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notmyownageThe woman who was there to talk to Claudia today was not her usual social worker. She wasn't any of the social workers who'd occasional pinch-hit for her usual social worker. She wasn't the state-ordered therapist, any of the cops she knew, or even the receptionist who sometimes let Claudia check her email on her computer when she was stuck here for more than a couple hours. She wasn't, in fact, someone Claudia had ever seen before, and Claudia hadn't even heard her come into the room, which was a nice trick, considering how much that door shrieked any time anyone walked in or out.
"Good afternoon," said the woman. "I'm Mrs. Frederic."
"It's probably not very smart to sneak up on people around here," Claudia said. "You never know what us crazy kids are capable of."
"I know exactly what you're capable of, Claudia," said the woman. "Do you?"
"Just found out I'm capable of blowing up a bathroom. So, you know, there's that."
"And dismantling in-home security alarms --"
"Oh yeah, good times."
"-- doing unauthorized maintenance on a Honda Civic --"
"I needed the catalytic converter."
"-- and electrocuting the family dog."
"Okay." Claudia raised her hands. "That was an accident."
"So the bathroom was purposeful, then?"
". . . Should I be asking for a lawyer?"
Mrs. Frederic pulled out the chair across from Claudia and sat down. "You've gone through eleven foster homes in the last five years."
"Twelve. You're forgetting 'Uncle Patrick'."
"Ah, yes, that's the one where you only stayed for a week, if I'm not mistaken."
"He was creepy."
Mrs. Frederic leaned forward slightly in her seat. "I'm going to be straight with you here, Claudia."
"I appreciate that."
"Don't interrupt me."
"Sorry."
The look on Mrs. Frederic's face wasn't quite a glare, but it made Claudia want to sink down really low in her seat. She pressed her lips together and lowered her head to peer at the woman through her hair. Mrs. Frederic continued. "You're what the state offices like to call a 'difficult situation'. I've stepped in to help them alleviate that situation."
Claudia didn't like the sound of that.
"Upon my recommendation, they've chosen to remove you from the foster care system --"
Claudia really didn't like the sound of that. She sat upright. "Hey, I can be better, okay? I promise. Don't send me to juvie or -- or the state home, or whatever."
"If you'll allow me to continue?"
She shrank down in her seat again. "Sorry."
"You will not be sent to any juvenile detention center or 'state home'. We are sending you to school."
". . . I already go to school."
"Yes, and now you will be going to this one." She set a pamphlet down on the table between them, boasting the image of a bucolic looking island under the words "FANDOM HIGH". "It is my belief that you will find this environment far more suited to an individual of your . . . particular situation and talents. You will arrive on the second. Classes begin on the fourth. This is non-negotiable."
Claudia made a face and picked up the pamphlet. "You're sending me out of state?"
"Is there a reason you believe we shouldn't?"
Well, there was the whole part where she spent half her free time sneaking onto the University campus to break into her brother's old lab and sort through his notes and experiments. But no one knew about that. She sighed. "No, ma'am."
"Very well." Mrs. Frederic stood. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Claudia. I'm sure we'll see good things from you in the future."
Claudia didn't quite glare at the woman, but her smirk was somewhat . . . less than friendly. "Golly, thanks." The door shut behind Mrs. Frederic and the smirk vanished. She picked up the pamphlet and flipped through it again. "Guess it's time for a final raid on Joshua's old stuff."
Maryland could be as good a place to read up on Rheticus and hunt down Professor Nielson, right? And, hey, if all else failed she could just get kicked out again. "Fandom, huh? Hope you guys are insured."
[ooc: establishing posts, FTW!]
"Good afternoon," said the woman. "I'm Mrs. Frederic."
"It's probably not very smart to sneak up on people around here," Claudia said. "You never know what us crazy kids are capable of."
"I know exactly what you're capable of, Claudia," said the woman. "Do you?"
"Just found out I'm capable of blowing up a bathroom. So, you know, there's that."
"And dismantling in-home security alarms --"
"Oh yeah, good times."
"-- doing unauthorized maintenance on a Honda Civic --"
"I needed the catalytic converter."
"-- and electrocuting the family dog."
"Okay." Claudia raised her hands. "That was an accident."
"So the bathroom was purposeful, then?"
". . . Should I be asking for a lawyer?"
Mrs. Frederic pulled out the chair across from Claudia and sat down. "You've gone through eleven foster homes in the last five years."
"Twelve. You're forgetting 'Uncle Patrick'."
"Ah, yes, that's the one where you only stayed for a week, if I'm not mistaken."
"He was creepy."
Mrs. Frederic leaned forward slightly in her seat. "I'm going to be straight with you here, Claudia."
"I appreciate that."
"Don't interrupt me."
"Sorry."
The look on Mrs. Frederic's face wasn't quite a glare, but it made Claudia want to sink down really low in her seat. She pressed her lips together and lowered her head to peer at the woman through her hair. Mrs. Frederic continued. "You're what the state offices like to call a 'difficult situation'. I've stepped in to help them alleviate that situation."
Claudia didn't like the sound of that.
"Upon my recommendation, they've chosen to remove you from the foster care system --"
Claudia really didn't like the sound of that. She sat upright. "Hey, I can be better, okay? I promise. Don't send me to juvie or -- or the state home, or whatever."
"If you'll allow me to continue?"
She shrank down in her seat again. "Sorry."
"You will not be sent to any juvenile detention center or 'state home'. We are sending you to school."
". . . I already go to school."
"Yes, and now you will be going to this one." She set a pamphlet down on the table between them, boasting the image of a bucolic looking island under the words "FANDOM HIGH". "It is my belief that you will find this environment far more suited to an individual of your . . . particular situation and talents. You will arrive on the second. Classes begin on the fourth. This is non-negotiable."
Claudia made a face and picked up the pamphlet. "You're sending me out of state?"
"Is there a reason you believe we shouldn't?"
Well, there was the whole part where she spent half her free time sneaking onto the University campus to break into her brother's old lab and sort through his notes and experiments. But no one knew about that. She sighed. "No, ma'am."
"Very well." Mrs. Frederic stood. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Claudia. I'm sure we'll see good things from you in the future."
Claudia didn't quite glare at the woman, but her smirk was somewhat . . . less than friendly. "Golly, thanks." The door shut behind Mrs. Frederic and the smirk vanished. She picked up the pamphlet and flipped through it again. "Guess it's time for a final raid on Joshua's old stuff."
Maryland could be as good a place to read up on Rheticus and hunt down Professor Nielson, right? And, hey, if all else failed she could just get kicked out again. "Fandom, huh? Hope you guys are insured."
[ooc: establishing posts, FTW!]
