accomplishing." If the goal was to piss her teacher off— and frighten her half to death— she’d succeeded. Helena had been so sure the pamphlets were some kind of veiled threat to reveal her identity, and while it was possible Holly knew more than she was letting on, it came as a great relief that the culprit wasn’t Mark, Traci, or Holly Robinson— people who knew or possibly knew she had something to hide. Rae Hunter might have suspected she was hiding something, but there’d be little to back it up with. And that begged the question: what did she think she was hiding? Helena sighed, slapping the pamphlet down on her desk with her palm. This was supposed to be easy; any other teacher would’ve been able to give the kid detention and call it a day.

Helena sat at the chair by her desk and wheeled it over close to where Holly was sitting, her arms tight across her chest. “I don’t think you realize how serious this offense is.” No sooner had she said it that she realized it… well, wasn’t that serious. She lied a lot on a daily basis, and teaching was part of that. She couldn’t always explain why she took so long to grade things, or why she had the worst attendance out of any teacher at the school, including the ones on pregnancy leave. And those were just the big ones. Lies always bred other lies. It wasn’t fair to her students, and sometimes she felt bad about it, but the cold hard fact was that her other job necessitated lying. Bane was right. As long as Huntress was around, Helena Bertinelli could never be an honest woman.

But she liked to think her lies didn’t define her. That they weren’t a big deal, that her students wouldn’t notice and wouldn’t pick up on them. Clearly, she had been wrong. If Holly noticed, who else did? Helena rubbed her temples and sighed again. “Give me a good explanation and then we can decide a suitable punishment.”

[hollyvirtuefields]

“What the hell, Holly?”

Surprisingly enough, Holly wasn't taken aback by Helena Bertinelli's use of a swearword. She looked like the type of person who bit her tongue at a constant rate to keep vulgarities from slipping between her teeth. Only, this was not one of those times. Holly had done something to make one of those vulgarities slip, and honestly, a part of Holly was proud of herself. She had always liked getting a reaction out of people- it often showed their true colours. When Holly was instructed to take a seat, Holly obliged. Although, she wanted nothing more than to dip out- to go running down the hallway, the sound of nothing but her heels clacking against the tile. Only, that wasn't a possibility. She was a rabbit caught in a trap, and Ms. B was the damned hunter. Swallowing thickly, Holly tucked one leg underneath of her so that her ankle dug into the plastic of the chair while her other swung nervously back and forth, waiting for whatever onslaught of disappointment Ms. B was going to bring her way. 

Helena's words shook Holly to her core. It was supposed to be a joke. At least, that's how it had started out. How it had gotten to this, Holly had no idea. Holly had seen a change in Ms. B's aura. She could see the changes each and every day. There was something going on with her teacher, but was there a point in telling Helena that she could see that? That with each and every passing day, there was something a little darker, something muddled hiding beneath the truth of what she was really feeling? Of course, it was that way with most people, but not to this multitude. She had seen it in others, and that was before she had recognized the truths in those whom she called family from within The Movement. Biting down on her lip, Holly let her shoulders roll back in a lazy shrug. "Yeah, it was." The disappointment covered Ms. B's classroom like a blanket, and holy shit was it uncomfortable. Holly knew that if she wasn't careful, she'd bite a hole right through her bottom lip. Releasing the pressure she had on it, Holly quickly rubbed at her lip with the back of her hand to check for blood. There was none. That was good at least. 

Any other teacher would've asked why Holly thought it was funny. She would've been given the spiel on how it was uncool to slip pamphlets under their door, and then she would've been given detention. Only, Helena Bertinelli seemed so much more involved in figuring out why she was getting these pamphlets than anything else, and that only made her all that much more suspicious. 

The only sound that Holly could focus on was the annoying squeaking coming from the wheels of the chair that Helena was now coming closer to her on. Watching the teacher warily, Holly crossed her arms over her chest. This whole situation was so uncomfortable. Why her, and why the hell did it seem like this was such a big deal? They were just pamphlets. Pamphlets that did nothing but educate an individual on the problems of pathological lying. 

“I don’t think you realize how serious this offense is.”

