Who Needs to Relax? (Demonte)

[Gia Alpert]

Gia sat on a bench by herself, reading A Clockwork Orange by a pond. She sighed and closed her eyes a moment, enjoying the relaxing breeze. Boreas was lying on the ground nearby, sleeping under the warm sun. It was nice to get away from the school, from her lonely apartment, to have Boreas behaving, and it was especially nice to get away from the drama that was slowly unfolding between her, Robbie and Leon. Who would've thought, G, that you, of all people, would be caught in a weird love triangle, she thought to herself, then again, neither man has professed love but whatever. It's still odd. Nothing was going to ruin this day.

And then she hear his voice behind her.

[William Demonte]

Mr. Demonte was taking his usual stroll trough the park, enjoying being away from the school and the dumb teenagers. He had his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, and his tie was undone and loosely hanging around his neck. Down the path he saw a girl sitting on a bench with a dog laying beside her on the ground. He tensed up when he realized who it was: Gia Alpert.

Remaining casual and cocky, he walked right up to the bench which alarmed the dog slightly. "Well if it isn't Miss Blackmail herself," he said coldly.

[Gia Alpert]

""Miss Blackmail"?" she echoed, looking up from her book to stare at Mr. D. "Is that seriously the best you can come up with? Honestly, you have a teaching degree, a Bachelors at most, and that's what you come up with?" Sighing, she looked down at her book and added, "I have to say, Mr. D, I am sorely diappointed."

Boreas had woken up from his nap at Demonte's approach and was currently glaring at him. That last thing she needed at the moment was to add assault -- even though she couldn't really be blamed -- if her dog attacked her teacher. So she began to rub the white Akita's ears soothingly, trying to appear disinterested in the man's presence. Truthfully, her heart was pounding.

[William Demonte]

Mr. Demonte folded his arms across his chest, annoyance obvious on his face. Who did she think she was, insulting him like that. "Disappointed? Let me tell you about being disappointed. One of the smartest people in the class resorting to something as low as blackmail. Now that's disappointing. How juvenile can you get?" His eyebrow was raised and his stance was intimidating. Inside though, he was nervous that she would tell...

[Gia Alpert]

"Juvenile?!" Slamming her book onto the bench, startling Boreas as she stood toe-to-toe with him. "My paper was not even a minute late and, if you must know, it was late because I'm not completely familiar with the building yet and, yes, as much as I hate to admit it, I got lost! Everyone knows that you don't accept late work! What was I supposed to do, join the threesome and hope for the best?!" She made sure to keep her shouts to a whisper, as hard as it was, but her frustration was easier to get out while she jabbed his chest. "And what the hell kind of bull is that, one of your smartest students? You've been nothing but unbearable since I first set foot in your classroom, so don't give me that! You hate me! Just like you hate all your students!"

[William Demonte]

He was startled by her sudden anger and her prodding at his chest, but still managed to hold his ground. "Don't even dare criticize my curriculum!" he began, immitating her whisper yell and looking down at her with a fierce gaze. "Its not my fault you can't handle it, along with the rest of those damn kids. And its also not my fault that you're jealous. Why else would you be so perturbed by my actions? What I do is none of your business!" He finished with a smug look, his one arm still in the air from gesturing so angrily at her.

[Gia Alpert]

"Don't even dare criticize my curriculum!"

"I'll criticize it all I want because I'm a student and that's my right! If my teacher isn't...up to par, then it should be known for improvement! And, let me tell you, you need improvement!" she ranted.

"Its not my fault you can't handle it, along with the rest of those damn kids. And its also not my fault that you're jealous."

"Jealous?! You think I'm jealous that your getting laid?!"

"Why else would you be so perturbed by my actions? What I do is none of your business!" He finished with a smug look, his one arm still in the air from gesturing so angrily at her.

She was so angry and shocked. Yes, Mr. D was cute -- okay, he was definitely one of the hottest teachers in the school -- but for him to think that she was jealous, that was completely ridiculous. Instead of getting pissed off even more and yelling at him, as much as she wanted to, almost as much as she wanted to punch that smug look off his face, she took a breath and straightened her shoulders.

"You want to think I'm jealous? That's fine," she seethed calmly, "you go ahead and think that. But I'm not because, you see, I don't need to screw anything with legs and a penis or breasts to make myself feel better, you smug, arrogant prick!"

[William Demonte]

"You want to think I'm jealous? That's fine," she seethed calmly. Mr. Demonte just continued to stare arrogantly at her, slightly amused at her sudden change of attitude. She continued, "you go ahead and think that. But I'm not because, you see, I don't need to screw anything with legs and a penis or breasts to make myself feel better, you smug, arrogant prick!"

That was what set him off. No, it wasn't her calling him a smug, arrogant, prick. He was used to that, because he was one. She was landing herself in uncharted territory. Becoming extremely defensive he hollered, "You don't know a thing about me or my life! You have no right to walk around and act like you can read me like a book, because you can't!" He was now towering above her only an inch away. His finger jabbed at his own chest this time as he went on. "I've gone through so much bullshit in my life that you don't even know about, that no one knows about. I'm not going to let you stand here and diminish me when I've worked so hard to make this life seem worth living, no matter what kind of messed up choices I make." Mr. Demonte pushed passed her, needing to get himself away from the situation, suddenly self conscious that he had said too much. He knew he was a bad person, but he didn't care. He didn't know anything else, and no one ever took the time to help him.

