Time Warp: Like a Right Hook

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

March, 2013

Morning detention. It was a new thing for the Australian; something she'd never really had to experience in her high school time until recently. It was a decent argument by the history teacher though - if she wasn't going to turn up on time, she'd turn up early enough to be there on time.

The argument fell a little flat when the history teacher stepped out, and Lucy Serrano was sitting in the back row of a classroom on her own. Arms folded, she lifted her boot-clad feet and rested them on the surface, leaning back in her chair idly as she glanced around.

This was such bullshit.

Because she didn't expect detention to be the downfall of her outburst. She thought her enthusiasm would have been applauded. But something about jumping up on her desk and declaring that the only decent king in history worth learning about was King Varian might have been pushing it.

Further still when she argued that anyone not privy to the Alliance was "fucking useless" and should be swiftly "booted from the bloody border - pronto, like woah."

Swinging her head back, the Australian closed her eyes. She didn't look as the door opened; all she gave was a frustrated groan. Because any early was too early.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penelope Blaise was always the first person to class. Every school day, she’d walk into the classroom, find it empty just as she liked it, and settled at the middle seat in the front row.

And she liked it that way.

It gave enough time to review over notes from the previous class. To enjoy the setting of a classroom in complete silence. So when Penelope entered the classroom to find it occupied, her lips immediately pursed. She sucked in a short breath, dark eyes spying the boots that insensitively rested on the desk in front of one Lucy Serrano.

Her eyes were closed, however. And as much as the Brit wanted to express an equally disgruntled groan, she hadn’t in the same way that she chose to actively not question why the Australian was there early.

She hadn’t forgotten Lucy’s childish stunt from the previous class; it was impossible to forget as it was to ignore, but she didn’t think the history teacher was smart enough to call her in for a morning detention.

Penelope could have very easily questioned this, but it was even easier to choose to completely ignore the Australian’s presence all together. And so she made her way to the familiar desk and sat down quietly, pulling out her notes and beginning her ritual just as she had every other day.

However, even her presence was extremely distracting. In the worst of ways.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Balanced perfectly on the back two legs of her chair, Lucy opened her eyes to stare at the wall behind her, her mess of dark hair hanging out of her eyes and offering some kind of clarity. She was waiting to be told to sit on a chair properly, but the advice never came, and she crinkled her nose at the idea. What the fuck kind of detention was this?

"Y'know, the least you could do is bloody well stay in the detention area," Lucy started, shifting her feet to the edge of the desk as she hauled herself up, "If you're gonna force it so early in the-"

Same seat, every day. Right at the very front to Lucy's right at the very back.

"Morning, sweetheart." Lucy called forth, raising her chin as her grin quickly broadened.

"Comfortable up there?"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Penelope held her pen precisely in her hand, neatly rewriting key information into a second notebook before she straightened her back in her seat. Closing her eyes a moment, the Brit sucked in a short breath before going back to her notes, doing her best to ignore the idiot who didn’t realize the teacher had left.

But as she was addressed in the least appealing manner, Penelope felt the tension rise up in her jaw and neck. She kept her gaze to her notes, knowing full well that she wasn’t going to be given to opportunity to finish going over her notes now that she caught the attention of Lucy Serrano.

“I should have known the only way you’d be to class on time was to have detention.” She stated, refusing to turn and face her, “Here, I thought you might have been making an attempt to learn something for once.”

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Really, it was impossible not to give her her attention. A quiet room, devoid of any real signs of life - herself included. She was the closest thing to a person Lucy was going to get here, unless the teacher opted to come back any earlier.

She offered absolutely nothing to what she said. Her arms folded in front of her chest and with a quick tilt of her head, she'd flicked the dark hair from her eyes.

"It must be a real bitch, finding a decent spot." She continued on, her tone contemplative as if she genuinely mused over a pressing predicament, "Does it hurt less if you sit up so straight like that?"

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

It hadn’t surprised Penelope to see that her statement was ignored; the Brit could imagine it was slightly embarrassing to have one idiocy pointed out straight to her face. Although it was hardly Penelope’s fault for pointing out a fact.

And in return, she decided to do the same and ignore the statement offered to her. Showing up to class early was hardly about claiming her seat, even if she would have issue if someone decided to take it had she not been there.

However, the Brit couldn’t ignore Lucy’s question, because it hadn’t made sense. She let out a low sigh, placing her pen carefully down next to her notebook. “Does what hurt less?” She asked, finally looking over her shoulder to glance at the Australian.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy was definitely sure this broad was determined to ignore her to the best of her ability. At least she had every right to stand up, walk out and simply come back later. Such a luxury not afforded to the ink manipulator, who had to keep herself busy somehow.

Catching her eyes, the Australian tilted her head up once sharply. It was nice to see her, too. And it was better to know she couldn't help herself.

Lucy's feet fell from the edge and the chair legs hit the floor. She snapped her fingers and leaned forward.

"I bet it's made of that special flexible sorta stuff. The type they use to straighten bent up spines." She reasoned, dodging the question as she shifted in her seat to sit cross-legged, "It's got a little more give, babe. Better for when you're down flat."

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

As the chair’s remaining legs snapped to the floor, Penny gave a hard blink at the noise alone. It drew her attention downwards before her dark eyes moved back up to the hands that snapped at her. Was everything she did this over the top?

Genuine confusion briefly flashed in Penelope’s eyes as her question was ignored in favor of an apparently more pressing matter. Whatever it was the Australian was babbling on about, Penelope was lost to.

