what it takes to begin && open

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Having had a disagreement with his mother that morning over the phone, Joshua's mood was already compromised as he entered the classroom that morning and dropped his bag down beside his desk. "You're late, Dale," the professor announced unnecessarily. He knew this and so did not reply or apologise. He was late because he and his mother had been snapping and snarling at one another all morning and he was usually in class on time—it was a one-time thing and he wasn't going to get apologetic over something like that. The professor seemed to consider his dour silence for a moment before turning back to the lesson, apparently deciding the same thing that Joshua himself had. He was generally well-liked by his professors due to the fact that he turned his work in on time and with good quality, wasn't late very often, and didn't usually disrupt the lesson in any way. He was quiet and studious so he just worked silently even as a couple of the guys behind him started to hold a conversation. They were speaking softly enough that while Josh could hear them he was quite sure the professor remained oblivious.

He did his best to focus on the lecture, gray eyes following the professor as the man paced back and forth, animating his words through hand gestures and enthusiastic enunciation. It was quite interesting but made less so by the fact that, every now and then, he could hear little interjections made by the chatting folk in the row behind him. Stay calm, he coached himself, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a moment. It was not easy for him to keep control of his anger but it was easier than it used to be, at least. He managed to avoid so much as turning to look at them and there was a brief lull in their conversation that was much welcomed by the Fire elemental. By the time they started to talk again, it was about halfway through the lesson and not nearly as annoying to Josh, who was busy concentrating. "—something about that Shepherd girl from Danielle the other day." Though he had not been listening, 'Shepherd girl' commanded immediate attention. He lost track of what his professor was saying as he instead tuned into the two in the back. "You mean that she's a murderer?" The speaker was a Thunder elemental that he had once known casually but who had renounced all contact with him after the first war when he'd betrayed them. "I figured as much. I mean we always knew she killed Cyn, even if they won the damned war. Why not her mother, too?"

Joshua was now so tense that he could feel the tightness of his muscles, left hand clenched into a fist so tight that his hand was bleached white against an already pale complexion. "That's true. I'm just surprised she ended up in Earth, the sneaky bitch. It's a wonder they even let her back into school with what she's—" He got no further than that, however, because Joshua abandoned any semblance of control and stood up, shoving his chair aside and decking the speaker as hard as he could across the side of the head. It sent him toppling sideways out of his chair and into his friend, who stood up and looked ready to attack Joshua himself. They were stopped from doing anything further with a violent shock of lightning from the professor, seemingly affecting the both of them judging by the way his would-be opponent (a Wind elemental) cringed and hissed a breath through his teeth. Josh gasped a little from the discomfort and pain, gripping the side of his desk to keep the balance. Natural resistance was applied but the professor had seemed to take this into account when deciding how much power to apply, considering it had been quite effective. "What happened?" he demanded.

The Fire elemental was too infuriated to answer, unfortunately granting that privilege to his enemies. "He attacked him for no reason! Kyle never did anything!" The professor looked at Kyle—who was now sitting in a chair and holding the side of his head with a vicious glower—and then Josh, who was uninjured. "And what have you got to say for yourself?" He could have tried to defend himself but didn't think it would work, nor would it be worth it. He didn't even shake his head, just opted for not answering. "Detention," the professor decided. "Don't argue." Wasn't going to, he thought sourly, scowling as he left the room. He had a tingling sensation as if all the nerves and limbs in his body had gone to sleep—no doubt a result of the lightning that had coursed through his body, not meant to cause damage but to stop an attack instead. He felt a bit weaker, as well, but nothing substantial. He must have looked quite enraged when he entered the detention hall for the supervisor arched a brow at him. She accepted the slip and sighed as she read over it. "Sit down, Dale." She didn't bitch at him about getting into fights but he could guess either way that she didn't approve. At least she hadn't given him lines or anything. That would have been a pain in the ass.