Holly's eyebrows furrowed at Ms. B's words. "Serious? How is it serious? They're pamphlets. Pamphlets, might I add, that you can find in the guidance counselor's office." Holly uncrossed her arms and gripped the sides of her desk. Anger flushed through the tiny brunette, but she quickly contained it by digging her fingernails into the cut out 'fuck you' in the side of the desk. "I don't understand why giving you pamphlets- out of a joke," Holly huffed, 'is such a big deal?" Tilting her head to the side, Holly watched Helena Bertinelli carefully. Her aura, her line of sight, the way her shoulders rolled- or didn't roll. With Holly's own explanation as to why she put them there in Helena's classroom, there had to be an explanation as to why Ms. B was so angry that they were there. 

“Give me a good explanation and then we can decide a suitable punishment.”

Holly fought the urge to roll her eyes. She didn't even get this kind of talking to from the administrative office, and they were always on her case. Re-crossing her arms to avoid blooding up the desk with her now aching fingernails, Holly bowed her head. "It was a joke. Like I said." She refused to make eye contact, because if she did, there'd be nothing stopping her from calling her out on the lies that were spinning through her freaking chest cavity. Holly could see the anxiety and nervousness throughout Helena, especially from what was stemming due to this conversation, and it made Holly anxious, herself. She wanted to know what was wrong so she could attempt at fixing it, but that certainly wasn't her job. Wasn't Helena supposed to console students? 

[oath-of-omerta]

Setting a Snare || Helena & Holly RH

As an island, Sicily’s game was limited, but the land around the Asaro farm was saturated with a healthy stock of wild boar and hares. Helena was nine the first time Sal took her hunting. She was barely able to support the rifle in her tiny hands, and whenever she heard a gunshot she scrambled over to Sal and wrapped her arms around him, reminded of the events that unfolded only a year prior. He realized quickly that she wasn’t ready for it. Instead, he taught her how to lay traps and snares for wild rabbits. It took a few tries before she was able to set one all by herself, but she was a fast learner. Patience was half the battle, though. Helena remembered lying in wait for hours sometimes, hiding in a nearby bush or behind a log, trying not to give in to Sal’s attempts at making her laugh.

The first time she heard a rabbit scream, it made her blood ice over. After waiting so long for one to wander into one of her traps, for some reason, it didn’t feel like a victory. Sal rushed over to the snare and told Helena to look away. The hare would always stop screaming, after that. 

"Congrats, cuz!" He’d say, "you’re gonna be one hell of a huntress."

Helena was quick to forget her unease, and came bounding back to the farm, waving her hands in the air and cheering, "I got one! I got one!" Nicola was sitting out on the porch, and it was one of the few times she’d seen that bitter old man smile.

Last week aside, Helena rarely hunted animals these days. The city didn’t have much to offer beyond raccoons and bats, and she didn’t think either of them would taste particularly good. No. Criminals were more her speed now. 

Criminals, and students who thought they could get away with calling their teacher a liar.

Her co-workers kept trying to reassure her that it was just some juvenile prank, but they didn’t understand the implications. Helena could only see those pamphlets as threats. Someone knew her secret, and they wanted her to be keenly aware of that fact every single day she showed up to class. But who was behind it?

Charlie was trustworthy; she herself was a vigilante, even though Helena disproved of it. Mark, despite his initial horrified reaction, had also proven himself trustworthy, and she didn’t think he would try to blackmail her. Traci didn’t seem like the sort either. Helena kept thinking back to her task with Holly Robinson during the Duodenary Game; was it possible she did some searching and found out about her family? There was dangerously little information she would need to connect the dots, and Holly had a darkness to her that Helena hadn’t previously been aware of. She hated thinking one of her students had ill intent towards her, but that was the corner she found herself backed into right now.

The strange thing was that, unlike most threats, these ones didn’t come with any clear demands. Regardless, Helena preferred to be the one doing the threatening. She couldn’t let this fly any longer. It was time to get to the bottom of it.

Once the final bell rang and everyone cleared out of the classroom, Helena opened the door about halfway and leaned against the wall by the hinges. It was unlikely the culprit would bother checking behind them when they walked in. And even if they did, it would be too late; the trap would be sprung.

[hollyvirtuefields]

Holly leafed through the pamphlets in her hand. Lying, and when it begins to mesh into your real life sat atop the stack. Underneath sat even more, but those, Holly would save for later. There was no reason to bombard Ms. Bertinelli with them, not when she could get found out. At first, the pamphlets were a joke. The kind of joke that kept Holly's mind off of the tweens, and off of the cop who was the reason her father was dead. Of everything. Holly found school more of a distraction than anything else, and maybe that's why she couldn't be bothered to show up, especially not when she worked a twelve hour shift to miss school... which she was sure was illegal. It was going to be entertaining to watch somebody point that one out to her. Combing her fingers through her hair, Holly stuck the pamphlets into her backpack and looked over her shoulder. The last bell was set to ring at any minute, which meant that Ms. Bertinelli's classroom would be completely empty, save for anybody who was sticking behind like herself. Hopefully she'd get lucky, like many of the other days in which she found herself pushing envelopes and pamphlets into the drawers of Ms. B's desk. Then again, it was only a matter of time before her luck ran out. 

