[center] [h1][color=9e0039]Bonds of Friendship[/color][/h1] [img]http://i.imgur.com/Fb1UXSA.png[/img] [img]http://i68.tinypic.com/33k63bc.jpg[/img] [img]http://i68.tinypic.com/mhf02b.jpg[/img] [h3][color=9e0039]Angélique Lachance[/color] | [color=f7976a]Fredric Francisco[/color] | [color=a187be]Allison Revel[/color][/h3] [color=silver][hr]𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝟟𝕥𝕙, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘 / / 𝕌𝕊𝔸ℝ𝕀𝕃ℕ ℂ𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕦𝕤 / / 𝕃𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 ℍ𝕒𝕝𝕝 ℤ / / 𝟙𝟙𝟝𝟘 [hr][/color] [sub]Collab made by[@Riffus Maximus] [@Baklava] [@VarionusNW][/sub] [/center] Allison Revel was not having the best morning. She was barely able to get breakfast and a shower before she was escorted to a classroom by armed guards, and worst of all, her stigma seemed to be acting up today. Allison made a beeline for the back row of seats, disappointing to find that only one of the back-most seats remained, and it was in between someone Allison had never seen before and the boy who Allison remembered for being annoying days prior. Angel was only a few seats away, but she was surrounded on all sides, leaving Allison virtually stranded in a sea of people she barely knew. Over the next several minutes, Allison found herself barely able to focus on the introductions of Mr. Francisco and Rosa, only somewhat rising from her thoughts when their requested items were being delivered, and only enough to acknowledge the items being handed to her. There were too many people around. Allison felt hyper-aware of their presence, every breath, mutter, or slight movement set her brain off into a flutter of fantasies. If it wasn't for human decency and the fact that she didn't know most of them, Allison would have pinned the first person she could grab to the floor. The actual classes didn't fair much better. Though the material was pretty easy, Allison's lack of focus made even following it a monumental task. By the end of the English lesson, Allison could tell you a three-part science fiction smut epic about Siena and Chris before she could remember what had just been taught. All she knew was that it was time for lunch, and food was always a good idea. Allison also had an urge to talk to Angel. She was sure it was just the stigma talking, it had to be, but she decided to follow it anyway. Before Allison could even rise from her seat, though, the metal-head had already rushed out of the door. Allison pursued as fast as she could, jumping from her chair and bolting through the door after Angel. ___ Racing out of the classroom, Angélique had another idea in mind. While Christopher might be Aaron's roommate, he probably didn't know much of what had happened either. If the school was really involved by segregating her friend from the initial group he came from, she was damn sure they wouldn't reveal their reasons to the students. And that is why, as reckless as it sounded in her head, she had to ask personally to someone directly linked to the school's administration. The young woman's eyes immediately followed the man that was supposed to be in charge of her group - Frédérique? - who had just got out of the classroom a few seconds before she did. It wouldn't hurt to try and ask the guy if he knew anything as to why Aaron wasn't with them today. Unlike normal school, Angel doubted the soldiers here would simply leave a teenager to his room if he was sick on his first day at USARILN, simply judging by how everyone was brought up in the classroom. Decided on her course of action, Angel chased after Frederico, who had taken the lunchroom's opposite way. When she caught up to him, he was down the hall from the classrooms, accompanied by four guards surrounding. Damn, is that guy that dangerous of a Subnatural, or did he made a lot of enemies out of the students? Surprisingly, that wouldn't have surprised the black-haired Aberration. Being part of the establishment's staff despite being a Subnatural, it sounded like preferential treatment to the younger members of this institute, or a scheme to gain the student's trust. Still, despite not trusting the guy, she required information from the man, and was willing to cast aside that lack of trust in order to find out her friend's whereabouts. [color=9e0039]"Yo! Mr. Freddie? Mind if we talk for a bit?"[/color] Fredric stopped and turned slightly, quirking an eye brow before his face lit up with recognition. [color=f7976a]"Ahh, Miss [i]Angélique[/i] Lachance!"[/color] he smiled brightly, fully facing her with his hands in the pockets of his coat. The four guards stopped moving and also turned to face her. [color=f7976a]"I'm always down for a chat! You've got something to ask me?"[/color] he said excitedly, staring down at her with unreadable stormy blue eyes. [color=9e0039]"Yeah, I do..." [/color] Angel hesitantly stopped, her gaze switching between each of the four soldiers that were accompagnying the guy in charge of their classroom. While the guards' presence didn't intimidate her as much as they should be, she was feeling sort of unwell to speak of matters concerning her friend in front of those watchdogs. [color=9e0039]"Think we can have this discussion in [i]private[/i]?"