[z3r0gamer]

"Look, it's that Thunder kid."
Hayden was quite used to this. He wasn't very well-known, but people who had heard of him got a kick out of his one peculiar habit.
"Hey, Sparky! You change your batteries yet?"
Yep. That one. Hayden carried three Nine-Volt batteries all the time. Being a Thunder, and having a problem with creating his own electricity or using his own bioelectricity, it was useful to have a power source. If only there wasn't so much grief involved.
"Yo, Sparky! I'm talkin' to you!"
OK, what's going on?, Hayden thought to himself. Most people this agressive are Fires, and he hadn't noticed anyone who looked like a Fire when he came into class. They were probably skipping or something, or maybe they were just in a corner or surrounded by other people. He turned slightly, and saw that the jibes were emanating from one of the Wind guys sitting behind him.
"Hey, look at me when I talk to you!"
Hayden chuckled under his breath. Ignoring the people like this almost never failed to upset them.
"Are you listening to me, Sparky?"
The kid grabbed Hayden's shoulder. Bad move. Hayden drew power from one of the batteries and shocked the guy. Not much, about half of what you'd get from sticking a pen in an outlet. That was one battery gone for today. Unfortunately, the teacher came in and saw the Wind guy overreacting. It was a bit of a *shock*, Hayden thought.
"What happened?" the professor asked. Hayden was too busy trying to contain his laughter at the person acting like his hand was covered in tiny little ants to answer, and wasn't surprised at the response from the Wind kid.
"This Hayden kid here! He tried to fry my hand!"
That did it. Hayden could contain it no longer and started laughing like a hyena. The professor, however, did not catch the full humor of the situation.
"Hayden, is this true?"
Finally stopping his laughter, Hayden responded, "Not to the extreme he's talking about, but yes, I shocked him."
The professor sighed. "How much?"
Without saying a word, Hayden holds up a now-dead battery.
Another sigh. "And why did you do this?"
"He touched me."
"He touched you. And you unloaded a whole battery into his hand?"
"Should I have used two?"
"Detention, Tenno. Now."
Hayden stood up, grabbing his grey messenger bag, and walked over to the professor's desk, accepting the note. He walked down a floor's worth of stairs to the detention hall. Walking inside, he offered the note to the supervisor. "A whole battery?"
"It's really not that much energy, it just sounds bad."
"Sit down."
Hayden took a seat next to the only other occupant, a college student by the look of him. Hopefully not an Earth. Or a Wind. Hayden was a little miffed with Winds right now.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Despite the fact that he still got into trouble on occasions like this, Joshua had to admit that his record was improving over the years. In ninth grade he'd been completely uncontrolled and volatile when it came to his anger, acting on impulse almost every time someone said the slightest thing to set him off. He had never recieved any sort of professional help or been told any coping mechanisms for the rage that so often filled him and so he'd been left alone to fend off the temperament. Now, a good six or seven years later, he at least had enough of a handle on himself that he could avoid some fights. Most insults against his own person were shrugged off as long as they didn't pertain to the scar on his face—that scar was a sensitive subject and an almost surefire way to start confrontation. However, the boys in the classroom had not insulted Joshua. They had insulted Nell and his girlfriend was completely off-limits if you wanted to stay on his good side. He was protective of most close friends he possessed but Nell was something else entirely. He supposed it must have been his feelings for her that made it so hard to contain himself when anyone went after her. Either that or the fact that she hardly ever stuck up for herself—damned Earth elementals and their hatred of violence.

"Do you have work to do, Dale?" The voice of the supervisor pulled him out of his thoughts for a moment and he caught her staring at him from where she was leaning by the door. He was still seething with residual anger from the incident and so his tone was slightly sharp as he replied, "No." This was true, at least. He'd much rather have been sitting here and doing work to keep himself occupied as opposed to gazing around the room aimlessly. Lines did not count—they did nothing for his overall grades and thus were a pointless cramp in his hand if he had to write for too long. She seemed to consider his answer before apparently deciding she believed him, seeing as she did not argue. "Do you have anything to do?" He shook his head and she seemed a little exasperated but did not carry on the conversation. Hey, at least I'm telling the truth. He could have read through the textbooks in his bag but he didn't have any of the interesting ones that he'd have liked to peruse. Instead, he found himself immersed in his own thoughts again, not breaking the train even as the door opened for the second time that evening.

Ugh. Thunder. Despite thinking to himself, Joshua was still paying enough attention to his surroundings that he caught the words exchanged between the supervisor and the student. The hall was empty and silent so it really was not hard to hear such things. If there had been other people in the room their conversation would have carried easily. The supervisor excused herself for a moment (perhaps to use the bathroom?) and left the boys with a, "I'll be locking the door. I don't want any fighting in my absence." Joshua would have been perfectly content to uphold this and keep to himself... if the Thunder hadn't chosen to sit next to him. Out of all the spots in the large and unoccupied room. Their differences in element immediately made him bristle with dislike—the Thunders were definitely not on the list of people whom Josh was fond of. "Really?" he said scathingly, figuring it needed no further explanation. Of course, he didn't realise Hayden was unaware of his element. It didn't cross his mind.

