Among the Students (MyMockingbird and Midnight Lass)

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime sat down in the dean's officer, he tilted his head to the side, trying to look at the papers on the desk, before sitting up straight. He was sure he was going insane, perhaps this was simply a pleasant, if not strange, dream he was having. The man shifted, his taller frame supported a well kept body, wrapped neatly in a fitted white button up shirt with a black tie. He wanted to be a little formal for his first day, though his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows giving but the briefest glance of tattoo. He shifted a little nervously wondering if he went to the right place.

"I'm glad you can join us," a much older man said, his hair was white and a similar light grey stubble covered his face, "to be honest, it's good to have another guy around, though, I thought you were a woman. You were marked as one on your file, and with your name....."

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Jaime said, scratching the back of his head, black hair was styled neatly on the top of a shaven face, his hazel eyes glanced at the dean from beneath thick framed glasses, "I don't know why I was marked female though, something went wrong somewhere for that to happen," Jaime with a small chuckle, doing his best not to appear like he meant for this to happen. He thought it was a regular school, it was a bit strange it was out in the middle of the woods, and a bit strange that they would also give him room and board, but he didn't think it was an all girl's boarding school. But his suspicions seemed confirmed, as he came in he saw nothing but women, and inside of the dean's office, with sunlight streaming from the window, letting in fresh woodland air, Jaime realized what he had gotten himself into.

"I trust you moved everything in alright to your new space," the dean said, adjusting his own glasses.

"I did Mr. Thresmen, thank you," Jaime said politely.

"Please, between us, you can call me Tom," the dean said with a smile, he seemed genuinely happy, whether it was by accident or not, to have another guy within a five mile radius.

"Okay....Tom. I normally teach literature, I know today is orientation with a few introductory classes taking place, should I be off to set up, are you going to show me where to go?" Jaime asked, in truth, he just wanted out of the office, the embarrassment for his blunder was eating away at him, not that he could escape it in the sea of women pointing him out. At least those were his coworkers and students, not his new boss.

"Yes, though I don't have time to show you, I have my own stuff to prepare, paper work as far as the eye can see, you understand. I'll have a deputy administrator help you out, they'll know where you need to go and when you'll need to be there," Tom said, standing from his char, he nodded his head. Jaime stood too, shaking his hand, he noted the dean seemed to put extra effort into making the handshake firm.

"Of course," Jaime said, as the dean left the room, he breathed a deep sigh of relief, at least he wasn't immediately fired or escorted off the property, he would be paid to teach for the semester, and have a free place to stay. Even if it wasn't what he imagined, the campus was beautiful, and the surrounding woods picturesque. Once he got passed the million questions about why he was the only man there, he was sure he would grow to love his new position.

 

[Midnight Lass]

There were probably quite a few men who wouldn't mind seeing Ada Thompson-Hyde in nothing but her knickers and some exotic jewelry. And one could hardly blame them. The young dusky skinned English-Indian beauty had the exotic looks and buxom figure that drew the male eye instinctively toward her. Which was all well and fine, unless one had academic ambitions, then it became more bothersome than flattering.

Which is why Dr. Ada Thompson-Hyde decided to take refuge at the prestigious, if somewhat isolated, Tasyan Academy for Young Ladies. Since the staff and administration, with the exception of the dean, were strictly women, it was the sort of place that bright, ambitious young educators flocked to. Point of fact, at 28, Ada was probably the oldest woman on the staff. Ada also held the position of Vice-Administrator, second only to the Dean, which was quite remarkable, as in any other facility, she would be a untenured junior instructor at best.

Another item of note was that Tasyan Academy was aimed at giving education opportunities to young ladies from underprivileged backgrounds so that, again with the exception of the Dean, all of the staff and students were of non-Northern European background. In addition, the admitting staff of Tasyan Academy was very strict about accepting potential disciplinary problem, so all of their students (all either high school or college age students) came from very conservative backgrounds. The instructors and staff members of the Academy usually followed suit. This led to the very statistically odd but still possible situation where, with the exception of the dean, every resident of Tasyan Academy, but faculty and student, was a virgin.

In addition, though the teachers and students of Tasyan didn't look English, Tasyan Academy was still a very English school, with its dedication to "Sport." This led to every woman on campus being very fit and it should be note that even the plainest woman on the Tasyan campus would be considered a great beauty in any other setting.

