this is your heart

Ms. Mary Conrad, twenty-four years old and physics teacher at the prattridge academy.

[viamos]

"I don’t really count fourteen as childhood. They were alright when I was younger. My family moved around a lot so we didn’t really have traditions. Probably better so I never really got my hopes up for it. You going home for the holidays?" She asked, opening the box of decrepit old decorations, coughing slightly at the dust that came out. "Man, the school board really hates us, don’t they?"

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Fuck no, my family gets way too into this shit so I always end up pretty much being the black sheep. Plus, I get way too many 'so have you found someone yet?'s and 'how soon do you think you'll start having kids?'s-- no thank you." Mary shook her head, following Violet and grabbing another box, making a face as she opened it. "Yeah, you'd think they'd actually get the teachers who give a shit to do this, wouldn't you?"

[viamos]

"I fucking love christmas, Conrad, and I can’t comprehend why you would imply anything other than that"

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Oh yeah, you seem like the kind of person who's got some great childhood memories when it comes to this shit. As for me, I pretty much stopped giving a fuck around age fourteen."

[viamos]

"Unfortunately. I somehow always get roped into these things, I must give off a decorative vibe."

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Oh yeah, you're definitely the most festive person I know, Amos."

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Hey, you got pulled into this decorating shit too? Awesome, there's no way I could've gotten this done without some company."

[maryxconrad-blog]

maybe i'll be drunk >> mary/violet

[viamos]

"I think it’s a bit early to be meeting the parents, don’t you?" Violet quipped, finishing off her drink and signalling for another. She was starting to feel light headed, the alcohol obviously doing it’s job. Violet shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts, grinning. Blonde hair whipped around her head, hitting Mary in the face causing Violet to chuckle. "Sorry about that. But I doubt your mother was from hell. Because then you would be the antichrist, and you seem pretty nice"

Rolling her eyes at what she heard, Violet leaned back on her stool. “A girl can dream about bonuses and teenagers being interested in Math…and physics of course” She looked around the room, for a tuesday evening, it was pretty empty. “Wanna have some fun?” She asked, turning back to face her companion “Because I do and I have no idea what’s cool in this town”

[maryxconrad-blog]

The effects of the alcohol seemed to be finally starting to kick in, which Mary was extremely grateful for. She laughed when she caught a faceful of blonde hair, leaning back in her stool exaggeratedly before taking another gulp of whatever it was she was drinking (the woman was beginning to lose track at this point). "Well, you don't know me. I could quite possibly be the antichrist," she replied with a raised eyebrow, leaning her elbow against the counter.

Mary chuckled at Violet's suggestion, shaking her head slightly. "That's 'cause there's nothing cool in this town, it's nearly all chain stores and townhouses." She laughed, but there was truth in her statement. Mary had learned in her time living here that there was very little to do, which was why she'd sought out this bar to be one of her only sources of entertainment. Her eyes scanned the room. "But if I'm correct, then this place usually puts out Dance Dance Revolution on Tuesday nights... a ha!" She spotted it in the corner, immediately jumping off her stool. "Well come on then, didn't I just hear you say you wanted to have fun?" Mary giggled, pulling Vi along with her. 

[maryxconrad-blog]

maybe i'll be drunk >> mary/violet

[viamos]

Violet smirked at the side glance Mary gave her. People didn’t usually expect her to be like this. Generally, when you were blonde and pretty, people expected you to either be a ditz or a complete bitch and always peppy. Not cynical and sarcastic. Also people who identified themselves as “pretty” usually didnt have a volcano of self loathing bubbling under their skin. “Yeah, cute. But you’re probably really scary when you’re angry. Short people always are, must be to do with being closer to hell” she chuckled to show that she was in fact joking.