[z3r0gamer]

Hayden looked at the man sitting next to him. Apparantly, his last name was Dale, but calling someone by their last name was a teacher thing, so Hayden had no idea what to call this person. Instead of trying to act like the person's face was familiar, he just spoke. "Since we're gonna be stuck here for a few hours, we may as well know each other's names. Mine's Hayden." Hayden reached into his messenger bag, producing his book, the first volume of the One Thousand and One Nights. He put his feet up on the desk, knees bent, with the book propped against his legs. This was about the only way he was comfortable reading in a desk. While turning pages every couple minutes with his left hand, he made sparks dance on his right. The silent activity annoyed several people, for some reason Hayden never understood, but he always ended up doing it while reading no matter how hard he tried to stop. He just couldn't get into his book, however. Just like every time before, something happened to ruin his mood. In this case, a fly. Buzzing around his head. At least he could do something about it. Closing the book, he sat upright. Deciding to practice, he charged his hand with a current he made himself. He felt a little tired, but less than the last time he had done this, so that was good. Keeping the current moving around his hand as much as he could, he swung at the fly. The blasted thing was smart, however, and the only thing he hit was his other arm. It was so unexpected, it actually zapped him. Putting his head on the desk in shame, Hayden collapsed into silent laughter for the second time that day, this time at his own stupidity.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua was already in a sour enough mood without having to deal with a Thunder elemental and so he merely glowered at the boy when he introduced himself. Is he trying to be funny? He'd thought he was making it quite clear that he was not in the mood to socialize or get along, especially not with someone whom he was not aligned with, and so it irked him that Hayden was making introductions. He wondered whether or not they were sincere or sarcastic but then decided that it didn't matter to him either way. Joshua was not particularly amiable even if you subtracted detention from his list of irritations. "I don't see why you'd need to know," he responded coolly, glancing away from the other boy as Hayden pulled out a book. He didn't want to be civil toward a Thunder and so the silence was much welcomed. Unfortunately, it was a bit harder to concentrate on his train of thought when he was busy being irked by how close the other elemental was sitting. The desks were a good enough space apart, sure, but it was just the fact that he'd sat right next to him in an otherwise empty room that was getting to Josh. Things irked him very easily when his mood was already fouled. Maybe he would have been a tad more pleasant if he hadn't been stuck in detention but it was not so.

His jaw set firmly and his lips pressed to a thin, tight line when Hayden started messing around with a fly that buzzed around the room—or tried to, anyway. Something like this would have normally been put out of his mind and completely ignored but as he had nothing with which to occupy himself he was all too aware of the other and his actions. What the fuck is he playing at? He had only been noticing shifts from the corner of his eye, but when Hayden started to laugh silently he actually turned to look at him. He arched an eyebrow, seemingly not amused by the spectacle. The fuck's his problem? He didn't understand what was so funny. Even though Hayden wasn't laughing at him or anything he'd done, the gesture grated against his mood. It was very hard to take anything lightly or in stride when absolutely everything ticked you off.

Still scowling, he shook his head in irritation and turned his attention once more away from the boy, glaring instead at the blackboard. The detention rules were printed in large capital letters on it and had probably been there for a while judging by their faded quality. No starting fights, he thought snidely to himself, remembering how the teacher had stated this one as she'd walked out the door. How I'd fucking love for that to be easier. It wasn't like he enjoyed his impulsive problems with anger. It was not fun to be sent down to detention because you couldn't stop yourself from decking someone that pissed you off. They had spoke ill of Nell, though. That likely would have warranted an attack no matter how calm a person he was. Wonder if this asshole knows about her? He hoped not. He didn't want to get into a confrontation but if anyone else said something about it he'd go off, he was sure.

[z3r0gamer]

When Hayden could finally stop laughing at his own idiocy, he picked up his book again. The second he did, his unwelcome visitor returned, buzzing in his ear and grating on his nerves. The second he set the book down, the fly left. He tested his theory by picking it back up. Sure enough, the buzzing resumed. He placed the book in his messenger bag, because he sure wasn't gonna get to read it hear. He decided to read the person sitting next to him instead. He wasn't good at it, but, as you might expect, Hayden has had a lot of experience with anger directed at him. This person had a lot of anger, and not much of a direction that he was directing it. Hayden had issues with just being a dummy for people to unload their frustrations on. Hayden, instead of being intelligent, acts like the socially inept, somewhat sleepy, and slightly disoriented from an electical shock person that he is. He opens his mouth again. Without looking at the Dale guy, he says, "Something wrong? Don't mistake this for me caring what's going on in your life, but I don't like it when people try to take out frustrations on people who don't deserve it, and it looks to me like you're a hair's breadth from murdering the next person who looks at you funny." Hayden turned to face the man. "So talk instead."

