A/N: Hallo! The title of the chapter is from the movie "Casablanca" but is a little ironic; obviously this chapter marks the start of Jesse and Blake's beautiful friendship, but...er...they don't see it that way themselves. Enjoy!
Chapter 9 – The Beginning of A Beautiful Friendship
"Wow," Wally said in a low voice. "So this is what hell looks like." He paused, looking around the foyer. "It's really big."
Cruz flashed him a grin. "You didn't expect hell to be small, when it has to hold so many evil, stuck-up..."
"Let's keep any opinions we have about those who attend this academy to ourselves, shall we Mr. Bellasario?" Blake said as he approached the group, pocketing the school minibus keys and folding his arms. Since it was Saturday, and he was going to be cleaning, he'd decided against wearing his customary suit although being in a professional place without it felt alien. Even the teenagers' eyes had grown wide at the sight of him a pair of nondescript jeans and a dark top.
The school was empty, as was to be expected on a weekend, which only added to the eeriness and the uncomfortable atmosphere of Fell's Point. Michael wasn't lying when he said it was a large building; whenever someone spoke or made a sound it seemed to reverberate throughout the school. Blake couldn't imagine what it would sound like with a thousand students shouting as they walked from one class to another. Or perhaps the students at Fell's Point didn't shout, he thought with a little bitterness. Such uncouthness was beyond their breeding.
The sound of someone else's footprints shook him from his thoughts and Blake turned his head just in time to see Jesse approaching them across the foyer. She too wore jeans and a simple top, with her hair tied back into a long straight ponytail.
"Good morning," she said to them all with a cordial expression that was neither pleased nor angry. She gave him a nod. "Mr. Collins...I'm Director Harper," she said to the students, shaking their hands. They seemed surprised; in truth, Blake was. The last thing he had expected after their meeting was a polite welcome - he had been prepared for stiffness and attitude. It seemed she had lost her smirk along with her skirt and heels. Perhaps she had had time to calm down, he thought with some amusement. Or, which was far more likely, they were on her terms and turf now - once again she had the upper hand, and the control.
"I'll take you to the studio first," she said, turning, indicating for them to follow. "We left it exactly as you did. I thought you'd benefit from seeing it in the daylight," she said, glancing at Blake and pushing open a door that had curtains drawn across its windows. Blake stepped inside first and immediately let out an agitated sigh as he looked around the room.
He could understand why Jesse was perturbed; he remembered how he'd felt when the 410 crew had broken in a year back and completely trashed a smaller studio. The mirrors were broken, everyone of them, chairs turned up, the barré knocked over, papers scattered everywhere (where they'd come from he couldn't tell without picking one up, and he was too stunned to move) and notice boards torn down. He closed his eyes briefly before glaring at his students, who had the good sense to at least look sheepish. Jesse stood by the doorway still, face blank and without any emotion he could read.
"I'll go get you some equipment," she said clearly. "You can wait here."
As soon as she had gone, leaving them all in the studio, Blake turned to them with a furious stare.
"I can't believe you did this!" he hissed. "I am beyond disappointment and being ashamed!" He looked around again, eyes wide with shock.
"Director, we're sorry," Cruz started to say, but Blake snapped his head to him so quickly, the boy fell silent.
"Your apologies aren't good enough," he said in a quiet voice, clipped and laced with venom. At that moment, Jesse re-entered carry a mop and bucket, followed by some people. Blake frowned as they filed into the room – only two in all – the boy he recognized from the Christmas Showcase…Ben something…and a thin blonde girl, looking very glum.
"What's this?" Blake asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"This is Ben Whittcombe, and Meaghan Harrison – Spencer will be along shortly with more mops. They were responsible for harassing your students to the point of vandalism," Jesse explained. She gestured them over to stand with the other students, though there was a noticeable gap between them when then did, and Jesse herself paced over to where Blake stood. "I told you that my students would be punished. They need to learn that there are consequences to their actions," she said in a hushed voice with her arms folded. "I'm less than impressed with what happened here, but I can't deny that my students were to blame, and I'm...sorry."
Blake struggled for words. "That...sounds reasonable."
She smiled. "Do you want to talk to them or shall I?"
"We'll both tackle it," Blake said clearly, gaining his composure. "Since it's both our problem."