"Yeah, well I’m not here to be liked, I’m here to get them to pass and to get a bonus at the end of the year hopefully" She rolled her eyes and looked into her drink "Kids just don’t enjoy math. I get told at least 3 times a day that calculators exist and that nobody uses math in real life. And it’s annoying as fuck" She smiled and chinked her glass against Mary’s "to cynicism" she said before taking a gulp

[maryxconrad-blog]

Mary grinned. "You should meet my mom," she replied. "Five feet of pure irrational anger. The woman practically came from hell." Just the thought of her mother forced Mary to take another long gulp from her drink-- if she had to hear one more voicemail asking if she'd met anyone and whether or not she'd decided if she wants kids, she'd have her phone service discontinued. Mary knew the woman meant well, but she was blunt and assertive and way too much like her. 

"Oh, don't get your hopes up about that bonus," Mary shook her head. "The school board is full of rich parents who couldn't give two shits about the teachers they're hiring. The librarian Mrs. Emerson's been working for about forty years, and her salary hasn't increased a penny since the day she got there." Mary didn't care so much about the money, though. She didn't really care so much about anything anymore. With that thought, she raised her glass to Violet's with a tipsy smirk, chugging the remainder of it down before slamming it back down on the bar counter for her bartender friend to refill. "Well, I don't think I've ever had a student who loved physics, so you're not alone," she said after a moment.

[maryxconrad-blog]

maybe i'll be drunk >> mary/violet

[viamos]

Violet chuckled “Yeah, you’re terrifying. All Five foot 3 of you” She wasnt even sure that Mary was overly small, she just knew that she wasn’t tall. "Or maybe you mean it in the less intimidating way, and the more scary way. Because.." She looked Mary up and down, mocking the stereotypical ‘bitch girl’ look as seen in many movies "…you’re doing that well" She held her bitch face for a few seconds before chuckling and sipping her drink. "I’m kidding, you’re cute"

"Yeah, I’m still trying to remember everyone’s names. That’s why I have seating plans, I mean the classes hate me, but who didnt hate their high school math teacher?" She sighed and sipped her drink. "Only two things are infinite; the universe and human stupidity. And I’m not sure on the universe. According to facebook, Einstein said that, but facebook isn’t a reputable source." Violet had spent probably a bit too much time on facebook recently, watching her old friends having lives instead of living her own, but it was hard when you moved to a new place.

[maryxconrad-blog]

Mary gave her a look. Violet really didn't seem all that intimidated by her at all, which was oddly surprising-- she'd pegged the blonde as your typical nervous newcomer who got scared off by anyone who gave her less than a warm, affectionate welcome. "'Cute'? Well, now I must be really doing something wrong," she remarked, finishing off her drink and waving at the bartender to bring her another one. 

"Seating plans? Wow, now there's a move that'll get you liked by all your students," Mary replied sarcastically, with a little grin as the bartender slid her a whiskey this time. "And I didn't hate my high school math teacher. I mean, he was tough but hot as hell, so I didn't mind," she shrugged. She took a sip of her whiskey, raising an eyebrow at Violet as she spoke. "Yeah, I dunno about that one. Good old Einstein doesn't seem like the type who was cynical enough to say shit like that. You and me, on the other hand..." Mary smirked, raising her glass in a toast-like fashion.

[maryxconrad-blog]

maybe i'll be drunk >> mary/violet

[viamos]

Violet had been slightly taken aback by the invitation to get drunk with Mary, but she hadn’t thought too much into it. She was in a new town, with no friends and not entirely aware of her surroundings; having a drink with Mary was the best solution. She was being social with new people, a new peer from work, and she was discovering where the bars were in this tiny town.

She took a quick glance around “joes sports bar” as she entered, taking in the slightly shabby design and homing in on Mary sitting by the bar “So this is obviously the place to be on Tuesday nights” she joked as she sat “and by that, I mean there are no students pretending to be 21” she smiled at the bartender as she ordered a jack and coke before turning to Mary “Sup?”

[maryxconrad-blog]

Mary nodded, taking another sip from her drink. "Yeah, never. And if they did, I'm terrifying enough to them to scare them away before they even step into the bar," she joked. Mary found that she felt oddly comfortable around Violet, and that was saying something for a woman who didn't really have many friends. The blonde seemed easy to get along with, and that was exactly the type of person Mary could find useful when she wanted to have a drinking buddy.