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

If Hayden had just shut his mouth and went back to his book, perhaps Joshua could have kept enough composure to prevent himself starting any fights—verbal or otherwise. It was very difficult for him to resist temptation at times but if he was constantly getting himself into verbal and physical confrontations then it would reflect negatively on his school record. They could kick you out rather easily once you reached college, a negative side-effect of having gained full control over your powers. Now that the administration didn't have to worry about turning loose a dangerous threat to the community thanks to accidental surges of elemental power they had no qualms about chucking the wrong-doers out on their asses. It was thanks to the improvements over the years that they hadn't kicked him out already. He hadn't done anything too serious like breaking bones or putting anyone into a coma and his fights were usually two-sided so he was not the only person taking the heat. It was a desire to uphold at least a moderately acceptable record this year that stopped him from trying to provoke the boy sitting beside him.

Unfortunately, Hayden seemed to have other ideas. Joshua inhaled slowly and closed his eyes when the Thunder spoke, the fingers of his left hand curling into a slow fist. Do you ever learn? He hated it when people pestered him. He was easily annoyed once he was in a temper and if you were his enemy by alliance as Hayden was, that was increased tenfold. And so maybe Hayden wasn't aware that they were supposed to be enemies—maybe he hadn't made the connection that Dale was the surname of a traitor or that Joshua was a Fire elemental who'd slipped over to the other side. Not everyone knew, after all, mainly only the ones that concerned themselves seriously with the alliances. None of that mattered. He wouldn't be apologetic if he realised that Hayden had meant no ill will by sitting near him, it wasn't his style. Once you angered Joshua it was unlikely that you'd ever see any sort of regret or remorse from him. He just wasn't the type.

The Fire graduate turned a steely gray glare onto the other boy, his lips pressed tight. "Fuck off," he said in a low voice, not bothering for eloquence or class. Couldn't Hayden see that he didn't want to hold a civil conversation? So maybe I will murder the next person who looks at me funny but I'd prefer to take you down first, would you mind? The sarcastic thought was not said aloud because it was not entirely serious. Josh wasn't homicidal, at least. He'd be behind bars by this point if he felt like killing everyone who'd done him wrong and he'd be living out the miserable existence that was life with no parole. He thought of Nell and how she'd have faced the same thing if she weren't acquitted. Then he thought of how the Thunders had once targeted her, and his feelings toward Hayden did not become any more pleasant. Besides, this wasn't Joshua taking out his frustrations on anyone. If he were taking it out on Hayden there'd be a lot more fists flying and powers being used.

[z3r0gamer]

"Fine. I'm just trying to deal with being locked in here because of some stupid kid with no tolerance for pain, just trying to have some kind of conversation, but no, the big bad college kid is too cool to talk to a high schooler." Hayden said. He got his book back out, no fly this time, but he was too upset to read what was currently happening in the narrative, which happened to be one of the many love stories contained in the Arabian Nights. With an exasparated sigh, he put the book down on the desk. "It's killing me. This damned school is killing me. You think I want to be shoved into this room with someone whose emotional presense seems like it could set the room on fire? Something at least a fifth of the students here can do, by the way! What's this guy's problem?" Hayden muttered to himself. He tried to find something to look at, but failed. They did a good job picking this room for detention, Hayden thought, Absolutely nothing to stare at. God I need a cell phone.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua actually closed his eyes and drew a slow breath as Hayden spoke, concentrating all of his energy on not snapping at him or worse, actually snapping and going for the other boy. If he'd still been in high school, he figured that they'd already be throwing punches and that the supervisor would return to a very nasty scene indeed. He managed to block out the impulse again but it didn't cure the fury that he felt. Stopping himself from going for someone was only the first part of the battle. He couldn't stop the anger—that was going to stick around for another couple hours or so, most likely. He had a short fuse and a long cool down period. "Do you actually think," he said, his voice practically trembling from the suppressed anger, "that this is because of your age, Thunder?" He used his element rather than his name to make a point. He couldn't believe that he'd once been aligned with Hayden and all of the others in his element. Now he felt such frustration toward the boy sitting beside him that he couldn't fathom the idea he might have spoke to him civilly last year, before he'd met Nell and the war had thrown everything upside down.