Clearing her throat, Holly avoided eye contact with a couple of the big jock guys as they ushered past her. The discussion of football and girl's boobs were brought up, and despite their facade, Holly could clearly see the insecurities that wound around their core. Shoving her books into her locker, Holly slammed it shut and turned on her heel. The eerie sound of the last bell rang out across the school and the floodgates opened. Students poured out of classrooms. 

The emotions and auras that surrounded Holly while at school always managed to overwhelm her. She felt the excitement for the weekend, and the dreaded reveal of the test scores given by that damn math teacher nobody really liked.. 

Closing her hand around the straps of her backpack, Holly attempted to beeline for the restroom. If she closed herself in a stall, maybe it'd get better. Maybe she wouldn't be so damn preoccupied with other people's emotions. Tugging on the fabric as she walked, Holly shouldered into the bathroom and shuffled into an empty stall. The majority of them were being used, and she was stuck in the handicap stall whose stall gaps were way too big. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to have a mile wide gap on a freaking bathroom door anyways? It was the most inconvenient thing that Holly could think of when it came to public bathrooms in the United States. For a moment, Holly considered fixing them up herself by sticking tissue paper between the folds, but knew they'd just fall out. 

After a few moments, the voices subsided and the sound of scuffing heels disappeared entirely. She could hardly hear anybody from outside of the bathroom, which meant that those who didn't care about getting extra help on assignments were gone. And hopefully Ms. B would be too. 

The bathroom was adjacent to Ms. B's classroom, which made it easy for Holly to dip inside of the classroom. It seemed quiet, but something was.. definitely off. She felt nervousness- irritation, confusion. Turning around, Holly stared wide-eyed at Helena Bertinelli. The pamphlets were out of her backpack, and it was as if they were glued to her damn hand. 

"Uh......" Holly gulped, "Surprise?"

[hollyvirtuefields]

Is there any historical figure that you look up to?

Malala Yousafzai. One hundred times over. 

And if she isn’t considered to be a historical figure, then I don’t care. I’d still choose her. ‘Cause she’s making history, yanno. Or, uh, already has.

[hollyvirtuefields]

Gluten-Free || Holly & Sarah

[abadgeandheels]

The waitress was spilling all over the place, hot water sloshing over the counter and pooling near Sarah’s piles of paperwork. The girl was either extremely clumsy or she was just careless. It seemed like the latter, but Sarah wasn’t going to fault her for it. It was late, the girl was probably still exhausted from school, and she was sure that it’d been a long night. So, she stifled the groan that threatened to surface in her throat and turned her attention towards stuffing all the canisters back into her bag.

"Raspberry Riot Lemon it is, then. You wanna try some?" Sarah asked, pulling out her travel-sized, tea-infuser. Jim had teased her about toting this around in her bottomless pit of a purse, but she’d found that it came it handy on more than one occasion. While others were choking down that muddy slop in the coffee pot at work to stay awake, she didn’t have to. She made sure to brew a cup for Jim every once in a while, but more often than not, he wasn’t in his office when she came by with a mug. Busy as always. She usually ended up passing it off to some sleepy-eyed cadet posted in the back of the station. 

"I spin in that chair over there a lot. Avoid eye contact with the cooks and eat some of the leftover pie. It’s a wild ride from the minute my shift starts to when it ends."

"Well, that doesn’t sound too bad," Sarah said. "You get free pie and some time to yourself. And I’m sure it beats having to deal with rush hour, right?” Sarah would kill for some free time to relax, but there hadn’t been time. She’d taken a break from work during the Game Master’s games and now she had a hell of a lot of paperwork to catch up on. It was also especially hard now because she had to pick up the slack left behind by Kimura.

But maybe the grass was always greener on the other side? Maybe this job wasn’t quite as glamorous as Sarah was making it out to be?

Sarah was about to pour out her tea leaves when she noticed a smear of blue ink across her fingertips. If Mitchell had seen that, he would have made a dumb quip like “he caught her blue-handed,” but—

Her cell phone rang and the screen flashed with Jim’s name. Rather than packing up all her files, Sarah vouched to move towards a small, deserted nook of the diner to take the call. She could see her paperwork from there, meaning she could see the waitress if she happened to get a little too curious.

