I Go Crazy Because of You [Hay-lin]

[Ferris Macklin]

If Ferris had to pick a single reason he did not chaperone after school events, the most obvious one was that they were all past his bedtime. The less obvious reasons included his status as what he considered 'lesser staff', the fact he worked 10 to 12 hours a day, and his personal belief that the kids wouldn't listen to him in an enforcer role. So he was perfectly happy doing what he did and letting others corral the herd.

And then it was all taken out of his hands.

The invitation in his staff mailbox had been incomprehensible the first four times he read it. It had happily informed him that his date for the Hammel Halloween Dance was Ms. Hay-lin Mae, and there was so much wrong with those few simple words that Ferris's brain couldn't process for a few minutes. He did not go to after-school functions. He did not go to dances. He did not date. He did not date women.

It wasn't till he was looking through his admittedly limited wardrobe for something to wear that it occurred to him at all to wonder how this had happened to him. It certainly wasn't something he'd signed up for and it wasn't something that had automatically involved everybody either. Since he didn't do this kind of thing, he hadn't paid any attention to it, and now he wished he had. But the second his mind phrased it, 'who would sign me up for a random date to a school dance'...

There was going to be a certain Brit who was going to spend the next month of his life undergoing the 'Wentsworth Cleanse'. Of course Devon had no idea exactly how offensive his action was, and Ferris had no intention of enlightening him (well, not completely), but it still made a tangle of emotions knot his stomach in a way his repression security team could not fully handle. Besides, it wasn't really a date. There was no romance involved and wouldn't lead to anything (and couldn't)... but it still made Ferris uncharacteristically angry. It was a joke, it had to be, but... the guy had no right. He was going to be a zombie tomorrow.

Ferris had nothing but casual stuff and a suit that he hadn't worn since he was sixteen that he knew didn't fit, and he wasn't going to go in costume. He just didn't have the heart to. But he had something that would sort of work. Over a plain white T he threw on the sweater that was a loose replica of the ones worn by the Harry Potter movie Ravenclaws, and paired it with black jeans and his red Converse for the added student touch. His hair really needed a cut, it was getting curly on him again, but it wasn't to the dandelion fluff stage yet.

Waiting outside the dance, Ferris paced a bit, blowing bubbles with his grape gum.

[Hay-lin Mae]

The dance had not been something Hay-lin had signed up for to chaperon. She wasn’t even planning on going because she hadn’t had a date. That was till she was told earlier today by her brother that he had set her up for the matchmaker. Of course they started a fight because of this. Hay-lin had yelled at him because he had set her up for something she did not want to do, nor tell him about. And of course she got paired up with someone she didn’t even know, so how was she supposed to know who this person was? Or how to figure out he was her date? She wanted to kill her brother Zack, now more than ever.


She was not going to be a bitch about this and stand the guy up. She would go, try to be happy, try to have fun, and hopefully the night will end before too long. She hated wanting that last part, but she did not want to be at a dance, especially one full of children dancing. She knew she had told Oriel she was going to go, but after thinking about it, she did not, she did not want to have to deal with half the students that were most likely going to be there just to cause trouble.

Arriving at Hammel, like always she walked, and was with her dog Olive. Who she knew also wouldn’t be liking the event they were about to go to, but the dog will be staying in a corner for most of the night if he had to. Hay-lin started to walk to the entrance of the auditorium, in a school uniform; apparently Zack thought that was ironic. Olive was also in costume! Zack said he looked adorable.

[Ferris Macklin]

Since he didn't know anything about his 'date', Ferris put his old research groove on and asked around so he wouldn't just be standing there like a doof. It wasn't going to be like at the airport, the lady holding a sign that said FERRIS.

He didn't think.

Turns out it wouldn't work for him to hold a sign that said 'HAY-LIN' either. But she would be the one with the dog. So score one in his favor. After a few turns up and down the hall, and at least three big purple bubbles he was proud of, the sklitter-click of dog toenails on linoleum said his 'date' had arrived.

Ferris was not familiar with the school systems outside of the United States and Europe, but he knew a school uniform when he saw one. She looked... cute. Not in a way that did anything for him, but in a way he could appreciate had taken some time and... did look cute. And her dog looked awesome too.