He realised through his frustrated outburst that he hadn't even known Hayden was in high school until the guy had told him. He might have been able to guess that the guy was younger than him if he'd really paid attention to what he looked like but he'd been more focused on the fact that he was a Thunder and this meant that he was the enemy. The only thing Joshua could peg immediately was that he was not in any of his classes, actually, and thus not a junior. Glaring at him now he realised that he did look more around the high school age but it didn't change anything. Is that seriously what he thought? Christ, he's thick. Did he actually think Hayden was stupid? That was debatable. Right now, in his anger, it was hard to see anything otherwise. Tunnel vision. He didn't actually judge someone's intelligence based on their interactions with him but he was too pissed off right now to give any fair judgement.

"Well let me help you," he said, not raising his voice in the least. He didn't yell when he was angry, quite the opposite, but it was still quite apparent. "This is because of the alliances. If you actually give a damn about not starting fights, you should have left me the hell alone." He was so used to the Thunders and Fire antagonising him purposely to try and start fights that he still wasn't considering a possible genuine misunderstanding. He might have intelligence but fury seriously compromised his ability to take anything else into account. It blocked out common sense a lot of the time, too. There was nothing but anger and his reason for being enraged, making for a very tense situation on his part.

[z3r0gamer]

"This is because of the alliances."
That was the most frustrating thing that could possibly have been said right now. "And how the hell am I supposed to give two cents about the freaking alliances? I don't even know your element, your name, anything! I'd love to be sitting quietly, reading my book, but now, Mr. Hostile, you've got me interested. Exactly how is it that you can't be bothered to give me a real reason that you're so infectiously pissed? Go ahead and explain the freaking alliances to me for what must be the twenty-seventh time since I got to this school, when all you really have to do is just tell me what your stinking element is, and why you seem determined to avoid any and all friendliness from me, and probably anyone else who tries to talk to you. You sure don't act like an Earth or Water elemental. I'm actually expecting something in the room to catch fire. At least that would clear up some of this FREAKING MYSTERY you seem to just LOVE surrounding yourself with." Hayden stopped himself at that point, exhaling slowly. "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have snapped." Hayden breathed slowly, calming himself back down. "I really would like to know who you are at least."

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua almost attacked him. When Hayden launched into his full-blown rant, it actually took noticing the supervisor standing outside of the door and talking to a coworker to make him think twice. He had enough of a handle on his temper that he could stop from resorting to violence—most of the time—if he himself was not attacked but it was getting harder and harder by the second. He already possessed an incredibly short fuse and it was as if this guy was clipping it right down to the explosives before lighting a match. Josh was shaking, now, so mad that he wanted to just stand up and whack Hayden as hard as physically possible. He took a deep, slow breath, then snorted a little when the boy actually apologised. You think apologising makes it any fucking better, asshole? Even his thoughts were starting to stray into vulgar territory now. He didn't include cussing in his regular, every day speech—only when he was pissed off did he resort to swearing. Right now he probably could have ran through every foul word in the English language and seven others without feeling satisfied. Hayden really was winding him up right now. Was it on purpose? It sure felt like it to Josh, who hadn't felt this provoked by mere words in a while.

"I thought I made it clear," he said in a low voice full of forced patience, "that I didn't want to fucking speak to you." He enunciated every syllable clearly and at an even pace, as if he was suggesting that Hayden had misheard him. Perhaps he had. Josh sure didn't know any other reason that someone would continuously provoke him even after he'd basically told them where to stick their questions and curiosities in so many words. Alright, so maybe this guy really had just been trying for friendliness. Didn't matter, not to him. Not now. Should have left me alone when I asked you to. Alright, so he hadn't asked, more like told him to 'fuck off', but it carried the same message in his mind. "No, I'm not a fucking Earth elemental and I'm not Water, either," he said, not looking at the Thunder elemental. If he looked at him he couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't act on his earlier impulse of violence. Slow breaths, deep breaths. Shit, it was times like these he almost wished he'd gotten help with his anger. But almost was the key word, because he knew he wouldn't ask for professional help even after this encounter. "And I don't know about the room but I would sure enjoy setting you on fire right about now so I'd suggest you stop fucking antagonising me or I will." It was no empty threat with Josh, at least not entirely. Maybe he wouldn't set the whole of Hayden on fire (that might lead to murder and even Josh didn't condone that) but he'd sure chuck a fireball or two.

