Lesson 1: Getting to Know You

[Adele Graham]

Had this been Adele's first encounter with him, she might have really liked this man. She could already seen how he could quickly he could become a favorite, especially with his stand on exams and tests.

But no. She had to be halfway to cursing him into oblivion the day before, and was nowhere near liking him, even a little.

She looked around, praying there were no questions. She was already devising her essay... short, it would definitely not be. But he would get his essay on her social number.

[Caleb Renneau]

"As for the rest of you, if anyone decides they want to get a head start on next week's assignment, you also will be writing about your numbers and if they do or do not apply to you. Remember to use the name you go by, not necessarily the name you were given."

He nodded, "You may open your books and start. Miss Graham may I speak to you in private for a moment?" he asked motioning to the door.

[Adele Graham]

Adele looked up from her open text book, clearly not wanting to speak to this man in private. It wasn't fair, she thought, rather childishly. What could he possibly have to say to her that wasn't going to be a complete tongue lashing?

She sighed and nodded, closing her text book over a piece of parchment and standing from her seat, going outside and waiting, somewhat anxiously, for him.

[Caleb Renneau]

He nodded towards his other students assuring himself that they were getting on their assignment before he joined her outside.

One look at her and he could almost imagine what she was saying in her head. He smiled rakishly. "Is "I told you so." a little too childish?" he asked in good humor, enjoying her discomfort more than a little.

[Adele Graham]

She gave him a withering, side long look before crossing her arms. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about what to do with her hands.

"I'm sorry," she said, obviously hating the taste of the words on her lips. "But you have to admit, it was a little suspicious, and I was alone. I didn't know what else to do."

[Caleb Renneau]

He raised an eyebrow at her, keeping his wooden stance until finally he burst apart laughing. The irony of the situation was too much and one had to have a sense of humor about these things. When he was finished laughing he reguarded her honestly, "I made a blundering fool of myself yesterday, but I must admit it feels good to be vindicated from necropheliac... I don't believe they'd let you teach here if you had those sorts of...fancies." he shook his head and gave her a charming one sided grin before extending his hand, "What's say we agree that yesterday never happened?"

[Adele Graham]

Her jaw practically fell to the floor when he started laughing. Wonderful. She had a creepy stalker who was clearly mad as a box of frogs as well. What on earth could possibly be humorous in this situation?

She gave his hand the same withering look she had given him just a moment ago, and bit her tongue to keep from asking if he was crazy. There was no point, afterall. She already knew the answer.

She took a deep breath. "So you'll forget that I threatened to hex you if I let of the fact you were stalking me?"

[Caleb Renneau]

He furrowed his brows and crossed his arms over his chest, "Just what do you think of me Miss Graham?" he asked puzzled, "I know we didn't get off to the best of starts, but yesterday as you can clearly tell I wasn't stalking you, I was going to my office, my best guess was that you were going back to your own dorm."

He lowered his eyes to the floor, "As far as your consideration towards my feelings on the dearly departed, I was visiting my father. Something I haven't done in years, and am still not quite sure how to do. I saw you travel from grave to grave, and thought how pathetic was it I was in a connundrum over one departed loved one, when this war has taken so many. You were alone, you were crying, pardon my male instincts to offer a hankerchief or to see a sixteen year old girl back home safely."

His hands moved to his hips arms akimbo, " Further I do understand that I may have given you a scare the other day for which I have apologized, but if you insist upon seeing me in the worst light possible, I have no other choice than to wash my hands of the entire situation. I was hoping we both could have a new start from yesterday, seeing as how neither of us were at our bests."

[Adele Graham]

Her hands fell to her sides, and she pulled her lips between her teeth for a moment, mostly to keep herself quiet while she thought out an appropriate answer. She hated being called on her attitude.