Walking up to her, not quite sure how to do this (and not just because she was blind, but as someone who'd never been on a date), he gently cleared his throat and said, smiling in a self-deprecating way even though she couldn't see it, "Are you Hay-lin Mae? I'm Ferris Macklin. Uh. It's nice to meet you. I don't really know how this goes."

[Hay-lin Mae]

A sign would not work, even with her power activated it wouldn’t work. She couldn’t see the details of things, she could only see shapes, so she would be able to see the sign, but not what was written on the sign. It was a good idea, at least for her, maybe Zack should have made her a sign saying ‘Ferris’s date’ for her to carry around… Then again, that would be a little humiliating for her.

She really didn’t want to go through with this, but she had to. She felt bad for the person she got set up with. How awful for the other person, to be on a date with someone who hadn’t even wanted to be there… That had to been the suckest thing ever, she would not have been happy to know that if she was that person who wanted to be on the date. Now it was getting confusing…

Hay-lin stopped walking when someone approached her. She gave a small smile. “Hello Macklin-sshi.” She bowed ninety degrees, basic Korean habits that she never gotten out of. “I am Hay-lin, yes.” She bowed again, “It’s nice meeting you too. How about we try entering the auditorium?”

[Ferris Macklin]

Blinking at the bow, Ferris smiled even though she couldn't see it. "Please, Ferris is fine. I'm not even a teacher, just kitchen staff. You and your dog look great."

Into the auditorium? Yeah, that was the logical next step, wasn't it. But maybe first a proviso so she wouldn't think he was being rude. "I'm really sorry about this, but you're going to hear me yawning. I get up at four in the morning." He scratched the back of his head. "Someone... sort of signed me up for this without my knowledge." He smiled again. "But yeah, why don't we go in?"

So... what was date protocol here? Ferris knew she was a dance teacher but he wasn't going to ask her to dance, and they had to keep an eye out for the kids as well. Hm. Would offering his arm be rude? It's what he thought male dates did for female ones, but didn't know if that would sound patronizing because she was blind. Oh well. "Would you like an elbow or are you good?"

Inside, the auditorium was decorated in the usual orange and black, music played lightly, and the punchbowl was being loomed over by Dr. Neville. "I've never chaperoned," he confessed. "Have you?"

[Hay-lin Mae]

“Oh, I did not know. That is still an impressive job.” She wished she could cook like her brother could. But it took her awhile, granted she was blind, and at least she was actually able to sort of see the food she was cooking. She still needed help, and she still went out to dinner a lot, or just had tv dinners.

She shook her head, “It is completely fine. I wouldn’t be here either if it wasn’t for my brother signing me up.” She gave a slight smile as she turned her head toward her ‘date’. “I get up around the same time, for different reasons than yours though.” She got up around that time so she could take her dogs out for their walk, then she made coffee, then went to her mother’s dance studio, and then hours later she headed to work. “Thank you for coming even though this was against your will.” He could have easily not shown up. She smiled, and gave a small nod, holding her hand out, “An elbow is always a romantic gesture in these sorts of situations, so I am inclined to take you up on your offer.” She had learned that someone, especially a guy offering this sort of gesture wasn’t a stab at her disability; it was a romantic gesture that she was grateful for.

As they entered the auditorium she had to stop herself from gagging at all of the different aromas. Each one was very over powering, and she couldn’t identify any of them. It made her sick to her stomach, she was used to overwhelming smells, but not like this where there was more than one smell. “I actually have never. I only started working as at a school a few months ago.” Obviously that school was Hammel.

[Ferris Macklin]

"It pays the bills," he said, smiling. "I think teachers like yourself have the harder time."

He just had to feed the little monsters. People like Hay-lin had to try to keep their attention for entire hours at a time while getting information into their heads. Ferris didn't know how they did it.

Laughing a little at how she'd managed to get signed up too, he said, "Well, we can make the most of it. At least we both got someone who wasn't here voluntarily. Thank you too for coming. What're you going to do to your brother? The guy who signed me up is going to be pastry-less for a month. I'd TP his house too, but we're neighbors in townhouses and his lawn is sort of my lawn too. Pity."

Placing his elbow in line with her hand, he escorted them both in. "What's your dog's name? I know not to pet him or her, but the costume's a scream."