Jesse nodded. "Right students," she said loudly over the top of the murmurs. "Listen up. Get cosy because these are your cleaning buddies for the foreseeable future." There was a groan amongst them that was quickly silenced by both the Directors' stares. "So how about you introduce yourself and get acquainted and then I'll explain what jobs need doing."
"This is so unfair," Meaghan muttered rolling her eyes.
"Director Harper, we didn't even do this!" Ben said, waving his arms at the mess around the room. She stepped forward.
"We've been through this Whittcombe," she said in a low voice. "Your actions lead to this, and as a result you're going to share the workload. I'd also like to witness an attitude change in all of you. This is not how it works in the real world," she said, addressing them all, arms folded, as Blake watched on. "You can't get even with someone because they've upset you," she said, glancing over Michael, Cruz and Kristen. "And you can't treat people like they're a sub species, simply because they go to a different school, or come from a different neighbourhood…"
"It's just the way it's always been," Meaghan interjected.
"So that may be, Harrison," Jesse said coldly. "But that's not the way it's going to stay." She paused with a heavy sigh. "I think you'll find that people like Hitler and Mussolini had the same outlook – people who are different are less than you – and I find it disturbing that you think that's ok."
The pair looked very uncomfortable all of a sudden.
"Makes sense I guess," Wally muttered to Cruz and Kristen. "I'm a Jew, you're Italian, you're Mom is Swedish…we're the ethnic minority."
"Wolowitz," Blake warned. The boy fell into a silence one more. Jesse glanced at Blake.
"Was there anything you wanted to add Director Collins?"
"I think you covered it," he said, puffing out his chest slightly. "But I agree – I want to see an attitude change in all of you. Hopefully by the end of this all, you might even have learnt something from one another."
"I doubt that," Ben sniped, pushing his bucket around with his foot. "Unless I want to learn petty crime."
Cruz started toward him, muttering Italian, but both Kristen and Wally grabbed him and held him back. Jesse pointed a finger at Ben.
"Watch it Whittcombe. That's what got you into this mess. Your mouth. So start thinking about what's coming out of it. Don't think because Daddy's on the board I'm going to let you get away with remarks like that." Her words seemed to quell Ben slightly and he didn't say anything more. Jesse turned to Blake with an expression of exasperation. "Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to be the easiest of partnerships?"
He cocked an eyebrow. Because it was just as Meaghan had said – this was the way it had always been, and it wasn't going to change overnight. Especially when the Directors could barely see eye to eye. The door opened once more and a dark haired girl with a scruffy Ramones t-shirt and grey sweatpants on, barged through, her arms full with mops. "Where do you want these?" she asked Jesse, who seemed to wave her hand dismissively while she continued to address the group.
"Right, let's get started. None of you are going anywhere until this room is back to how it was, understand?"
They all murmured incoherent replies and the dark haired girl, who was looking a little lost, cleared her throat. "Jesse? The mops?"
"Just put them down Spencer," Jesse told her, sounding a little curt. Blake frowned. She let her students call her Jesse? How very bohemian. But the familiar tone of the girl was different from that of the others in a way he couldn't replace. Jesse turned her back on her, and began to direct the others to different areas of the room, telling them what they should start with.
"Sure thing," Spencer sighed, doing as she was told. She lay all the mops down but one and stood apart from group, propping herself up on her mop as she waited to be told what to do next. Spotting Blake, she looked at him with a searching expression and flashed him a friendly smile.
"You must be Director Collins then," she said conversationally, pacing over and sticking out a hand. "You're not how I pictured. I'm Spencer."
Blake eyed her hand dubiously and shook it, one eyebrow raised at her. "Hello."
She was smiling at him widely in an overly familiar way, as if she knew him already and yet he was quite sure he hadn't met her before. "Jesse's told me a lot about you," she added.
"She has?" he replied coldly, fighting his surprise. She was discussing him with her students? That was beyond bohemian - that was simply unprofessional. He gritted his teeth as his mind began to wonder what she'd disclosed.
"Well, not a lot. But I've been quite interested to meet you in person. I'm interested in anyone who can give my sister a run for her money. The job can't just fall to me," she shrugged, joking.
"Sister?" he found himself exclaiming before he could stop himself. The two Harpers looked at him, and sure enough, the family resemblance was immediately apparate when it hadn't been before; similar hair colour, similar jaw line, same figure. Although, their eyes were a different colour and while Jesse's features were a little sharper, Spencer seemed more baby faced.
"You didn't know?" Spencer asked, glancing at her sister with wide eyes for a bit of support.