Jim spoke quickly over the phone. He said he needed her down at the station soon for an emergency administrative meeting. She agreed, and despite the urgency in his voice, she couldn’t help but want to keep him on the line longer. She hadn’t talked to him in what seemed like weeks. Though she wanted to ask him questions—How are you? Are you eating well? You didn’t steal one of Barbara’s cupcakes, did you?—she refrained from doing so. She wanted to be selfish, but perhaps now wasn’t the time.

Right as she hung up, a man sauntered into the restaurant. He looked shifty-eyed and nervous, and he kept his hand in his jacket pocket as he surveyed the store.

Sarah’s eyes were trained on him. They widened as he pulled out his gun.

"Don’t move," he said, pointing the gun at the waitress. "Hey! You two. In the back kitchen. Get the fuck out here and come out with your hands up. If you try anything, I swear to God I’ll blow her brains out." 

The cooks slowly walked through the kitchen door with their hands raised and stood beside the girl. Sarah’s stomach lurched as she slowly withdrew her gun from its holster.

So much for a slow night.

[hollyvirtuefields]

"Raspberry Riot Lemon it is, then. You wanna try some?" 

Weren't there policies about trying a customer's food? Even if the woman did bring her own tea, Holly definitely didn't feel comfortable taking a sip of the oddly named tea. Holly watched in silence as the blonde woman began to dig through her purse. With how far she could get her arm into the bag, Holly wondered if she was Mary Poppins. Raising an eyebrow once her pale hand resurfaced with what Holly assumed was a tea infuser- of course the woman didn't use tea bags, Holly finally answered, "No. It's okay. I think I can get in trouble for that. And besides, there's coffee in the back. I'm allowed to drink as much as I want." Even if she didn't. It was there at her disposal. Most of the time, by the end of Holly's shift, all that was left was a burnt pot of coffee. The waitresses and cooks opted out of the coffee for their on concoctions, which Holly couldn't really penalize them for. If she could do the same thing, she would. 

Free time? This woman obviously had no idea what the concept of free time was. Though, spinning on a chair did neglect Holly's rightful duties of folding napkins around shiny forks, spoons, and knives. Her job could've been treating her a lot worse, even if the people weren't all that great to be around. At least she could take a breather, especially when it came to the shift she was now working. It was no mistake that nobody came to the Waffle House because it was in the dodgy part of town, and Holly knew that. But it didn't mean they didn't get dodgy customers. And unfortunately for her, that happened to be the ninety percentile of whose checks she pushed across syrup ridden tables. 

Holly glanced over at the man whose mustache she was sure was growing at an agonizing rate. He looked like he could use more coffee. Was he actually sipping away at it? It seemed like the damn mug never even reached his lips, especially when his eyes were glued to the paper. Twisting her hands around her apron, Holly took the opportunity for the right-on-time phone call that the woman got in order to get some more coffee for the man. Approaching him, Holly put on her best smile as she poured some of the murky brown liquid into his mug. If he wanted creamer, he could pour his own. Then again, he hadn't expected her to do so before. "Can I get you anything else?" Without missing a beat, the man let out nothing other than a grunt as he flipped the page of the paper he was reading. How the hell was he not done with that thing yet? Clearing her throat, Holly pushed her smile to the corners of her lips. "Well if you need anything, just holler." With the pot still in her hand, Holly turned around and walked back to the burner and set it down. What liquid had slid down the sides of the hot glass now sizzled on the hot plate. It was almost an entirely calming sound. It was the kind that often put Holly at ease. 

When the door opened, Holly smiled at the man, only to let it drop as she noticed the nervous and anxious curves sweeping across his aura. Anger laced through the different colours, and there.. was a hint of despair? What was that. Holly's eyes went directly to his hand, which was in his pocket. Maybe it was his wallet. 

It only took a second for Holly to be proven wrong. This guy was wired- she could see it in his aura- his body language, hell, even his gaze. Swallowing thickly as she heard the scuffing of tennis shoes against the syrup laden floor, Holly took a step back. She glanced over to the cop, then back to the man who was pointing his gun directly at her. Shit. If she were alone, this would be easy. But she wasn't alone. She had to play along as victim. The man who sat in the booth's attention was now directed towards the man with the gun. Holly was sure his eyes were going to right on ahead and bulge out of his head. This couldn't be good for his health. 

