fandomhigh | The Art of Conversation, 3rd period

"Right." Jon nodded. "So, today is about starting a conversation."

He paused awkwardly.

"Apparently one of the best ways to do that is by asking a question. Some suggested questions are," he looked at the note card he'd written out, "What brought you here; I like a part of your outfit, where did you get it; have you heard about this news story; have you seen such-and-such movie; and what's on your bucket list. I...um. Well, I try not to ask questions myself." For reasons.

"Which doesn't mean it isn't a good idea! So maybe we could try that. Each of you can ask me a question and ask each other a question, and I'll...do something, and let's see if we can keep each conversation going for..." Well, it was a one-hour class, and that would be six conversations if he could not-ask questions back... "For ten minutes each. At least. You don't have to ask those I mentioned, just anything."

Maybe they'd talk to each other a lot and he could get out of this. That was totally in the spirit of the class, right?

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Questioning!

Luma Zarrin

Adrian Blackwood (and Boston)

Think of questions!

Luma was taking a moment to eye Jon carefully as she tried to think of her question, before she finally lifted her chin, thinking she thought of a pretty good one.

"Do you like teaching?" she asked, especially since, well, it definitely didn't seem like something that came natural to him. "What made you decide to get into it?"

Two questions, even! Look at her, winning at conversations.

Jon gave her a look like deer in headlights for a moment. "Oh. Um. Well, I..." he stopped and thought about it. "I don't dislike actually teaching." He sighed. "I do just wish that the moose would stop assigning me things because I'm English and ought to know them, rather than things I'm actually competent at."

It could be worse; he could have a co-teacher again!

"That said, I never really decided to get into it. When I ended up on the island, I was already assigned a class, and I hadn't even known I would be here. That happens sometimes. Although I understand you're one of the people who meant to show up here."

Look at him, implying questions without asking them!

Luma gave a soft huff at that, giving her hair a light toss over her shoulder. "Well," she stated, "I suppose that all depends on who you ask, I get the feeling that a few people," not that she'd name names or sisters or anything!, "would think that I wasn't meant to be here at all, but here I am, anyway. Because I can be here, and it isn't fair that..."

She faltered slightly, realizing that she had swung into an emotional territory there and tried to pull it back.

"...that...it's...taken so long to find somewhere like here that I could go to."

She then found herself looking Jon up and down once again. "Do you want to be here?" she asked. "If you don't, does that mean you can't just leave? What happens if you do?"

"It's nice here, I suppose," Jon said. "It's...it's got its conveniences. I'm not stuck here, but I can't really go back home. If home even exists. I hope whether some people think you belong here or not, you're finding your own place. Everyone should have a place they like to be."

"Well," Luma offered, "I'm sharing a room with my sister, so not really my own space there, but I did get a job at the clothing store in town. I've never had one of those before."

"I've never had a sibling, so I'm not sure what it's like," Jon said. "If you wanted to explain a little."

"Well, I don't know if Eleanor and I are a good example to use," Luma admitted. "We've been apart from each other for more of our lives than we've been together. She got sent off to school when she was little, and not long after she came back, she came here. I'm actually much closer to my cousin, Rhys."

She almost corrected herself there, about how she used to be closer to Rhys, anyway, but she'd realized that Jon would likely encourage her to speak more on that, and then she'd really get upset.

"I wonder if you can use this time to get to know each other better," Jon noted. "If you think it will help."

"Why do you let the moose choose your classes?" Adrian asked. "Instead of deciding for yourself what you'd like to teach?"

Look at him, also getting in on this conversation!

Jon stared at him and bit back the immediate question that came to mind, rewording it.

"I wonder if you've ever tried to argue with a moose."

"I can honestly say I have not," Adrian admitted with a laugh. "I'm still getting used to the idea of a moose in an academic setting as anything beyond a mascot. What's it like?"

"Very large," Jon answered. "And insistent. With enormous antlers.

Ask Jon a question and ask each other a question!

If you haven't had enough already.

Nap time?

The Art of Conversation, 3rd period

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Class activity

Talk to Jon!

OOC!