Always Working

[Raina]

Merrick Lockwood

A bell sounded as Merrick entered the Cafe. The place smelled of tea, and scones. He always came here, about once a week. He tried coming more often, but found that he couldn't because of his students he had to teach. He was actually a professor, but he taught younger kids. Most of his students ranged from 10-18. Depending on how smart they were. His class was for the advanced students getting ready for college.

He took a seat, and Mrs. Bomet came over and gave him his usual. Black tea, and a scone with strawberry jam. His favorite. He thanked her, and she was off. The place was busy, it was full of dirty people from the streets, but he didn't mind. Mrs. Bomet was usually nice enough to give him a spot less crowded.

He pulled some papers from his brief case, he had some correcting to do. He first got the papers by his favorite student, Jimmy Roxford, out and scanned them over. The boy was very smart, and bright. He would make a wonderful astronomer someday. And he guess that he would become one. This kid always had straight A's in math, and science. And he was fascinated by the stars. As he went through Jimmy's work, he wasn't surprised to find that he didn't have to mark anything wrong.

Once he was done with those, he looked at other student's work, and marked somethings. While he did this he also took a bite from his scone, and took a drink from his tea. He was pretty mesmerized by his work. This is what he enjoyed doing most. And he didn't think he'd ever quit teaching. It was his passion.

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Katherine Amherst Deschanel

A woman who looked much younger then her actual age was walking down the street, her face buried in a book, her other hand on her dress to make sure she didn't trip. She however had no way to make sure she didn't bump into anyone, besides her instinct to avoid... Currently with so many people around her it wasn't coming in handy.

It wasn't until she actually bumped into someone and her book made a harsh thump on the ground that she was broken from her reading. She huffed up slightly and went to grab the book but had her hand stepped on. "Oi... Wach whare yah be goin' miss..." She glared up at the person, he was a fairly rich looking person... Leave it to her to pick him to bump into. She with a bitten lip just nodded.

He started down the street, she had figured she got off easy until she saw her book was covered with mud and dirt... Hardly readable anymore. Simmering for a moment she spun around. "OI!" The man looked at her surprised, "Wat?" She crossed her arms and frowned, "You ruined my book with your large foot and fake accent..." He took a moment before showing a bit of rage, "Oi!... Wat do yah thin' yah be bumbling bout princess?" She pointed to the book in the dirty with a frown that was growing. Not enjoying the new nickname.

That was the books he had borrowed from the school she had been going to, she had recently been given the right to teach and she had taken the book as a present, memory wise... Now less then a week old it was ruined over some rich man's foot because she was re-reading it for the 100th time...

He stalked over to her and like most people stood over her by a good several inches, "Listen here poppit, yah be doin' whell ta 'ush up. Hear?" She gave him a blank stare, no she wouldn't be doing well to hush up... She wanted her book back, or something in return... Although this guy looked rich didn't mean anything, it could be borrowed from a good friend. "I will not 'ush up" I want my book back you so thoroughly ruined!"

He glared at her but she didn't back down, grabbing the book from the ground he slammed it into her chest and then twisted her around by the shoulders. "Run long poppit daddies callin' ya!" Getting mud all over her and down the front of her dress froze. She was no happy in the least bit... She turned back around and as the man was leaving threw the book at his head. "Keep it!" She then in a huff started down the street again, maybe some tea would help...

Right as she went to enter the Cafe however the same man carefully handed her the book back before slapping her across the face. "Poppit, bad manners will get bad manners..." Dropping the book she held her cheek and walked him leave. A glare in her eyes, she turned the glare to the broken book, she then pouted and started to tear up slightly... That was such a good book... Sighing she picked it up and walked into the Cafe, ordering their best tea and a bunch of napkins... She needed to clean herself off along with this book...

[Raina]

Merrick was just finishing up the last of his grading when he heard the bell of the door ring, and a women with a dirty dress come in. He sat still for a moment, and studied her. She had ordered some tea, and napkins. And she needed them. The napkins. She was pretty filthy, and he wondered why she would come in like that. Then he looked around the room, there were quite a few filthy people here, so one more shouldn't matter. It wasn't his fault he liked to be clean...Well maybe it was but that was beside the point.

He wondered if she was homeless...If she was homeless then she would probably have lice...or worse things..He shuddered, and turned back to his papers. He only had a couple pages left to grade. Then he would be done, and he could leave. But as he was going through the page he couldn't help but no concentrate on it. He was more focused on the women. He clenched his fist, trying to decide what to do..What could he do?

He turned to his paper again, then looked back at her, then back down again. Maybe he could buy her something to eat? What was he thinking..He couldn't do that..He didn't know her. But guys did that for girls all the time. But he wasn't that type of guy. He had always been the "shy" guy. He sighed. He had to do it.

