The feeling of the hand on her shoulder lasted until the end of class. Lansing was proud of her. For whatever reason. Apparently speaking out was rewarded here. She guessed Lavender was right. This class might be actually good.
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Lavender looked up at Miss Lansing with a confused look, her brows drawn together.
She did not understand the lesson the woman was trying to teach by telling them to rip out the introduction, but she was trying and that was visible by the way her jaw twitched slightly.
She waited patiently for someone else to answer and give her the idea as to why she ripped pages out of her book.
Miss Lansing's lips pursed in a smile. "I can tell some of you are still struggling to understand my purpose… It's alright if you are. Conformity has a certain effect on people's minds, and when we're again exposed to elements outside of its control, we aren't sure what to do with ourselves." She tapped her nails on her desk and thought for a moment before speaking.
"This entire class period was a test. I know lots about most of you in here based on where you sat, who you talked to, if and when you spoke, how you looked at me, and most importantly… if you did or did not rip out that page. We express so much with our bodies and language, most times without realizing it. And more often than not, the behaviors we project outward were projected onto us, and we simply conform. In this class, through the words of Thoreau, Dickinson, Shelley, Whitman… I will teach you how to make your own way in this life and at this school." Adalise lifted her chin as if accepting a challenge, and just then, the bell rang. She nodded at her students curtly. "Class dismissed."
Lavender scrambled to stand up, waiting until most of the other girls were gone until she shyly walked up to Miss Lansings desk, where she waited with her hands clasped together and behind her back, as she was taught as a child.
"uhm, Miss Lansing?" she asked, her voice hoarse and cracking, she quickly cleared he throat
"may I ask you something?" She asked clearly this time.
The teacher was busy organizing some papers in her desk when she heard her name. She looked up, and her eyes softened seeing Lavender. "Miss Holmson. Of course. What is it?"
"may I ask if me eating lunch in here would bother you?" Lavender asked in a quiet.
She circled her wrist with her opposite hand.
Adalise blinked quickly. She hadn't been expecting such a request, but she was delighted. "No, it wouldn't bother me one bit," she said kindly. "Feel free to pass that information on, if you like. Or keep it to yourself." She winked playfully. "What did you think of our class today?"
"I personally liked it" Lavender said, sitting down at the desk where she previously was seated at.
She pulled a bagged lunch out of her backpack and placed it on the desktop.
She opened it and took out an apple.
"But I don't think everyone else thinks the same as me" she said briskly.
The dorm was empty, Lavender had stayed behind—likely to suck up. Alene might have done the same, but she knew it would look odd. She found it would be difficult to force such an interaction. Not that she was against sucking up. It just felt… off.
No matter. She would endear herself to Lansing later. She didn’t seem that hard to impress. Or was it that what she had done was impressive? Unlikely.
Miss Lansing didn't seem worried. "Oh?" she asked, reaching into her desk and pulling out a granola bar. "That is my point, but how does everyone else think since they aren't the same as you?"
Lavender smiled at Miss Lansing.
"I guess I just don't know how everyone else thinks" she said, screwing up her face.
"I wish I could figure out how they think but since I am not them, I guess I cannot" She added with a sly grin.
She bit into her apple, chewing the sweet bite of the red skin and juices fill her and overcome her taste buds.
"How do you think they think Miss Lansing?" She asked the woman.
Adalise laughed at Lavender's question and shook her head. "Well, I'm betting most of them think I'm out of my right mind. I'm insane, an idealist, and I shouldn't be a teacher." She pursed her slightly rouge lips and winked at the girl. "But truly I'm more interested in what you think. So tell me. What did you really think of my lesson today?"
Lavender smiled lightly, chewing and swallowing her bite of apple.
"I loved it" she whispered "never have I ever had a teacher that has done something like that, and to the whole class at that." She said excitedly.
"I thought it was new and exciting" she said.
Miss Lansing sat back in her chair and lifted her chin confidently. "You looked immensely confused partway through the lesson, though. What were you so concerned about?" The corner of her lip twitched up with amusement.
"why we had to do it" Lavender said simply, clearing her throat once more.
"I just mean I didn't not like that we had to do it, I just couldn't believe you actually told us to do that." She admitted shyly, taking another bite of her apple.
Miss Lansing feigned shock. "You're telling me no other professors at Brookstone Academy have told you to rip pages out of your books? I'm quite surprised." She shook her head and her expression became natural again. "Exactly. As I said, the entirety of my class was a test, even before it started. Your roommate intrigues me. Miss Zheng. How close are you to her?"
Lavender shrugged slightly.
"No close at all, like we're acquaintances" Lavender stated lightly, tossing her loose hair over her shoulder.
Miss Lansing nodded. "Interesting… If you'll excuse me briefly, I'd like to make a cup of tea." She rose from her seat and made her way into a little back room that had at first looked like a closet. It was her living quarters. "Would you like some?" she called out to Lavender.
(Since Alene is alone Ima sit out until they are done )
"Yes please" she said politely, but loud enough for the teacher to hear her "if you don't mind" she added quickly, she then observed the little room and squinted.
"Do you live in there Miss Lansing?" She asked concerningly, certainly it was not healthy to live in a space that small.
"Of course I don't mind," Miss Lansing replied. "It's why I asked in the first place." She waited to answer Lavender's question until she had the kettle on her small stove-like device and was able to stand in the doorway and talk. Making sure to keep an eye on the tea, she smiled faintly at Lavender. "Yes, these are the living quarters that the Academy so graciously provides me with."
"that's absolutely atrocious!" Lavender scoffed in disbelief.
"Why it's no bigger than a broom closet!" She added, now turning red and becoming angry that such a wonderful teacher— at least so far— had to endure such little space to stay in while teaching at the academy.
"You are living like Harry Potter." Lavender commented, stomping her foot lightly.
"We must speak to someone about this!" She said, turning a bright red.
Miss Lansing's eyes widened with amusement. "Lavender, darling, I promise it's alright. It suffices for living quarters, and besides, I prefer spending my time outside of classes by strolling the grounds. The cramped spaces will only be a problem on rainy days, but I'll manage. Your concern amuses me, dear."
"if you insist" Lavender said, clearing her throat and sitting up straighter.
"I must say Miss Lansing you seem very content with this job." she added quickly.
The teacher smiled. “Content isn’t the word I would use, but I see what you are trying to say. I believe the word I would use is…” She hesitated for a moment, then said, “I wouldn’t say I’m content. I would say that I have hope that this job will reward itself in different ways to redeem the value of my… shoddy living quarters.”