In her office, the very conservatively dressed Ada Thompson-Hyde, in her buttoned to the collar blouse and almost ankle length skirt, sat behind her desk as she waited for the arrival of the newest instructor to Tasyan Academy, not knowing that the woman she was expecting was actually going to be a man.

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime meandered a bit in the deans office before taking his first few steps towards the hall way. He stuck out like a sore thumb, standing taller than most, if not all, of the girls, his form fitting clothing and more relaxed demeanor set him apart from the conservatively dressed women, not that he needed help being set apart. He kept his eyes straight, his gaze hanging well above the heads of the girls around him. He had a simple objective, one that he kept repeating to himself in his head, "Don't look like a pervert, don't look like a pervert."

He could only imagine the thoughts in the students heads as he passed by, "How'd a man sneak in? - It's obvious why he'd want to teach here. - He's probably doing this for free." Jaime continued on, and while the deputy administrator's office was not twenty seconds from the dean, simply around a corner of the immaculately clean and polished to a shine hallway, it felt like an eternity in Jaime's mind. Still, step by step he went forward, cutting the corner, he quietly opened the door to her office, pulling it closed with the gentlest of touches.

He sighed quietly of relief, at least he was surviving, his hazel gaze turned towards the desk, than up to who was sitting at it. He paused, making sure his eyes didn't linger on any particular part, though the temptation to do so was real. The dean didn't tell him the woman he was meeting with would be the most beautiful he'd ever seen, nor did he tell him her name. He smiled politely pulling the chair on the other side of the desk and taking a seat.

"Hello, I'm Jaime, Jaime Velmeti?" Jaime said politely, he looked her in the eyes, giving a calm, polite smile, "I'm the....um....new literature teacher. I don't know what I'm doing.....here! Today! I know how to teach, but I don't know where my classroom is," he said with an awkward chuckle. In any other context Jaime might be smoother, even flirt with her, but given the situation he felt like he had to walk on eggshells.

"The dean, Tom, he said you can help me, it's a pleasure to meet you miss.....?" Jaime held out his hand to shake hers, letting it hover above her desk, closer to her than him.

 

[Midnight Lass]

Ada was looking down at the folders when someone entered her office. She was reviewing paperwork concerning the introduction of more advanced automation into the Academy's maintenance departments when Jaime walked in. "Take a seat, I'll be with you in a second," she said, without looking up, her concentration. Technically, the Dean was in charge of the Academy. In reality, the Dean served primarily as the liaison between the Academy and its board of trustees. In reality, Ada made the day-to-day decisions, as well as the budget recommendations. True, the Dean had to approve her recommendations before forwarding them on to the board, but in the two years she had held her position, the Dean had only made very minor changes in her quarterly budget recommendations before passing them on.

When the other person who had ienterd the room began introducing themselves, Ada nodded, still not looking up. The Academy had been expecting Jaime Velmeti. They were going to ease Ms. Velmeti into some of the smaller cl----

Ada suddenly froze as her brain registered the fact that Ms. Velmeti was talking to her in a masculine voice.

Ada looked up to discover that Ms. Velmeti was talking to her in a male voice because Ms. Velmeti was Mr. Velmeti!

Ada listened to Jaime Velmeti's introduction, still nonplussed. Not only was he a man, he was a fair skinned one as well, making him stick out in a campus devoid of individuals of Northern European descent, save for the Dean himself.

Ada listened to Jaime ramble on about his classroom assignment and being able to teach in literature, his primary subject. Ada knew this, of course, having reviewed his application,, as well as seconding the Dean's hiring of him. But that was when she thought he was a she. Which he obviously wasn't.

Mr. Velmeti extended his hand, in way of introduction. Ada just let the hand hang there, still momentarily shocked.

Finally Ada responded,, still not accepting the proffered hand. "Doctor Thompson-Hyde, Mr. Velmeti. I am in charge of day-to-day operations of the Academy, including faculty assignments, since Dean Thresman isn't permanently ensconced on the grounds. Point of fact, the Dean is only her for a limited time during the quarter, usually for budget meetings, greeting the new faculty and the like."

Good Heavens, Ada thought to herself, this Mr. Velmeti must have already settled in to his lodgings. A surreptitious look at her computer showed that, but fortunate happenstance, Mr. Velmeti had been assigned one of the newer faculty cottages that were isolated and set aside from the other residences and the various dormitories. Still, that didn't solve the problem of Mr. Velmeti himself.

