Disclaimer: I don't own.
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"Mister West?" The question was expected, the students at the Hollywood school for the performing arts, or Hollywood Arts to those who had to say it all the time, were not the kind to just let a moment like this slip by.
"What is it, Art?" The man found it funny when Arturo asked questions, and not just because his nickname was literally Art. Somehow, the Hispanic man had mastered the asking of obscure or odd questions, something the drama teacher found useful in helping his students get out of their own ways.
"Any chance Miss Vega will be by this week?" Arturo, a heavyset young man who was still a surprisingly good dancer, even if his biggest acknowledgment of his body type was to get a group of friends to line up to stumble and fall over after he performed a running handspring flip. The boy used humor to hide his insecurities, but was as agile, and energetic, a dancer as they could hope to find.
"Sigh, we don't control her schedule." Mister West reminded his students. "Any questions for the guest?" He gestured to the Asian woman sitting next to him in the front of the class.
"No, where good." Kyle, the cool kid who functionally ran the main kids of his grade said. They were the kids who sang all the songs, got all the leads, and everything seemed to revolve around. He was everything his peers could expect him to be, mature, calm, controlled, and giving as a friend. "Any chance we might get to ask your sister a few questions?"
"Not since someone asked her the nature of her relationship with Miss Vega's sister." The teacher said, turning to look back at their guest. "Sorry, I'm fairly well connected, so they don't know the value of what you bring."
"Not everyone values a social outreach coordinator." Miss Chau replied. "I've worked with some of the best, and let me tell you, a strong social media presence can only help. However, you have to stay on top of which social media might work best for you. Like your Miss Vega. She doesn't bother with much in the way of social media, except for an original purpose most people forgot, staying in contact with friends. Her occupation, as a style coordinator for a major talent agency, makes her someone who's work is seen everywhere, on the socials of celebrities across the nation, so she doesn't have to advertise. Quite the opposite. Celebrities vie with each other to be seen with, photographed with her, sporting styles she's recommended. I admit, many of her so called close friends, they have their own styles, and can ignore her, but for most, it's a survival skill."
The woman turned back to the class. "Take his sister, if we can." The room drew silent, waiting to hear what this woman could possibly say about the rebel of the Horror genre. "We all know she went dark on social media after she learned she'd never win any of her fights, and lets be honest, Jade West would explode if she didn't have someone to fight. But at the same time, her socials are mostly whatever, because he brand is not caring."
"She cares about…" Someone started.
"Kaysee, stop." Art interjected. "There's a difference between not caring, as is you can say whatever about them, and other then a psychotic need to fight, you just don't seem to care, and not caring about the world. Jade West just doesn't have any F's left to give, and we know it. It makes her cool, and it means, whenever she comes out with a new project, which is like three times per year, sometimes more, we eat it up. Girls is too cool for school."
"And yet she was an A student." Mister West took control again. "Yes, we all know about Jade, and trust me, in many ways, she just got worse once she figured out how to monetize it. In others, she'd better. Like, I'm told her blood pressure is way down now that she's limited her social media posts. However, I know better than to ask her for any favors, cause we all remember what happened the one time she agreed to talk to one of my classes."
Kaycee turned to Art. "See, there's a difference between having half the school show up, and having half of Los Angeles show up."
"I heard it wasn't that bad…" Art tried.
"Oh, yea, she wasn't that popular yet." Mister West said, once again trying to wrest control of his class back. "That was my senior year here, cause dad discovered he'd not get a better education cheaper. However, my big sister, fresh off of her first profit bomb, back when making horror films were what made you a horror filmmaker, she showed up here to be my presentation for a class, and things ballooned…"
"And yet you chose to be a teacher." Kaycee sniped.
"Kay, down." Kyle snapped, and the girl backed down. She knew when to challenge her boyfriend, and when he was serious like this, she knew enough to let him have the wins.
'Besides, it makes him look so in control and… Sexy…' Her mind reeled.
"Sorry about… Her." Kyle told the educator.
"Beck used to say that a lot, about my sister." Mister Jasper West said. "Then again, Tori Vega, pop princess turned Influencer, she would say that about her sister, and we all know who that is." He chuckled. "At least Trina likes to give back. Just glad the general public has no idea who she is, just anyone who is anyone, and everyone who could help make you anyone."
"And Beck would be…?" Arturo wondered.
"Beck Oliver." The instructor heaved a huge sigh. "You know, part of Oliver and Shapiro, the comedy troupe."
"Yea, I've heard of them." Someone murmured.
"Sorry, Miss Chau, my class really can make good use out of what you can teach." Mister West continued. "They've just been spoiled."
"Like I was when you got the infamous queen of nightmares to cook me dinner?" The Asian woman asked back.
"Technically, she cooked us dinner." The now nervous instructor said, looking at the clock. 'Not enough time for this to be too big an issue, but me dating, that's hardly the big news. Jade can cook. That might just make headlines. Just glad Trina saddled her with a love life she wants to keep secret, cause Tori, as much as she's on line, she's never admitted to nailing my sister. Oh well….'
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Yes, Jade got family. What do you think? I love the idea that some of them get to have sibling, though I know they hinted at siblings for Robbie, Cat, and that was it. So, review, and let me know what you think of mister West.