Walking at her pace, he thought the auditorium looked pretty good for a school dance. The kids were all in costume and looked to be having a good time. "I started in May," he said. "Shall we just make the rounds?"

Walking the perimeter of the dance would give them something to do and be a way to show the kids the grownups were watching.

[Hay-lin Mae]

“Ah! I am a dance, and acting teacher. Which means at least I have students who want to be in the class. My classes aren’t mandatory. If anything I get the few students who think either of those classes are going to be their easiest. So I really can’t complain because I don’t have it as hard as other mandatory class teachers.”

Most of her students were already interested in the subject, mostly because they picked being in there. There were a few cases where she did have to ‘entertain’ certain students. However, most of the students were able to keep their attention on the class at hand without her having to make them. It was nothing special. She did however still have to put up with them. “Oh Not to mention there is another Dance and Drama teacher, so I share the load.” Which actually meant less pay for her, or so she believed…


Hay-lin chuckled, “Well I really don’t know. He is my brother after all, and I have already yelled at him for it. But I think I might make him take up volunteering at our mother’s dance studio in my place.” The younger sibling was a trainer, he knew how to help students with their powers, however, he did not know how to teach children to dance. “However, that would also be a punishment to the children, and that wouldn’t be fair. Do you have any suggestions?”

“It seems like this person must really like pastries for that to be payback.” If only there was a way for her to get back at Zack without it being completely absurd. “However I really don’t know what townhouses look like. I am sorry for that.” Usually she was able to at least get a picture of what buildings looked like. Like she knew what apartment complexes would look like, but she did not know how townhouses looked like. She never went to one, nor lived in one.

Rubbing the dog’s head, whom was walking right by her side since Ferris was doing the leading now. “His name is Olive. He’s a good boy, and my second Seeing Eye dog.” Of course the first one had to be retired, and then she passed away. “You can pet him if he is sitting or standing still. I don’t mind.” She would be having her powers off and on the whole night anyways to watch the children.

“I started working in July. Before that I was in Korea.” She didn’t really want to get into what she was doing in Korea unless he asked. She didn’t want to come off as bragging. “Yes, that sounds like a good idea.”


“May I ask you how many other staff members are here? And possibly who?” Just so she knew.. “Sorry, it’s kind of hard for me to tell with everyone wearing costumes.”

[Ferris Macklin]

"Dance and acting? Wow. That takes a lot of energy. I'd be starving all day." She was right, too, the elective teachers had it a bit better in the 'want to be there' department, but they had it worse in the 'easy grade' department. Like the kids who took home ec for the snacks.

"Ms. Rivers, right?" Ferris remembered the name because it was a bit unusual, though he had yet to meet its owner. 'Melody Rivers'... it was probably a town name somewhere off in the country. Continuing to walk around the perimeter of the auditorium, Ferris kept his eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Or... further out of the ordinary. It was a dance with lots of sugary stuff around, kids were running and jumping up and down and screaming all over the place. With the costumes, it was difficult for Ferris to pick out staff from student.

"Maybe have him sub for you sometime when you have to sit detention?" As far as Ferris knew, all teachers could oversee the detention room, though he didn't know exactly how that went. "Or sign him up to sit through a couple."

He laughed. "You have no idea." Devon's devotion to pastry was as enduring as it was bad for his arteries. "Oh, don't apologize! It's not your fault. Uh... townhouses are houses all stacked up next to each other with no spaces in between. They're narrower than regular houses, but about as deep, and they tend to share a strip of grass out in front for a lawn. Does that... do anything?"

He didn't know if the explanation was good or not, but... well, it was hard to describe something to someone for the first time, blind or not.

Grinning when he was introduced, Ferris didn't pet the dog, but leaned over to smile at him. "Nice t' meet you, Olive. Great name. I love olives."

Looking around, he frowned a little. It was difficult for him to tell too, and he'd met only a small fraction of staff so far. "Well... Dr. Neville's manning the punch bowl, and I think that's Kieron over there, he's one of the nurses. I see a few of the trainers, a few other teachers." Ferris laughed a little ruefully. "I don't know as many of our colleagues as I should. I spend all my time in the kitchen."