"Mr. Velmeti," Ada began slowly, "I'm afraid there's been something of a mistake here. The Tasyan Academy has a strict policy of only allowing female faculty and students. The only exception to this rule is Dean Thresman. And since Dean Thresman is not a day-to-day fixture at the Academy, this doesn't present itself as a problem. Which, frankly Mr. Velmeti, your presence does."

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime's hand hovered idly over the desk, a blank look of calm determination on his face, "I...." he started, a confident verbal step forward, his lips prepared the other words, eyes looking directly into Ada's, ".....knooooow......" Jaime said, the word dragging on, the look of cool confidence fading away as he retracted his hand and leaned back into his chair. He supposed someone was going to tell him he didn't belong there eventually, it being her felt like the worst rejection of his life. He adjusted his glasses, composing himself with a small chuckle, sitting back up in his chair, he looked over at Ada.

"I apologize, I applied to teach here not knowing it was an all girls, nearly all minority boarding school, it was just somewhere I sent my resume too and got a promising response from. Somewhere, someone marked me down as a woman, and because of my name, no one found it suspicious. I had to move here, and didn't have the opportunity to tour the grounds or be oriented like the other teachers, I just found out today what this place really was," Jaime said, a look of understated defeat on his face, though he smiled, if anything, he could take the situation in good humor.

"I look at myself in the mirror, Dr. Thompson-Hyde, I know I am indeed very white and indeed very male. I stick out like the sorest of thumbs here, hanging my head low does little to disguise myself I'm afraid," Jaime adjusted in his chair, "I would turn tail and flee, but I'm afraid I don't have the finances or time to do so, I'm stuck here, for the semester at least, so let me make your life easy for you. Just tell me where to be, when to be there, and who to teach, and I will be on my very best behavior. If you so wish, I will hide beneath my desk between classes and you may lock me in my apartment at all other times, think of me as a very out of place mop, more tool than man," Jaime, at the very least, had a way with words given his education.

"Tht doesn't sound too bad, right?" Jaime said with a small, hopeful glance at Ada, he was sure to maintain eye contact, the last thing he needed was for his gaze to wonder with the first person who called out the situation.

 

[Midnight Lass]

"There still remains the question of whether you will actually remain on the campus or not, Mr. Velmeti," Ada replied. She waved him quiet before he protest. "I am not without sympathy for your situation, Mr. Velmeti. But I have a situation of my own to consider. I am responsible for the day to day operations of the Academy. And I have to consider the impact of your presence on the Academy. Dean Thresman may not be overly concerned, but he is not on the campus on a daily basis. I have three hundred young ladies to consider, which does not include another thirty staff and faculty. This is a group of women that I personally am responsible for. If I don't call the Board of Trustees now to ask them to remove you, I am just as responsible as Dean Thresman for any problems that occur because of you. I need to think about this for a minute," Ada added, nibbling on her thumbnail thoughtfully.

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime clenched his jaw, the last thing he wanted was for the Board of Trustees to get involved. At best, it would make his time working there that much harder, at worst, it would mean losing his job. He had to figure out a way to saw the administrator just a little, just enough to where she wouldn't make the phone call just yet. He was sure with just a week, or even a few days of him teaching, she wouldn't have a problem with letting him stay for the rest of the semester.

"Dr. Thompson-Hyde, you seem like an incredibly capable person," Jaime said with a polite smile, "I understand your concern, I do, and if calling the Board is something you feel you have to do, I won't stop you, that is your decision, but...." Jaime let his voice trail for a moment, "...there may be a few complications, and I, personally, would advise against it. Imagine how it would look on the school if they hired a teacher then fired him immediately because he was a male, going against the employment contract I sighned, and imagine what the board would say to you and the dean for hiring me in the first place," Jaime shrugged, "I would understand the decision, and I understand it was all a misunderstanding, but would they?"

Jaime leaned back in his chair, "And the girls of this school, they'll have to deal with men eventually. Having one around, just for reference or to do mock interviews with, or converse with, might be healthy. Even if I'm basically just some sort of zoo exhibit in a cage behind my desk, at least they'll get some experience in dealing with a man," Jaime argued, "and I am just one man, a well behaved one at that, I passed all the required background checks, and it would be for just one semester. I'm sure you're capable enough of keeping an eye on me, no?" Jaime smiled innocently, he hoped this would by him a little time to show he meant no harm.

