I Signed Up For...THIS [o]

[Darryl Bond]

He didn't quite remember signing up for the dunking booth. He really didn't.

But there he was, in shorts, looking at the very booth he'd be stuck in with a squinted eye and hands on his hips. He heaved a deep sigh. He could think of a few people that would want to pay to dunk him into the water--his students mainly--and that was probably why he had done this. But again, he just couldn't remember what had exactly gotten him to do this.

But he had to anyway. He climbed inside and sat on the little lever and looked sadly at the button everyone would be throwing at to dunk him into the water--or paying a bit extra and pushing it with their own hand. He let out a little groan as he dunked his feet into the water. It was cold.

"Alright. Best shot! Come on!" He needed to pump himself up, or working this booth would suck the entire day. He clapped and hollered to get the attention of the passersby.

God, this was going to be a long day.

[JD Paerson]

JD was bored.

It wasn't like he had any friends he particularly wanted to hang out with. The only guy who he generally spent time with had occupied himself with a kissing booth, and there was no way the speedster was going near that place.

So he had resorted to wandering around, munching on a caramel apple he'd picked up at the food stall. However, when he saw the dunking tank, he decided to give it a whirl.

JD had been at Hammel for several years now and knew most of the teachers. He grinned when he saw who had volunteered for the dunk tank.

"Hey, Mr. Bond," he said, walking up. He finished the last of his caramel apple. "So who's paying you to do the dunk tank? Or did you volunteer out of the kindness of your heart?"

He glanced at the couple of baseballs lined up, ready for someone to take a shot.

"Mind if I have a go?" He hefted a ball in his hand. Then he placed a few dollars on the counter, grabbed three of the baseballs and stood back.

"So, having fun so far today?" he asked as he threw the first baseball. It missed, but only just barely. "At least it's good weather for it, huh?"

The sun was bright today, and surely Mr. Bond would warm up quickly.

He threw the second ball. It nicked the edge, but it wasn't enough to drop the target.

"By the way, how cold is that water?" JD gave another huge smile. Of course, it wasn't exactly fair for him to be laughing at the guy. At least he was willing to get dunked, which was something that the speedster could never do. Not until he'd gotten better at the whole "swimming" thing, anyway.

He hefted his third ball and took careful aim. He threw and...

Missed.

"Shi--" He glanced up at the teacher. "--llings and bobs," he said. "Maybe the next person will have better luck."

He wandered up to the tank and grabbed the upper edge. He hauled himself up so that he could reach down and feel the water. "That is really quite cold," he said. He carefully splashed some water up as he dropped back to the ground. Turning, he looked to see if anyone else had arrived to take a shot.

"Step right up," he called out, "See if any of you can make the elusive dunk." He looked up at Mr. Bond. "You need someone to call out for you? I can probably get them to come over here more, or just hang out and keep you company if you like. I'm not really doing much today. Or I could run and get you something to read while you're up there."

[Florence Bryant]

Flo had experienced this event a few times in the years she'd been at Pilot Ridge, and each time she'd loved it. She was lucky enough to not have the time away elsewhere recruiting teenagers and bringing them back to Hammel. The smell of delicious food and lemonade tickled her senses as she stepped lightly around the tents, a bright beam on her face. She'd given Gwyneth twenty dollars and let her run around the place, telling her to go enjoy the day.

Grabbing a sandwich from the refreshments stall and a plastic mug of lemonade, she continued looking this way and that, a smile on her face. When she noticed one of the Hammel teachers sat in the dunking booth with a boy tossing balls at the target, she laughed. Tucking her hair behind her ear and nibbling on the sandwich, she halted nearby and watched the repeated firing of balls. Tilting her head, she edged closer and let out a disappointed sigh as the last ball missed.

"Hey there." She laughed, putting a dollar down on the table and grabbing three balls. "Fancy a dunk, Darryl~?" Her face split into a grin, fingers gripping the first ball. Rolling her arm, she tossed the ball and frowned a little when it missed. Wordlessly, she aimed with the other ball, flung it forward and then let out a whoop of delight, a kersplunk later and she offered a hand out for a high five. "Do I still have it or what?" She chuckled, hunting for a towel for the soaked drama teacher.

Turning back to JD, she grinned. "Junior Baseball, I rocked it."

[Darryl Bond]

"Haven't gotten wet yet; so yeah!" Darryl tried to grin at JD as the boy was obviously about to try to get him soaking wet in this evil contraption. Darryl really did wish he remembered WHY the hell he signed up for this. It was cold and stuff. He winced each time JD threw a ball and he sighed with relief when they missed each time. Thank god. He was also very glad when JD didn't take the defeat badly and just pay to walk up and press the lever. Darryl didn't wanna get wet yet. He really didn't. He cheered triumphantly and settled back against the back of the booth.

He noticed that JD had started to cuss, and appreciated his attempt at censoring himself. But if he was being honest with himself, he knew he'd start cussing up a storm once he started getting dunked regularly. But really, Darryl heard enough from students thanks to one Sam Rixon. Darryl let out a disgruntled noise when JD came over and inspected the temperature of the water. Yes. It was cold. He glared at the boy when he splashed him a little and caused him to break out in goose bumps. "Hey now!" He glared after him and let out a whiny noise when he started crying out for someone to dunk him.