[/color] The Aberration young woman's gaze shifted to the guards once more. Fredric leaned forward with an almost mockingly serious expression, eyebrows raised and lips pursed forward with seemingly genuine curiosity. He followed her gaze towards each of the surrounding soldiers. [color=9e0039]"And no, I don't plan to bomb the prison. I just want to know something about a classmate."[/color] His face broke back into a wide grin as he turned his gaze back onto Angel. [color=f7976a]"Oh, that's just Jake, Ryan, Cameron, and Paul. You heard the lady! Can we have a moment, s'il vous plait? I'll meet you fellas inside."[/color] His eyes never left the girl's face as he requested that they move on without him, which they did without question. The two waited in silence until the men rounded the corner. Fredric returned to his upright position, which only further emphasized the man's staggering height. [color=f7976a]"You're wondering about Aaron Erikson,"[/color] Fredric said, his voice and expression betraying no emotion, [color=f7976a]"Is that it?"[/color] [color=9e0039]"Am I that obvious? Well, given the circumstances, I'm not surprised. Am I right to assume you know of something? Please, tell me he didn't get himself into trouble." [/color] Bit by bit, Angel's hardened face softened up, her expression turning from a smug mocking facade to something more concerning, obviously worried. By the time the guards were not in sight, her tough girl acting almost faded away, but her strong will remained, burning with a passion to look out for the people that were close to her. [color=9e0039]"I've got to know! It's no coincidence he wasn't with us all morning long. And this burst of activity from the guards, I haven't seen anything like it ever since I came here. What happened to my friend?"[/color] Fredric gave a long sigh, glancing over her head at nothing in particular. [color=f7976a]"Boy, there sure are a lot of Nancy Drews in your bunch, aren't there?"[/color] he half smiled at her. His eyebrows knit together apologetically, [color=f7976a]"Sorry, dime. I can't help ya."[/color] [color=9e0039]"Nancy what? Why? How? You must know something! It's your job supervising our classroom, right? Why can't you just at least say something beside the fucking 'can't help ya' gimmick?"[/color] Angel started being very persistent, somewhat desperate. If Fred couldn't say something to her, who else could she possibly turn to for finding out the truth? His apologetic smile only widened. He winced and sucked a bit of air between his teeth at the sight of the upset teen. He sighed again, shaking his head. [color=f7976a]"I'm going to strongly advise you reconsider trying to find the answer to that question of yours, Miss Lachance. I know your upset, but that's how it's gotta be."[/color] Throughout the discussion, Fredric's smile was getting on the Aberration's nerves. She was coping with it, but now that he flat out rejected her request, she couldn't hold her feelings anymore, anger that had been boiling up deep inside began to surface. [color=9e0039]"I fucking knew I should've known better than to ask one of you higher-ups! [i]THEY[/i] have been right all along! I shouldn't trust any of you institute lapdogs, no matter if some of you are the same as us!" [/color] Angel snapped. Her voice had risen into considerate levels, not enough for actually screaming, but it was loud enough for everyone in the surrounding area to hear her outburst of anger, her tantrum amplified by her voice-enhancing power. While her face showed fury like she rarely exhibited, her clenched teeth and shaking fists showed she was struggling with something, as if she was fighting back something. [color=9e0039]"Trust me. I'm going to figure out what happened, without your help. Thanks for nothing, [i]sir[/i]."[/color] She hissed, the last word she pronounced spat like venom. His contrite smile remained, never missing a beat. The black-haired X-marked turned her back to her would-be class supervisor and started running at the opposite direction. Just as she left, Fredric's quartet of guards came bounding around the corner, rifles at the ready. The staff mage held up his hand, signaling for them not to follow. He chuckled solemnly, shaking his head one last time at the Angel's disappearing visage before continuing on his way down the hall. Allison Revel pulled her head away from the corner, and pushed herself up against the wall. She had just wanted to talk to Angel, and now she felt like a spy, or a voyeur of some sort. Her cheeks were hot at the thought. She had seen something not meant for her eyes. If only it was something more than just Angel questioning the disappearance of their former teammate, like Freddy pinning Angel down, and... Allison shook the thought away. Her stigma had been getting worse