"No. I didn't. Sister?" he repeated, accusingly.
"Yes," Jesse said glibly from where she was helping Cruz with a mop head, "this is Spencer, my sister."
"Your sister was involved," Blake said incredulously. "Now it all makes sense."
Jesse tensed her jaw, handed Cruz the mop head, and walked over to Blake, rubbing her forehead as she did so. "What makes sense?" she hissed.
"Well, firstly, your reluctance to do anything about the bullying..." he started. Jesse rolled her eyes, which surprised him, and he realised that she had finally lost her patience. The thought startled him, when she was usually so in control of her emotions, and had been so calm since they arrived. He'd been naive to think that she wasn't still angry, but looking at the room, at least he could understand why.
"You haven't got a clue," she said tersely, and he couldn't help but feel she wanted to add the words 'you idiot' onto the end. She didn't however.
"I think I understand perfectly," he started to say but she interrupted him.
"Director Collins," she said under her breath, glancing at the students who were watching interestedly. "I suggest strongly that we try to keep a united front, otherwise we're going to be a very poor example to those we're trying to correct. So anything you might want to say to me with regards to how I have or have not handled this situation, would you mind waiting until we're not being watched?"
Blake clenched his jaw and folded his arms, but didn't speak. He gave her a curt nod to which she replied "Thank you," though nothing in her tone conveyed gratitude. She brushed past her sister, quickly exiting the room. The other students were standing in a perturbed, awkward silence, wondering how on earth they should proceed. Spencer turned her head to Blake and frowned at him.
"Sorry about that."
He didn't respond.
"Just so you know - I wasn't actually involved in the bullying," Spencer said quietly. "I tried to make them stop."
His head snapped towards her with a glare. "Then why spend your Saturday here with those who were?" Blake asked, fighting the urge to replace 'those' with 'these arrogant miscreants'.
"Because, my sister is the Director and I was there," Spencer said with a crooked grin. "Even if I didn't pick on your students, it'd still look like I used Jesse to get me off the hook. Which she most categorically did not...would not. I'd rather wash windows than be seen doing that."
Inhaling deeply, he pondered her words. "You remind me of my brother," Blake said wistful smirk, thinking about all the times Chase worked unnecessarily hard - simply because he wanted to make his own way and not be seen taking favours from his brother. Not that Blake would have given him many; his viewpoint was much the same as Spencer claimed Jesse's was. Chase would have never gotten anywhere, riding off the back of opportunities handed to him. "I have feeling you'd get on well with that attitude."
"Maybe. Is he anything like you?" Spencer asked with a slight smirk. Blake looked at her with a frown.
"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that," he replied. Spencer gave him a big grin and picked her bucket up, not volunteering anything else and walking away.
XXXXX
By the afternoon, the students were working in a comfortable silence, with only a few murmurs passing between their own 'sides' but neither group conversed with the enemy unless it was to say 'excuse me' or 'can I just?' or 'please pass the sanitizer.'
Blake had done very little apart from help collect the papers and take them to a recycling bin. Jesse herself had only acted as a supervising presence; standing over the students, answering questions. She'd spoken to him twice - once to confirm the schedule that Ben, Cruz, Meaghan, Michael and Kristen would be sticking to over the next few weeks and then to tell him that she understood he must have work to do (she did, after all) so if he wanted she'd could arrange for a temporary desk to be set up in the studio when they were working in there, and a classroom for when they weren't. He'd been surprised at her offer, and only nodded in a noncommittal way. She didn't seem bothered by his lack of gratitude.
She'd left the studio briefly when everyone began to eat lunch, returning with Spencer's but nothing for herself. He couldn't help but watch her, study her - perhaps he was looking for her Achilles' heel - but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. She was calm and controlled once again, and not impolite; above all she seemed to have acquired a quiet respect from the students, even his own. Jesse seemed almost blasé - as if being here wasn't an inconvenience, just something that she was going to take in her stride - though even Blake recognised the tired eyes and the discreet yawns.
He realised, with some horror, watching Jesse must be like watching him. Absorbed, focused, the job first. Although...people seemed to like her a lot more than him. He supposed it was because she was an attractive woman and he...well...wasn't.
A man tapped on the window of the studio and beckoned to Jesse, who was perched on a chair, looking over some papers. The students, who were whispering amongst themselves, laughing quietly, stopped to look but Blake noticed that the Fell Pointer's lost interest when they saw who it was. Jesse nodded to the tall man, square in build and haggard looking, and closed the door on him. Next thing he knew, she was pacing over. Blake rose just as she stopped.