He had been hoping to just slip under everyone's radar.

His eyes drifted to a spectator--a Florence Bryant. Darryl had been avoiding the recruiting office like the plague for about nine months. He let out a slow breath an grinned in her general direction as she stepped up. "Aww come on, sweetie. You don't wanna send me into the cold water, really?" He asked as she set down her dollar and heftied one of the balls. He bit back a distracting remark because of the presence of the student and winced as she threw it. Thank god she missed!

He wasn't lucky again. He gasped out when he fell into the water and hung there in the water, stunned, for a moment until he realized he was in fact in the water. He set up the ledge again and climbed up on it, dripping wet. He flipped his bangs out of his eyes and let out a whooping holler. "Oh that's all you got?" He shivered. He would very much like a towel at the moment, but he because he had forgotten he was going to be in the booth, he didn't bring one with him.

[JD Paerson]

JD grinned at the newcomer. "Good job!" he said, returning her high five. He didn't recognize her, but that didn't mean she didn't work at the school. He just never really paid much attention to who all was on the staff team unless he'd been in a class with them or had direct dealings through one circumstance or another.

"Yeah, I never was much at sports. But you must've been a pretty good pitcher, huh?" The family moved too much for him to get on a team and really practice, and the only thing he'd ever gotten good at was track.

He laughed as his former teacher sat shivering up on his perch. "Are you really sure you want to be taunting people right now? Are you sure there aren't any students out there holding a grudge against you?"

[Florence Bryant]

Flo was rather pleased she still had a decent throwing arm, and kissed said appendage with glee as she continued to rummage around for a towel. "Thanks." She said brightly to JD, lifting Darryl's belongings with a slight tut. "Looks like this bright spark forgot a towel." She winked over at the drama teacher with a little grin.

"I was decent. Been a while though." She said warmly, giving up on her search for a towel. "As you can see, I'm hardly a junior any more." Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she finished her semi-forgotten sandwich. Dusting her hands off on the back of her skirt, she held up a finger. "I think I have a towel in the back of the car, dopeychops." She hollered over to Darryl, before disappearing off.

Upon her return, a pink fluffy towel was draped over one arm, and she tossed it rather unceremoniously over the drama teacher's head. "You can thank me later." Flo teased, folding her arms across her chest and laughing to herself. "Want to have another go?" She directed at JD, turning her head. "We can see how long it takes before our dear drama teacher starts to swear." And somewhere, a little pair of imaginary horns sprouted from Florence's head, and a tail to boot.

[Clarisse Prideaux]

It had been a…day. Clarisse was still struggling to recover, on and off, from the extreme exertion of her power on that fateful day against MSAD. The first few days had been the worst. But with the help of Anya and Jake, she was mostly put back together. She found that she was having some mood swings, and was quicker to get angry than usual, but all in all, Clarisse felt mostly like herself.

Today was a little different. With the advent of the community field day, Clarisse had been starkly reminded of some of the injuries sustained on that day. She’d felt…tight, tired, and generally thin the entire day, but she’d forced herself out. She had to see people, she had to have fun.

She blinked as she sipped on her lemonade, catching sight of something that looked very fun.

Darryl.

In the dunk tank.

Though he was already wet, it was rather ego pleasing to see him draped in a fluffy pink towel. Clarisse approached the young man and Flo at the booth and reached into the discreet pocket of her navy pencil skirt. Smiling sweetly, she produced thirty dollars, showed it, and then placed it in the collection coffe-can.

She’d brought forty with her.

It was a dollar a ball.

Turning towards the tank, Clarisse marched right up and slammed the dunk button with her fist, sending Darryl into the frigid water with a pleasing ker-plish!.
When he surfaced again, Clarisse was leaning against the side of the tank with her hand extended.

“That was satisfying…shall I finally apologize for being petty to you about Midori and call a truce?”

Frankly, Clarisse had started feeling rather bad about ignoring and avoiding Darryl. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she really hadn’t been wronged in any way. It was time to be an adult and step up.

[Darryl Bond]

"Taunting is all I have!" Darryl couldn't help but counter to JD's suggestion to not egg on his audience. He was already wet, and he figured falling into it repeatedly wouldn't really be here nor there. He was already cold. He ran his fingers through his hair to squeeze it out. The cold water running down his back from his hair was the worst part. He was sure if he could eliminate that, he'd somehow survive. Maybe.

Darryl tried not to get too hopeful as Flo excused herself because of the possibility of a towel being in her car. He bounced on the seat for a while, in an attempt to keep himself amped up. Once Flo returned, he didn't even really mind that it was a bright pink towel. It was a towel, and it was warm. He plucked it off his head after she tossed it there, to which he stuck his tongue out at her, and wrapped it around his shoulders. He really didn't care it was pink. "You better watch it, I'll drag yah in here with me." It was an empty threat, as that wasn't really possible. By the time he climbed out of it, she could have disappeared into the throng of people, and he was also not that aggressive. Though he might fling a handful of water at her. Maybe.

