Philosophy Classroom, PW office hours, Sunday 1-4pm

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara Maclay is in her office (well, okay, at her desk in the classroom. Who needs a separate office?) should parents wish to speak to her this afternoon.

Comments

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

Trina keeps her smile pasted on. She pauses for a moment, waiting for the punchline. Then she spins back around to face the camera. "Logan is also studying Journalism," she says, walking back towards the door.

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Don't go!" Tara blurts out, taking an inadvertent step forward. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. Yes, I'm Tara Maclay."

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"It's great to meet you, Tara," Trina says, turning back around and offering her hand.

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara takes Willow's Trina's hand with trembling fingers, the shake turning into more of a caress as she rubs her thumb gently over the back of Trina's hand. The touch is so familiar, so precious, and she smiles softly, gratefully at Trina.

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

Trina's eyes widen at the caress. "Okay!" she says, carefully pulling her hand away. "I understand you're one of Logan's teachers?"

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara nods, silently kicking herself. She doesn't know you. She's not your Willow.

"Yes, Logan's in my Ethics class. He's a wonderful student, I'm very proud of him." She's obscurely proud that her voice doesn't shake.

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"Really," Trina blinks. "Logan Echolls?"

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara nods enthusiastically. "He earned extra credit on the first out of class assignment. He joined the class late, so he has a little bit of catching up to do, but it's already clear he's going to be one of my best students."

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

Trina frowns and tilts her head. "Oh. Really?" She smiles. "I mean, that's great! He's always had so much potential."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"How long have you known him?" Tara asks, hoping to find out a little more information about this Willow. Whose she still does not know is not Willow, as Trina did not actually introduce herself. Hee!

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"His whole life," Trina says, puzzled. She starts to pull out a piece of paper (http://www.livejournal.com/users/trina_echolls/510.html), but thinks better of it and stuffs it back in her pocket. "So, what do you teach?"

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Philosophy and Ethics," replies Tara automatically, running through her mental list of Willow's old friends. There was a guy Willow and Xander used to talk about... a best friend... and she can't quite remember his name. Maybe he was Logan? Didn't he get turned into a vampire?

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

Trina smiles widely. "I am so happy that Logan's finally getting exposure to new schools of thought. Our father has been very interested in philosophical studies lately. I sent him a script recently that's basically a retelling of Socrates's life story, as set in a modern inner city classroom."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"That sounds amazing!" Tara grins, more excited that Willow is opening up about herself (or, um, this version of hersef) than what she's actually saying. "So, um, you're a writer?" She looks at the cameras. "Director? Actress?"

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you haven't seen my work? Actress, with a little directing on the side. You know, if you want something done right...." She shrugs. "My boyfriend wrote the Socrates script. He's brilliant - going to be the next Charlie Kaufman!"

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"...Boyfriend," Tara repeats, biting her lip. She was with Oz before you, though. It doesn't mean anything. "I haven't seen your work, but I'd love to. I guess stage fright is easier to deal with without a live audience?"

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

Trina smiles. "I've been performing so long, I hardly remember what stage fright feels like."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"So, um, what are the cameras for?" Tara asks, casting a sidelong glance to the entourage.

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

Trina doesn't look back at Bobby Billy the cameraman. "Our family has received a lot of negative publicity lately, so I'm filming a documentary to show a different side to us."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara frowns. "That's terrible!" What's with the royal we? Fame go to her head even worse than the magic?

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"I know!" Trina wrinkles her nose. "The tabloids can be so negative. I've offered to tell my side of the story, but no one wants to hear anything positive about celebrities these days. That's why I decided to go directly to the networks myself."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara waves her hand, dismissing the tabloids. "Everyone knows nothing printed in those is true. You should stop reading them, they just make you unhappy." She bites her tongue. Whoops.

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"Aw, you're such a sweetie," Trina says. She pulls that piece of paper (http://www.livejournal.com/users/trina_echolls/510.html) back out. "Could you sign this, please?"

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Heart leaping at the compliment, Tara takes the piece of paper, letting her fingers skate over Trina's. She skims over the piece of paper, stopping short at the first line. "Trina Echolls? ...That's you?"

[trina-echolls.livejournal.com]

"Of course," Trina smiles.