[Gia Alpert]

When he hollered in her face, she had to take a step back. Admittedly, he scared her when he towered over her because he really towered over her. He was so close to her face, and she actually had to tighten her hold on Boreas' leash. She had to forcibly keep the Akita behind her so he wouldn't attack Mr. D.

He pushed passed her, Boreas barking at him and trying to chase after him. Gia was stunned. Sure, Mr. D was a rather intense individual, but she never expected him to blow up like that. Turning around, she watched him for a moment, ignoring the stares they recieved. What did he mean, "so much bullshit"? And what was that bit about making his "life seem worth living"?

"Wait a minute!" she called, chasing after him with Boreas runnign beside her. "Wait a damn minute! You can't just say stuff like that and walk away! What the hell do you mean?" She grabbed his arm, forced him to stop and shouted, "Would you stop walking for a damn minute!" Sighing, she caught her breath and continued, "Now, I know I've been a bitch but I'm a good listener if you need one, all right? You're not the only one with problems, okay? We've all got our shit to deal with. So, are you going to tell me what's up or am I going to have to find a way to blackmail you again?" she smiled, hoping to lighten the mood.

[William Demonte]

"Wait a minute!" Mr. Demonte ignored her and kept walking. "Wait a damn minute! You can't just say stuff like that and walk away! What the hell do you mean?" She had caught up to him by now. He gave her an angry glance and continued to walk. She, however thought it would be a great idea to grab his arm. He struggled to pull it away, but then gave up as she turned him to face her. "Would you stop walking for a damn minute!"

"What more do you want from me?" he asked bitterly. "I don't have the patience for you anymore."

"Now, I know I've been a bitch but I'm a good listener if you need one, all right?"

He stared blankly at her with his arms folded across his chest. What was with the sudden turn around? "I don't need to tell you anything," he said plainly.

"You're not the only one with problems, okay? We've all got our shit to deal with. So, are you going to tell me what's up or am I going to have to find a way to blackmail you again?"

Mr. Demonte ran a hand through his hair and loosened some of the tension out of his body. She drove a hard bargain. He didn't second guess her once to blackmail him again. A deep sigh escaped him; he was unsure of what to do. Never in his life had he been in a situation quite like this one. "As much as I have to say, I just can't. Not to you."

[Gia Alpert]

Gia frowned, disappointed in herself. If she hadn't been so bitchy, maybe he would've been at least a little more willing to talk to her. He had no patience for her, he wouldn't, couldn't talk to her. It was true that he didn't have to talk to her, but she hated it when people hated her. If she didn't know them, fine, but this was her teacher!

"Fine, don't talk. I tried at least," she gave up and began to walk away from him. Sighing, she turned around and walked back to him. "You may not like me, but you just remember this: while you're living the Wooderson life, you're stuck teaching and screwing snot nosed trust fund babies for the rest of your life, and I'm young, I'm smart, I'm talented, and I'm getting the hell out of here and far away from you in just a few more months."

Smiling triumphantly, feeling only a little satisfied and really bad, both for her attitude and for him, she tightened her hold on Boreas' leash and walked away. She felt bad as she looked back at him so she stopped and stood there for a moment. Boreas groaned and looked up at her, clearly confused about what they were doing.

"Oh for shit's sake!" she muttered and marched back to him. "I'm sure you can just look it up in the school records, but here's my address and phone number," she told him and wrote it down on his palm for lack of anything else to write on. "Call me or stop by if you change your mind. My doors always open. If you can get past Mr. Kalutis, that is. See 'ya around, Mr. D."

[William Demonte]

"Fine, don't talk. I tried at least," she said. Mr. Demonte shrugged and turned his face away from her, but abruptly turned back when she started to walk away. For some strange reason, he didn't want her to leave. Lucky for him she turned around and came back.

"You may not like me, but you just remember this: while you're living the Wooderson life, you're stuck teaching and screwing snot nosed trust fund babies for the rest of your life, and I'm young, I'm smart, I'm talented, and I'm getting the hell out of here and far away from you in just a few more months."

He really couldn't find anything sarcastic to say to her. His emotions were so drained that he just didn't care anymore. He let his head hang down as he stared at the ground, letting her walk away again. This was something he just wanted to forget. When she came back a second time, his face showed nothing but utter surprise, especially when she wrote her number and address on his hand.

"Call me or stop by if you change your mind. My doors always open. If you can get past Mr. Kalutis, that is. See 'ya around, Mr. D."

"Um..." he stuttered. Mr. Demonte always considered himself having a strong personality, but Gia had an even stronger one. She was absolutely confusing, yet mystifying. He didn't understand why she cared so much. He stared at his scribbled on hand and then back up to Gia. "I'll... think about it."

[Gia Alpert]

"Um...I'll....think about it," he stuttered, staring from his palm to her. She smiled at the confused look on his face.

"Good!" she exclaimed and patted his arm. "Maybe I'll see you around the neighborhood. Oh, just, um," she leaned in and whispered, "just don't tell anyone where I live, okay? It's not really...up to the elite New York society standards, you know?" She shrugged and stepped back. "So, um, feel free to call or drop by or...whatever. See. Mr. D."

With another smile and wave, Gia tugged on the leash and made her way further into the park. Boreas was barking and trotting along happily. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. She had confronted her teacher, made her opinion known, fought it out with him, and mended things considerably. She would drop the blackmail for sure, but it was just smart to keep it in mind.

Call it prudent planning.