as the day progressed. She needed to deal with it. Why did she want to talk to Angel so bad, anyway? It was just the stigma talking, right? Allison couldn't think straight, she never could. Her mind was battling with itself. Angel was looking for Aaron, so why was Allison not instantly willing to help? Aaron was kind of plain, there wasn't much to the guy, even if what was there was decent. He could also be dead, or dying. What if he was being tortured in some sick, secret underground room, and if they didn't save him in time, he would die? It was a far-fetched assumption for sure, but it was the best reasoning Allison could come up with to want to help Angel find Aaron. Allison realized that an aberration pressed against a wall was oddly conspicuous. What would she do if anyone came down that hallway? She immediately removed herself from the wall, and started moving away from the hall that she had been eavesdropping on. What would she do if Angel came around that corner, and ran towards her? How would she explain being in a random hallway, but leaving her things in the classroom? Allison hoped that Angel would run in any other direction. But as fate would want it otherwise, the two students' meeting was inevitable, as Angélique took a sharp turn onto the corner Allison had been watching from a few seconds ago. Blinded by anger and running as fast as she could, the ex professional musician couldn't see who was slowly walking off the corner of the wall, nor could she stop when she was unknowingly about to run into her friend. The impact was quick and brutal. Angel had rammed into Allison with enough force to send the peeping girl onto the ground, and the shades-wearing young woman tripped onto her, lying on top of the other girl in a confused daze. Angel's shades were knocked off her face, falling next to Allison's head. Lying on top of Allison for a few seconds, Angélique regained her sense and groaned loudly, rubbing off the slight pain from her nose. [color=9e0039]"W-what the hell... Allison? You alright? I-'m sorry... I wasn't looking where I was going..."[/color] she apologized as her bright emerald eyes stared in confusion at her friend's face. Allison's mind was melting. One moment she had been eavesdropping, and now Angel was right on top of her. Allison's face was impossibly red, her breathing shallow. She could barely process the scene. The thoughts in the back of her head overran her, speaking up before she could silence herself. [color=a187be]"I'm better than alright."[/color] Allison's eyes were glazed over, as if she was off in some distant dreamland. [color=9e0039]"Good...good."[/color] Angel got off Allison after shaking off her mild confused state. Getting up on her feet, she extended a hand to the prone girl she had run into. At the same time she was reaching to Allison, Angélique seemed to look around around her, one eye firmly shut while the other was squinting. [color=9e0039]"Where the fuck did they fall..."[/color] She mumbled lowly. Allison was visibly disappointing when Angel got up, though she did manage to get herself somewhat under control after rising from the floor herself. Angel was squinting and seemingly looking for something. [color=a187be]"Did you drop something?"[/color] Allison looked around at the floor. [color=9e0039]"Mhm..."[/color] Angel simply nodded, spotting something black by Allison's feet. She picked it up, sighing in relief as it appeared to be her shades, still in good condition. She didn't lose any time putting them back on. It instantaneously felt right, her vision turning from blurry to clear, her eyes feeling less strained. [color=9e0039]"Sorry again, for bumping into you. You'll have to excuse me, but I have something to take care of. I'll see you later at class."[/color] Angélique gave a friendly pat on Allison's shoulder before setting off once more, towards Ground Zero. Her sudden encounter with Allison may have dampened her furious mood, or at least she tried to hide this ugly part of herself to her friend, but the rage still remained. The desire to tear something apart simply by screaming at it, at him, was still pounding inside the back of her mind, further accentuated by the voices that were almost practically yelling insults and taunts all the while, seemingly agitated by this event. At first, she didn't want to admit it, as it felt like giving into those destructive desires, but the 19 years old Aberration eventually felt the need to sate these impulse, before they drive her into committing unforgivable accidents. She needed to be away from everyone else, to a place she could vent her unbridled fury safely. [color=a187be]"Wait!"[/color] Allison exclaimed meekly, stepping towards Angel and putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. [color=a187be]"I... I was actually looking to talk to you. I was wondering if you wanted to... hang out... or something."[/color] Her voice seemed to wane as she spoke. She wanted to say something more bold, but whatever sensibility was left in Allison had other plans. [color=9e0039]"I don't know, Allison. I..."