Terror ran throughout the diner and Holly felt chills run up her spine. Hopelessness filled the young woman, and it wasn't because of her own emotions in regards to the situation, but the emotions of those who were standing around her, their own hands up, palms flattened against thin air. 

Two guns. Two guns in a diner that had no business having guns in them. Fuck. Glancing between the cop and the man who had come in to terrorize them, Holly licked her lips. "What do you want? Money?"

[hopesumners]

Who says we’re hiding?

[onredwings]

Let me guess. You didn’t have to live here long before you figured that out?

[hollyvirtuefields]

Not at all, actually. It was kinda weird at first, but then I got used to it. 

[hollyvirtuefields]

What is your definition of murder?

[mask] When somebody lays dead at your hand. 

[onredwings]

Tell me about it. Wouldn’t that be simple.

[hollyvirtuefields]

It would be, but I'm not sure if Gotham will ever fall under the definition of simple.

[hollyvirtuefields]

misfited-charlie replied to your post:I wish that with the disappearance of the bunnies,...

I miss the bunnies :( but they did do a lotta damage to the flower shop… They like flowers.

They were cute, but the damage they did was a little... over the top? They ate my homework. Do you think that's a valid excuse? I know they've been gone for awhile, but maybe there was one sole survivor. 

[hollyvirtuefields]

I wish that with the disappearance of the bunnies, everything they did would've disappeared with them. I mean, not that the internet is even ours, but jeez they took long enough in freaking repairing it.

[katebwkane-blog]

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[onredwings]

I think people are trying. That masterofears blog is weird. This is the most annoying prank I’ve ever seen.

[hollyvirtuefields]

Seriously though. I'm tired of watching where I'm walking. I don't want to step in bunny crap every step I take. 

[a-touch-of--magic]

Tardy Slip || Jin and Holly Fields

Jin would’ve been lying if he’d said that he hadn’t enjoyed his first week as a teacher. His job didn’t exactly require the amount of work as a regular teacher but the occasional substitutions during the day definitely kept him on his toes. However, what mattered was the fact that he was clicking with the students, basking in the positive energy, the normalcy and more importantly, it was providing the Warlock with what he needed most; a distraction, and a relatively steady flow of income. The last thing he wanted, on top of his mountain of problems was the added stress of being in debt to Kai, of all people, as it was, the taller Warlock had already begun to charge interest.

A week of normalcy was all that Gotham allowed and as Jin paced around the auditorium, stifling the sneezes before glancing around for the cause of his allergies he found himself shortly shaking his head as he caught a glimpse of brown fur peeking out from under one of the nearby seats. “I thought I got rid of all of you,” he murmured before focusing his energy, his magic, into the tendrils of his fingers, allowing it to encase the rabbit which only twitched its nose in response before it was levitated in the air, grinning unabashedly as it travelled towards his outstretched arms before falling into them moments after. It seemed all that practicing coupled with the yoga to center himself was working even if his tricks were still smaller, easier in comparison to what he did before, “I definitely deserve a pat on the back for this little trick, don’t I?” he spoke towards the uneasy animal in his hands, scratching its ears to calm its nerves, before walking out of the auditorium with it, stifling another sneeze as he did, “Christ, at this rate I’m going to keel over before I reach the school grounds.”

He was on his way to whatever was left of the main school ground when he caught a glimpse of a familiar face, one that he’d only seen in his student roster but had yet to meet; Holly Rae Hunter, or the girl who’d skipped out her first week in the Warlock’s class, which was how he knew her and apparently, by the sound of it, his wasn’t the only class she was tardy in. It surprised him though as he studied her from afar, she didn’t seem like the type to skip class, immediately his mind began going to darker places but he stifled the thoughts before approaching her, rabbit still in hand. “Miss. Rae Hunter,” he called out, using his ‘Teacher Voice’ as it had been dubbed by his friends, “Can I have a word?” he asked, raising an eyebrow before motioning to the auditorium, “You’ve been skipping class, I guess it’s time I finally acquaint you with the auditorium,” he finished, his tone friendly rather than threatening but at the same time carrying a hint, an undertone of authority, allowing the corners on his mouth quirking as he felt the rabbit in his arms twitch, almost in agreement.

He hated to admit it but he was growing rather fond of the fat brown ball in his arms.