 

[Midnight Lass]

Ada's eyes narrowed as they focused on Jaime. "Please do not presume to either bully or badger me, Mr. Velmeti. We have two prominent barristers, a sitting member of Parliament, and a former Senior Law Lord on this Academy's Board of Trustees, not to mention the varied Captains and Ladies of Industry and Society one expects on such bodies. I assure you, any embarrassment you presuppose that would result from the abrupt cancellation of your contract would be non-existent. And as to your removal after you've been so recently hired, my job is exactly that. To filter out any mistakes made during the hiring process. And I assure you, in the eyes of the Board, hiring you would be considered an embarrassing but forgivable faux pas. Failing to filter you out once I realized a mistake had been would be the unforgivable sin."

"And yes, the young ladies at this Academy will need to interact with their male counterparts at some point in the future. But this Academy was constructed so that, for now, that eventuality is to be put off until our students leave the grounds. And, to be blunt, Mr. Velmeti, that policy isn't to be countered by someone who just stepped foot on the grounds of our Academy. Since you weren't aware that ours was a single gendered institution, and have not seen the results of our facility's policies, how can you possibly be in a position to judge them?"

"And now, Mr. Velmeti," Ada concluded, her eyes blazing, "You will bloody well sit there and shut up while I try to think. Because one more word from you until I make my decision, one more attempt at exaction, one more smarmy demonstration of pop psychology, and you and your belongings will be flown out of here within the hour. Now be quiet while I think!"

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime paused, he honestly didn't mean to upset the administrator, he sat quiet for a few moments, his hazel eyes looking around the room as he scratched the back of his head, he looked like a scolded child, shoulders slightly up and an embarrassed smile on his face, eyes now avoiding contact like the plague. Jaime always said he could never survive a catholic school, or any strict school, and now he was talking to the de facto head of what seemed to be quite the strict school.

"I apologize," he said quietly, "I truly don't wish to be an issue for you or the school, and I don't know anything when it comes to administration, and I'm sorry if my humor was a bit..." Jaime paused, thinking of the word, "...ill advised on my part. I'm a teacher, I don't know what goes into running a school, simply how to teach at one, I imagine this sitation is as stressful for you as it is nerve wracking for myself, honestly, do as you need, I understand," Jaime explained with a healthy dose of honest humility. He sat quiet for another moment, looking around the room some more, letting the woman think as she wished.

After some time he smiled and chuckled, "Strangely, my plan for this semester was a discussion on masculinity and purpose, if you could believe it. I wanted to start with works by Hemingway, have the students read 'The Sun Also Rises' and use that to branch into a larger discussion about the affects of world events on singular humans. The discussion would have probably been more enlightening to me than the students, I could only imagine the view points in reaction to such a....I apologize, I'm rambling, just realized the irony of it," Jaime said, going back to quiet, the humor and ability to speak about a passion relaxing him a bit.

 

[Midnight Lass]

Ada caught the quiet apology that Jaime apology Jaime offered, but everything after that was a buzzing sound in the background.

Damn Dean Thresman! Ada mentally cursed. The man had so few real duties, would it have been any real trouble for him to deal with this situation? Instead, the man had dumped the problem in Ada's lap.

Ada wasn't without sympathy for Jaime's position, and truth be told, she could actually envision being able to use him for the girls who would be going to university in the outside world shortly. Still,, that sort of thing wasn't to be rushed into willy-nilly. It was something to be considered, debated, measured.

Ada stopped in mid-thought, suddenly aware of the almost deafening silence in her office. Jaime had been saying something about Hemingway, but had finally stopped talking.

"In the future, Mr. Velmeti, when I instruct you to be quiet, it is not an invitation for you to continue talking. I mean for you to shut the bloody hell up. That being said, I can possibly use you on a limited basis, in a fashion strictly determined by me, and in which I will yank the rug out from underneath you and send you packing if you so much as look at me cross-eyed. Is that understood?" she asked, looking at him straight in the eyes.

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime put his hands up almost like she was pointing a gun at him, "Of course, of course," he said with a calm yet sincere smile, he paused, a thought crossing his mind. Was he being blackmailed? She was threatening to effectively get him fired if he didn't preform to her beck and whim in a perfect way, at the very least there was something unethical about that, or was it just how all employment was? It was something for him to ponder, in the moment, it seemed, he wasn't going to get his job taken away.