[/color] Angélique was at a loss of words as she reached out for Allison's hand on her shoulder with her own. She kept trying to find excuses to leave and vent her frustration all be herself, but all it accomplished so far was to make her even more frustrated. Hearing her friend telling her she actually wanted to speak and hang around with her, she just couldn't ignore her. Not that it had been so long, having hanged out with the others for a few days recently, but her old lifestyle was sort of lacking in thus kind of social activities. Actually, ever since she came here, she had never been so active into forming real close relationships. [color=9e0039]"Alright then... Follow me."[/color] Angel beckoned after a moment, figuring out that she might as well kill two birds with one stone, given Allison's proposal. Sure, she had to compromise with her plans, but what kind of friend would she be if she turned her back to someone she cared about? As they walked out of the building and headed south towards the eerie-looking devastated part of the city, Angel turned her head to Allison, readjusting her shades that seemed to have gotten some slack ever since the small accident a few minutes ago. [color=9e0039]"So, what did you wanted to talk about? You seem... at unease or something. Is there anything bothering you?"[/color] [color=a187be]"I don't think there's anything that hasn't been bothering me recently."[/color] Allison looked down at her hands, clasping her hands together as she walked. [color=a187be]"I guess it's less that there's something I want to talk about, and more that I just wanted someone to talk to. You're the first person that I can really consider as a friend in this place."[/color] [color=9e0039]"Yeah... lots happened, and keep happening." [/color]Angel replied, reminiscent about the current events and the past week. Truly, this had been an emotional rollercoaster, and mind-wrecking experience. Still, here there were, still living and forging deep bonds from this misfortune. The raven-haired girl's heart fluttered when Allison told her that she was considering her a friend. She rarely had anyone saying those words to her. [color=9e0039]"Guess crying on each other's shoulders bonded us, huh?"[/color] Angélique chuckled at this perspective, remembering their first meeting. [color=9e0039]"I... I'm glad to hear it. You are also someone I deeply care about."[/color] Angel's face slightly reddened after saying those words, a bit embarrassed. She wasn't used to speaking to someone in this way, but her outgoing personality had no problem opening her heart to others. Eventually, the girls reached where Angel initially wanted to go. Ground Zero. As the two X-marked they were, it took little time for the guards to let the subnaturals go through the gate to the ruined part of the city. At this time of the day, there were but a few students at this place, most likely because it was lunch time, whether half-crazed or a sane student. Angel had led Allison to the building she had trained with Siena a few days before. Astonishingly, the building that both girls had taken pleasure in ruining was still here, in the same condition it was before the Arbiter and Aberration duo took a shot it. [color=9e0039]"I haven't had the opportunity to see what you were capable of during the last battle. What exactly can you do?" [/color] Allison immediately summoned the shard, letting it extend to only about a foot. She shoved the blade into the nearest wall, making random slices into it with ease, causing several chunks of wall to topple to the floor. [color=a187be]"That... is about half of what I can do, I guess. Can't cut anything living."[/color] Allison was already feeling her head start to clear. This was her first time at Ground Zero, and she definitely found the idea of place you could recklessly destroy without consequence interesting, to say the least. At the very least, Allison could numb her urges and free her mind for a bit. [color=a187be]"It only lasts for a minute at a time, so..."[/color] The shard shattered into dust as Allison spoke. [color=a187be]"I'll have to wait 3 more until I can bring the thing back."[/color] She sighed and walked away from the small pile of rubble. [color=a187be]"Never thought cutting into a wall would feel that good."[/color] Angélique watches Allison cutting through the concrete wall as if it was mere paper. Half of what she could do? There was some potential into her powers, she figured. Not being able to slice through living matter appeared mundane, but being able to cut into any kind of non-living matter was incredibly useful, in Angel's opinion. [color=9e0039]"I see... That's a cool ability, although the limit is kinda harsh."