[hollyvirtuefields]

School. She was late for school again. The late night shift that had been pulled over on her resonated with Holly as she trekked her way up the pathway that led to the front doors of the administration building. It had been a long night, and truthfully, all Holly wanted to do was pass out from exhaustion, but she couldn't miss class. Not again. She already had voicemails wracking up from the high school's staff threatening to call the authorities if she missed anymore, and Holly couldn't have that. If she fell way to the authorities, then she'd have a major headache. The kind of headache that couldn't get signed away with a forged signature or two. 

Tightening the straps on her backpack, Holly pulled them against her and felt the shoulder straps tighten down. Swinging her arms at her sides as she made the walk from the bottom of the lane up to the top, Holly pulled open the front door and waltzed in, completely ignoring the woman who sat behind the desk, begging her to fill out a late slip. "I'm not late." Holly lied. She hated lying. "I forgot something at home so I had to run back. My mom couldn't do it for me, so I had to do it." She said, pushing past the weighted door that led out to the mini courtyard of the school. It was a small one, only used in the height of warm weather, but it made for an easy getaway as she swept past a couple of janitors cleaning up presents left by the many bunnies that had found their way into the school. 

Tipping her chin up at the passerbys who were also late to their second class of the day, Holly rounded the corner and froze as soon as she heard somebody calling out to her. Glancing over her shoulder, Holly squinted. Who was that guy? His aura was going all over the place, and it was constantly pumping out a electric purple. "Ah, crap." Holly muttered under her breath as she recognized him to be the new teacher who was teaching... theater? Was that it? Pursing her lips, Holly thought about making an easy cop out. She was late for class already, and who was he to keep her from attending when he was probably about to yell at her for always missing his classes? Looping her thumbs through the ends of the straps on her backpack, Holly kept the black fabric close to her sides and elbows pointed out as she approached the man. 

"'Course." Holly smiled. God, this was gonna be painful. Holly hated seeing the disappointment written both all over the faces of teachers who only wanted the best for her, as well as in their auras. If Holly could've avoided this peaceful altercation, she would've done so at whatever cost. Whatever he had to say was going to make Holly feel horrible, and she wasn't ready for that, not when she had just gotten to the school. Blowing air out of her nose as she stopped just short of the teacher, Holly looked up at him, then to the auditorium. "I'm really sorry about missing class." Holly's voice was full of nothing but sincerity. She really did hate missing class, especially the kind that could keep her entertained. 

It was only then that Holly recognized what the man was holding in his arms. "Gosh, they're everywhere aren't they?" Holly pointed to the rabbit before sticking out her index finger to scratch the top of its head. Maybe a subject change would get her off the hot seat. Then again, she didn't know much about this teacher, and he could just sentence her to some sort of detention. "They're getting to be pretty dangerous." Holly quirked her lips to the side as she let her arm drop back down to her side. 

[hollyvirtuefields]

So I definitely think that these bunnies are cute and all, but I just watched someone drive straight into the harbor because their break lines were out. 

When the hell is someone gonna do something about these little guys?

[hollyvirtuefields]

I Can Show You The World || Holly & Bette

[burnedbyhawkfire]

Bette could see how excited Holly was, even if she seemed to also be trying to actively hide that same fact. College campuses seemed to just have that effect on high school kids. She remembered when she first visited GSU the summer between her junior and senior years. She’d been mesmerized by how big the campus was, and that was even after touring UCLA and Yale and the like. She’d had her pick of the Ivy League, and her father had really wanted her to go to Yale, his alma mater. Their medical program was solid and everything too she just, didn’t want to. Didn’t really know why, either. No, that was a lie, she knew why.

Kate was why.

Kate offering to train her. That’s what kept her in Gotham, and she’d be lying to herself if she tried to say otherwise. Flamebird kept her here, and now Bette and Hawkfire were here to stay. Sometimes she thought about the missed opportunities, especially when her Dad would talk about Yale so fondly, like she’d just graduated yesterday. And the disapproving looks he’d still throw her way. Because everything else she’d done in life wasn’t good enough if she hadn’t gone to Yale, right? She sighed to herself, knowing there was no use in getting her insides all worked up over a decision that was 4 years too late..

'So what scholarships can you even get through here?'