"I won't talk if you don't wish it of me in the future, but conversation is the blood of life. I couldn't bare to sit in a quiet office all day, it must be dreadfully boring," Jaime said, he decided he could be a bit friendlier if she wasn't going to immediately fire him, though he didn't wish to push his luck too much, "there's so much to talk about too. Like where do you want me to go? Who do you want me to teach? Am I teaching, or am I on janitorial duties until I can earn that privilege?" Jaime's tone was whimsical, but shockingly devoid of sarcasm, in truth, he wasn't sure if he would be teaching now, "whatever fashion she saw fit" could encompass a broad scope of duty. For all he knew, she planned on him scrubbing toilets in the dark of night. Oddly, her decision wasn't far from what he was offering earlier.

"Just instruct me and I shall follow those instructions to the letter," Jaime clarified, sitting up straight almost like a soldier.

 

[Midnight Lass]

Ada rolled her eyes in resignation. The man must be physically unable to stop talking, she decided. And they say my sex is the one that doesn't know how to shut up, she thought.

Just then, a young, petite Asian women, as conservatively dressed as Ada herself, stepped into the office. The women in question looked at Jaime for a moment, then turned her attention to Ada, as if the presence of a man in an all female facility was something she encountered every day.

"Just got back from lunch, Doctor," the woman announced.

"Thank you, Susan," Ada replied, before adding, "Susan, this is Mr. Velmeti, the newest member of our literature department. Mr. Velmeti, this is Ms. Wong, my executive assistant without whom nothing will get done.

"A pleasure, Mr. Velmeti," Susan said with a slight nod of her head.

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime stood up after the young woman acknowledged him, he nodded his head in return, again, offering his hand to shake, hoping for better luck with someone who didn't seem surprised to see him, "The pleasure is mine Ms. Wong, I haven't had the opportunity to truly tour the grounds, but from what I've seen, this is an excellent school, keeping it going like clockwork must be quite the challenge for you," he said with a polite smile.

It was true, he barely able to see his apartment, and had only really seen the halls and some of the grounds, but it was perhaps one of the best schools he'd ever seen, and certainly had the privilege of working for.

"I'm hopeful I can help keep things running smoothly, Dr. Thompson-Hyde was just about to give me my first task here.....I think...." Jaime said with a hopeful glance over at the administrator. Perhaps her having a friend in the room would lighten her up some, or give her reason to push him to his first assignment.

 

[Midnight Lass]

"Actually, we were about to go see Professor Washington at the Quantus Project," Ada replied, which elicited a raised eyebrow from Susan, who had studiedly not accepted Jaime's extended hand. "Not that I wish to promote a caricature, but the individuals she usually picks each term to assist her invariably need extra work in the humanities. Hold down the fort, Susan, I'll be back soon."

"Of course, Doctor," Susan replied, then, with a nod, added, "A pleasure meeting you, Mr. Velmeti."

"With me, Mr. Velmeti," Ada instructed, as she headed out her office.

 

[MyMockingbird]

Jaime's hand, yet again, hung like a wet noodle. Though he smirked as he pulled it back, a silent goal of his would be to eventually have someone shake his hand. Was there a reason they weren't? Did he smell? Was it something only men did, and in a predominately female enviornment, was openly rejected? Was it a white person thing? In any case, his goal now was to accomplish the social task.

"Of course Dr." Jaime said with a nod, he followed Ada out of the room, giving Susan a polite nod and wave as he exited. He wasn't sure what Ada had in store for him, though she did acknowledge he's apart of the literature department, which boded well for him. He remained quiet as they went on their walk, knowing the administrator seemed to prefer silence. His eyes remained straight, putting his gaze above the heads of most around him, and his hands remained behind his back.

"Besides for my degree in education, I do have a Master's English Literature, mainly focusing on fiction, but if you need a volunteer to help tutor writing, even for standard essays, I'd be happy to assist," he said calmly to Ada, following behind her as if he was on a short leash.

 

[Midnight Lass]

Ada actually seemed to relax as she and Jaime strode across the campus, garnering more than a few looks from the students and staff that they passed.

"Actually, Mr. Velmeti, the Academy does take on a few 'crammers' for a term, young ladies in need of focused instruction prior to their entrance examinations. Since these ladies will have been the least immersed in our Academy's unique culture, my thinking is that I will let you take over their instruction for literature. And then there are the memIbers of the Quantus Project, who are invariably as eccentric as the head of the Project itself, Professor Washington. And here we are."

The two arrived at a dome building at the edge of the campus.

"I should warn you, Mr. Velmeti, that Professor Washington can be a bit...eccentric.," Ada advised.