So basically this is a story divided into two major arcs. Odd numbered Chapters will be lighthearted JxY, with verbal sparring, and Jeremie and Yumi working through issues together. Evens will be Angsty, dark and violent Ulrich centric fic, focusing on guilt, redemption and self loathing. Enjoy!
Jeremie Belpois sat alone, his body slouched in the hard back chair. He knew why he was here, but it was up to Delmas to decide his fate.
This being his fifth office run in the last two weeks, the outcome was likely to be bad.
Still, the boy genius was unworried. Regardless of his behavior, he was Kadic's star pupil, and he was unlikely to face truly severe consequences, just inconveniences.
Our protagonist decided that he would have little issue with whatever Delmas decided. It would be a minor inconvenience, another week of community service, or something similar.
As Jeremie sat in silence, Principal Delmas sat in his office, almost ready to tear out what little hair he had left. Belpois was his best student, and frankly, his grades made Kadic's look good. However, Jeremie was also his worst student, as he had allowed his position in the class to go to his head. He rarely payed attention in his classes, and Delmas was being pressured by his staff to discipline him more severely. On top of belligerence and outright defiance of school rules, Delmas also suspected Jeremie of the various computer based pranks that had plagued the school. Nothing made a morning worse then coming to work and finding the electronic clocks all set ahead four hours, and the auditorium sound system blaring obnoxious music at random intervals. While he had no proof, Delmas saw nothing but guilt in Jeremie's smug expression. Still, doing something drastic meant losing the generous grant that the Belpois family provided.
Delmas sighed. It seemed he had no choice. He would offer he boy an choice.
Jeremie looked up from his laptop as Delmas exited his office, his hands laced behind his back. At first, Jeremie smiled smugly, but his expression soon changed to slight concern as the principal began to speak.
"Jeremie, on account of your academic standing, you have avoided real punishment. Half of my faculty wants you expelled, and I can not ignore them for much longer."
Delmas paused, then continued.
"Therefore, I am giving you a choice. Kadic recently launched a student driven therapy program, for the aid of troubled students. As the sadly now retired Miss Campbell can attest, you seem to have an automatic dislike of adult counselors. As such, I believe that you could do better in a student controlled environment."
Jeremie stared at Delmas as if the man were spouting gibberish. Surely he understood the futility of this gesture. Drawing himself up arrogantly, Jeremie Interrupted the principal.
"What happens if I refuse your generous offer?"
Delmas sighed, already hearing the belligerence creeping into Jeremie's tone. He had hoped Jeremie would just agree, but it seemed that that would be too easy.
"If you refuse, you will face immediate and permanent expulsion."
Jeremie paled. He had never expected Delmas to go this far, confident that his money and family name would protect him. Expulsion was absolutely out of the question, and it seemed that he would have to go along with Delmas' little plan. He grimaced.
Delmas, seeing that he had won this round, breathed a sigh of relief. Jeremie might be a bit of a problem child, but by no means was he stupid. The boy knew where to pick his battles.
"When," said Jeremie with obvious distaste, "does this charade begin?"
Showing no reaction to Jeremie's words, Delmas informed him that his course would begin the next day, a Monday. Jeremie nodded his assent, inwardly fuming. Someone would pay for this, but for right now, retreat seemed the best option.
Taking his leave of Delmas, Jeremie grumbled, schemed and planned the whole way back to the boys dorm.
In his office, Jean-Pierre Delmas collapsed into a chair, releasing the breath he had been holding. While only a stopgap, he could hold off ruining Jeremie's life, and consequently his own, for at least another week or two.
The next day, on threat of expulsion, Kadic's resident genius showed up in front of Room 21, his laptop case held securely, an extension of himself. Steeling himself for an oppressive, "therapeutic" environment, he raised his hand to knock on the door. A moment later, it opened, and a face appeared in the doorway.