Bette smiled at the question. “There are so many opportunities and so many people just overlook them.” She started to count on her fingers as they slowly walked through the quad. “There’s grants you can get from the government if your family is low income, which you never have to pay back. There’s tons of minority scholarships. Scholarships for grades, sports, clubs. There’s also two different scholarships offered by my family alone. Gabrielle Kane Memorial scholarship, and another for ROTC kids interested in the army. Or I mean, there’s always the army too.” She took a breath, realizing she’s spit all of that out at once. She didn’t wanna overwhelm Holly. “Sorry,” she chuckled quietly. “I just hate when people have the chance to basically go for free and don’t take it, opting to just irresponsibly take out a crapload of loans or, you know, just give up on college altogether. Higher education is important.”

She stopped in her tracks by one of the fountains in the quad. “Oh my God, I sound like a teacher, don’t I.” She over-dramatically wiped herself off, as to wipe away the embarrassment. “Gross, gross, grooooss.” She smiled at Holly, giggling a little. She seemed like a good kid, even if she’d tried to make a fool out of Bette the first time they talked. “So, are you really into sociology or were you just messing with me?” Bette asked, starting up their walking again.

[hollyvirtuefields]

As Bette began naming off the scholarship and funding opportunities that she could get ahold of, Holly felt as though there was some kind of hope. The only problem was.. she didn't exist. Holly Rae Hunter did, but not Holly Fields. Holly Fields had been dead for seven years, and that was the only first bout of her problems unfortunately. Holly was even surprised how far she had gotten in school without anyone truly questioning who she was, or what she was doing in a school without adults signing off on her forms. But then again, Holly had a mean hand at forging. She had had to do it since moving to Gotham, especially because she wasn't yet an adult. The day she did turn eighteen however, would be a day that'd lift almost all of her worries up and off of her shoulders. 

Holly wanted to believe that she could get some kind of scholarship that'd take off the worry of not being able to afford college, but she knew it wasn't possible. Even the community college seemed so out of reach, and that was less expensive than anything that could've been offered at GU. It was frustrating and Holly hated her situation for it. Holly Fields may have had an opportunity to go to college, to even graduate high school, but Holly Rae Hunter didn't. Not by a long shot. What Holly saw in her future was a mix of homelessness and the hungry, which she was fine with, but even Holly found herself becoming bitter every so often about the lost opportunities. But at least she was giving opportunities to those around her. Maybe she could relay a lot of the information learned on this tour to the youth that stayed underground with The Movement. Maybe she could make a difference in somebody's life in a way that she hadn't been able to do so with yet. 

Bette was right. Higher education was important, but it didn't necessarily mean that it was for everyone. Or that everyone's situations permitted for it. Quirking her lips to the side, Holly continued to walk alongside Bette, glad that the two of them were about the same height. It made things a lot easier, especially when Holly didn't feel the need to jog and catch up with somebody. 

"You do sound like a teacher, but only a little bit." Holly grinned over at Bette. "It's not really a bad thing. I have some of the coolest teachers and some of the weirdest, but they've all got good intentions." She knew that they did. They always were trying to get her to go to class, and each time somebody called the house phone that was set up underground in The Sweatshop, it'd be an automated machine. Nobody's worried words about Holly ever got to anybody. Certainly not to any adults. 

Holly nodded, knowing well enough that a change of conversation was warranted by the rounding of the courtyard on the outside of a couple of buildings. There were so many different buildings for so many different things- it was so much to take in. Taking a deep breath, Holly stuck her hands into her back pockets and rolled her shoulders forward. "I think knowing about issues in the world is important. A lot of people aren't aware of what's going on in today's society, so I'd love to know more and know a little about what's real and what's not, I guess." Holly shrugged before looking over at Bette. "Does that make sense?"

[hollyvirtuefields]

Gluten-Free || Holly & Sarah

[abadgeandheels]

Sarah followed the girl’s lead to the pie bar and took a seat, laying her pack of files neatly on the counter before her. The menu was slightly sticky, undoubtedly from people spilling shakes and syrup all over the page, but Sarah resisted the urge to cringe in front of the waitress.

“What can I get you to drink?” 

She flipped to the back of the menu, eyes quickly skimming over the beverage section. Sodas. Coffee. Milkshakes. Sarah crinkled her nose. She needed to treat her body better. She was smoking now more than ever and she’d indulged in more bottles of wine than was healthy. As much as a black cup of coffee would hit the spot right about then, she wasn’t going to give in.

Sarah’s purse was a bottomless pit. Her mother had forced her to prepare for anything and everything. She had medical supplies, safety pins, a nail clipper, a lint roller, and a small kit full of tools. Her hands wrapped around a few small metal tins and stacked them neatly on the counter.

