The entire weekend, Bethany wasn't able to shake the conversation she had with Torrent; the words echoed in her mind like every time she looked at her paperwork for school. It only got worse when she returned to school on Monday; The grades of their students were accompanying her thoughts as she passed the other teachers in the lounge.
"...Ms. Daillo, I'm surprised you've taken so well to the danger of a shooting going on at the school." Mr. Shoover said and took a sip of his coffee, "Most people are rather unnerved by the idea."
"It's more something I'm familiar with by now, this city is has some serious crime issues." Torrent said, and drank another cup of tea, "Isn't our city registered higher than Baltimore and Chicago at this point?" "Well, yes, but the proper precautions around here are taken." Mr. Shoover said, "We have a no guns policy for the campus."
At the mention, Torrent choked on her tea but managed to laughed, and set her mug aside to continue talking. Bethany didn't really hear much of the conversation to begin with, and she stepped more toward the other tables as the two kept talking about what ever it was. She thought a lot about the students and the grades they got; they were all real? They all improved just because of how Torrent approached them? She wanted to deny the idea, but Torrent's words just ran in again, questioning if she even cares about these kids, if she doesn't even try to help them improve. She looked back toward the tigress as she spoke with Mr. Shoover, ignoring the damp stains on her shirt and drippings down her chin. She took a deep breath and walked her way.
"...Say what you want, it's a free country," Torrent said as she wiped her face with her sleeve, "I'd trust one of the knives I use to play with than a sign saying weapons aren't allowed." She saw Bethany looking at her, and smile shrunk a bit, "Oh, Hey Bethany." Before Bethany could speak, Torrent saw the time, "Let's talk in the hall, students are gonna be in the class room soon."
Bethany was quiet as she walked with her to their classroom, it started to get awkward, "So... about the students..."
"Yeah?" Torrent's words toward her wasn't the kind they usually were. "How should I help them improve in this class." Bethany said,
"Get to know them first?" Torrent shrugged, "Every kid is different. So pick someone struggling and talk with them."
"That's it?" Bethany looked at her puzzled as her ears went back, "That's all you have for advice?"
"You could just continue to pretend to care." Torrent said, her tail swiping past Beth's nose as she walked into the classroom. When class started, Torrent's tone went back to the one Bethany knew before, enthusiastic and bombastic. Bethany kept mostly to the back while Torrent taught the students, and she watched how every child seemed to hang on her every word. They loved her, and listened to her, and their grades showed they were taking in most of what Torrent taught them. Then Bethany notices the young cat near the back of the class looking between Torrent and her book in a way. Martin had his ears back as he looked between the book and his teacher. Bethany just watched for a while, the entire time of class for that matter, but when the kids were leaving, she had Martin stay back from the rest of the kids before going into the hallways. "Are you having trouble?"
__________________________________________________________________________
Sorry for the delay, I've been trying to juggle life and work.


Part 5: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/49720003/

Part 4: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/49150203/

Part 6: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/49720003/

Art, Torrent belongs to Dsizzle ( https://www.deviantart.com/dsizzle99 )

Story prompt, characters belong to  watcher12