"Eh, nothing really," Mary replied with a wave of her hand. And honestly, it was the truth. She couldn't remember any singular point in her life that had been more boring and uneventful than right now. Which was a shame, because aren't a person's twenties supposed to be the most exciting time of their life? "I almost slapped that junior, Andrew Craig, in the face today because he asked me entirely seriously what an atom was. That was pretty much my highlight, what about you?"

[maryxconrad-blog]

maybe i'll be drunk >> mary/violet

Mary walked confidently into the bar, thankful that it wasn't such a busy night. She settled into one of the stools before greeting her friend, who happened to be a bartender there. Mary chose to frequent Old Joe's sports bar because on nights when the manager wasn't in, she could easily get free drinks-- and for someone on a teacher's salary, that was a godsend. 

She'd ordered herself a gin and tonic to start things off and was sipping from it slowly when she saw Violet entering the bar. Mary wasn't exactly sure why she was suddenly seeking a drinking buddy, she'd had no problems getting wasted by herself before. Plus, she barely even knew this new teacher. But nevertheless, she offered her a somewhat friendly grin as the blonde sat down next to her. Mary nodded in simple greeting. "Hey."

[maryxconrad-blog]

text >> violet

V: I am also bored and that seems like a good idea, where and when?

M: Glad we have that in common. Old Joe's, 7 o'clock?

[maryxconrad-blog]

text >> violet

M: Hi, I'm bored and I want to get drunk. Care to join me?

[viamos]

"Yeah, but now Disney can make animation like Pixar so they’re kind of overlapping. I thought Frozen was a Pixar. But then I realised there was too much singing. I would say that all my points are powerful and have great meaning behind them but I tend to ramble so they kind of lose their powerfullness. Is that a word? You really can tell I’m not an English teacher"

[maryxconrad-blog]

"I guess you could say that. But the music in Frozen was way too catchy to be a Pixar, and the storyline practically had Disney written all over it. 'Powerfullness'? No, I don't think so. I guess it's a good thing you're not, then."

[viamos]

"Now, I did not twig you for a disney girl, although The Incredibles could also technically be classed as Superheroes, right? You knew what I was getting at though."

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Oh, I'm not. But there are a few exceptions-- which is pretty much everything on which they collaborated with Pixar. But yeah, I saw where you were going with that and I could tell it was gonna be a powerful point, no worries."

[viamos]

"If everyone’s boring, then nobody is. Wait. I was trying to quote The Incredibles but I got it the wrong way round. And the fact that I was trying to quote The Incredibles in adult conversation says a lot about me."

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Yeah it does, 'cause that movie is fucking badass. The reference didn't really work though, but A for effort."

[viamos]

"Well, you gotta keep in touch with some people. Accountant, Lawyer. People like that. Oh no, I’m very boring, I just mask it with my incredible sarcastic skills"

[maryxconrad-blog]

"Everyone's boring, the only thing that matters is how well we hide it. And hey, sarcasm is a valuable trait. Don't underestimate its power."

[viamos]

"I completely blame facebook. The only reason I still have an account is I can’t for the life of me figure out how to delete it. Well, that and my friends from college get annoyed if I don’t tell them that their kid is cute every time they post a photo. And he’s really not. I mean, most babies are adorable but this kid got his dad’s ginger hair and his mom’s pig nose. Sorry, I’m rambling, you don’t care"

[maryxconrad-blog]

"You see, that is the exact reason I don't keep in touch with anyone from college. Or anyone at all, in fact. You're right, I don't, but at least you aren't completely boring. It makes me not mind as much."

[viamos]

"No, I’m not that kind of person. Although people seem to think that blonde hair is synonymous with attention seeker. It’s nice to see that you’re also not that type of person"

[maryxconrad-blog]

"It's nice to see you're not conforming to the stereotype, then-- and y'know, that you feel the same way. Most people are way too openly personal, it just makes everything uncomfortable."