eggos | (no subject)

Eleven isn't sure how she feels about school. Monday had been largely a blur, as she'd been shown around and learned how to find her classes. She'd had to stand up at the beginning of class and introduce herself, and that had been uncomfortable. A few kids had snickered at her. She hadn't liked that.

Lunch had been alright, at least, and she'd had fun in gym, too, because it'd mostly just been running and doing some stretches.

The classes themselves are either very hard, or very easy. El isn't stupid, and Hopper had done his best to teach her at home, but there are some things she just hasn't had the chance to learn yet, and that leaves her slightly behind her peers. She knows she should pay closer attention, but sometimes, she finds herself looking out the window, or watching the other students in the room.

Which is obviously also a mistake, because on Tuesday, the teacher notices, and calls on her to answer his question.

Only El doesn't know what the question is.

She looks at him, her eyes wide but her expression otherwise schooled.

"What?" she asks.

That raises a wave of giggles from the other students, and El frowns slightly. It's not funny.

"Elle, you should really be paying attention, so you can learn this stuff," the teacher says, in a tone very much like the one Papa used on her. Eleven grips the edge of her desk tightly and the lights flicker once, twice before settling.

"I will," she says, but she doesn't apologize.

"We just went over this yesterday, people!" the teacher says, addressing the rest of the class, now. "I know at least one or two of you were listening. Now who can tell me a little bit about the Prohibition?"

Threaded | Flat

Stan hasn't really cared much for this teacher already. He's one of those teachers that's really teaching because he wants to coach-- track, Stan thinks-- and he goes back and forth between absolutely being up everyone's asses, and not caring at all.

Unfortunately for El, it's the former, today.

Fortunately, the changes of schedule after winter break means some new faces, who just so happen to be history nerds. Stan likes history well enough himself, but he's more than happy for these kids to keep the attention off the rest of them.

He can't identify why his stomach flutters nervously at the way the lights flicker, his nerves already jangling at El having to put up with their jerk-off teacher and classmates. While he's not seated close enough that he thinks he can risk direct communication, they're about to split into partners. So he just does his best to catch her eyes, see if she's okay before they're finally allowed to leave their seats.