"Take your stance and hold firm. Look at whatever it is in the eye and no matter what, don't flinch or give away that you might be scared." Dean spoke in loud confident tones while going up and down the two rows of students that were currently under his tutelage, stopping occasionally to linger at a student's desk that might be doodling or drawing to give a mental critique. "Your game face is a key element when facing an adversary, never forget that. Don't give 'em anything that they can use against you."
"This sounds more like a self-defense class from the local gym," Keven remarked followed by a loud laugh and a few snickers from a couple of the other football players in the class.
"There's nothing wrong with knowing the basics." The teacher's hard stare and causal remark failed to get the response that Kevin was used to from his regular teachers and effectively quieted him down for the moment. "Knowing the basics should become secondary to you all. It should become a reflexive action, as natural as breathing." He continued his walk back up the next row until he had made it back to the front of the room. "After that it becomes a skill, and then something else can move into its spot for you to learn and grow." He took a moment and looked at each of the students in turn. "Now, who would like to demonstrate a defense against a possible nesting situation?"
"Nesting? You mean Vamps?" Kevin asked excited.
"Sure, why not. Come on up Kevin."
Kevin sauntered forth and took a stance looking at the teacher with challenging eyes.
"Now pre-"
Kevin lunged toward the teach wand first. The teacher stepped aside and allowed Kevin to awkwardly try and regain his balance, then just as Kevin turned to face him again, the teacher, with a flick of his wrist froze the young man in position so that only Kevin's eyes could move in embarrassment and horror.
After giving Kevin a slight smirk, the teacher turned back to the class.
"Young Kevin here was clearly in the wrong frame of mind for this. He was trying to impress… someone or all of you, but your enemy, they won't care. The enemy will go in for the kill."
Dean continued the lesson with Kevin frozen in place. It was an effective learning tool that made anyone else considering showboating in his class, think again.
"Uh, Mr. Winchester?" Brittany's lilting infliction approached the teacher after class was dismissed.
"Yeah Brittany?"
Dean was tired and the cheerleader's voice tended to grate on his nerves a bit.
"How long does my Kevy have to be like that? Cause we have a date-"
"Oh, it'll wear off in a few minutes."
And as if on cue, Kevin became animated once again.
"Not cool man," Kevin mumbled heading out the door and leaving Brittany to retrieve his things and follow him.
Dean watched them leave and shook his head. He heard a noise and looked up to see the petite young lady with the glasses that always seemed to be evaluating everyone instead of talking to them. She had dropped a folder and was working to retrieve the pages that had scattered about. He went and helped her gather them wordlessly.
"Thanks," Daria mumbled not quite looking at him.
"You're welcome…Daria, right?"
"Yeah."
"Do you need me to write you a note or something in case you're late for your next class?"
"It's a free period, so I'm good- but thanks."
"Free period, huh? I never had any of those."
"I'm sure you created a few of your own."
He chuckled at that. She was most definitely on point with that statement.
"So what do you guys do during these 'free periods'?" Dean mused aloud. He knew what he would have been doing at that age, but he was curious to hear what she would say.
"I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I don't do anything special. Normally I either prepare for an upcoming test or find a quiet corner in the library to read or when Jane is free, we hang out."
"Mmm….."
She looked up into his skeptical eyes.
"What?"
"You're given free reign and you study? On purpose?" he shook his head. "You're pullin' my leg."
"No I'm not." Daria was only slightly annoyed that he didn't believe her. She was more curious about what he thought it was she would be doing. "I'm not Brittany, so I'm not making out under the bleachers with the QB." She defended.
"Mmm…"
"What?" her voice was showing more traces of her annoyance.
"If you say so," he gestured with his hands, though clearly not believing her.
"I'm the most boring person in the school," she admitted softly.
Dean immediately felt bad for her. As tough as she seemed, there was also a lot of vulnerability there and that last statement sounded more like an unwilling confession. Dean looked at the small framed young lady and though he didn't know why, he felt that he needed to know more about her.
"You rea-" Jane had rushed into the classroom looking for her friend, who was not by the lockers where she usually waited for her. Jane was more than a little surprised to find Daria not only still in the classroom, but in close proximity to the hunky teacher having what appeared to be a deep and meaningful conversation.
"Jane, I presume?" Dean acknowledged the young woman standing a few feet away.
"The one and only," Jane confirmed.
"See you tomorrow." Dean said to them and watched as the duo left the room.