"The fuck do you even care what my name is?" He felt like pulling his hair out at this point but made no move except to finally fix his blazing gray glare back on the subject of his anger. He didn't feel like slitting his throat upon immediate eye contact, at least. It was a good sign. Didn't mean he felt any friendlier, nor would he. Josh didn't hold grudges in the long-term but it was a bad idea to try and befriend him five minutes after you'd ticked him off. "I already told you that it's no business of yours and I haven't changed my mind."

[z3r0gamer]

You know what, screw it, Hayden thought to himself. What this Dale person didn't seem to notice was that Hayden was getting worked up too. This was going to lead to a full-blown fight soon. Hayden cast his eyes about, looking for some way to make this hour go by faster. He saw his saving grace looking at the instructor. She was deep in conversation with another member of the faculty. Then she glanced at the clock on the wall of the detention hall. That gave Hayden an idea. "I'm getting out of this room one way or another," he said to himself, standing up and grabbing his messenger bag. He walked over to the wall with the clock on it. Yes! he cheered internally as he read the words on the clock face. "Quartz Motion Battery Powered". Like a godsend. Reaching behind it, he discovered there was no back on it. Typical school clock. It's like someone was helping him with this. God, I hope this doesn't backfire horribly. Hayden touched the container with the quartz crystal inside, drawing power from his own battery and routing it slowly into the quartz. Looking at the front of the clock, his idea was working. Stopping as the minute hand reached five past the hour, just about the time they were supposed to be dismissed. I hope she doesn't have a watch on her. Actually, the only thing Hayden was really hoping was to get out of this room, before someone snapped, whether it be because the clock stunt worked or because he was in hotter water. Anywhere is better than here.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua allowed himself to immediately turn his attention away from Hayden as the other boy appeared to give up, both exasperated by the situation and secretly relieved that it was over with. He knew that a few more words exchanged would have been the difference between keeping calm (or as "calm" as was to be expected for his temperament) and blowing his lid. That guy. The mere thought was filled with pent-up frustration. Joshua pulled a heavy textbook from his bag and flipped to a random page. It wasn't something he'd have normally read—it was more curriculum based than actually informative—but anything to distract himself was welcome at the moment. While his gray eyes scanned the pages, he focused on steadying his breathing and trying to stop himself from shaking. Where his hand was resting on the surface of the desk he could see the minor tremors that passed through it. They were lessening but he knew that the rest of his classes would be spent in a foul mood. Granted, he wouldn't have been particularly pleased with his situation whether Hayden had irked him further or not but it would be lying to say that the Thunder had not aided his anger. Not that it was hard to do so—far from, in fact.

The movement of the room's other occupant caught his attention from the corner of his eye and he flicked his smouldering gray gaze toward him for a moment to survey what he was doing. The fuck's he want the clock for? Deciding that he didn't really care, Josh shook his head and turned his attention back to the book. Why did it have to be something he already knew? To his knowledge, the only other textbook in his bag was a thick volume on many different types of mathematics included calculus, which was a part of his Biology major. He'd always liked Math and it's sub-categories because it was basically following directions to find the correct answer but the textbooks didn't usually have a whole lot of interesting reading involved. Heck, you were lucky if you found anything at all. The book he had open in front of him was something to do with Biology. Interesting enough, he supposed, but it was no History book. History was always his go-to subject when he wanted to become truly immersed in the reading material. He frowned briefly at the book and then set it back in his bag, glancing back up in time to see Hayden replacing the clock on the wall.

Five minutes to go? It hasn't been that long. Nor did it take him very long to deduce what had happened. Damn Thunders and their messing around with electronics. This time it seemed it might benefit them though, so long as the supervisor didn't catch on and extend the detention because of it. Josh knew a violent thought: I swear, if this prick gets me into any more trouble—! However, the supervisor seemed distracted when she entered the room, still looking quite cheery from the conversation with her friend. Her mood contrasted Josh's immensely. "Sorry, that took longer than expected," she said, her eyes going wide as she noted the clock. "Oh, is it that time already? I could have sworn—" She seemed to think on something for a moment. Josh was completely silent and impassive. He could have sold Hayden out and enjoyed the idea of him getting into trouble but he didn't find satisfaction in being a rat. Besides, that had worked out pretty bad for him when it came to the gang. He pushed the thought aside, and the supervisor seemed to do the same for she shook her head, "Never mind, I'm just all over the place today. You two are free to go."

[Take it this ends the thread?]