I planned this chapter so long ago and now I have never been more attacked. As I'm writing it, I ended my summer at Zoom University a few weeks ago and will go back in about two weeks as I'm typing this AN. If I had to go through four months of summer school online because my plans got cancelled, then I'm doing the same for them.

(Yeah, as I'm publishing this chapter, who will tell her she spent all of the next school year online? And will publish this minutes before her online class.)

Intersession: The Academy Online

When Angela, James, and Daniel inscribed to Introduction to Gemology, they were elated to read that it was an online course. They couldn't wait to be on their own schedule and follow the deadlines for exams and reports, even working together. That plan flew out the window when the syllabus got released and the course had mandatory weekly online meetings. Once those criteria were known, a lot of people dropped (James almost did as well). Everyone wanted a summer vacation, not a video conference to discuss gems.

At their designated class time, everyone signs in. On their computer screens, everyone sees little squares littered across the screen with different faces since it was required to turn on their cameras, no excuses. Everyone looks tired and uninterested as they fiddle with their headphones, type on their phones, or look at their screens but because they're doing something else online. When a new person would log on, eyes would flicker to see who it is before either waving and going on their phones to text instead.

Some nerve the professor has for not showing up on time when it looks like most if not the whole class is here.

So everyone waits in awkward silence since everyone's muted. Nobody's concerned about accidental eye contact since nobody will know if they're looking at someone or if they're already being stared at.

Then, another square appears and a new student joins in. Everyone looks and James's jaw drops open when he sees Keith. Almost immediately, they lock eyes through the screen and Keith's face goes from "why am I taking this dreaded class" to "get me the fuck out of this dreaded class."

James unmutes himself. "Hi, Keith!"

Keith narrows his eyes as other people in the class snicker, all aware of James's ongoing gag. He turns off his camera and James can't wait for the next time Keith shows up to class.

It quickly became a class ritual. Other people eventually joined in on the act whenever Keith logged in.

-o-

Angela and her two group mates, Patricia and Noelle, two other students in Operations whom she's had classes with and girls on her dorm floor this past year, thought they handled their presentation on mother-of-pearl pretty well. Science wasn't their strong suit, let alone gemology, but they learned a lot and delivered an informative surface presentation.

Now they had to take in class questions which they weren't looking forward to since a lot of Sci-Tech kids had it out for them simply because they were Operations. (Not everyone since Angela's dating James and is best friends with Daniel. But some were irritating and hated her even more for those factors.)

Sci-Tech Classmate: I'm sure this subject was hard for you three to handle in a week but you managed to do it and I'm proud.

And because they were Operations, some Sci-Tech students would patronize them when they could. Some profs wonder why the Academies rarely blend and this is why. Why would they hang out with people who condescendingly treat them and talk to them in a way that implies that they're brainless? It didn't help in her group's case that they were all blonde.

Angela wasn't sure if her classmates could tell from their screens but she's seething. Her phone vibrates beside her and as the screen lights up, she sees messages from Daniel and James saying they don't even know that guy but won't be surprised if she rips him to shreds, encouraging her to do so. Angela glances at her two group mates on the screen and they're livid, even more so that their professor isn't doing anything. But maybe that'll help them.

Hell, their presentation is over. Their mark is locked in.

Noelle: Are you kidding me? That's all you have to say? Nothing about the mother-of-pearl?

Patricia: He's got to be kidding us. That wasn't even a fucking question!

Noelle: Do you even know what a question is or do I have to teach you?

Nobody in the class is stopping them from going after that guy.

"Please," Angela says, "it's hard to win an argument against a smart person but it's even more challenging to be in a conversation with a stubborn moron who has a patronizing superiority complex. We Operations students know were smart and don't have to prove it to any of you Sci-Nerds."

Angela's group mates back her up and the class is stunned silent. Angela glances at her phone and is getting congratulatory texts from Daniel and James. Even the professor can't say anything but give them a perfect grade for their presentation.

-o-

Meanwhile, James has to turn leave his computer because he didn't expect to be hot and bothered in gemology. He expected Angela to go off on that bigot but goddamn, she really did. That's his girlfriend. Hell yeah it is. He's so seeing her later now. Eventually, he returns to his professor in the middle of a lecture and calling on him to answer a question he didn't hear. His gut tells him it has something to do with infractions but he can't be sure.

"Am I dumb or did I just not want to think about that question?" James asks. He should've asked for the question to be repeated but that came out instead.

Keith: Both.

Keith's eyes widen when he realizes he wasn't muted.

James is offended but agrees. It doesn't help that Angela, Daniel, the rest of the class, and the prof are agreeing.

-o-

Xavier: Okay, mission strategies regarding teamwork. What are the basics?

It only makes sense that they're on a call together to study. Not only are Xavier, Merida, Angela, and James enrolled in a strategist course regarding teamwork but Daniel and Emily are on the call as well since they're also a part of their big team one day (and because they had nothing else to do and all their friends were on this call). It would've been a perfect time to get the whole group together but Iqadi's still grieving over her miscarriage (something that took them by surprise when they learned and despite being shaken, they'll never understand it like Iqadi and Imanu); Apollo and Britney are still unspoken for and will not be spoken about or else they'll never get to the point of this group call.

Emily: I see you, team captain.

Xavier: Stark, not helping.

Emily: Am so.

Xavier: What have you picked up on other people while you were out sipping wine?

Emily: Everyone claims to be rich but you're not really rich until you spend your wealth.

James: Facts.

Merida: I'm so glad learning abroad with rich kids has taught you so much about the world and the people in it.

Emily: Love you.

Daniel: I can't tell if what Merida was saying was sarcasm.

Merida: Neither can Merida.

Xavier: Okay, back to the basics. Someone tell me about defensive or strategic planning.

[…]

Xavier: Anyone.

Angela: It's based on visibility, space, and communication.

James: The leader and his team must be able to see and predict dangerous situations before they happen. They should respond quickly and effectively to prevent catastrophes.

[…]

Xavier: Wow.

Merida: Are you sure you're James?

James: I pulled up the textbook.

Merida: Again, are you sure you're James?

James: Daniel sent me the textbook.

Daniel: That Angela sent me.

Angela: Teamwork!

I took an Earth Science course where we touched on gemology and it fascinated me so that's why I picked that course. (It also coincidentally foreshadows an arc following PNG's wedding.)

I realized while typing this chapter that I didn't put my usual location/time subtitles. I almost added them but figured it worked better since they're all online.