Slowly he brought himself to his feet, and he casually walked up to where she was seated. "Erm.." He said clearing his throat,"Are you alright miss?" Now that he was closer to her he noticed that she looked a little sad, and her book was a mess too. Had something happened to her? he wondered. The book was a total mess, but he had seen worse cases. He had fixed up book before, so he knew it wasn't a lost cause. Maybe he could fix it up for her if she wanted.

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Katherine Amherst Deschanel

She was granted the tea she ordered, she was grateful for that... She was also then granted napkins and water. She hadn't asked for the water but it seemed her cheek was beginning to swell up, she wasn't sure if the water was for that or to help get the mud of her dress... Her pretty dress... Her mother would have killed her if she known... This was a pretty expensive dress to get ruined over a book...

She stared at her tea not really paying attention, she then sighed and started to clean herself off. After she got it so she didn't really look as homeless as she felt, she noticed someone waling towards her. Erm.. She heard him start to speak and then clear his throat, Are you alright miss? Startled slightly by the question she calmed herself down and pondered a second...

That was a good question, she wasn't the type to melt in front of a stranger when she wasn't having a good day, but she didn't look as proper as she normally did, her book was broken as far she could tell, her cheek felt horrible, hopefully it didn't look as horrible... How the hell was she suppose to be a teacher if she couldn't even go down the street without getting all depressed?

"I'll be fine... Some people just don't appropriate books..." She was speaking about that rich man she had bumped into, she didn't think he was rich, he must have done it by dirty means or was posing... Although all the rich people she met the personality fit... She sighed and finally took a sip of her tea, she noticed the man was still standing by her table. "I'm sorry... Have I bothered you, I guess I made a scene..."

It had happened at the door so... She figured anyone with good hearing had looked up to watch her get slapped and told off. However she wasn't going to be depressed so easily, besides the book she wasn't all that depressed. He could vanish for all she cared, he probably wouldn't see her again anyways. She offered the other chair to the kind man before her, she found it slightly unfair he should stay standing.

"Pardon my rudeness, I forgot my manners in that scene... My name is Katherine, please call me Cate." She didn't like the use of her full name, it made her feel like she was in trouble or something, plus Cate was much more friendly, kid friendly, and just had a nice ring to it. She hoped he would accept the chair she didn't feel right having him stand, even if he returned to his own seat, it was rude of her to be sitting while he stood, at least she felt so.

[Raina]

"I'll be fine... Some people just don't appreciate books..."

He looked at the book, as she said that. Wondering still if he should offer to clean it up and fix it for her. He wasn't sure if it would be appropriate right now, since he didn't know her. He hated feeling unsure of himself, at least around his students he was confident, and knew exactly what he was going to do and say.

"Your book doesn't look like its in to bad of shape...I could fix it up for you.." He said still looking at the book,"If you wanted me to of course..." he added not wanting to sound pushy. He looked back up at her as she said...

"I'm sorry... Have I bothered you, I guess I made a scene..."

He shook his head, "No not at all...though I am curious as to what happened to your face?" He asked. He hoped at least that something had happened to her face, and it didn't actually naturally look swollen. Because that would be horribly embarrassing. But he was sure that something had happened. It was pink, and look new.

He took a seat when she offered for him to sit down, and he listened again as she then said..

"Pardon my rudeness, I forgot my manners in that scene... My name is Katherine, please call me Cate."

"Nice to meet you Cate." He said with a nod, and a smile. "My name is Merrick." He hoped she wouldn't be one of those people who would think it would be cute to give him the nickname Merry. As a child he absolutely hated that nickname. It seemed that no one knew how to say his real name.

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Katherine Amherst Deschanel

She noticing him looking at her book and another bubble of depression threatened to come up, she really loved that book... Stupid man had to step on it to prove a point... She then looked at her hand he had stepped on and noticed that too was swollen, a bruise beginning to form. She held a blank look on her face as she looked at it, seriously what was stepping on her hand going to accomplish... At least she was able to clip him on the head, that would hurt.

Your book doesn't look like its in to bad of shape...I could fix it up for you.. He said it while still looking at the book, If you wanted me to of course..., she carefully clasped her hands together, "Wow really you can do that? This book was a graduation present... I would be so happy if I could have it fixed..." She looked slightly hopeful, she then got her reply to the sense comment, No not at all...though I am curious as to what happened to your face?

She placed a hand to her face and frowned, "To make the long story short I threw this book at someones head... To justify that action he stepped on my hand and my book into the mud into the first place so..." If she didn't justify it then anyone could say she deserved it which maybe she did, she did bump into the man but that was a bit drastic of a punishment for just getting bumping into.

She noticed him sit down and she offered a soft smile. Nice to meet you Cate. He said with a nod, and a smile. My name is Merrick. she nodded slowly, "Interesting name, reminds me of my cousin Eric, with a slight twist of course. Nice to meet you as well Merrick." She said with a growing smile, at least she had something to keep her mind off what happened plus he seemed to be able to fix her book... That was really important. Not to mention he seemed nice enough.