She tried her best to ignore the nickname that was tacked on, but the Brit couldn’t stop the way her jaw clenched at it. Although her expression remained at least somewhat controlled, there was nothing to stop the irritation that became evident in her features as she looked back at the obnoxious girl.

“You’re not making sense.” Penelope denoted with a light sigh, wondering why she was trying to communicate with the Australian at all. There were only so many words a monkey could learn.

Note: 1400. You got this.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy stayed sitting as she was for as long as she could be; a few more seconds past a minute and she was bouncing slightly. But it was hardly enough to keep her grounded in any capacity.

She looked pissed. Lucy couldn't stop herself from smirking in total smugness.

The Australian threw her head back in a laugh, using the momentum from falling forward to drag her out of her seat. She took a few steps in her direction, fingers brushing along her desk before they collided with the next one.

"You breathing okay?" She continued on, tilting her head up and tapping her fingers to her throat. "Sounds like it doesn't affect the old slave-driving accent much." A small snerking sound passed her lips as she drummed her fingers to the desk again, "Lucky you."

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy’s laugh shot a wave of tension up Penelope’s spine, crawling into her neck and to her jaw as she clenched it. It was irksome, but cavemen really did find amusement in the simplest things. This seemed to be no exception.

As she stood, Penelope took in a short breath, turning to face the front of the class. The last thing she wanted was for her to come closer, but it seemed inevitable as she heard each step of the Australian’s boots draw nearer.

“God forbid I sound Australian by mistake.” Penelope shot back, lips pursing into a line as she turned her attention back to her notes. Or rather, tried to. The tapping fingers against her desk was more than annoying. If Lucy wasn’t going to at least tell her what she what she was referring to, the Brit was going to give her nothing in return.

Or, at least try to.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

"See, that's the tension talking." Lucy replied instantly, unaffected by the derogatory comment about her country's accent. Truth be told, it did sound a little slackened. Of course a Brit would see it that way.

A few more steps, and with the girl's back to her she figured the only indication left was the sound of her boots against the floor. The closer she got, the more she failed at hiding her grin.

"You're telling me there are no sadistic fucks in this school crazy enough to try?" She mused, pursing her lips as she pressed her hands to the back of her chair. There, she couldn't help but let out a definite yawn; morning as it was, "I'd say you're just not trying hard enough to draw them all in. Poor form, Blaise."

Pressure from her hands allowed her to lean in a little, her long hair falling over her shoulders, "With a face like that you should be golden. Just gotta keep your mouth shut 'til you need it."

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

It was impossible to follow Lucy’s half of the conversation, yet the Australian spoke as if she were expressing herself clearly. In turn, that only bothered the psychometrist more as she took in a quick breath, closing her eyes a moment as she heard the sound of Lucy’s boots stop. It either meant she stopped short or was directly behind her, and Penelope felt it was likely the latter.

She straightened in her seat, attempting her best to ignore everything she said, but as Lucy continued, she couldn’t help to become increasingly confused at what she was getting at, and the curse did little to settle her.

So Penelope snapped her head around, not realizing just how close she was until she had. Her jaw tensed on instinct, dark eyes narrowing on her as she sucked in a short breath. “What are you getting at, Serrano?”

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

It was all way too easy. Every word Lucy spoke was evidently hitting a mark; somewhere between irritating the living hell out of her and sparking her curiosity enough to get her to keep talking.

When Penny turned to look at her, Lucy raised her eyebrows once. The surprise she wore was pretty evident, like she hadn't expected to catch the ink manipulator so close by. She didn't answer; instead, she took purposeful steps around the desk this girl was stuck at to stand in front if it. She pressed her forearms against the surface, leaning in a little closer with the usual touch of smugness to her expression.

"Don't you just wish you could ask me to." Lucy offered intently, keeping her voice low.

[Penelope Serrano-Blaise]

There were few who conversed with Penelope. Even few who tried to keep a conversation going after the first initial minute. Lucy Serrano, on the other hand, always seemed to push for one. And somehow, Penelope felt stuck in this trap. Again. Irritation lead by curiosity. A dangerous combination.

As Serrano moved, Penelope’s gaze never quite left her, shifting in her seat until she was facing forward again. Facing her. Evident tension carried within her jaw as she straightened her back, easing herself against the back of her seat as far as she could. Anything to gain a little distance.

She thought to ask what, but the approach hadn’t worked before so it felt like a failed attempt before the question passed her lips. “The only thing I’d wish of you is to go back to your convict inhabited country and stay there.” Thousands of miles away from her, preferably.

[Lucy Serrano-Blaise]

Lucy couldn't help the way she looked at her; how she stared within her own curiosity. She watched the way she responded to the new proximity. How she straightened herself up further as if that were even possible. How she reeled back to create as much definite distance as it could.

She breathed a quick laugh at the response given, "If I'm all the way over the Pacific, how am I gonna bite the bullet for Hammel's entire population?" She asked, raising her eyebrows once as obvious amusement riddled her stressed tone, "I mean, Jesus."

Finally, it felt right to lean in further still. Just a little. Enough to make it clear that she'd moved in the first place. Enough to keep the pressure on.

"Someone's gotta throw you a sympathy lay." A quick sigh, but no. She wasn't done. "If not for you, then for all the people in this pisshole of a school who have the misfortune of putting up with your bitter, shitty attitude."