She finally licked her lips. As she spoke, each sound sounded measured and weighed, carefully thought out. "Sir..." it felt strange to be calling someone so close to her own age sir, but he damnded the respect. "I don't know you. I made a quick judgement based in fear, and you've already proven me incorrect. So I apologize. But I would also like to point out that you don't know me either, even given your numbers."

[Caleb Renneau]

He gave her a look, "The only thing I said about you, was that you were not your best yesterday, and I qualified that neither was I. I'm taking it on hopeful authority that yesterday wasn't your best...oh bugger it..." he rolled his eyes, " I was asking for a new start Miss Graham, I'm not pretending to know who you are, my numbers included, I would just ask that we start with clean slates to get to know one another." Well as much as a student and a professor got to know one another.

[Adele Graham]

She sighed and finally nodded, her gaze dropping. "I promise I'm not the brat I'm being right now."

She had apologized as well, admitted she was wrong and judged him too quickly. What else did he want from her?

"My social number is pretty spot on," she admitted quietly, still looking at the floor. "But I guess you'll rea about that in the essay."

[Caleb Renneau]

He laughed, " I guess I will." he said softly then smiled at her. Despite what he said about yesterday, it was definitely an experience, one that would likely stay with him for a long while.

If he were completely honest with himself the girl in front of him was a challenge, but a delightful one and he was looking forward to having her in his class.

He nodded, then motioned towards the door, "After you."

[Adele Graham]

She nodded, thankful, and turned without another word. She held the door open for him to grab onto, but then she was back in her seat, trying to blend in with the rest of the class she she opened her textbook again, and began writing her essay.

She wondered how closely the numbers matched anyone else... and slowly admitted that hers did seem to fit.

[Caleb Renneau]

He returned inside his classroom and did a glance over all of his students. He liked the bunch. Hallie was quirky, but he could tell she was a sweet person. Adele was...undefinable, no matter what her numbers said. Amy as well seemed to be built of good character. Dorian he was unsure about, but the man was so quiet it was hard to tell anything about him.

Mentally he figured everyone's numbers and did a quick assessment of what Arithmancy had to say about each of them.

[Dorian Knight]

Whatever the numbers said about Ryan would be wrong, since Dorian was not a name he ever went by.

He watched with increasing curiosity as the professor and Adele came back inside the class room.

He looked down at the text book. Should he go ahead and use Dorian? Just for kicks? He shook his head and wrote out R-Y-A-N-K-N-I-G-H-T in the margins of his book and did the calculations to get to his numbers.

[Amy Icefire]

Amy sighed as the professor left the room. She might as well try to start on her homework now, rather than waiting and have undesired distractions.

Luckily for her, she loved Arithmancy, and for once she could concentrate. Picking up her quill she wrote the letters A-M-Y-I-C-E-F-I-R-E on the top of her parchment. Amy turned to her book to do the calculations to find her numbers.

[Caleb Renneau]

An interesting class, he thought as he checked the clock, and nodded. "You all have your assignments, I'll see you next week." he excused them and returned to his desk where he had been at the beginning of class. He was looking forward to getting to know his students, and hopefully teaching them to the best of his ability, preparing them for their exams.

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie was still furiously scribbling down numbers and calculations when she heard the professor dismiss the class. "Wait!" she called, raising her hand quickly. "Professor, I had a question... It seems that my character number doesn't fit me at all. But my social number and heart number are exactly the same. Is that OK? Or am I messed up or something?"

[Caleb Renneau]

He smiled at her, " It's perfectly fine Miss Monroe." he assured her. "Sometimes we find our names don't fit us at all, sometimes they're spot on, we can blame our parents for that." he teased since the numbers were never wrong.

[Hallie Monroe]

Hallie laughed uneasily. "Oh, yes... well, I've always thought my name didn't suit me... I've always wished my name was more exotic... like Veronica... but I think I'm probably more like a Susan.... I mean, what kind of name is Hallie, anyway, right?"

Oh, just shut up, Hallie, you sound like an idiot... she lectured herself. She'd had another question, but she'd already forgotten what it was.