"Will you be ok with them for a while?" she asked quietly. "I know it's not exactly fair, but I won't be long." He couldn't read her expression - she just seemed expectant, waiting for his answer.
"I'm sure I'm capable," he replied stiffly. "They're hardly likely to start a riot."
Her slightly raised eyebrow seemed to say everything; Ben, Kristen and Spencer certainly wouldn't but the same level of obedience couldn't be expected from his students. He folded his arms and frowned, but her amused expression had gone as quickly as it had come, leaving a weary one.
Jesse backed away heading to the door. "I have to sort out a problem with the construction workers. I promise I'll be as quick as I can."
"Construction workers?" Blake repeated, a little coldly, with a confused expression.
"Yeah," she said, mustering a smirk, though her expression was very sombre. "For the studio that's being built. The one you think I blackmailed the Mayor for?" She left as she said it, calling out the words as she walked away, leaving Blake in the room suddenly feeling very angry.
"You're getting a new studio?" Wally asked Meaghan and Ben with a gaping mouth, having overheard their Directors.
"Yes, courtesy of the Mayor of Baltimore," Meaghan said smugly. "State of the art. It's going to be huge." Spencer sighed hard and threw the rest of her sandwich into the lunch bag in front of her. If Meaghan noticed Spencer's reaction, she didn't give it away, blinking carefully as she pulled a bagel apart with her fingers.
Spencer rose, dusting herself off clumsily and heading to where one of the bin bags they'd been filling - where Blake stood passively – to dispose of what was left of her lunch. She seemed to pause beside him again and opened her mouth to speak, but shaking her head, stepped away. Blake watched her movements curiously, and seconds later she turned and walked back to him.
"Look, I'm not bothered by all this 'my school's better than yours' stuff," she said in a low voice, ignoring his confused frown. "But my sister isn't a bad person, and she's in the same boat as you."
"I beg to differ," he retorted, a little affronted by her sudden confrontation. "Our boats are very much separate."
Spencer shrugged, brushing her hair from her face. "Whatever. But you have her all wrong." She paused, faltering a little as if debating whether or not to say anything. "She'll kill me if she ever finds out I told you, but she actually tried to get the Mayor to make the bid out to your school." Blake raised a disbelieving eyebrow and looked away; he was sick of one Harper sister playing him like a fiddle, and now it seemed the younger one was trying. But Spencer's face was open and genuine, and he wavered in his cynicism briefly.
"Right. Why don't you go and rejoin the others?" he suggested, trying to bring an end to the conversation.
Spencer sighed. "What reason have I got to lie? I reckon she almost convinced him, apart from the fact he's Meaghan's grandfather and is probably more than a little biased."
Blake's eyes darted toward the blonde girl who was now opening a yogurt. That made sense, he supposed. Looking out for one's own. He hadn't known the Mayor had connections with Fell's Point – he'd only been in office a few months. The only part that seemed unlikely was Jesse Harper giving up a brand new studio for MSA, when she had made it perfectly clear that this was a competition and she intended on winning.
Giving up the studio for a rival school didn't sound the Jesse Harper he'd grown accustomed to.
"But for whatever reason," Spencer carried on, still whispering and rolling her eyes. "She's as determined as you are to keep up this 'war' so she doesn't want you to know."
"Then why tell me?" Blake frowned.
"Because you were hating on my sister," Spencer shrugged. "Unjustly. And it's my job to look out for her, even if she doesn't want me to."
In an instant, Blake Collins was torn. Whatever he thought of her sister, at Spencer's words he had been reminded once again of Chase; that genuine, protective quality that his brother exuded by the bucket load was evidently present in the younger Harper too. She had no reason to lie, and he was erring towards believing her.
"Is that so?"
"If you can't take my word for it, ring the Mayor." Blake shook his head at her suggestion and glanced off, catching the eye of Ben who was watching them curiously and glowering so hard at him that the boy looked back to his lunch sheepishly.
"One redeeming act, if it is true," he added stiffly, "doesn't excuse the grief she's given me."
Spencer raised an eyebrow. "Oh, because you're totally guilt free." And with that she turned on her heels to return to her group. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Jesse had returned to the room, clapping her hands and declaring it was time to get back to work.