[/color] Angel analyzed, actually really interested to know about her abilities. Angel reminded parts of the information that had been pinned on Death and Taxes. During their physics class, after being done with reading over everyone's profile Angel had requested, she had spent the class' duration reading about USARILN and the subnaturals. There was a lot of useful information to know, especially about X-marks and their stigma. [color=9e0039]"Have you gotten the chance to read over that Death and Taxes chatroom thing? Apparently, we [i]Aberrations[/i] find some kind of peace when destroying stuff. Sates our destructive impulses, I believe. I can tell, it's no bullshit. Went here the other day with Siena. Blew that building up together. Felt fucking great afterwards."[/color] After Allison was done with the wall, Angel approached the building, faced the area her friend had just sliced into, and started shouting at it. There was a lack of power into her scream, due to the relaxed state she had been while chatting with Allison. But as it went on, as she used her power, it was as if the nagging frustration that she went throughout the day pent up, until it properly channeled into a devastating shriek. Her screaming power not powerful enough to actually punch through concrete, she did however sent parts of the wall flying into the building mainly due to Allison weakening the structure with her earlier slashes. Allison covered her ears as she watched Angel scream at the wall, retreating to a safe distance as Angel quickly increased the volume. Angel's screams were horrifyingly loud, and Allison knew that better than just about anyone. She wouldn't want to be on the recieving end of those screams. Angel was clearly powerful, knocking away chunks of wall with just her voice. Allison imagined what it would be like to have a power like that. Could she have stopped him? Could she have saved them? Could she have stayed away from USARILN? No. If it wasn't for the shard, Allison would still be his. The shard gave Allison her freedom. Though, it also took everything else away. Allison let the wave of thoughts consume her as she watched Angel scream at the building. The more she screamed, the more Angel was reminded of the earlier conversation she had with her classroom’s supervisor. The moment she was having with Allison, it had made her mostly forget about the reason she wanted to come here for. The anger, the rage, and the havoc she felt compelled to achieve in order to calm down. She could see now the smug, fake-ass smile that the dude had been giving her all the while they were speaking. Not giving a shit about how she felt towards a friend that had disappeared. [color=9e0039]“Hypocrites, assholes, two-faced liars!”[/color] She shouted before letting out another ravaging shriek, chipping away the hole both her and Allison made, making it progressively larger. Clearly, wrath was fueling her powers, and it was reciprocal. Her emotions was like a curve. The more she used her abilities, the more she was recalling of all that she had witnessed, and the more angst she was building. By the time she had let out half-a dozen screams, Angélique coughed and panted. By then, she had vented most of her anger away, as shown by the ever-growing hole onto the building’s wall. Clearing up her throat, Angel turned to Allison, who had been silent for a while, standing a few ways off at a safe distance. [color=9e0039]“Hey! How about… you show me… everything… you got? You said that… was only half… of what you… could’ve done, right?”[/color] Angel gasped and coughed mid-sentences. [color=a187be]"Well, yea. Do you have another scream in you?"[/color] Allison said, as she shuffled back towards Angel. [color=9e0039]"I... believe I do. If I can still talk, I haven't screamed... enough to stop. Just need to catch my breath."[/color] Angel answered, coughing up one more time as she tried clearing her throat. [color=a187be]"Alright, I'll give you a moment, then. You sound pretty rough. Who knew screaming a bunch could hurt your throat?"[/color] Allison started pacing around the area, occasionally picking up small rocks and chucking them at the side of the building. [color=9e0039]"Yeah... perks of using... your actual voice... as your power. I don't have to wait... like some of you guys... do. Limited to how much... my vocal cords... can take however."[/color] Angel wheezed through. Taking a few shallow breathes in, the black-haired girl regulated her breathing, taking in the moment of silence to ease up her throat. Then, when Allison was far enough away from her, tossing rocks at the building, Angel took a step back, and shouted upwards. This time though, whatever sonic wave she usually emitted wasn't produced where she was shouting, but rather around her, as shown by the dust being swept and kicked up all around Angel. [color=9e0039]"Oh fuck... did that felt great."[/color] She coughed up again. Her mind, however, felt at ease now, the voices in her mind somewhat quieted down, now mere whispering instead of pounding yells. Allison ran up to Angel as soon as she finished shouting. [color=a187be]"Missed my cue, it seems. I guess I should have been more clear. I wanted you to be near me before you screamed. The second half of what I can do... I can stop your powers from working."