The first thing Jeremie noticed was the lack of "therapist" vibes this person was giving off. After all, an all black wardrobe, bared midriff, and combat boots were not something that one expected from a therapist. Though Jeremie judged himself an excellent judge of character, this enigmatic figure was utterly a mystery. Then, in a flash, it occurred to him. He was not the only person Delma's had in therapy. He was to be subjected to the horror of horrors.
Group Therapy.
Jeremie suddenly became aware of the girl in black. She was staring at him as if he were crazy. Of course. Internal monologues took place in real time, and obviously, he had been standing in the doorway for an awkward length of time.
The girl in black stared a moment longer, before finally asking,
" are you coming in, or not?"
Jeremie nodded, before brushing past her, stepping into the room proper. A few other kids sat in various desks, writing, drawing, or talking quietly. Jeremie recognized a few of Kadic's more prominent problem children, and gave Delmas a few more points. Whoever he had hired, they were good at what they did.
Of course, the person in charge was not hard to miss. Dressed in pastel pinks and khaki, she seemed to be everywhere at once. She presided over be charges in a non intrusive manner, and unless she was needed, the students seemed almost not to notice her.
Still, Jeremie recognized the various areas of trouble, and he had no doubt that they noticed him too. The black haired girl glared at the women with thinly veiled dislike, and an olive clad young man in the corner radiated hatred and disgust like a visible cloud. Deep, ugly wounds stood out on his wrists, and Jeremie made a mental note to avoid him.
That left the goth. If this was group therapy, Jeremie needed allies. Delmas had gotten him here, but that did not mean that Jeremie intended to spontaneously bear his soul to a pink haired social worker, regardless of any skill she demonstrated.
Jeremie was startled from his silent observation of the class, by the tinkling of a small bell. The pink women stood at the head of the class.
"Alright," she said, clapping once, "does anyone have anything to share with the group?"
Jeremie pulled a chair from the wall. This would be interesting. Most of the students raised their hands, with only olive, and goth holding back. Goth looked at the women with hidden amusement, and olive stared sullenly into the wall. Jeremie got the feeling that if looks could kill, the wall would have burnt down to nothing.
Turning his attention back to the therapist, Jeremie watched with no small humor as a much more conservatively dressed Elisabeth Delmas stood at the front of the class. From the sound of things, she was giving a resolution about bullying, and judgement. Shockingly enough, she even sounded sincere.
Jeremie needed none of that. Turning slightly, he caught goth staring at him. With a flick of his head, he indicated olive.
Goth shrugged her shoulders, black fabric bunching and unbunching. She indicated Elisabeth, rolling her eyes. It seemed like they were in accord. Neither expected her resolution to last more than a week.
Just a Elisabeth's resolution came to a close, the class change sounded, and for the most part, the students exited the room like any other class, saying goodbye to friends and teacher, before streaming through the door. Jeremie also left, but with no farewells.
Already on his way to his next class, Jeremie was very surprised when goth fell into step with him. Still, she seemed different, and along with olive, seemed to be one of the few students with any sort of interesting features.
"So," said Jeremie, "what are you in for?"
Goth smirked, before replying
"Vandalism, Truancy, lack of respect, you name it. You?"
Jeremie laughed a bark of angry laughter.
"Disrespect of staff and disruption of school property."
Goth winced exaggeratedly, laughing in the same manner.
"So how about a name? I'm getting tired of thinking of you as glasses."
Jeremie smiled mirthlessly, before extending his hand to his fellow inmate.
"Jeremie Belpois."
His compatriot in torment laughed, obviously knowing the name.
"You the one behind the sound system last week? Word on the street is that you pulled it off, right under Jim's nose."
Strangely at ease, Jeremie grinned back, replying affirmative.
Goth laughed, then extended her own hand, introducing herself as Yumi Ishiyama.
"Well," said Yumi, "as fascinating as this conversation is, I've got a class."
Jeremie nodded, deep in thought. It seemed as if he had an ally.