His eyes widened when he recognized a pretty brunette making her way towards his booth. Clarisse. Shitshitshitshitshit. He might as well just slip into the water now. He offered a faintly awkward wave. "G-good day isn't it?" They hadn't seen much of each other since the Christmas bash. Darryl winced when she produced twenty--thirty!--dollars and put it in the tin. A dollar a ball, or five dollars to walk up and just knock him in. Either way. He was about to get plenty wet. He took the towel from his shoulders and flung it over the top of the booth so it wouldn't get wet (as wet) along with him.

He pouted when she walked up to it and send him into the freezing tub. He set up the pedestal again and climbed up on it with a shaky laugh. "Well played." He couldn't really be mad at her. He did deserve it. It was wrong of him to keep that information from Clarisse when he had found out he would be a father, but continued to date her without telling. Even if it really had nothing to do with her, she still had a right to know and decide how to feel about that on her own. Not only that, but she also wanted to have babies of her own--a conversation he painfully remembered--but could not. Totally understandable.

"I apologize, for being such a......" he glanced at JD, in a 'don't tell anyone I said this' sorta way before looking back at Clarisse, "thoughtless douche. I forgive you (not much to forgive really, you reacted naturally)." He shook her hand and also lightly kissed the back of her hand, to show his sincerity. "But please don't dunk me again."

Clarisse. Dunk him again. Please.

[JD Paerson]

As entertaining as it was to watch the rivalry between the staff members, JD felt a little awkward just standing around watching this scene play out. He caught Darryl's look and nodded in response. He wasn't really the kind of guy who dealt much with rumors, anyway.

But watching the two here reminded him that there was a certain someone he needed to pay back for a bad date of his own, and it would give him an excuse to not stand around and awkwardly watch this reunion.

And conveniently, there was a bucket right there, almost like it was waiting for him. While it may have been meant to help fill the dunk tank or something, JD suspected that no one would miss it for a bit.

"Um," he said quietly, "Mind if I borrow this? I have something I need to do. I'll be right back." He dipped the bucket into the icy water and filled it up.

Hadn't he heard that Zac was running the kissing booth?

He ran off to the booth, where he promptly dumped the water on the Asian's head before running back to the dunk tank.

"Thanks for the use of the bucket, Mr. Bond!" he said. "I hope you're not getting into too much trouble here?"

[Florence Bryant]

Flo couldn't stop the laughter peeling from her as Darryl plunged back into the water, her sides aching by the time she'd righted herself. "Well done Clarisse." She cooed, giving the woman a clap and a little bow. She did, however, offer to towel off a little of Darryl's hair, scrubbing with the towel rather firmly, till the teacher's hair stood slightly fluffy. "Talking of petty grudges..." She added, tapping a finger on her chin, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Someone might have signed you up for this." Her eyes rolled to the sky in innocence. "I have no idea who."

Putting her hands on her hips, her face broke into another grin as JD made his announcement. Tilting her head to the side, then glancing the way of the kissing booth, she snorted and did all she could to not start howling with laughter then and there. "I think Mr. LaRousse deserved that." Florence said with a barely concealed smile. "I've heard the rumours." She looked over at Clarisse and opened her arms for a friendly greeting.

"It's lovely to see you mon Cher!" She chattered eagerly, giving the woman a very gentle squeeze. "You deserve a little relaxation." The smile on her lips died as she thought of the MSAD fight - sitting nervously in her office for any call that she'd need to defend the school. The conjurer felt she owed Clarisse an awful lot - without her, how could she have felt comfortable leaving her daughter alone in the town while she went out recruiting new children.

Shaking those thoughts from her head, she looked over at Darryl with a wrinkled nose. "Don't you think he's enjoying the attention he's getting a little TOO much?" She scoffed, leaning over the dunk tank with a grin. "How do you feel about piranhas?" The woman asked, trying to look neutral.

[Clarisse Prideaux]

Looking rather smug with herself (which was odd for the usually demure Clarisse), Clarisse took back her hand and punched the button again. It was awfully cheeky of Darryl to be kissing her hand like that. “Jake may be going back to England soon, but that doesn’t mean you can go kissing my hand, Mister Bond.” She said, though she gave him a friendly wink as she was greeted by Flo.

“Florence, darling.” She cooed, hugging the other woman as long as she would let her. She’d been rather short on hugs lately, and found that holding anyone she thought of as a dear friend made things easier. Especially Flo, who’d heard the whole business. “Thank you…I’m finding some joy today.” She managed, smiling sweetly and holding Florence at arm’s length. “You look stunning, by the way. I haven’t seen you in so long.” She compliment, releasing the other woman when she moved to tease Darryl again.

Clarisse stifled some laughter and laid her hand on Flo’s shoulder. “I think I’ve done enough to taunt him today Flo, Darling. I’ve actually been asked to check in at the refreshments stand.” She explained. “I look forward to having you a Gwen over for dinner soon!” She chirped, trying not to laugh as she observed Darryl’s horrified expression she added. “And perhaps Midori, the baby, and yourself, Mister Bond. I haven’t seen him since the birth.”

“If you’ll excuse me.” She said, ducking out with a polite nod of her head and a little wave.