[/color] Angel took a step back, actually surprised by what Allison had just said. She wanted to stay close to her and cancel out her powers? Was she insane? Didn’t she hear what had happened to people who were standing close to her screams? No, she couldn’t risk injuring her friend, couldn’t afford to lose someone dear to her after what had happened two weeks ago. [color=9e0039]“I… I can’t do that! What if I injure you, kill you? I… don’t want to rob anyone else’s life once more. Not again!”[/color] [color=9e0039]"But I believe your words. There’s no need for you to prove it to me right now, right?”[/color] [color=a187be]"Yea, you're right... sorry, I guess I... triggered some bad memories there, or something? Sorry."[/color] Allison quickly walked towards the building, summoning the shard as she did. She had let it extend to almost it's full length, a massive 19 foot thing that appeared as a blade of jagged glass, just as it normally did. Allison hadn't manifested the shard to such a length before, so she was suprised when it was as weightless as it always was. The blade controlled the same at 19 feet as it did at 1. Allison swung the weightless blade at the building, cutting through as much of the building as she could in a single stroke, and repeating until the entire thing had toppled into a pile of rubble and dust. It was an oddly cathartic experience, and Allison felt all the better for it. As the last of the building fell, the shard dissipated, and Allison ran away from the ruins, coughing as she escaped from the clouds of dust that had arisen as the building fell. She approached Angel. [color=a187be]"That felt fucking amazing."[/color] Allison's mind felt clear for once, a great weight lifted off of her subconscious. She could actually think without having to fight and restrain herself. She coughed as she spoke. [color=a187be]"Aside from all the dust anyway."[/color] Angélique stood silent and lengths away from the building and Allison as she watched just how much destructive power her room neighbor could actually inflict on buildings. It was frightening, really. Now if only all that power could affect monsters, now that would be quite something. When Allison got back next to Angel, the screamer-turned singer chuckled in response to her friend’s statement. She gave the girl a pat on the shoulder, for a job well done. [color=9e0039]“That’s terrific, girl. If I was a building, I’d quake myself to ruins.” [/color] Both girls seemed to be in a lighter mood after exhibiting their shows of powers. It would seem like this trip to Ground Zero was most beneficial after all. As predicted, they literally killed two birds with one stone here, getting to hang out with each other while sating the destructive instincts influenced by their stigma. [color=9e0039]“Guess we did enough damage here. Feeling good enough to return to… [i]class[/i]?”[/color] [color=a187be]"Yea, I guess."[/color] Allison said, stretching her arms a bit. For as much damage as she did, she didn't get that much of a workout. While she wasn't exactly exhausted, she was noticing that she was rather hungry. [color=a187be]"Don't know if skipping lunch was that good of an idea, though."[/color] "We could race back to the cafeteria. Grab a few pastries for whatever the 'elective class' is. Munch on those during class." Angel suggested, taking her phone out from the pocket of her jeans and noticing that, indeed, they didn't have much time to stop by the cafeteria and go to class. [color=a187be]"Sounds good, if we can make time for it. Race you there?"[/color] Allison didn't wait for an answer, and darted off. [color=9e0039]“You’re o- hey you cheater!”[/color] Angel in turn dashed after seeing Allison took a head start. Allison was the first to reach the cafeteria. Both girls were quite fit, healthy young lasses, but Allison’s pride and Angel being more accustomed to jogging than sprinting had decided the results. Inside the cafeteria, Angel had pressed to receptionist to be quick and let them eat quickly. Time was running short as the girls were choosing what their lunch will be. Angel, knowing that they will most likely be late, took anything that was quick and easy to eat on the move, such as raw vegetables and pastries. Not much of a change from what she usually eat, but it was simple and efficient. Eventually, as they had been sitting at a table and started eating, a pair of guards showed up in the cafeteria, guns in hand and walked up to the two eating Aberrations. [color=f7976a]“You’re late for class, subnaturals. Get up and head back to class, immediately. We’ll be right behind you.”[/color] Angel got up from her chair without protest, pastries in hand and a mouthful of vegetables. [color=9e0039]“Fine, but I’m keeping my food with me.”[/color] Angel replied defiantly with her mouth full, the guards shrugging at the bold student. She started walking towards the class, wondering what was on schedule this afternoon. Allison was soon to follow, similarly carrying her food as the pair was escorted back to the classroom.