"Can I just have a mug of hot water? I brought my own tea." She splayed the canisters out side-by-side, her neatly-typed labels right side up. Wild Orange Blossom. Blueberry Kona Pop. Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate. Zingiber Ginger Coconut Rooibos. Pumpkin Spice Brulee. She drummed her fingers on the counter as she thought, eyes flitting between the five tins. Her throat itched. She wished she could go outside and have a cigarette, but she’d limited herself to four that day. “Help me pick one, huh?” She pushed the tins across the counter, hoping the girl was in the mood for a little conversation. 

Sarah glanced around the restaurant again, taking in just how empty it was. This was nice. It was quiet here opposed to the incessant chattering and ringing phones back at the station. There wasn’t the hustle and bustle of officers moving constantly about; the only other person at this little waffle house was the old man perched in the corner. His frail hand would reach out to his cold cup of coffee only to retreat again to flip the page. It was slightly maddening to behold. Drink it. Just drink it already. His hand would hover over the handle and then—

Flip.

"I’m glad you could get me a seat," she said, turning her attention back to the teen. "Especially at your world-famous pie bar." Her joke fell flat. Mitchell probably would have delivered it better. Whenever they dined at restaurants, the wait staff would always light up when they came around to Sarah and Mitchell’s table. He was good at charming them with his dumb little comments. "Free bread? This is already better than eating at my mother-in-law’s!"  

She, on the other hand, was awful at it. While Mitchell came off goofy and fun, Sarah simply sounded socially inept. "Free bread?…Can we have some more?"

But she was working on it. She wanted badly to believe that she wasn’t a complete lost cause—that she was still tolerable to talk to. “So…what do you do here to pass the time at this hour?” she asked. 

[hollyvirtuefields]

A... mug of hot water? Holly raised an eyebrow but didn't question the woman's request. Some people did bring their own tea- others even brought their own coffee. Although, the closer Holly saw the tins of carefully labeled teas, she couldn't help but feel like this woman was definitely a control freak. She could even see it in the woman's aura. She was definitely stressed about something. There were things weighing down on almost everyone in Gotham, including herself, but Holly always really saw it in those who were affiliated with the GCPD, and unfortunately, it made her job all the more difficult to keep them off the damn tweens. 

The brunette's attention was brought back to the subject of tea as she surveyed the several tins sitting on the counter. Personally Holly didn't care much for tea, so she had no idea what to choose. She knew the individual tastes of some of the names like coconut and blueberry, but that was it. There were names that Holly didn't even recognize, but she wasn't going to tell the blonde woman that. She didn't want to come off as ignorant to the teas, especially because it seemed like the cop was so educated on the subject. Pursing her lips together, Holly tilted her head to the side and looked at the selection. "How about Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate?" It seemed like a sound choice, and honestly, Holly wasn't sure what else to suggest. If this woman had the tea in her bag, then surely she liked it? If she didn't, then that was her own damn fault for having that kind of tea in her bag in the first place.

Taking the silence as guidance to grab a mug and fill it with hot water, Holly winced as some dribbled down the side of the mug and landed beneath her finger. Sliding her hand against the side of her jeans, Holly returned to the blonde woman and waved a hand at her to excuse the famous comment. "It's really no problem. We like to squeeze in everyone we can." Holly flashed a smile at the blonde before tucking her hair behind her ear. It was easily managed when tied in a ponytail, but she hated wearing it the same way every day, although it was definitely advised. 

Sliding the mug across the counter, Holly grabbed a napkin to cleanup the trail of water it left in its wake. Some of the hot water tipped over the edges, slipping over the cheap mug. Holly really hoped that the woman wouldn't care. Besides, that's what napkins were for. 

“So…what do you do here to pass the time at this hour?”

Holly mulled over her answer before opening her mouth to speak. Should she be honest and say that she just spun in a chair, or should she pass off doing homework to pass off the time? She knew what answer the woman- especially a cop, would want to hear, but that wasn't ever what Holly did. 

"I spin in that chair over there a lot. Avoid eye contact with the cooks and eat some of the leftover pie." Holly nodded slowly as if to back up her story. "It's a wild ride from the minute my shift starts to when it ends." Holly didn't include that it was when customers came in that it made it the most bearable. 

[miasdeardensd]

Yeah, I worked like hell. My brain hurts, a lot. If you need any help, I finished all the history work and the worksheets from the English sub are easy as pie. 

[hollyvirtuefields]

How much time do you even have on your hands? I know that if I actually sat down to do any of it, I'd get it all done, but I am way too busy.